Samodiva (folklore)

[2] Samodivas are commonly depicted as ethereal maidens with long, loose hair, and in some cases, wings.

Samodivas are often described as having blonde or red hair, tall, slender women with pale, glowing skin and fiery eyes.

[1] According to Bulgarian folklore, Samodivas can live inside trees or abandoned shacks or dark caves, or near rivers, ponds and wells.

Specifically, they live under large old trees, in abandoned sheds or in dark caves that are near water sources.

[1] In Macedonian folklore they are also said to inhabit trees like oak, willows and that they live in a far off village called Patelevo.

Samodivas have the power to bring about drought, burn a farmer's crops, or make cattle die of high fever.

For example, there is a belief that Еuonymus Alatus should be picked only on the eve of Ascension Day because the samodivas are more friendly and their healing powers are stronger.

In certain parts of Bulgaria, samodivas are said to be related to various inexplicable natural events like chronic illnesses and whirlwinds.

An exаmple of this is the folk song Samodiva Kidnaps a Musician This is a remnant from pre-Christian belief systems on the Balkans, similarly to the Ancient Greek mythology's explanation of Nereids dancing in the winds.

In North Macedonia, there are tales speaking of Samovilski Weddings, and if a random person was found walking by, they would offer him wine and in return he would give a golden coin to the bride.

The folklore that has been collected and stored reflects only a fraction of the complex understanding that the character of the Samodiva entails, since the folktales have gone through numerous sieves, both during the writing stages of the folklore collections, and later on, as a result of the regime and ideology shifts of the Balkan Peninsula (See People's Republic of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia).

Earliest written evidence of Samodivas dates back to the 13th century, where they presumably developed from Balkan traditions and myths.

It is widely believed that the image of the Samodiva and their behavior is actually based on ancient Thracian legends, especially those connected to the Cult of Orpheus, which included songs and dances performed by fire-priestesses.