Leshy

Leshy captivates with its intricate fabric textures and hauntingly lifelike details, evoking a mystical connection to nature and ancient folklore.
Leshy (Lay-shee)
For centuries Slavic folklore has spoken of a frightening forest spirit known as Leshy. This guardian of the forest helps to regulate the balance of nature, healing and protecting its living creatures.
Leshy can appear as a human like figure, but with distinctive missing features like, eye brows, lashes. He is said to have a wizened face covered in a tangled mossy beard.
Leshy prefers not to be seen by humans, though he can be heard singing, laughing and whistling throughout the forest.
He also has been known to shape shift into varous plants, animals and trees so that he can keep an eye on visitors to his woodlands.
Travelers to the forest know when Leshy travels about his forest. His swift movements cause the trees and grasses to blow when he passes.
There is a mystical language that is shared between the forest creatures and Leshy. Their grunts and howls weave this ancient language together, which only they understand.
It has been told that Leshy had taken a mortal wife. A village mother who was driven out of her village and away from her children. Sobbing, lost and wandering in Leshy’s forest he found her.
To please his wife Leshy has been known to kidnap unbaptized babies or snatch children who’ve wandered away from their parents, presenting these “gifts” to his wife.
Those who respect Leshy’s forests are typically spared from Leshy’s wrath.
Although, those who enter his forests seeking to cause harm tend to find themselves in less than favorable circumstances.
Adapt at casting illusions, Leshy at times aims to disorient those who wander into his forest alone. Lore has it that he has caused accidents and drove people to madness by getting them lost in his vast forest.
Lost travelers who wish to find their way again can try to make Leshy laugh. He thinks it’s funny to have the traveler put his clothes on backwards, and their shoes on the wrong feet and walk around this way.
But, Leshy can be surprisingly helpful to those who know how to appease him. One must ask permission to enter his forest and vow not to hurt any of his animals or fell any trees without his authorization.
One also needs to be mindful of their speech when entering into Leshy’s forest realm. Speaking of harming the forest is quick to anger Leshy.
Also, be sure not to whistle. Although Leshy is known to whistle himself he gets quite annoyed when others do so.
Each year in September 27th a feast day is held in honor of Leshy.
Villagers leave gifts of salt and bread at the forest entrance as a token of their gratitude.
This ancient entity with its tangled, mossy beard represents the power of the forests around us all. Leshy speaks to a truth that resonates within us, that we are not separate from nature, but an integral part of it.