 | ||
Macedonian mythology comprises beliefs and myths of Slav Macedonia and the Macedonians. The origin is from the beliefs of the early Slavs that settled in Macedonia.
Contents
Mythological creatures in the Slav Macedonian folk songs and tales
Narechnici - (Macedonian: Наречници) They are demonic Mythological creatures. Always presented as three women who come on the third night of the birth of the baby to predict his destiny. They are sometimes presented as three sisters where the youngest sister is the best and always undoes the evil curses of the two other sisters.
Samovili - (Macedonian: Самовили ; English: Fairies ) They are presented as pretty girls with golden hair and wings who live far in the mountains, near water or in the clouds. It is believed that they are born from the dew on flowers, when there is rain and the sun is shining or when there is a rainbow. They are very popular in the Macedonian folklore. They serve only those who steal their clothes, and if someone steals their wings they transform into normal women.
Zmei - (Macedonian: Змеј) They are creatures that look like human but with a snake tail, golden wings, unusual physical strength and they are considered as extremely intelligent and wise. They live in caves or the untouchable mountain tops. They are attracted to female beauty and usually grab girls from villages and take them to their home.
Lamia - (Macedonian: Ламја) The Lamia is a creature that was born by a cut off snake head that got in to a horn of a buffalo. It's given the description: "The big Lamia has a god head with big sharp teeth, four legs with big sharp nails and a tail, and the body is covered with fish scales. They usually live in caves guarding secret treasures.
Stia - (Macedonian: Стија) Stia is a woman similar to the Greek mermaid with log hair and lives in the depths of some old lakes.
Vampiri - (Macedonian: Вампири ; English: Vampires ) There are several types of vampires, the first one is a vampire-husband or sexual partner that comes back to the living just to leave his wife pregnant because he didn't do that while he was alive. There is also a vampire-housekeeper that comes back to the living to help his family with the cattle or with money. There is also an evil vampire that does damage to the land and the cattle. There are also vampires-butchers who usually work in the local butchery and vampire-animals that transform from a dead man / vampire into an animal that is usually a dog or something similar.
Other mythological creatures are Talasami - (Macedonian: Таласами),Giants - (Macedonian: Џинови),Dwarves - (Macedonian: Џуџиња),Chuma - (Macedonian: Чума),Ala - (Macedonian: Ала), Vrag - (Macedonian: Враг).
Toponyms that relate to Slavic gods or mythological creatures
In Macedonia there are a lot of toponyms which relate to Slavic gods or mythological creatures. Here are a few of them.
Veles - (Macedonian: Велес) - A city in Macedonia that has the name of the Slavic god Veles. He is god of wine, music, and cattle.
Perun - Тhere are two mountain tops one in the Kumanovo region and one in the Mariovo called Perun/Peren that relate to the Slavic god of thunder Perun. The Pirin Mountain which is located in the Pirin part of Macedonia (today Bulgarian region) also has the name of the Slavic god of thunder. Mokosh - Toponyms which relate to the goddess of fertility, woman's work and girl's happiness,Mokosh or Mokoshka/Makoshka are
Makoshka - (Macedonian: Макошка), Gjurgjeva Makoshka - (Macedonian: Ѓурѓева Макошка), Middle Makoshka - (Macedonian: Средна Макошка), Far Makoshka - (Macedonian: Далечна Макошка)
Goddess Morana/Morena - Morani village - (Macedonian: с.Морани), Morana's creek - (Macedonian: Морански поток), Morana's river - (Macedonian: Моранска река),Marena village - (Macedonian: с.Марена)