Among the Slavs, there exists a belief that the soul of a witch can leave her body while she is asleep, taking on the form of an animal or even a weather event. Such a soul escapes through a chimney at night, only to return with the first sunrise rays. #mythologymonday #dailyspooklore #folklore

The Kitska Zhonka, or the maiden of River Kitsa, is a female water spirit from the Kola Peninsula. She is known for her fish tail and demands for human sacrifices. In return, she offers fishermen a bountiful catch, as she has dominion over all the fish in the river. #swampsunday #dailyspooklore

In East Slavic lore, the drowned emerge from their wet graves during summer nights to dry off under the moonlight. This is the reason for the taboo against saying something like "the night is so light, I can see everything". #FairyTaleTuesday #dailyspooklore #folklore Image: K. Makovskyi

In East Slavic lore, hair/fur contains one’s soul. It was customary for farmers to make a deal with Leshy (the forest lord): they promised to give him a "one-furred" cow, which referred to the animal's soul, and in return, he would spare the rest of their livestock. #dailyspooklore #folklore l

Selma is a Norwegian cousin of Nessie. This cryptid inhabits Seljordsvannet, where it is reportedly described by locals as a massive, snake-like creature with glowing eyes. The first encounter with Selma was registered in 1750 🐍 #swampsunday #dailyspooklore #folklore Image: Hugo Heikenwaelder

In the lore of the Udmurts, Obyda is a demonic forest woman with the ability to suffocate solitary travelers. Her ankles are said to be sprained – a characteristic that signifies her connection to the other world. #dontgointothewoods #dailyspooklore #folklore

The Faroese sleep paralysis demon is known as Marra. Marra sometimes takes the shape of a beautiful woman. Yet not only causes she nightmares but also has a more sinister habit – she counts the teeth of her victims. If she completes this task before dawn, you die in their sleep. #dailyspooklore

In Slavic lore, rye is associated with rusalkas. If you need to cross a rye field, watch out for ladies in white, especially, if the field is covered with cornflowers, which they’re fond of. The dead run fast, and so do they because that’s what rusalkas are. #folklorethursday #dailyspooklore

Image is from an early 20th-century Halloween greeting card. #31DaysofHaunting #DailySpookLore #Superstitiology #MythologySky #FolkloreSky #SuperstitionSky #HalloweenSky #Mythology #Folklore #Superstition #Occult #Scrying #Divination #Halloween

In Egyptian mythology, after the god Set killed his brother Osiris, he fought Osiris' son Horus for control of Egypt. Eventually, the supreme god Ra decided to give Set 97% of Egypt but let Horus choose his 3% first. Horus chose the fertile Nile Delta, leaving Set with the desert.
🎨 Hamish Steele

#FolkyFriday #31DaysofHaunting #BookChatWeekly #DailySpookLore #Mythology #EgyptianMythology #Folklore #EgyptianFolklore #Egypt #GraphicNovel #Comics #HamishSteele #Pantheon

According to the Goetia, Paimon is a king of Hell commanding 200 demonic legions. He roars when summoned, and is accompanied by a retinue of demonic musicians. Paimon teaches all arts and sciences, and the mysteries of earth, air, and water. He also can control minds. Paimon rides a dromedary.
🎨 Louis Le Breton

#FolkyFriday #31DaysofHaunting #BookChatWeekly #DailySpookLore #Mythology #Folklore #Occult #Sorcery #Devil #Demon #Demonology #Goetia

When a strange light is seen at night in the Welsh wilderness, often it's a pwca's candle. These black-furred goblins love to play nasty tricks. Sometimes pwcas turn into animals (such as horses), other times they use their candles to lead travelers into bogs or off cliffs.
🎨 Huw Aaron

#WyrdWednesday #31DaysofHaunting #DailySpookLore #DontGoIntoTheWoods #Mythology #WelshMythology #CelticMythology #Folklore #WelshFolklore #CelticFolklore #Celtic #Wales #Fairy #Goblin

There is a belief registered among the Selkup people, according to which, human souls after death would go underground and transform into spiders 🕸️🕷️🕸️ #dailyspooklore #folklore Image: Taymar.M

In East Slavic tradition, laughter is tied to the life itself. The ability to laugh is how you can tell the living apart from the walking dead, as the latter can’t laugh anymore. Laughter also was used in folk-magic and healing rituals. #dailyspooklore #aprilfools #folklore Image: Ternovye

If there's a theatre, there are ghosts! When a theatre is empty, a ghost light is left on the stage for safety reasons. But some people believe that the true purpose of it is to allow spirits to perform on stage, thereby preventing them from disturbing the living. #mythologymonday #dailyspooklore

In Greek mythology, the Eleionomae are described as the naiads of swamp and marshes. They are known for sending visions to solitary travelers, often with the intention of either seducing them or luring them to their death. #swampsunday #dailyspooklore #folklore Image: Alexandra Dvornikova

An old East Slavic superstition warns that bringing home cattails or reeds can summon the wrath of swamp spirits. And then they will retaliate by causing illnesses and misfortune to affect your family… #SwampSunday #dailyspooklore #folklore Image: Fizdi Prints

The Isle of Mull has its own kelpie legend: A man saw a horse near Cruloch at night and was tempted to ride it home. But upon noticing water-weed around its legs, he decided against it. The horse then said that it would have killed him if he hadn't been so friendly. #SwampSunday #dailyspooklore

In Vyatka, women used to perform a good luck ritual that involved consuming a hen who mothered 3 generations of chickens, and burring her bones in a swamp. #dailyspooklore #swampsunday #folklore Image: Natalie Wargin

A dead witch riding on the back of a mortal is another motif of East-Slavic folk-tales employed in my #thesevenofwands In East Slavic lore, witches are never actually dead. Buried in the woods and swamps, they can attack by-passers and even bend them to their will. #dailyspooklore #wip #folklore