Russian Mythology

Uayug

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Tradition: Ossetian Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Uayug, Uayugi, Uayugty, Uayugte, Uayugy, Uaygi, Ualgi
Category: Giant

The Myth

The Uayug are multi-headed giants appearing in Ossetian folklore and the Ossetian versions of the Nart epic. They are monstrous beings of immense physical strength, often described with several heads and fearsome appearances. Their name has been compared with the Indo-Iranian word for “wind” or “air,” and some traditions associate them with the wind god Vayu, although their precise origins remain uncertain.

In Ossetian mythology, the Uayug belong to the world of giants and other supernatural enemies encountered by the Nart heroes. They are related to the broader Caucasian tradition of monstrous giants, including the Inyzh of Adyghe mythology. These beings often possess multiple heads, extraordinary strength, and other supernatural characteristics, and they are typically defeated by heroic figures through combat or cunning.

Unlike some comparable giants in neighboring traditions, the Uayug are also associated with the realm of the dead. In Ossetian belief, they may serve as guardians of the gates to the underworld, a role that gives them a demonic character beyond their monstrous size and strength. Their association with death is reflected in traditions concerning the Uayug as guardians of the entrance to the otherworld.

The Uayug therefore occupy a distinctive position in Ossetian folklore: they are both fearsome giants of heroic epic and supernatural beings connected with the underworld. Their role as guardians of the dead distinguishes them from related giant figures elsewhere in the Caucasus.

Sources

“Gumiry.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/gumiry

Dakhuul

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Tradition: Mongolian Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Dahul, Dakhul
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Dakhuul are malevolent spirits in the lower mythology of the Mongols and Buryats, believed to harm children and inflict illnesses upon their victims. These supernatural beings are described as invisible, ghost-like entities that bring sickness and suffering to the living.

According to the tradition, Dakhuul may originate from people who died under particular circumstances, including poor people, virgins, or young women. After death, they are believed to become dangerous undead spirits capable of afflicting the living with illness, with children being especially vulnerable to their harmful influence. The name Dahul is a Latinized variant of Dakhuul.

Sources

“Дакхуул (Dakhuul).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/dakhuul

Kormos

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Tradition: Turkic Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Kormoz, Körmöz, Körmös, Alban, Chahik, Ozor
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Kormos are supernatural spirits associated with the dead and the underworld in Turkic mythology. They may appear in a humanlike form, but some have disturbing features, including extremely long hair, elongated claws, and inverted eyes and feet. The souls of people who committed suicide are known as Alban, while other Kormos are associated with those who died through accidents or with the spirits of ancestors. After death, a person’s soul may become a Kormos and continue to exist as a spirit.

Kormos are divided according to their nature and the realm in which they dwell. Some are benevolent spirits who help and protect humanity under the command of Ülgen, while others are demonic beings controlled by Erlik, the ruler associated with the underworld of Tamag. These hostile spirits may harm the living or attempt to capture their souls. Other Kormos are neither entirely good nor evil and wander the earth in a miserable, restless state. Their chief is known as Körmös Khan or Kürmez Han.

The spirits are associated with three realms: the earth, the underground world of Tamag, and the heavenly realm of Uçmag. Even a demonic Kormos may have the possibility of escaping its torment and ascending to Uçmag if the good within its soul outweighs its evil. Kormos are especially associated with sunrise and sunset, times believed to be dangerous because the spirits may capture human souls. People are therefore warned against remaining awake during these periods. Through their different forms and destinies, Kormos represent the uncertain fate of the dead, whose souls may become protectors, malevolent demons, or restless wanderers.

Sources

“Kormos.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kormos

Uryak

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Tradition: Tatar Mythology, Bashkir Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Örek, Örak, Эрак
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Uryak is the ghost of a person who died a violent death, appearing in places where blood has been spilled. It may take the form of a human figure or a haystack-like shape, swaying and moving forward as it travels. Some accounts describe it as a strange, indistinct creature that can transform into a cloud. Although it is generally not considered directly harmful to people, its appearance is deeply frightening, particularly when encountered alone at night. The Uryak is associated with the graves of those who died violently and is believed to appear at the very place where a person’s life ended.

The Uryak is said to have a distinctive heart-rending cry that draws attention to its presence. People who encounter it may become terrified, confused, or even lose the use of their limbs. In Tatar tradition, a person who sees the spirit from a distance may hear its mournful cries and attempt to avoid it. If the Uryak approaches someone and refuses to leave them alone, the traditional way to drive it away is to address it with foul language. Bashkir accounts also describe the Örak as a terrifying apparition that may appear as a very tall, thin man in a white robe. It can frighten people into delirium, disability, or madness, and is sometimes said to visit murderers, knock on their doors, and torment them.

The Uryak can also appear in deceptive forms. One Tatar tale tells of a woman riding along a forest path who encounters a man dressed in white standing on a bridge. As she approaches, he transforms into a round ball of fire, rolls toward her cart, and becomes a little girl who climbs aboard. The frightened woman tries prayers and religious invocations to make the strange child leave, but the girl refuses and begins striking her with a stick while shouting obscenities. After a long struggle, the woman abandons the cart and flees, while the girl continues following her. Only when the woman remembers that a horse must be harnessed head-on to a cart does she escape the apparition. The strange girl immediately disappears, and the woman returns safely to her village. Such encounters portray the Uryak as a restless and uncanny spirit whose appearances are linked to violent death, fear, and places marked by bloodshed.

Sources

“Уряк (Uryak).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/uryak

Aptakh-Baga

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Tradition: Yakut Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Apt aakh baga, Aptah-Bag, Magic Frog
Category: Frog

The Myth

Aptakh-Baga is a magical frog with two heads, feared and revered for its supernatural powers. According to Yakut beliefs, the creature could be captured in thick grass at sunrise, wrapped in birch bark, and thrown into an anthill. Whoever captured it had to flee immediately, without listening to the screams of the unfortunate frog as the ants devoured it alive. Three days later, the person had to return to the anthill and retrieve two of the frog’s bones.

These magical bones granted their owner the power to influence other people. One bone, shaped like a hook, had to be sewn into the inside of the right sleeve, while the other, shaped like a slingshot, was sewn into the left sleeve. Touching someone with the right hand allowed the owner to gain that person’s favour, while touching someone with the left hand made the person leave them alone. The bones could therefore be used to win affection or drive away unwanted attention.

However, the magical bones brought their own troubles. During summer, frogs gathered around their owner from every direction, even when the bones were brushed aside with the left hand. Those who lacked a change of clothing had to cut the bones from their sleeves and hide them carefully. Despite their powers, using the remains of Aptakh-Baga was considered a grave sin among the Yakuts.

Sources

“Аптах-Бага (Aptah-Baga).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/aptah-baga

Shulmusy

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Tradition: Mongolian Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Shulmus, Shulmas, Shumnasy, Chulbusy, Chulgusy, Chulme, Chulmysy, Shimnus, Sholmosy, Shulmy, Shulbus, Shulbys
Category: Frog

The Myth

Shulmusy are evil spirits of the underworld who enter the world of the living to spread harm and misfortune. They serve Erlik, the ruler of the underworld, and act as his messengers, bringing illness, stealing human souls, and carrying them down into the realm of the dead. They are often described as appearing in the form of a black whirlwind, resembling their dark master in both appearance and destructive nature.

Despite their terrifying nature, Shulmusy can also take the form of beautiful young women. In this guise, they deceive unsuspecting people and lure travellers into danger. Among the Kalmyks, these spirits may possess strange animal features, such as goat legs, a beard, a camel’s tail in place of a braid, or even the head of a frog. They can disguise themselves as attractive girls who offer travellers poisoned drinks, concealing their deadly intentions beneath a pleasing appearance.

Shulmusy gather in groups known as turgak, meeting at crossroads, mountain passes, and near gorges. These gatherings make such places dangerous to pass through, as the spirits may ambush travellers, spread sickness, or steal their souls. People therefore regard these locations with fear and caution, especially when crossing them near the spirits’ gathering places.

Sources

“Шулмусы (Shulmusy).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/shulmusy

Alan-Melekey

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Tradition: Tuvan and Altai Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Alan-Melekey
Category: Frog

The Myth

Alan-Melekey is a gigantic frog that carries the earth on its back. According to Tuvan mythology, the entire world rests upon this enormous amphibian, whose slightest movements can disturb the natural order. When Alan-Melekey moves even a little, the sea becomes violently agitated, as though it were boiling, and its waters overflow their banks.

One day, an old man foresaw that the earth would be overwhelmed by a great flood. Preparing for the disaster, he built an iron-bound raft and boarded it with a few people and supplies. When the flood came, the waters rose and swept away the other people and animals, but the old man and his companions survived. The raft eventually came to rest in the taiga, on a hill where it remained stranded.

A similar legend is told among the Altai people. In this version, the location of the stranded raft is identified south of the village of Ulala, near Mount Adygan on the right bank of the Katyn River. The story connects Alan-Melekey, the giant frog bearing the earth, with a great flood that destroys the world and leaves only a small number of survivors.

Sources

Алан-мелекей (Alan-Melekej).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/alan-melekej/ru

Shurale

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Tradition: Tatar Mythology, Bashkir Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Şüräle, Shurale, Shurayle, Yarymtyk, Urman Iyase
Category: Forest Dweller

The Myth

The Shurale is a supernatural forest spirit from Tatar and Bashkir folklore, usually described as a hairy, humanoid creature with a long, horn-like protrusion on its forehead, a narrow face, and long fingers. It is often depicted with a hunched body, shaggy hair, and an unsettling appearance. In some tales, it resembles a thin, horned man with a long beard, while other descriptions emphasize its elongated limbs and unusually long fingers. The Shurale lives deep in the forest, hiding among the trees and rocks, where it delights in frightening and tricking anyone who enters its domain.

The Shurale is a mischievous and dangerous trickster that enjoys luring travellers into the woods. It may disguise itself as a human or appear in the form of a familiar person, leading unsuspecting victims away from safety. It is particularly fond of tickling people with its long fingers until they die from exhaustion or laughter. The spirit can also ride horses, steal livestock, and torment people who travel through its forest. In some stories, it is captured by trapping its long fingers in a split tree, leaving it helpless while its captor escapes. The Shurale’s supernatural strength and cunning make it a formidable opponent, but its own mischievous nature can lead it into traps.

The Shurale is also a central figure in Tatar and Bashkir fairy tales, where it often serves as a test of human cleverness and courage. One famous story tells of a man who encounters the spirit in the forest and outwits it by trapping its fingers in a tree. The Shurale cries out in pain and begs to be released, but the man escapes, leaving the creature stranded. Other tales describe the Shurale as a guardian of the forest who punishes those who damage trees or disrespect nature. Although frightening and sometimes deadly, the Shurale is not always portrayed as purely evil; it can also be a supernatural being whose actions reflect the dangers and mysteries of the wilderness.

Sources

“Shurale.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/shurale

Boli-boshka

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Tradition: Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Boli-Boshka, Pain-Head
Category: Forest Dweller

The Myth

Boli-boshka is a mischievous forest spirit with a disproportionately large head, big hands, and clumsy, dumsy clothing. He has sharp but untidy features, a long beard, and a cunning expression. He lives in berry patches, particularly among cranberries and lingonberries, where he hides among the bushes and waits for unsuspecting travellers. Despite his awkward appearance, he is clever and deceitful, using tricks and false promises to get close to his victims.

The spirit pretends to be a pitiful old man who has lost his purse, basket, or something else. He begs passers-by to help him, acting so helpless that they may feel compelled to stop and assist him. Those who fall for his performance soon discover that his apparent misery is only a trick. Once a victim is close enough, Boli-boshka suddenly leaps onto their neck, ties their head with a noose, and drags them through the forest. His victims may lose their way entirely, while the cunning spirit disappears into the undergrowth, leaving them bewildered and helpless.

Boli-boshka is a dangerous trickster whose clumsy appearance conceals a malicious nature. Travellers wandering through berry patches must beware of any seemingly harmless old man asking for help, for his lost belongings may be nothing more than bait. Those who trust him risk becoming the next victims of the forest spirit’s cruel deception.

Sources

“Боли-бошка (Boli-Boshka).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/boli-boshka

Blud

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Tradition: Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Блуд
Category: Fairy

The Myth

Blud is a malevolent supernatural being from Slavic folklore that causes people to lose their way. It confuses travellers, leading them in circles and making them wander aimlessly without being able to find the correct path. Its presence turns familiar roads and forest trails into bewildering mazes, leaving its victims disoriented and unable to reach their destinations.

Blud is not necessarily seen directly, but its influence becomes apparent when a person suddenly loses their sense of direction and repeatedly returns to the same place. The creature is associated with both literal and figurative wandering, drawing people away from the right path and into confusion. Its name is also connected with moral transgression and illicit desire, reflecting its association with temptation and the Devil in traditional Slavic Christian beliefs.

Sources

“Blud.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blud