Tradition: Polish Mythology
Alternative Names: Szperhetka
Category: House dweller
The Myth
Szpechotka is a small demonic creature from Silesian folklore, associated with farms and the observance of religious fasting. Its role was to ensure that members of a household respected fasting rules, particularly on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those who broke these religious obligations risked a terrifying punishment from the creature.
When someone in the household ate forbidden food during a fast, Szpechotka would visit them at night. Armed with a drill, the creature would bore a hole into the offender’s stomach and extract the food they had eaten. The attack took place while the victim slept, and through the creature’s supernatural power, the person would not wake during the ordeal.
The punishment was fatal. Rather than dying immediately, the victim would slowly perish from the damage inflicted during the night. By morning, the person would be dead, making the consequences of breaking the fast absolute and irreversible.
Szpechotka embodies the frightening consequences attached to the violation of religious obligations in traditional Silesian belief. Its role as a supernatural enforcer transformed fasting from a matter of personal discipline into a rule backed by a deadly threat. Through the image of a small farm demon wielding a drill, the tradition conveyed the seriousness of observing sacred days, especially Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Sources
“Szpechotka.” Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szpechotka