Webzine Sloveniana

Perceptions of landscape

The triad of gods Perun, Veles, and Mokoš are narrowly linked to the characteristics of Slav landscapes. Perun was linked with sky and high mountains, Veles was god of the underground and darkness. The goddess Mokoš was a kind of earth link between both. more...

When the world was created

In Slovenian folk tradition there are also creation myths. Jakob Kelemina in his collection Bajke in pripovedke slovenskega ljudstva has selected several versions of the way Slovenian people explained the earth and mankind. Later Zmago Šmitek added to the collection of myhs. more...

How it came to be

In the rich Slovenian folk tale tradition there are many different types of tales. Very significant, attractive and often humourous are the tales of how things came to be. We are presenting the tale of how the rocky Kras region of Slovenia, and the Vilenica cave. more...

The Other World

In his article Perceptions of Landscapes, Zmago Šmitek speaks of wealth and diversity in the Slovenian folk tradition, of the imagined, dream, fantastic, utopian, fairy-tale places and landscapes. more...

Tales of three rivers

Tales about rivers have a special place in Slovenian tradition. They reflect the fondness the Slovenian people have towards their major rivers and express the gratitude and appreciation for the prosperity they bring to their land. more...

Bonfire man

Kresnik appears to be the fire god, the son of the sun god, or in later tradition a powerful hero with magic powers. The word Kresnik derives from kres/bonfire and the bonfires of midsummer solstice. more...

The Goldenhorn

The legend of Goldenhorn/Zlatorog, the white steinbock with golden horns, is one of the best known Slovenian tales. His realm are the heights of Slovenia’s legendary mountain, Triglav, where tended by White women or Vile (fairies), he guards great treasures. more...

The White Serpent

The white serpent / bela kača occupies a significant place in Slovenian mythology. Known mostly as the guardian of great hidden treasures, it is a powerful magical being, that can be benevolent towards mankind, rewarding kindness and good deeds. more...

Fairies

Vile are mythological beings in south Slavic folklore, incarnation of beauty and power, benevolent friends of sufferers, the dwellers of forests and rivers. more...

The Water Man

In Slovenian folklore there are countless tales of Povodni mož/Water man, sometimes called Gestrin. He is a water spirit, often described as half man, half fish, who can change his appearance on land and may play mischief on humans. more...

Water Man and the Boy

Many tales of the Water Man are about his loneliness and goodwill towards humans. He sometimes saves or kidnaps young maidens or children, is kind to them and offers them a wonderful life with great treasures to entice them into staying with him. more...

Water Man myth according to Prešeren

The best known of all the tales of Water Man is the tale of the beautiful and reckless girl of Ljubljana, who accepts the invitation to dance with the River Man. France Prešeren transformed the folktale into the dramatic literary ballad Povodni mož/ Water Man. more...

Tales of Dwarfs

The underground is the domain of the dwarfs, who guard its treasures. They can lead to great riches, but never willingly. They must be tricked to reveal the hidden treasures of the earth. In their contact with humanity, they are mischievous and love to play tricks. more...

King Matjaž

Kralj Matjaž/King Mathias is the mythical king of the Slovenian people. The stories of Kralj Matjaž are many, and can be traced far back to pagan times. He represents a mythical ruler and a golden age of prosperity, similar to the Arthurian legend of the British tradition. more...

Myths and Legends

Slovenian tradition is rich in tales, myths and legends. They reveal an ancient world populated by magical beings, such as fairies, water sprites and other magical creatures. The tales reflect Slovenian national character and depict their view of the world and experience of life. There are also a number of folk figures, which have a uniquely Slovenian flavour. There are female characters, such as desetnica (the tenth girl), who is compelled to leave her home and wander the world. Characteristically Slovenian tales are about ordinary people who battle for survival every day, often successfully matching their wits with forces that appear beyond their control.

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