Leshy
The Leshy (also Leshi; ; literally, "[he] from the forest", ) is a tutelary deity of the forests in pagan Slavic mythology. As the spirit rules over the forest and hunting, he may be related to the Slavic god Porewit. There is also a deity, named "Svyatibor" ("Svyatobor", "Svyatibog"), who is mentioned in the beliefs of the Eastern and Western Slavs as the god of forests and the lord of the leshies. His functions were identical to those of the god Veles. The Leshy is masculine and humanoid in shape, is able to assume any likeness and can change in size  and height. In some accounts, Leshy is described as having a wife ("Leshachikha", "Leszachka", "Lesovikha" and also, sometimes, the "Kikimora" of the swamp) and children ("leshonki", "leszonky"). He is known by some to have a propensity to lead travelers astray and abduct children (which he shares with Chort, the "Black One"), which would lead some to believe he is an evil entity. He is, however, also known to have a more neutral disposition towards humans, dependent on the attitudes and behaviours of an individual person, or local population, towards the forest. Leshy could take children who were cursed by their  relatives (in particular, parents) away to the forest people. Some would therefore describe him as more of a temperamental being, like a fairy. Names and etymology. The Leshy is known by a variety of names and spellings including the following: Main name variations: Euphemistic titles: