A Beauty to Die For: The Rusalka

Figure 1: Rusalka (By Ivan Bilibine) [Public Domain Image]

Around the world there exist cultural tales about wicked women who entice men and women to their misfortunes and death.  The Greeks had Medusa, the Egyptians and the Sphinx, Americans have Bloody Mary, and there are countless more that I am sure you, the reader, can come up with (and will most likely be explored in blog posts to come).  Today’s blog post will discuss one such female entity, which comes from Slavic culture.  It is known as the Rusalka (Figure 1), and this blog post will discuss what it originally represented and what it signifies today, as well as the cultural traditions surrounding this mythical creature.

 

The Rusalka goes back to early Slavic mythology and pagan religion.  It was originally a benevolent water spirit that represented fertility since its primary job was the provide the life-giving rains to the forests and crops.  It took the form of an irresistibly beautiful woman who was skinny with long light-colored hair but eyes devoid of pupils.  The Rusalka could walk on land and enjoyed coming out at night to dance or climb trees.  They resided in all land-based bodies of water, including swamps, marshes, rivers, ponds, and lakes.

 

In the 19^th century, however, this positive depiction of the Rusalka changed to something more nefarious and wicked.  The Rusalka remained a female, but it embodied the spirit of a woman who had been scorned by a male lover or family member.  She lost her life through drowning, be it by her own hand or that of a man.  The Rusalka continued to reside in bodies of water, but her longevity in the after life expired upon completion of her goals, be it seeking vengeance for her death or fulfilling the roles granted to her in her undead after life.  Her primary responsibility was to kill unsuspecting men and to tickle women who got too close to the waterways at night. 

 

It is unclear what specifically caused the change in the representation of the Rusalka, but this change brought about cultural traditions to match the new depictions.  Until the 1930s (when Communism led to the prohibition of various religious traditions) the Slavic people would observe a week long celebration of the Rusalka during the first week of June.  During this time people were forbidden to swim (or else they would be taken by the Rusalka at any time, not just at night).  They were discouraged from walking near water at night because it was believed the Rusalki would dance on the shores, and anyone who witnessed their dancing was forced to dance with them until they died.  To appease these vengeful entities Slavs would present the Rusalki with ceremonial burials on the shores or through water burials.

 

Today the Rusalka is often confused with being a mermaid, but the distinction between a half fish/half human creature and the Rusalka remains.  The Rusalka was never portrayed as representing anything but a human woman.  While her story seems similar to the Greek sirens (mythical female sea creatures that would lure men to their deaths through song) that is where the similarities with mermaids end.  She is more similar to a vengeful spirit, such as a poltergeist or Dybbuk.  Ultimately, the Rusalka demonstrates the changing values of Slavic people, much like the Babba Yaga discussed previously, providing us a richer understanding of cultural change.

 

Bibliography

Ivan R. "Rusalka – the Deadly Mermaid Beauty in Slavic lakes and legends." n.d. Slavorum. Electronic. 6 August 2020.

Sullivan, Kerry. "Rusalka: The Mythical Slavic Mermaid." 30 September 2016. Ancient Origins. Electronic. 6 August 2020.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Rusalka: Slavic Spirit (Encyclopaedia Britannica). n.d. Electronic. 6 August 2020.