Blud — a Spirit in Slavic Mythology

Blud

Blud is a spirit in Slavic mythology who leads travelers off their path, keeps them from finding the right way, deceives them, drives them into a trap they cannot escape, or exhausts them terribly. According to folk belief, he is an evil spirit cast down from heaven who never quite landed and remained suspended in the air. He is described as bodiless and invisible, but able to take the form of a person of the opposite sex, a flickering light, a bird, a cat, a dog, or other animals. In such a form, Blud lures his victim and casts his spell over them.

Blud takes many forms

This spirit dwells at crossroads, in forest clearings, near fallen trees, in places where someone died a violent death, and in other deserted areas. He latches onto people who accidentally touch him, or who entered the forest without a polite greeting, made noise, and disturbed its peace — or simply onto travelers, mushroom pickers, or ordinary drunkards. It is also believed that Blud can be sent upon someone through a curse, or in some cases through a simple unkind parting word.

Blud dwells in deserted places

Blud is friends with the Leshy. Together they transform into animals — usually a fox and an owl — and call out to one another; if a person answers the call, the two lure them deep into the forest, until the third rooster's crow at dawn.

Those caught under Blud's spell would wander aimlessly in circles, unable to find their way back, always choosing the wrong direction at crossroads, or falling into an inescapable trap — a swamp, a deep pit, thick brush, a river — or becoming so exhausted that they could go no further and died.

How to get rid of Blud

There are many ways to drive off Blud: turning all your clothes inside out and swapping your left and right shoes, saying a prayer and crossing yourself, or performing some illogical action to confuse him. In some cases, simply calming down and realizing you had fallen under his spell was enough to break it.

Blud is driven off with incantations

It was also believed that sorcerers and healers could guide a lost person back onto the right path through prayers and incantations. In Polissia, there's a belief that if you call out to a victim of Blud through the chimney, they will be able to find their way home.

Blud, an evil spirit

In ancient mythology, Blud was described not only as a being, but also as a state of mind that this unclean spirit could induce in a person. Even today, many phrases and idioms tied to Blud's name are used to describe mistaken or senseless actions — "to stray," "to wander in Blud's grip," "to roam."

Blud — a Spirit in Slavic Mythology

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