Tradition: Polish Mythology
Alternative Names: Płamęta
Category: House dweller
The Myth
Płamęta is a mischievous household demon found in nineteenth-century beliefs around Tarnobrzeg, in Poland. It is a tiny creature, almost human in form, with a naked body, sparse hair, an unusually large head, and a wide, laughing mouth. Its strange appearance is made even more unsettling by its limbs: instead of hands, it has birdlike claws, while its feet are replaced by hooves.
The creature has a peculiar hiding place beneath a deer broom, a broom made from the shoots of the broom plant. Płamęta remains invisible to people, allowing it to interfere with everyday domestic activities without being seen. Its presence is revealed through the disturbances it causes rather than through direct encounters.
Płamęta delights in making a mess and obstructing household work. It may trip people as they go about their tasks or otherwise interfere with their efforts, turning ordinary chores into frustrating experiences. Its behaviour is that of a troublesome imp that disrupts the order of the home for its own amusement.
One way of dealing with its mischief is to take the broom beneath which it hides and swing it around while sweeping away dirt and filth. If Płamęta continues to cause trouble, the recommended response is to make the sign of the cross and leave the room. The account offers no guarantee that the creature will disappear permanently, but it presents these actions as ways of responding to its disturbances.
Płamęta embodies the idea that ordinary household disorder could be attributed to an invisible supernatural troublemaker. Despite its tiny, almost human appearance, its claws, hooves, and persistent interference make it a source of domestic irritation. Its association with a broom also links the creature directly to the everyday work through which household order was maintained.
Sources
“Płamen̨ta.” Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%82am%C4%99ta