Tradition: Polish Mythology
Alternative Names: None recorded
Category: Insect
The Myth
The Wieżtyca is a winged, translucent specter resembling a gigantic moth. It is a restless and resentful ghost that envies the living for the life it has lost. During the new moon, it howls beneath the windows of peasant cottages, lamenting its existence and seeking victims among those who sleep inside.
The ghost can slip into a house through even the smallest opening, passing beneath a door or through a keyhole. Once inside, it selects a victim, usually the youngest-looking member of the household. Using powerful magic to keep the person asleep, the Wieżtyca opens their chest and bites into their heart. The victim does not awaken during the attack, and after the ghost has fed, it flies away and magically seals the wound.
By morning, the victim awakens in terrible pain. Despite the apparently closed wound, the damage is fatal, and the person is said to die within the following few days.
Garlic is believed to offer protection against the Wieżtyca. People smear it on their breasts before going to sleep, particularly during Shrovetide, when nocturnal demons are thought to become more active. This practice is intended to keep the ghost away and prevent it from reaching the heart of a sleeping victim.
Sources
“Wieżyca.” Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wie%C5%BCtyca