Tradition / Region: Azerbaijani mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Sorcerer, Steppe dweller
The Myth
Qulyabani wanders the steppes and cemeteries, waiting for travelers who walk too late into the night. He looks like a man covered in dark hair, but his feet are turned backward, marking him as something unnatural. He speaks with a human voice and often challenges those he meets, delighting in fear and confusion.
Though dangerous, Qulyabani can be bound. If someone is clever enough to stick a needle into the collar of his clothing, he becomes their servant. Yet his obedience is twisted. Every command is fulfilled in reverse or in the most harmful way possible.
Thus, Qulyabani is both threat and temptation—a being whose power can be used, but never trusted, and whose tricks often punish those who believe they can control him.