Ustrel

The Ustrel is a form of undead creature from Bulgaria. It’s believed if a child is born on a Saturday but dies before being baptized the following Sunday, they rise from the grave. They’re the size of a small child though larger than an infant, and continue to grow as they feed. They rest in their graves between feedings but become strong enough after ten nights of feeding in a row that they can live in fields. They rest during the day and hide in between the horns of goats, or behind the back legs of cows. Their intelligence is considered similar to adult predatory animals, and they may feed on animals to avoid humans. They can disguise their bites as those of other animals. They can be discovered by leading the village’s farm animals through the smoke of bonfires for cleansing. After going through the smoke, the Ustrel falls away helplessly. They can then be placed in a bottle and tossed into the fire.

Citations:

Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.