Rusałka (Patreon)

The original "rusalka" was an appellation used by pagan Slavic peoples, who linked them with fertility and did not consider rusalki evil till 19th century. They came out of the water in the spring to transfer life-giving moisture to the fields and thus helped nurture the crops.

In Poland water rusalki/rusalky were younger and fair-haired, while the forest ones looked more mature and had black hair – but in both cases, if someone looked up close, their hair turned green, and the faces became distorted.They killed their victims by tickling them to death or forcing them to participate in a frenzied dance. In Polish folklore, the term rusalka could also stand for boginka, dziwożona and various other entities.

Love, Erinthul.