Sit with me here, near the fire, and listen to one of the most beautiful Slavic fairytales about Vasilisa the beautiful. Hosted by Karmen Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythoslavic)

What is it about werewolves that makes them so captivating? Is it their transformation from human to beast? The idea of being out of control and murderous when the moon is full? Or is it something more primal and basic, something to do with our fear of the wild and the unknown?  Hosted by Karmen Music: Efter Storm by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Support the show...

Imagine divine, steep and white cliffs standing defiantly over majestic waves. Its tops are made of rich green carpet and low vegetation is the only thing that has managed to resist strong gusts of wind for years. In the middle, like a magical fortress, stands a wooden temple surrounded by palisades.  The walls of the temple were decorated with paintings and there was only one entrance. There were two rooms in the building, one of which consisted of several pillars and beautiful curtains,...

Enjoy beautiful Slavic fairytale Bridesman Sun and Bride Bridekins by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić Music by Jonathan Segev Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythoslavic)

They are beauties from fairytales, almost always in long white dresses, with long golden yellow combed hair, with blue or green eyes, with a floral garland on the head, a sweet voice, swift and slender. They're the epitome of beauty.  It is said that they seduced young men by contacting them in their sleep. It is also narrated that someone would fall in love with them and spend their whole life looking for them.  They are fairies, or in our case – Vile. Music by Darren Curtis Support the...

We've all heard stories of vampires, werewolves and witches, but there is a breed that remains virtually unknown and often misunderstood. Krsnici are not what you think them to be. Far from being spell casters or creatures of the night, they are actually the opposite — a powerful race chosen by birth to battle the demons of the world. They have exceptional spiritual and physical strength, heightened senses, and an innate ability to control and often times manipulate the forces of...

She is the patron saint of women and women's affairs, the steward of our destinies and the goddess of fertility. They imagined her as a woman with a big head and long arms who visits houses and oversees everything, rewarding those who are valuable, and punishing those who are not. The great mother earth— the goddess Mokosh. Music by Darren Curtis Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythoslavic)

Hundreds of years ago, Slavic peoples lived in scattered villages far from the light and warmth of the big cities. In that time, myths, traditions and folk tales were passed down from generation to generation. The Slavs believed that mysterious creatures inhabited the forests, mountains, field and lakes around them. As centuries went by, enchanting fairytales were born, creating a still-living mythology full of magical tales. This is one of them. The Laughing Prince Jugoslav Folk and...

The forest is mysterious, yet enchanting. For thousands of years, ancient civilizations have looked upon the evergreen woodlands as a magical place for healing, foraging, and revere as sacred ground.  Throughout our history, since ancient times, it has been a magical place that awakens the imagination and hides the world of amazing, magical beings. Nature has always been an ally of men, satisfying our different needs.  Starting from spiritual ones such as peace, tranquility and silence to...

Among the ancient Slavs there was a general conviction that in the sky heights, above the clouds, there was an almighty deity who governed lightning and thunder, rain and storms, but also ruled the earthly world.  Very early on, the myth of the thundering god, the lord of lightning, was born in the heavenly vault, creating noise while riding in his magical carriage. Talking about the supreme Slavic pantheon, we can't escape the power and fame of this god. His reign is both heavenly and...

The first interview episode is here! Meet Dimitrije, the admin of Slavic History & Mythology instagram page, a master of humanities and a historian who works as a history professor in Serbian school. Join us, sit by the fire and find out what is the most frightening creature lurking in Serbian forests, what is the most famous Serbian creature that gave Dimitrije nightmares as a kid, what is his upcoming book about, and be sure to stick around and hear his own personal horror...

When the cold winds under the end of the fourth quarter of the season triggered gloomy clouds and drove them over the lands of ancient ancestors, the Slavs believed that she filled them with snow and ice. Since then, throughout the winter there has been sorrow on earth and darkness in the world, as the earth becomes shackled with ice and all the fruits of summer die. Snow crackles at her feet as the cold caresses her. Black hair frames her pale face while falling down her back. She smirks....

Today we will get to meet a deity that, like many things in Slavic belief, is torn between dualities of being both good and bad, especially with the arrival of Christianity. A deity that is the protector of nature, wilderness, forests, and animals but also a fierce warrior. A deity with many powers, one of which is turning into animals, and most often he is depicted alongside a wolf or a deer. One of the supreme gods of the Slavic pantheon – the horned god Veles. Support the show...

Fate can be indifferent, but also both good and evil in turn. What befalls us, however, always arises from the necessity and the fact nothing happens by chance. "Fate" denotes the condition under which man's will is held by an exterior force and to which he must submit, or in our case, the force destiny woven by three sisters – Suđenice. So who are the Fates and why do they get all the credit? The fates choose our lives before we’re born. Our first breath, our first cry, our first steps… they...

When it comes to Slavs, magic has certainly had an important role in their lives, especially in the past. Sorcery was mostly used in medicine, combining spells and various herbs but it was a part of everyday life too. Women who practiced sorcery were capable of healing as well as of causing illness or even death to people and animals. In the Middle Ages, Eastern European witches (mostly Russian and Ukrainian) were mentioned for using so called white magic, invoking various saints and angels...

Hear you in January! Love, Karmen Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythoslavic)

Our Slavic ancestors gave great importance to their Christmas customs and traditions around holidays. They gathered around the fire and in those days were especially generous, gentle and calm. They tried to settle all debts, solve all the problems they`ve had over the year, staying in happiness and peace with their family, welcoming and celebrating New Year. In this episode we will explore the Christmas traditions of the ancient Slavs and learn how, even today in our modern lifestyle, we can...

When we talk about the faith and beliefs of the ancient Slavs, there is much to say and in fact so little. Although we are a people with a rich tradition, history and customs, little or none of this was preserved from ancient times before the Christianization of these areas. Even if it was written, we can pretty much be sure that Christianity has gone out of its way to destroy all records about these “pagans” and their gods, making their god the ultimate and the only one. Why did I say there...

A house is not just a building. It`s a home, a sanctuary, and our ancestors treated it like their private castle. Sometimes, they treated it like a person too, claiming it has a soul and a heart thus tending to its needs, keeping it tidy, warm and neat. Also, in the Slavic regions it is said that every new house demands a victim in compensation for the trees that were cut down to build it so we can say the ancient Slavs took their homes very seriously. Every element of this building possessed...

In this episode we will talk about superstitions regarding items, plants and, well, some body parts. Did you know that in times of economic crises, social insecurity and wars, the rate of superstition in humans increases? In stressful times it reduces stress and anxiety and gives many a sense of control.  We certainly live in one of those times now. Unwritten but always respected beliefs from the earliest times have affected the lives of many people. In doing so, the decisive role was the...

It is essential you spit three times when a black cat crosses your path so you can undo the action of the evil forces or to stay at home at Friday 13th so you don't get hurt or die. That kind of beliefs are rooted so deep into our culture, it's almost like we are connected with our ancestors with some kind of hive mind. But what if we stop for a moment and really wonder where it all started from and why are we doing these things? How are these things helping us to stay safe? Stay with me and...

He took his victims by tying their legs with his whip or chains, dragging them to the bottom. In some parts, it was believed he had a tail, so he could use it to catch victims. The souls of the drowned were under his rule and people sacrificed cattle to him so they could swim safely.. Who is this creature and why was he so important to the Slavs? Take a listen and find out. Episode written, edited and hosted by Karmen Visit us on social platforms! Facebook Instagram TikTok-...

There once was a Queen who lived in the castle on the hill.  She was the most beautiful queen the country had ever seen. Long black hair framed her face and her white skin highlighted her aristocratic lineage, which went back a long way.  But at the very mention of their Queen, people trembled in fear. This would certainly have been another story of kings and queens and their disputes at the court if Barbara hadn't been regarded as a witch, a heretic, an alchemist, a murderer, a torturer and...

We all know thousands of stories about most famous bloodsucking creature there is, a vampire. Pop culture embraced them in its fullness, folktales enriched them, music, art, books and even cartoons took them to a completely new level, making them maybe even less scary than they ought to be and certainly so much more romantic. It is a creature known to people from ancient times and cultures and to so many different parts of the world, but what if I told you two Slavic countries claim the first...