Poludnitsa (Lady Midday) — an Evil Spirit in Slavic Mythology
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PoludnitsaPoludnitsa is an evil spirit in Slavic mythology, active at noon and dwelling in the fields, usually in summer. She is believed to cause sunstroke on hot days. She is depicted as a young girl or an old woman dressed in white, with long, loose hair and a sack on her back. She might also carry a sickle or scythe.
PoludnitsaOn hot days, especially during the harvest, she would appear in the fields and punish those who worked at noon. She caused dizziness and nausea, sent people into a deep sleep, could tickle her victims to death, or, in extreme cases, cut off their heads. She did not attack right away — first she would ask questions, usually about growing and harvesting crops.
She would also steal children who were left unsupervised or playing in the fields. Because of this, parents used her to frighten children, forbidding them from wandering the fields in the heat — lest Poludnitsa toss them into her sack, roast them, and eat them.
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