Editing Leshy (section)

{{Short description|Forest spirit in Slavic mythology}}
{{Distinguish|Leshi}}

{{refimprove|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox mythical creature
|name           = Leshy
|image          = Leshy (1906).jpg
|caption        = An illustration, 1906
|Grouping       = [[Tutelary deity]]<br>Spirit
|AKA            = 
|Country        = [[Slavic Europe]]
|Region         = 
|Details        = Found in forests
|First_Attested = In folklore
}}

'''Leshy''' or '''Leshi'''{{efn| {{lang-rus|леший|p=ˈlʲeʂɨj}}, {{langx|pl|borowy, leśnik, leśniczy, lasowik, leszy}}; literally, '[he] from the forest'. }} is a [[tutelary deity]] of the [[forest]] in pagan [[Slavic mythology]]. As Leshy rules over the forest and hunting, he may be related to the Slavic god [[Porewit]].<ref name="Porteous2005">{{cite book|author=Alexander Porteous|title=The Lore of the Forest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rZ7AEU18fFoC&pg=PA108|date=1 January 2005|publisher=Cosimo, Inc.|isbn=978-1-59605-105-8|page=108}}</ref>

A similar deity called ''Svyatibor'' (''Svyatobor'', ''Svyatibog'') is thought to have been revered by both the [[Eastern Slavs|Eastern]] and [[Western Slavs]] as the divine arbiter of woodland realms, and/or the sovereign ruler over other diminutive forest spirits. Svytibor's functions were much like those of the god [[Veles (god)|Veles]].<ref name="Kaysarov">{{cite book|author=Kaysarov Andei Sergeevich|title=Slavic and Russian mythology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f_JeZYwhjBsC|date=1810|publisher=DirectMEDIA|isbn=5998918851|page=245}}</ref>

Leshy often appears as a masculine humanoid, and possesses an ability to disguise himself as any person,<ref>Ushakov, Dmitry. (1896) ''Материалы по народным верованиям великоруссов, [[Etnograficheskoe Obozrenie|Этнографическое обозрение]] [Materials on the folk beliefs of the Great Russian, Ethnographic Review]''. (Vol. 8), no. 2-3, pg. 158.</ref> including changing in size and stature.<ref>Maksimov, S. V. (1912) ''Нечистая сила. Неведомая сила // Собрание сочинений [The Unclean Force, The Unknown Force, Collected Works]. pp. 79-80.</ref><ref>Tokarev, Sergei Aleksandrovich. (1957) ''Религиозные верования восточнославянских народов XIX — начала XX века [The religious beliefs of the peoples of East 19th – early 20th centuries]''. [[Russian Academy of Sciences|AN SSSR]] Moscow and Leningrad. p. 80.</ref> In some accounts, Leshy is described as having a wife (''Leshachikha'', ''Leszachka'', ''Lesovikha,'' and sometimes the ''[[Kikimora]]'' of the swamp) and children (''leshonki'', ''leszonky'').

Leshy is known to misguide wanderers and abduct young ones, traits he shares with the notorious [[Chort]], the "Black One" or "Devil," thus leading some to perceive him as a malevolent entity. Leshy's attitude towards humans can vary, depending on how they interact with the forest and their overall behavior.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Wielka księga demonów polskich : leksykon i antologia demonologii ludowej|last=Barbara.|first=Podgórska|date=2005|publisher=Wydawn. KOS|others=Podgórski, Adam.|isbn=8389375400|location=Katowice|oclc=62151653}}</ref> Leshy is said to possess the power to whisk away children who were mistreated by their kin, especially their parents, to the ethereal realm of forest-dwelling folk.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://latgale.academy/leshy/|title=Mythological Creatures {{!}} Leshy|last=|first=|date=|website=History & Culture Academy of Latgale|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> In this way, Leshy is also often considered to be temperamental, with a similar disposition to that of a [[fairy]].<ref name="keating2015">Ivanits, Linda J. (1989) ''Russian Folk Belief''. Routledge. p. 68 {{ISBN|0-873-32889-2}}</ref>