The Leshy (also Leshi; Russian: леший, IPA: [ˈlʲeʂɨj]; literally, "[he] from the forest", Polish: boruta, borowy, leśnik, leśniczy, lasowik, leszy) is a tutelary deity of the forests in Slavic mythology. The plural form in Russian is лешие, leshiye (retaining the stress on the first syllable). As the spirit rules over the forest and hunting, he may be related to the Slavic god Porewit.
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There is also a deity, named Svyatibor (Svyatobor, Svyatibog), who is mentioned in the beliefs of the Eastern and Western Slavs as the god of forests and the lord of the leshies. His functions were identical to those of the god Veles.
The Leshy is masculine and humanoid in shape, is able to assume any likeness and can change in size and height. He is sometimes portrayed with horns and surrounded by packs of wolves and bears. In some accounts, Leshy is described as having a wife (Leshachikha, Leszachka, Lesovikha and also, sometimes, the Kikimora of the swamp) and children (leshonki, leszonky). He is known by some to have a propensity to lead travelers astray and abduct children (which he shares with Chort, the "Black One"), which would lead some to believe he is an evil entity. He is, however, also known to have a more neutral disposition towards humans, dependent on the attitudes and behaviours of an individual person, or local population, towards the forest. Leshy could take children who were cursed by their relatives (in particular, parents) away to the forest people.
Some would therefore describe him as more of a temperamental being, like a fairy.
Leshy is used as a prototype for the main character of Vladimir Vysotsky's song "Lukomorye", where leshy is depicted as an alcoholic that spends all his money on drinking and is abusive against his wife.[8]
Leshy appeared in Season 5 of Supernatural. Leshi started killing and feeding on more people after Sam and Dean started the Apocalypse. The creature wanted to fully feed himself and would do so by taking on the form of the idols of his victims and then feeding on them.
Leshy appears throughout The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski and the world renowned The Witcher video game series.
Leshy is present in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game as both an ancestry for player characters, as well as an option for supernatural magical companions.
.
There is also a deity, named Svyatibor (Svyatobor, Svyatibog), who is mentioned in the beliefs of the Eastern and Western Slavs as the god of forests and the lord of the leshies. His functions were identical to those of the god Veles.
Some would therefore describe him as more of a temperamental being, like a fairy.
Leshy appeared in Season 5 of Supernatural. Leshi started killing and feeding on more people after Sam and Dean started the Apocalypse. The creature wanted to fully feed himself and would do so by taking on the form of the idols of his victims and then feeding on them.
Leshy appears throughout The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski and the world renowned The Witcher video game series.
Leshy is present in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game as both an ancestry for player characters, as well as an option for supernatural magical companions.