Latvian Dragon Myhtology Archives

Tradition / Region: Latvian Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dragon

The Myth

The Uguns pūķis appears as a fire-associated dragon connected to witches and magical activity, seen carrying goods through the night.

In the story, as Lāčplēsis follows Spīdola and enters the dark supernatural setting, dragons with tails are seen moving through the night. These dragons carry money and belongings while flying, and fiery sparks come from them as they move. They appear together with witches and other supernatural beings in the same environment.

Later, a dragon is also seen in connection with the witches’ gathering, where it is bound to a transformed object and breathes out sparks and smoke. It remains present as part of the witches’ actions and surroundings.

Sources

AILAB contributors. (n.d.). Pumpurs – Lāčplēsis (2. daļa). In AILAB, from https://web.archive.org/web/20060131100630/http://www.ailab.lv/Teksti/Senie/Pumpurs/2.dala.html

Pumpurs, A. (1888). Lāčplēsis (Bearslayer), II Song: The Bear-World’s First Heroic Deed. In Latvian national epic poetry.

The Myth

Putis is a fire-breathing, many-headed dragon in Latvian folklore that lives in or near water. When tamed, it brings wealth to a household by stealing food and money from others at night and carrying them through the air while appearing as a flying flame. A domesticated putis lives in farm outbuildings, must be fed blood and given sacrifices, and can be killed with a silver bullet.

According to legend, a farm owner may obtain a putis by buying one or by selling their own soul, or the soul of someone close to them, to the devil or to the putis itself. Once bound to the household, the dragon steals goods from neighbors and brings them home to its master.

However, the price of keeping such a creature is severe. The master of a putis is said to die in agony and find no peace after death, unable to receive God’s blessing.