Folktales

Below are a handful of Polish legends and folktales. Additionally, at the bottom is a bit about the religion found in Poland before Christianization in 966. To help spread Christianity, many pagan beliefs were adopted and modified by the Church to help people convert, this is true not only in Poland but in all countries.

Legendary Men & Heroes

Stach Konwa

Stach is a legendary Kurpie hero. It is unknown where he was born, perhaps in Nowogród or Myszyniec, and he was a bee-keeper by trade. There is no direct historical evidence supporting such a man ever lived, and even the name Konwa is very unusual for the Kurpie region. It may be that the name Konwa is a pseudonym. During the Great Northern War, Stach led a group of Kurpian men to defeat the Swedes on Jan. 22-23, 1708 at Kopańskim Bridge. During the War of Polish Succession, Stach backed Stanisław Leszczyński against Augustus II. In 1733, he led a group of shooters to defeat the Russian at Przasnyszu. (There is a saying in Polish, "he shoots like a Kurpian," which means he is an excellent shot.) Sometime between Nov. 1734 and Aug. 1735 occurred the Battle of Jednaczewo where Stach fought against the Saxons. There he was defeated and captured and later hanged. His legend lives on in many forms, including the "Song of Konwa" (Pieśni o Konwie). Stach embodies Kurpie idealisms of freedom and resistance to subjugation and serfdom.

The first monument erected in his memory was in 1922 by Adam Chętnik, but it was destroyed in 1939, a replica of the monument was erected in 1965 in Nowogród. In 1958, in the city square of Łomża, Gervase Lórinczego's Stach Konwa Monument was erected for the 1000th anniversary of the city. The statue faces east with its fist raised in that direction. This posture has been interpreted as an expression of opposition to the Soviet domination of Poland.

Pan Twardowski

Twardowski was a nobleman (szlachcic) who lived in Kraków in the 16th century. He sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and magical powers. However, Twardowski wanted to outwit the devil by including a special clause in the contract stating that the devil could only take his soul to Hell during his visit to Rome, a place the sorcerer never intended to go. With the devil's aid, Twardowski quickly rose to wealth and fame, eventually becoming a courtier of King Sigismund Augustus, who sought consolation in magic after the death of his beloved wife, Barbara Radziwiłł. Twardowski was said to have summoned the ghost of the late queen using a magic mirror to comfort the grieving king. The sorcerer also wrote two books, both dictated to him by the devil; one is a book on magic and the other an encyclopedia. After years of evading his fate, the devil eventually tricked Twardowski and caught at an inn called Rzym (Polish for 'Rome'). While being spirited away, Twardowski started to pray to the Virgin Mary, who made the devil drop him midway to Hell. Twardowski fell on the moon where he lives to this day. His only companion is his sidekick whom he had turned into a spider; from time to time Twardowski lets the spider descend to Earth on a thread and bring him news from the world below.

The Legend of Krakus and the Dragon (Smok Wawelski)

The oldest known account of the story (set in the 8th century) comes from 12th century in the work of Wincenty Kadłubek. The tale details the founding of one of Poland's capitals, Kraków by it's legendary founder King Krakus. Click here to see the source. In some versions the villagers feed the dragon a young maiden once a month to appease him until only their current ruler's daughter is left.

"Atop Wawel Hill on the Vistula River in Poland, there stands a beautiful, ancient castle and a Cathedral in which are buried many of the Kings of Poland. Below lies the ancient city of Kraków.

But long, long ago, before the city of Kraków existed, before the castle and the cathedral, there existed a small settlement of peaceful people, who tilled the soil, harvested their crops and prospered. In the evening when work was done and the sun had gone to sleep, they would gather around fires and the old men would tell stories of an evil dragon who lived in a deep dark cave in the side of Wawel hill. The entrance to the cave was overgrown with thick weeds and brambles and no one would dare venture near the cave lest they awaken the creature inside. No one, that is, accept five foolish youths, who disbelieved the older generation. They thought the old stories foolhardy and set out to prove them false.

Despite dire warnings from their elders, the young boys armed themselves with torches and flints and set out to climb the hill. They laboriously made there way through the thick brush and soon arrived at the mouth of a cavernous cave. Peering into the cave with their torches in hand, they could see nothing. They entered in and felt the presence of evil around them. The air was foul and the boys wanted to bolt and run, but not wishing to face the embarrassment of returning to their village in the state of fright, they pressed on. Advancing through the long, narrow cave, their torches threw hideous shadows against the wall of the cave. They could hear deep and regular breathing, but still they went on. Suddenly, they saw in front of them a huge heaving mass. It was covered with greenish scales and worse yet, it was awakening from its sleep!

The boys ran the fastest that they had ever run in their lives toward the entrance of the cave. Behind them they heard roaring and bellowing and they felt hot breath on their backs. They did not bother to turn and look, but rather, plunged down the side of the hill running, stumbling, and rolling until they reached the bottom. Only then did they look up to see a hideous dragon at the top of the hill with sharp teeth and flashing eyes. The dragon made its way down the hill, and hungry from its long sleep, it went directly to a herd of grazing cattle and seized one of the hapless creatures and carried it back to its cave. The people were shocked and terrified and the boys slunk away, ashamed of what they had done.

From that day on there was no peace in the village. Daily, the dragon would appear to carry off a victim. Sometimes a sheep, sometimes a child or even a grown man. The villagers called the hideous creature "Smok." Men banded together to try and slay the dragon, but their weapons were no match for the thick scales of the dragon. Many men died in the attempt to rid the village of this terrible curse.

In the same village lived a wise man named Krakus. Some thought him something of a magician, for he would mix herbs to heal the sick. The villagers came to Krakus to ask for his help. Krakus thought for a long time, studying his jars of herbs and things, and all the while murmuring to himself. Then he started to mix up a paste. He summoned the villagers to bring a sheep to him. He covered the poor sheep with the unpleasant mixture and carrying it up the hill and threw the sheep inside the cave.

After several suspenseful moments, there came the sound of the great dragon roaring and bellowing its way down to the Vistula River. The mixture that the sheep had been coated with caused a great burning inside the dragon. It drank and drank until it began to swell. Some say it drank half of the Vistula River that day. Still it drank to quell the relentless burning in its gut. Suddenly, there was a great explosion and the dragon burst!

The people rejoiced at the demise of the fearsome creature. They were so impressed with the wisdom of Krakus that they invited him to rule over them. They built a stronghold at the top of the hill and below it, the city prospered under his rule. The city was named Kraków in honor of Krakus. When Krakus died the people gave him a magnificent burial, and erected a mound over his tomb, bringing the dirt with their own hands. It has endured throughout the centuries as a lasting monument to their wise and brave King."

Piast the Wheelwright

Piast Kołodziej (Piast the Wheelwright) was a semi-legendary figure in prehistoric Poland (9th century AD), the founder of the Piast Dynasty. Piast is mentioned in the Polish Chronicle of Gallus Anonymus.

When Gniezno (the capital founded by Lech) was ruled by Popiel II (of the Popielidzi dynasty), two strangers came for a visit. As Popiel had two sons who were between 7 and 10 years old, he arranged for the rite of postrzyżyny to be celebrated for them. Postrzyżyny (meaning "first haircut") was an old Slavic rite designating the moment when a small boy was becoming a man, it was performed by either the boy's father or a stranger who afterward would be considered family. A third given name would be given to the boy on this occasion and he would pass from his mother's charge to his father's. According to the custom, no guests that wanted to take part in the feast should be left uninvited. But greedy prince Popiel chased the two strangers away.

The visitors encountered another postrzyzyny feast organized in the village by a poor wheelwright whose name was Piast. Although Piast did not have enough money and food to provide to his guests, he invited the two travelers to join them after their long journey. Miraculously, the amount of food increased during the feast. The hair cut was performed by the two guests who named the young boy Siemowit. They had foreseen that Siemowit would one day rule Gniezno and its citizens. Other versions of the legend would state also that it was Piast who was elected (by the gathering of citizens) to become the prince of Gniezno, while his son, Siemowit, took over a rule after his death (when Piast was at the age of 120 years). After Popiel was ousted he was eaten by mice in his tower on Gopło lake.

Princess Kunegunda

Kunegunda was beautiful princess living in the castle at the top of Chojnik. After the death of her father, she began her rule. Her greatest pleasures were deer hunting and horse riding. Because she was rich and beautiful, many noble knights wanted marry her. Kunegunda did not wish to marry so she set a challenge for her suitors. She would only marry the knight who could complete one circuit along the castle's walls on horseback while wearing armor, a helmet, and with a sword and shield in hand. She knew that walls near to the abyss were very narrow and thought the task would be impossible to fulfill. Many tried and perished, and Kunegunda took pleasure in watching them die. After a few years, when all believed that every try would result in suicide, no men dared accept the challenge.

The princess was leading a peaceful life in her castle until a proud knight came along. Standing at the gates of the castle, he promised that he would go around castle's walls. In the evening, when the knight was dining, he began talking about his marvelous travels and many servants rallied to him. Kunegunda, informed by her maid, wanted to hear the stories too. However, the princess was too proud to sit at the table with servants and she could not call her tired guest to her chambers in the evening. So Kunegunda donned her maid's dress and went down to the dining hall. She sat in the corner, unnoticed, while the knight told about his family and his city Kraków. After listening to the knight Kunegunda realized that she had fallen in love with the knight who would surely die tomorrow. During the night, the desperate princess sent her maid to the knight with the message that she would forgo the obligation to go around walls and would indeed marry him. The knight sent back his reply that he was the knight who had never backtracked on a promise and he was going to fulfill the task.

The next day at dawn Kunegunda was awaken by the sounds of trumpets, what meant that the knight had already mounted his horse. When he was near to the most dangerous place, the princess started praying to God and Saint Kunegunda for help. Eventually she fainted. Kunegunda awoke to happy, laughing voices. She went running quickly to the knight and avowed that she would be his wife. However, contrary to Kunegunda’s expectations, the knight told her that he had not come to get married, but to end her cruelty towards her suitors by completing the task. He claimed that he would never marry a women who was guilty of the sin of murder and then he left Chojnik.

The legend ends in three different ways. The most popular says that the princess then cast herself from her walls and committed suicide. After she died, her corpse was taken to Hell. For that reason the road running from the castle to the abyss is called Droga Kunegundy (Road of Kunegunda) or Droga przez piekło (Road through Hell) and the valley through which the road runs Piekielna Dolina (Hellish Valley). The second version ends with Kunegunda becoming a nun and repenting for her wicked ways. She died of old age at the monastery. The third ending has Kungunda marry a German knight. To achieve this she knocked down the narrow wall and paid for a Mass for the souls of the dead knights. In repentence she then gave alms. Once this was completed, the knight called Elwardt von Ehrbach married her.

Wars and Sawa

The legend of Wars and Sawa explains how the city of Warsaw (Warszawa) got its name. There are many versions of the tale, below are a few. Click here or here for sources.

Version One: King Kazimierz Odnowiciel, while on his way from Kraków to Gniezno, came across a poor fisherman's hut. The hungry king found his way to the hut thanks to the smoke and the smell of fresh food. As he was having some fish from the night's catch, the fisherman told the king the story of his family which had just recently grown bigger thanks to the arrival of two marvelous twins. The poor fisherman and his wife could not baptize the babies, though, because there was no church in the area. The king, who had really enjoyed the meal, wanted to pay the peasants with gold, but they, according to the old Polish tradition of hospitality, refused to take any payment. Then the king asked them for one more favor, he asked to be the twins' godfather at their baptism that he would organize. An altar was set up on a hill, and a priest commissioned by King Kazimierz named the twins Wars (the boy) and Sawa (the girl). And King Kazimierz announced that Pietrko Rybak (Peter Fisherman, the twins' father) would from then on be called Piotr Wars, the royal fisherman, the father of Wars and Sawa, and the owner of the vast forest. The king also told him that one day, when a village began to take shape near his hut, that he should give it a name derived from his new surname, and that the village would carry that name forever.

Version Two: A long, long time ago there was a tiny hut standing at the shores of the Vistula River. Wars, a fisherman, and his wife Sawa lived there. One day a hunt was organized in the area and Prince Ziemomysł, the owner of the estate, got lost in the forest. He wandered around for many days and

many nights and he finally reached the fisherman’s hut. Wars and Sawa made the stranger welcome and in the morning the grateful prince said, "You didn't hesitate to take in a stranger and save him from hunger, cold, and wild animals. Therefore this land will forever be called Warsaw, so your kindness can never be forgotten."

Version Three: Long ago, when the Polish countryside was still wild and beautiful, there was a small village on the banks of the Vistula river, inhabited by kind people, who spent all their days occupied with fishing. One evening, when Wars was collecting his net and fish before going home to retire, he heard a quiet song coming from old willows, the branches of which washed in the river. He sat again and listened. It was a beautiful song, mystical, and other worldly. Wars could not understand the lyrics, but he sensed it was a song about wildness, life, and the beauty of nature. He was mesmerized. So much so that he forgot about the world around him.

Suddenly the song stopped. It felt as if a bucket of cold water was thrown on his head. Wars realized it was the middle of the night and he had to go back home, across a wild and dangerous forest, to his small house at the end of the village. He told himself he would come back the next day for he must hear this song again.

The next evening, when his work was accomplished, Wars sat at the bank of the river and waited. Suddenly he heard that song, nearer than the day before and more beautiful. So beautiful that he had to stand up and go there, closer to the sound. He must see the owner of the silver voice. He did not know where he was or how found himself there or even what time it was. But finally he saw the singer. It was the most beautiful lady in the world. She had long golden hair, and skin as white as snow. It shone in the moonlight, as did her fish tail. When he saw that tail, his first thought was to run, but the second one told him to stay. Unfortunately, she heard the rustle of leaves, and disappeared beneath the water. Wars waited for her every evening, hoping she would come back, but she did not.

After several years, when Wars lost all hope and almost forgot his eerie adventure, his ears were reached by the almost forgotten sound. He took his net and hurried to the spot where the song came from. Once more he saw the most beautiful woman in the world. This time he was prepared for her appearance, so he did not move when she exposed her silver tail. At the right moment he cast his net and caught her. She screamed and cried, trying to escape, but she could not.

Wars took her to his house and began to wonder why he caught her. Silver tears went down the siren's face. She looked at him with so much sadness in her blue eyes. "Let me go," she whispered. "Please, let me go. Why did you do that?" Wars wondered and wondered, and finally the answer came to him. "Because I love you." She replied, "If you truly love me, you must let me go. I cannot live without water, without swimming and nature. I will die here, imprisoned."

"But I cannot live without you."

"So I will die because you want to have me inside your house? I can come to you and sing every evening, if you want me to. I can defend you and your village so that no harm will come your way. But let me go." Wars could not stand her tears anymore. He took her to the river and let her go. "What is your name?" he asked. "Sawa," she answered as she disappeared in the waters of the Vistula river.

From that day on Sawa sang to Wars and his children, and then their children. She defended them from any danger. Today, the city of Warsaw stands in that place, named after the two lovers: Wars and Sawa.

Other Folktales

Złota Kaczka (Golden Duck)

Popular in the Warsaw area, click here to see the source.

"A long time ago in Warsaw there lived a young man named Jacob. He was always the first one there when something unusual was going on. Friends often invited him to taverns so that he could entertain them with tales of his daring deeds. One thing you should know however, although Jacob was greatly liked by the Warsaw tavern-goers, a sense of humor was this young's man only possession, he was as poor as a church mouse.

One night in a tavern he heard old men spin a tale. Apparently, beneath one of the palaces of Warsaw there was a labyrinth, at the end of which there was a cave, full of water of an enchanted lake on whose surface swam a Duck. This mysterious bird guarded the entrance to a treasure-trove, but before you could help yourself you had to fulfill the duck’s wishes. Hearing this story the young man pondered for a moment and then made a decision: 'I have nothing to lose' he said, 'and so I shall go and find this Golden Duck.' And with that he was on his way.

He soon found the palace in the valley. Once in the courtyard, Jacob soon realized that the dwelling was uninhabited. He looked in all the windows but he could not see even the faintest flickering of candlelight. Then he came across an opening that led to an underground fortress. Step by step he made his way into the depths of the castle's dark cellars.

Suddenly, the cave, gleaming with gold, appeared before his eyes. Its interior was filled with crystal-clear water on which the Golden Duck was gracefully gliding. Its plumage was of the finest ore and a precious crown adorned its head. 'Come here, intrepid one,' the Duck proclaimed in a human voice, 'You have found what you were looking for. All you see is yours to keep, but first a test you have to pass.' said the Duck. 'These hundred ducats you shall take and in a day spend them all, but on yourself and no one else, not even those you hold most dear.'

Jacob departed the underground fortress, bearing in his hand a pouch containing a hundred ducats. He made his way to the most renowned tailor where he treated himself to a new shirt, a magnificent pair of trousers, a coat and a roguish hat with a feather. Then he headed to a shoemaker who fashioned him a beautiful pair of boots with spurs. Next he took himself to the finest tavern in Warsaw, to eat and drink his fill. Jacob was overjoyed at having acquired such a great fortune and he did not breathe a word to anyone.

The young man continued to astound everyone by acquiring more and more new things, including a horse and carriage and a golden signet ring. In the evening he went to the theater. He spent a small fortune in order to occupy the seat next to the king himself and watch the play in magnificent company. 'As soon as I get hold of the Golden Duck's treasure' Jacob mused, 'I shall ask for the princess's hand in marriage and then build a palace where I will live healthily and wealthily ever after.' Overcome by his dreams, the lad fell asleep with a sweet smile on his face...

When he awoke, the play had long finished. He peered into his purse in order to count his ducats, but all that remained was one solitary golden coin. 'I'll buy a jug of the finest wine and some cake and without a penny to my name I shall return to the Golden Duck and claim my reward,' Jacob reasoned. Shortly afterwards, he spotted a beggar, a poorly dressed war-worn soldier, dying of hunger. The beggar reached out to him and in an exhausted voice pleaded, 'Kind sir, help my poor soul and give me a crust of bread for it is a week since a morsel of food last passed my lips.' Without a second thought, Jacob reached into his purse, pulled out the only remaining enchanted coin and tucked it into the beggar's hand.

Then suddenly, with a crash and a flash the Golden Duck appeared, its voice reverberating all around. 'You did not keep your word, or our deal, when you gave the poor beggar a meal. And today, though you are in great need, a poor life once again you shall lead.' Jacob could not believe his eyes. Where a carriage had stood, he saw a pile of ashes. His beautiful clothes were no more and his signet had simply vanished. Jacob wept for his lost fortune. He then looked at the beggar. The old man smiled and said, 'Your good heartedness has triumphed over greed and true treasure is not enchanted gold but a generous spirit and a pair of hands eager to work. That is the way to gain a fortune and the goodwill of others.'

Jacob took heed of the beggar's advice and, having recovered from the loss of the magic treasure, found himself a job as a shoemaker's apprentice. Jacob was greatly talented and learned his trade so well that in no time he was making the finest shoes in all of Warsaw. He was known far and wide for his wares and even the king's daughter placed an order for slippers with him. To commemorate the young man's encounter with the Golden Duck, the inhabitants of Warsaw built a fountain in the image of the Golden Duck and positioned it in the castle courtyard, beneath which the enchanted lake was to be found."

Mythical Creatures & Supernatural Beings

Domowoj or Domowik

A domowoj is a male house spirit in Slavic folklore, pictured as small, bearded, and sometimes covered in hair all over. According to some traditions, domowije take on the appearance of current or former owners of the house and have a grey beard, sometimes with tails or little horns. Traditionally, every house is said to have its domowoj. It does not do evil unless angered by a family’s poor housekeeping, profane language, or neglect. The domowoj is considered the home's guardian, and he sometimes helps with household chores and field work. Some even treat them as part of the family, albeit an unseen one, and leave them gifts like milk and biscuits in the kitchen overnight.

It is said the favorite place for these spirits to live is either the threshold under the door or under the stove. The center of the house is also said to be their domain. The Domowoj maintains peace and order, and rewards a well-maintained household. Some peasants feed him nightly in return for protection of their house. When a new house was built, the Polish homeowner would attract one of the domowije by placing a piece of bread down before the stove was put in. People made sure they only kept animals the domowoj liked, as he would torment the ones he did not. Salted bread wrapped in a white cloth would appease this spirit, and putting clean white linen in his room was an invitation to eat a meal with the family. Hanging old boots in the yard was another way to cheer him.

Tradition says if a domowoj becomes unhappy, he plays nasty tricks on the members of the household. Those include moving and rattling small objects, breaking dishes, leaving muddy little footprints, causing the walls of a house to creak, banging on pots and moaning. If the family can determine the cause of their domowoj's discontent, they can rectify the situation and return things to normal. If not, the spirit's tricks may escalate in intensity, coming to more closely resemble those of a poltergeist, or he may threaten to stifle people in their beds. More often than not, however, families live in harmony with the spirits, and no problems arise.

The domowoj was also an oracle, as his behavior could foretell or forewarn about the future. He would pull hair to warn a woman of danger from an abusive man. He would moan and howl to warn of coming trouble. If he showed himself, it forewarned of death, and if he was weeping it was said to be a death in the family. If he was laughing, good times could be expected, and if he strummed a comb there would be a wedding in the future.

Kikimora

Kikimora is a female house spirit. When she inhabits a house, she lives behind the stove or in the cellar. There are two different kinds of Kikimoras. The one that comes from the forest is married to the Domowoj. The other one comes from the swamp and she is married to Leshy. You can tell she's around by her wet footprints. When home builders wanted to do something harmful to the person buying the house, they would bring in Kikimora. Once inside, it is difficult to get her to leave. When the house is in order, Kikimora looks after the chickens and housework. She also comes out at night to spin. If it's not, she whistles, breaks dishes, and makes noises at night.

Leshy

Leshies are male woodland spirits who protect the forest and the wild animals and tells the birds when to migrate. A Leshy usually appears as a tall man, but he is able to change his size from that of a blade of grass to a very tall tree. He has hair and a beard of living grass and vines, and is sometimes depicted with a tail, hooves, and horns. He has pale white skin that contrasts with his bright green eyes. He has blue blood, which gives his cheeks a blue tinge. Legend describes him as having a red scarf and his left shoe on his right foot. He also, is known to have no shadow. The Leshy have a close bond with the grey wolf, and is often seen in the company of bears as well. He is the Forest Lord and carries a club to express that he is the master of wood. Sometimes more than one Leshy inhabits a forest, and then they will fight for their territory, knocking down trees and scaring animals.

A person who befriends a Leshy can learn the secrets of magic. Farmers and shepherds would make pacts with the Leshy to protect their crops and sheep. Sometimes cow herders will make pacts with a Leshy by handing him their crosses from around their necks and sharing communion with him after Christian church gatherings; these pacts are said to give the cowherds special powers.

Leshies are terribly mischievous beings: they have horrible cries, and can imitate voices of people familiar to wanderers and lure them back to their caves, where the Leshies will tickle them to death; they also remove signs from their posts. Leshies aren't evil; although they enjoy misguiding humans and kidnapping young women, they are also known to keep grazing cattle from wandering too far into the forests and getting lost. They are also known to hide the axes of woodcutters. It is said that a person gets lost in the woods because a Leshy crossed their path. To find the way out, you have to turn your clothes inside out and wear shoes on opposite feet.

Raróg

In Slavic mythology, the Raróg is a hawk, falcon, or fiery dwarf who turns himself into a whirlwind. In Poland, rarógs are considered to be small demons that bring luck to people. Raróg is also the Polish name of the Saker Falcon.

Karzełek

Karzełek are dwarves and sometimes are called Skarbnik (Treasurer) who live in mines or underground caverns and are the guardians of gems, crystals, and precious metals. It is said, that they will protect miners from danger, and lead them back when they are lost. They will also lead them to veins of ore. To people who are evil or insult them they are deadly; pushing them into dark chasms or send tunnels crashing down upon them. Hurling rocks, whistling or covering one's head are actions that are offensive to the Skarbnik; who will warn the offender with handfuls of pelted soil in their direction before taking serious action.

Bannik

Bannik is the bathhouse spirit in Slavic mythology. Slavic bathhouses resemble saunas, with an inner steaming room and an outer changing room. A place where women gave birth and practiced divinations, the bathhouse was strongly endowed with vital forces. The third firing (or fourth, depending on tradition) was reserved for the Bannik, and, given his inclination to invite demons and forest spirits to share his bath, no Christian images were allowed lest they offend the occupants. If disturbed by an intruder while washing, the Bannik might pour boiling water over him, or even strangle him. The Bannik had the ability to predict the future. One consulted him by standing with one's back exposed in the half-open door of the bath. The Bannik would gently stroke one's back if all boded well; but if trouble lay ahead, he would strike with his claws.

Polewiki

Polewiki are field spirits that appear as a deformed dwarfs with different colored eyes and grass instead of hair. They appear either at noon or sunset and wear either all black or all white suits. According to local beliefs they lead wandering people in a field astray, give them diseases or ride them over with their horses if they are found asleep. If a person falls asleep on the job after drinking, the Polewiki might murder them. Appeasing the Polewiki requires two eggs, a rooster, a toad, and a crow placed in a ditch when no one is looking.

Południca

Lady Midday was usually pictured as a young woman dressed in white that roamed fields. She assailed folk working at noon causing heatstrokes and aches in the neck, sometimes she even caused madness. Usually she makes herself known in the middle of hot summer days, taking the form of whirling dust clouds and carrying a scythe or shears. She would stop people in the field to ask them difficult questions or engage them in conversation. If anyone failed to answer a question or tried to change the subject, she would cut off their head or strike them with illness. She may also appear as an old hag or a 12-year-old girl, and she was useful in scaring children away from valuable crops. She is only seen on the hottest part of the day and is thought to be a personification of a sun-stroke.

Vjesci

The vjesci (wieszczy) is a vampire in Polish folklore (originating in northeast Poland). According to legend, a person was destined to be a vjesci from the time they were born. It was possible to tell if a child would become one from a caul located on the newborn's head. In order to prevent the person from becoming a vjesci, the caul was removed, dried, ground and fed to the person on their seventh birthday. For the most part, the vjesci would appear to be quite normal and would blend into the community. Some accounts say that the vjesci had an excitable nature and a ruddy complexion. At the time of their death, a vjesci would refuse to take the Sacrament. The body would cool, but the limbs would remain limber. The lips and cheeks would remain red and spots of blood often appeared