Leshy
One of my favourite mythical creatures, the Leshiy, comes straight out of a Slavic moonshine fever dream. The name originates from the word “Les”, the Russian name for the forest which he protects. Like all first-rate folkloric creatures, the Leshiy is neither good nor bad. Be nice and offer him some tobacco and he will teach you how to communicate with animals, but fuck around and he will get your Slavic ass lost in the forest forever.
The Leshiy is a shapeshifter, he can be as small as a blade of grass or as big as the largest tree. My favourite Leshiy form is a tall man with one leg made of birch and the other one made of oak. He walks around you with his tree legs, confusing the hell out of you and leads you ever deeper into the forest. Think of him as a Russian ent from LOTR, but more puckish. He can also whistle and imitate human voices. The Leshiy has a wife, creatively named Leshchikha, and together they have wild children; little forest spirits that look like naked human babies with moss or bark skin. To be honest, a moss baby sounds pretty cute to me.
The Leshiy is mischievous; he casts no shadow, and his laughter shakes the forest and paralyses people with fear. He fucks with lumberjacks and people who disrespect the forest but sometimes he kidnaps people just for shits and giggles. He likes practical jokes; he swaps signs, moves footpaths, and might push you from behind without showing himself. If you befriend the Leshiy, he will reveal to you hidden paths, animal speech, and forest magic. Some even claimed the Leshiy gave them luck charms, like a leaf that grants invisibility. I can just imagine a drunkass Russian hunter running around naked with a tree leaf believing himself to be invisible.
Although the Leshiy is an ancient creature, he’s endearingly goofy. He can turn into animals, but imperfectly; like having glowing green eyes, backwards feet, or moss growing from his fur. What a guy! You can trick the Leshiy by wearing your clothes inside out or wearing your shoes on the wrong foot (which honestly just sounds like what you would tell your wife after coming home from a bender in the forest and she asks you where you have been and why your clothes are on wrong).
We all need more cute creatures like the Leshiy in our lives, and with the destruction of forests, I wonder what Leshiys would do. Maybe pursue his love of tobacco and open up a corner store? I wonder if he would accept a vape as tribute, especially if it's pine-flavoured.
[originally posted to Patreon on 4/5/25]
