What is a leshy?
The leshy is a forest spirit of Russia and other Slavic countries, considered the lord of the forest. The name comes from the Russian word for “forest.” He has been thought to rule the animals of the forest and to protect it.
Folklore and features
The leshy looks like a human man, but his eyes glow green and his hair and beard are said to be like grass or moss. He can change his height at will: in a meadow he is as tall as the grass, and in the forest as tall as the trees, so he is hard to find. He is known for leading travelers in the forest astray, making them walk in circles or imitating the voices of people they know to lure them deeper into the woods, it is said.
How to escape the leshy
When led astray by a leshy, it was said that doing things “backward,” such as wearing your clothes inside out or putting your shoes on the wrong feet, would free you. Hunters and shepherds are also said to have left offerings for the leshy before entering the forest so that he would protect their game and flocks. Along with the house spirit domovoi and the water spirit rusalka, he is one of the leading spirits of the Slavs.
