Despite the fact that the WATER FAIRY was described not only in the entire Slavic territory, their description often differed, mainly because our ancestors knew different types of water fairies and distinguished them according to whether they came from the sea, lake, river or swamp.
The idea of nymphs as water beings, since the Slavs also knew other types of fairies, was mostly associated with beautiful young maidens. It is often said that even the dark and evil, ugly fairies had the magical ability to transform themselves into incredibly beautiful ones.
Either way, the SEA FAIRY appeared most often as a maiden who had a fish tail instead of legs and often a lush bust. Mermaids were sometimes described as beautiful women with long blonde or dark hair. At other times, their faces resembled beasts with mouths full of sharp teeth, and their green hair looked like slimy, repulsive algae.
One type of sea nymph was also known by the name SIREN. Sirens are known to be able to sing beautifully and their song often warned sailors of dangers such as rocks, shoals or approaching storms. They could also lead fishermen to areas abundant with fish. Sometimes their singing was a lure for people to become their prey, and they could feed on human flesh and blood.
Among the Slavs, more than stories about mermaids, stories about fairies from lakes, rivers and streams were passed down. The idea of such a freshwater fairy was similar to that of the sea. Such a fairy used to be an enchantingly beautiful, slim maiden with long blonde or red hair, dressed in a white, almost translucent dress. Unlike mermaids, these fairies rarely had a fish tail, but were much more often seen dancing on the shore of a lake, river, or nearby meadow, under the moonlight. Nymphs loved music, singing, and dancing, just like all water beings. Therefore, they themselves could sing and dance beautifully. They also admired human music, singing, dancing, and all kinds of joy and laughter. This often led them to invite humans to join their dance circle.
Water fairies usually had a positive relationship with humans, but sometimes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they danced someone to death. In the best case, the person was generously rewarded for the entertainment.
It is said that if a nymph fell in love with a young man and he managed to steal her shirt, crown, or belt, she could become his wife. However, the stolen item could never be returned to the fairy, otherwise, even if she were the best wife and mother, she would have to leave her husband and children and return to the water forever.
Among the fairies, there were also those who really did not like humans, humans even hunted them, as they were, in fact, dark water demons. Such bloodthirsty fairies were known to our ancestors under the name YUDA, BEREGINHA or MAVKA.
These dark fairies mostly came from swamps, dark pools or dead branches of rivers. Their natural appearance was unattractive. They had no reflection on the surface of the water and no shadow. For example, Mavka was missing part of her back, and those who got close enough could see inside her body. Their skin was brown or gray, like the mud in which they hid. Their eyes looked more like snakes and their faces resembled beasts rather than humans. Beregyne and judy were aquatic predators armed with sharp fangs whose bite was poisonous. They had webs between their toes and sharp claws instead of nails. Even these beings knew how to transform themselves into beautiful virgins in order to attract mainly male victims into their snares.
Among the beregynes and yudys, there was another a kind of water fairy called RUSALKA. However, Rusalkas were not typical water fairies, although they resembled them. They were magical beings that, according to old Slavic beliefs, came from the souls of girls who took their own lives by drowning. Alternatively, they were women who had been lured into the dark realms by water demons, or they were those who, before their premature deaths, had engaged in dark magic.
