Imagine walking in the forests in eastern Europe, it's a nice day. Then suddenly you lost track of where you are and where you came from. A mysterious wind blows up and distorts the surroundings. Then voices echoing throughout the woods, scaring you. You look around and what you see is a giant plant-like humanoid, walking towards you. Who is this giant being? And is it a friend or a foe?
Drawing by Ivan Yizhakevych, 1904
The Groot-like being
In ancient tales, Leshy, the embodiment of the entire forest, is often portrayed as a plant-human, or more accurately as a phytoanthropomorphic being (part plant, part human). Besides the human form, he can also take on a plant-form such as a tree, a bush, leaf or a mushroom. In his human form he's more like a green version of Thor (the Norse god of thunder), with green beard, long tangled green hair and skin as well as clothing in the texture and colour of bark or leafs. According to slavic folklore, this giant Groot-like being is the divine arbiter of woodland realms, and/or the sovereign ruler over other diminutive forest spirits. And you don't want to piss him off. Even though his attitude towards humans can vary, depending on how they interact with the forest and their overall behaviour in nature, Leshy is known to notoriously misguide wanderers and abduct children.
A shape-shifter
According to mythology, Leshy change his size from the smallest grass to the tallest tree and it is said that Leshy's height changes based on the surrounding vegetation, other perspectives suggest that Leshy seems tall at a distance, but appears ordinary or small when seen up close.
When it comes to the shapes, it is believed that Leshy can assume myriad forms and he could turn into all sorts of wild animals like magpies, wolves, owls, bears and frogs, as well as different forms of domestic animals like horses, dogs, cats and goats. If Leshy is in a more human form, he's often accompanied by an animal companion, such as a dog or a goat. Another belief was that he may take on the form of a whirlwind, a storm-cloud, rain, and fog. In this form, he could cause inconvenience for humans. In some regions, the most common image of Leshy is in the form of a whirlwind, and in certain places, any kind of nasty weather was identified with him.
The Trixter of the Forest
Way back in the day, Slavs thought that migrations of animals were Leshy's doing, as he was seen as the guardian of the forest. He is the shepherd of all woodland creatures and it's believed that he herds the animals, ensures their nourishment as well as defends them from hunters and fires. Farmers and shepherds and their families who was living close to the forests, tried to please Leshy with offerings and rituals. Since they had their cattle grazing amidst the trees, as well as they fished in the waters, harvested mushrooms, berries as well as gathered wood for both construction and warmth, they didn't want to anger him.
The perception of Leshy as a forest guardian was not always consistent among the people. Some people could also considered Leshy to be hostile and dangerous, even though his goal never was to harm humans, but to punish improper behaviour in the forest. As the trickster he supposed to be, harming people intentionally wasn't his deal, but he did play tricks in a crude and malicious manner. He could hide their baskets or tools, scare them and lead them astray. On the other hand, if he felt like being helpful, he could lead people to eatable mushrooms and berries, have game-animals sprinting to the hunters direction or lead the way out of the forest.
So, next time you're in the baltic/slavic woodlands and some mysterious things start to happen, stop and reflect upon if you have done any damage to Nature. Did you toss a piece of plastic? Did you kick a tree or broke branches of a bush? Did you really put out that fire in the fire pit? If you have done some bad things, repent on your sins and pray you'll get out before Leshy tricks you to walk around in the woods forever....
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