Water

Water spirits are supernatural beings whose activities are connected with water. They can be masters of seas, rivers, lakes, swamps or the water element as a whole. They are found in the mythologies of most peoples of the world, but are considered typical representatives of Slavic demonology.

Vodyaniy (also vodnik, vodyanik, water grandfather, water jester, vodovik; chesh. vodník; v.-luzh. wodby muž, wodnykus; slovene. povodnj, vodni mož) — in Slavic mythology, the spirit inhabiting the water, the master of the waters.

According to legends, they are fallen angels, thrown by God from heaven and trapped in water spaces. Although the merman has a separate image, ideas about him often merged with mermaids and the devil.

He was represented as a naked, flabby old man, bug-eyed, with a fish tail, or in East Slavic myths - very long legs. He is entangled in mud or dressed in a red shirt, has a large full beard and a green mustache. Has animal or fish features: fish or cow tail, goose paws with webbed or cow hooves, skin like burbot, horn on the head.

It can turn into a large fish, an animal, a pig, a cow, a bird, a catfish, a pike, a carp, a large black fish or a fish with wings, a goose, a duck, a rooster, a log, a drowned man, a child or a horse.

In many beliefs, he looks like an overgrown devil with horns or a gray monster.

A merman can ride a large catfish, which is why this fish is called a devil horse.

He often finds himself laughing loudly, laughing, and in anticipation of a close victim, he can clap his hands loudly. He is often able to imitate the sounds that people or animals make: he shouts, howls, hoots, squeals, quacks and bleats. Usually this is all done in order to scare or lure into their underwater mansions.