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Demons that kidnap newborns - Dziwożona
🕑 Added 2024-10-23 19:36:24 +0000 UTCIt was common knowledge among the Slavic peoples that pregnant and postpartum women were most vulnerable to demon attacks, which is why they were given special protection.
The greatest threat to women in this blessed state were the creatures most often named Mamuny or Dziwożony. Most often, they took the form of a woman with long hair wearing white or dark robes and red headgear. A characteristic element of their appearance were unnaturally large breasts.
These demons targeted pregnant women and followed them until one of them let her newborn out of her sight for a moment. Then the Mamunas would kidnap a human child and put their own in its place. The changeling was very ugly. It had a large head, a twisted body, and it was constantly crying so much that it couldn't be calmed down. Typically, the swapped children did not survive to adulthood.
However, there was a way to get your child back. Mothers who noticed the change had to carry the changeling to a pile of dung and beat it with rods until its scream echoed through the fields and forests. Hearing the screams of her child, Dziwożona was said to have come and - out of pity - take her child and give back the kidnapped one.
People knew that it is best to prevent attacks, so women used various methods to avoid becoming targets of demons. They remembered not to leave the huts after dark, nor to leave the newborn alone even for a moment. Additionally, it was important to always face your child when sleeping and to protect its face from the moonlight. However, the most popular custom, which remains alive in Polish villages to this day, is tying a red ribbon on a child's hand or leg, which was supposed to scare away Mamunas.
I really hope you liked the story about this very interesting demon. I remember my Grandma told me that when I got home with my Mom after birth - she tied a red ribbon around my ankle to prevent me from being hexed by anyone. I think it's really cool and I was wondering if there's any similar custom in your country?
This is also a second part of my "fairy ring" photoshoot because I thought toadstools would be a nice accent of red (beside the embroidery on my dress) to the photo. This time I was going into it with a specific picture in mind that I was trying to recreate, that's why there's so few photos. I put all I've got into the first one :D
If you have any ideas for this demon, please let me know!
Love, Erinthul.
Comments
Erinthul
Oh, that's very interesting!
Evan Bond
Very interesting lore about the demon! And amazing imagery to go along with it. The closest I can think of to something in my area like this are called the mini lights which are supposed to be related to a local witch that leads children away forever.
Erinthul
Thank you so much. I really enjoy creating them!
Parky
This series of both shoots together makes for a very interesting story.
Erinthul
Thank you!
Erinthul
Thank you so much!
Magnus Börjesson
Beautiful and a little spooky❣️
Steven Niehaus
You have such good ideas for shoots. Creative and dark. Perfect combo
Erinthul
Oh no, I just checked and there is such a word! "changeling, in European folklore, a deformed or imbecilic offspring of fairies or elves substituted by them surreptitiously for a human infant".
Nebojsa
So spooky!
Erinthul
Oh, that's really cool! Also by changeling I meant someone who is changed, different... Similar like word wildling but I am now not sure if that's a real word. English is not my first language so sorry about the confusion 😅
James Cass
I'd heard of this and bizarrely was talking about it to my Polish colleague earlier today. Looking at the Wikipedia page for Changeling it seems to be the Celtic nations of the British Isles. I was surprised to read about King Charles I though
