Tradition: Yakut Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Abaasy, Abaahsy, Abaasylar (plural)
Category: Forest dweller
The Myth
The Abasy are evil spirits from Yakut mythology that inhabit the upper, middle, and lower worlds. They are described in various forms, sometimes appearing as monstrous beings resembling a man the size of a larch tree, a one-eyed or one-legged giant, or a huge stone-like monster. Some Abasy are born from black stones that initially resemble children. As they grow older, their bodies increasingly resemble stone, and they begin consuming everything around them, including people.
One description of an Abasy depicts a terrifying giant wearing eight garments of mail and a solid iron suit. His long fur coat is made from the hides of twenty oxen, while his clothing is adorned with the skins of dead calves. He wears a cap made from the skin of a dead eagle and has an enormous head, a crooked nose, and a huge mouth filled with a long, green-blue tongue. One eye sits within a deep, mountain-like hollow surrounded by red eyelids. His neck resembles a massive tree trunk, and his head hangs forward like that of a hunchbacked old man. The giant constantly chatters and grumbles, laughing and mumbling as the earth trembles beneath him. His voice echoes through the forests and mountains, and when he finally speaks clearly, his words reveal his immense and frightening nature.
The Abasy are dangerous beings that bring harm, disease, and misfortune to humanity. They may tempt people into committing crimes, send illnesses among communities, and destroy crops and animals. Their influence can extend to entire families and settlements, bringing suffering to those who encounter them. In some traditions, people offer the soul of a sick or deceased person to an Abasy in exchange for the threatened person’s soul. These demons are feared as powerful enemies of humankind, capable of consuming people and spreading destruction throughout the worlds they inhabit.
Sources
“Абасы (Abasy).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/abasy