Rusalka

The Rusalka (plural: rusalki) was a female water spirit of Slavic folklore, described as a "malicious" and "serpentine" entity frequently hostile toward mankind. Inhabiting the rivers, lakes, and marshes of Eastern Europe, she was traditionally viewed as the restless soul of a young woman who had died an untimely or violent death near the water. While modern popular culture often depicts her in the likeness of a mermaid, earlier Slavic pagan traditions suggest she may have originally been a benevolent "nature spirit" associated with the fertility of the fields and the moisture of the spring before evolving into the more dangerous figure of late folklore.

In the northern reaches of Russia and across the plains of Ukraine, the entity was known by a variety of descriptive titles that reflected her specific behaviors and environments. Before the term rusalka—once considered a "bookish" or scholarly designation—gained widespread use in the 20th century, local populations identified her by names such as:

Vodyanitsa / Vodyanikha: Literally "the water maiden" or "she from the water," emphasizing her aquatic domain.

Kupalka: The "bather," often associated with the midsummer rituals of Ivan Kupala.

Shutovka: Meaning "jester" or "prankster," denoting her unpredictable and occasionally mocking temperament.

Loskotukha / Shchekotukha: Known as "the tickler," this name refers to a specific folk belief that rusalki would lure travelers into the water and tickle them to death.

Mavka: The common Ukrainian designation for these spirits, often portrayed with long hair and sometimes described as having no skin on their backs, revealing their internal organs—a stark contrast to the more "romanticized" water maiden.