Mythical Creatures Series
Beautiful women who lure men to a lake does not end well for the man. She sometimes appears as a young maiden, other times as rotten corpse. Guess which one attracts more men?
RUSALKA
What is it?
In Slavic mythology, Rusalka are ghosts of maidens who are thought to have died in or near lakes, rivers or streams, and were usually the result of murders. Thought it is also believed these water spirits are woman who may have committed suicide as a result of a jilted lover, or unmarried women who find themselves pregnant. Legend says that unbaptized children, those born outside wedlock and drowned by their mothers also become Rusalka – sound pretty nasty.
Ability
The Rusalka are not necessarily evil or nasty, but are tied to the watery places where they lost their lives, and said to remain there until their deaths are avenged. They are not completely innocent and will attack any person silly enough to approach them.The Rusalka can live on both dry land and in water, and she uses a magical comb to brush her hair, for her power to conjure water lies with that comb.
Men and children are easy prey to the Rusalka who entice them with their singing before drowning them. One version goes that if a man is in her arms, he can easily die from hearing her laughter. Children would be tickled to death.
Though they mainly dwell in the water, during the night they often climb trees, sit there and sing songs.
Physical Appearance
Rusalka have pale, almost translucent skin and no visible pupils, though depending on what versions of the myth you read, they sometimes have green fiery eyes. With green or golden hair, which is always wet, and some believe if her hair ever dries, she will die.
Appearances In Culture
- The novel Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay features beings called riselka that are based on rusalki.
- The Rusalka trilogy of novels by C.J. Cherryh feature and revolve around a Rusalka named Eveshka.
- The third story, “A Grain of Truth,” from the short story collection “The Last Wish” by Andrzej Sapkowski features a bruxa, named Vereena, who is initially mistaken for a Rusalka.
- “Rusalka” is an opera by Antonín Dvořák.
- The third tale “May Night, or the Drowned Maiden” from the short story collection “Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka” by Nikolai Gogol.
- The second tale, “Urchins, While Swimming” from the short story collection “Ventriloquism” by Catherynne M. Valente, features a rusalka and her daughter.
- Attempting to walk into the water in Quest for Glory IV will result in death by drowning at the hand of a rusalka.
- The video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops” features a Russian ship named the Rusalka.
- The novel “Haunted” by Joy Preble features a Rusalka named Lily and tells some information on the origin of the Rusalka.
- It is perhaps of note that the creatures from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid were translated as “Rusalka”.
- The video game “Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia” features a boss called “Rusalka” who attacks the player with water and giant waves.
- In the video game Ace Combat 6 there is a named aircraft “Rusalka”.
- The video game “Quest for Glory 4” features a “Rusalka” who the player can chose to set her soul to rest by finding the man who murdered her (found out to be a miserly Wraith guarding his treasure).
- One of Pushkin’s short tragedies is titled “Rusalka”. It features a young woman who, drowning herself after being jilted by her lover the prince, becomes the Rusalkas queen. The play is unfinished, the title was given by editors after Pushkin’s death.
Did you know? Whenever people would bathe in the lake they put fern in their hair so that the rusalka would not pull them under and drown them.
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Sources:
Previous Mythical Creature Posts:
Marchosias, Ningyo, Abatwa, Cait Sith, Anka, Huldra, iele, Manticore, Hantu Demon, Lich, Joan The Wad, Fomorian, Rakshasa, Hellhound, Sleipnir, Three-Legged Crow, Afanc, Tarasque, Echidna, Alkonost, Landvaettir, Hippocampus, Cockatrice, Shedu, Dryad, The Erlking, Oni
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Came to your blog via cassandra’s foodmyfriend. I love your posts. I love writing and I love reading fantasy.
Thanks for the visit:)
Bahaha! Guess which one attracts more men? Too funny.
That picture at the top creeped me out! I started reading the paragraph above it first, and just saw the leaves floating on the water out of my peripheral vision, then all of the sudden the eyes appeared and startled me!
I put a fern in my hair whenever I bathe, too. 😉
Thanks… it is a creepy image… Hmm if you wear a fern in your hair, that might attract men!!!
Wow, I didn’t realise they appeared in so many stories. Fascinating post!
Thanks:)
CJ Cherryh, of course. I like the sound of the rusalka.
I know me too…
Were those books by C.J. Cherryh any good?
I’ll tell you as soon as I get my hands on one..:) Going to check out my local library to see if they have a copy:)
Wow, it appears in a lot of stories!
I know… it’s quite popular.
Oooh creepy! Kind of reminds me of the “Lady in the Lake,” which is very cool. 😉
Yeah, it does have that feeling to it.
I’ve always been interested in bits of folklore and have never heard of rusalka before. Thanks for posting!
You’re welcome…
The Rusalka really intrigues me. A story tried to form in my mind as I read your post. I think I’ll have to add it to my ideas book.
It does make for an interesting story idea.
Great post; I like the pictures you chose to accompany it. I haven’t drawn any mythical creatures in awhile… might try this lovely lady
Ohh would love to see what you come up with.
Another great post. So many scary things in the world that I didn’t know about. I loved your first couple of lines by the way!
Thanks… glad you’re enjoying them:)
Sounds very similar to a siren. Interesting.
That’s what I think too:)
This is awesome! I have Rusalka in my NaNo novel. They’re demons rather than ghosts, though. It’s like you’re reading my mind from the other side of the world and slipping me fun tidbits. 😉
How cool is that – now I can’t wait to read it:) Some places do refer to the Rusalka as demons, you’re right.