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Zduhać/Aloviti/Vjedogonja/Wind Chasers/Cloud Chaser/Hail Defender/Fairy Man/Dragon Man

The Zduhać are mythical figures from Slavic myth. They are described as people capable of protecting people, homes, and entire villages from rain and hail. They are often thought of as mythical creatures, like dragons or fairies, but in human form. Sometimes they were seen as prophets and connected to angels and saints. They are generally seen as heroic figures that look entirely human, though often melancholic, thoughtful, strong, resourceful, and resilient. A Zduhać could be detected from birth if they were born with the caul still on their head, and they would also often have an affinity to crows. Some believed however that a Zduhać could only be born on specific Fridays or at specific times. In this interpretation, the caul of the baby must be preserved and given to the child when they grow older. Sometimes people could become a Zduhać through magic, often by selling themselves to the devil and becoming vampires after death. A natural born Zduhać would often combat another Zduhać who gained their powers from evil. They are capable of separating their spirit from their body as they sleep and send this astral projection to confront weather demons. After they return to their bodies, any fatigue or injury from combat carries over to their physical body. In turn if they die in astral projection, their body dies as well. After large battles they would experience shortness of breath, weakness, exhaustion, and lingering fatigue. Someone dying suddenly often indicated they were a Zduhać killed in battle whose body perished when the dying spirit returned. While fighting in their sleep, they are incredibly difficult to wake up. A Zduhać will most often fight at night in February and March, or around the Christmas time. The spirit of a Zduhać could take the form of an eagle, or a bird with white wings, yellow legs, and a red beak. Their bird call sounds like a shepherd’s whistle. They could also take the form of shepherding dogs, oxen, cows, horses, or goats. Sometimes they would fight on mountains while in the shape of bulls. They had many abilities such as foresight, talking with crows, and hearing everything across the world (with the ability to pass this ability to anyone standing on their feet.) Fights with a Zduhać often resulted in strong winds and powerful whirlwinds, with them being able to uproot large trees with a single hand. They use various weapons such as bows with points at both ends, spindles, twigs, straws, splinters of wood, feathers, pinecones, haystacks, water, beech leaves, and large stones. They could also attack with whole dogwood, birch, elm, fir, and oak trees. Any amount of burnt wood was seen as a particularly good weapon.

Citations:

Zlatic, Vladimir. Slavic Mythology: Demons in Serbian Folklore. N.p., Amazon Digital Services LLC – KDP Print US, 2021.

Zeroids

The Zeroids are a form of alien whose name was proposed by Dr. Franklin Ruehl. The Zeroids are theorized as a way to explain UFOs, saying they are living creatures originating in space. Prebiotics in gas clouds are thought to be their origins, and organic compounds that are known to exist in space could serve as building blocks for these creatures. They could be simple or complex creatures in their structure. Due to their origins out in the universe, it is possible these creatures could be older than any known species. It’s theorized that they consume intergalactic dust and gas, or possibly each other. It is thought they would have difficulty entering and maneuvering earth’s atmosphere, and only ones that have developed physical or electromagnetic shielding could be the explanation for various UFOs. Zeroids have been theorized as an explanation for a UFO sighting in Romania in 1976, which resembled a living ball of light. Zeroids are also thought to be a possible explanation for “space worms” which were photographed in British Columbia in 1978.

Citations:

Godfrey, Linda S.. American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends, and Sightings in America. United States, Penguin Publishing Group, 2014.

Zitny Smij

The Zitny Smij is a form of dragon from Lithuanian myth. It is known for being good natured, and its name means “corn dragon.” They bring corn to their favorite people and look like fire streaking across the sky. They are thought to be one of many forms of household dragons.

Citations:

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.

Lecouteux, Claude. The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices. United States, Inner Traditions/Bear, 2013.

MacKenzie, Shawn. Dragons for Beginners: Ancient Creatures in a Modern World. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2012.

Ziz

The Ziz is mentioned in the Bible, in the book of Psalms. They are giant bird creatures which are five hundred miles tall. Their wings are large enough to block out the sun when spread and cause an eclipse. One female Ziz dropped a giant egg that destroyed three hundred cedar trees and flooded three cities. They were originally created to protect a species of bird now extinct. They will be eaten by righteous people at the day of judgement.

Citations:

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.

Zmeu

The Zmeu is from the myths of Romania and the Balkans. They take the form of a flying ball of light to hunt prey. In Romania they take the form of handsome men. They seduce female victims and drains their life force from them. In the Balkans they are believed to take the form of a scaly ogre who can shapeshift into various animals.

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.