Fairies of Bosnian mythology

If some faeries take particular care of a human, that then means that he carries a deeper connection to their world. Such persons shall stand out in life with enlightened wisdom. To be the favourite of the faeries, that is if he is noble and the faeries like him, means that one has the ability to hear their song or even distinguish their mysterious verses heard through the wind. Such a man will appreciate the truth since most faeries are guardians of truth and they drive away lies. However, if an encounter of a faery and a bad person takes place, that person is then risking mental illness.

Bosnian mythology enumerates many names for faeries, the most famous ones are: Bosnian faery, faery queen Golden, Red faery, Forest faery, faery of the mountains (mountain faery), Black faery, water faery etc. Certain faeries have characteristic names such as Gope, Gospa, Srebra, Bilka, etc.

Red faery: she usually appears around sunset. They usually sit in an alley or next to a road combing her long red hair. The one who meets her can be harmed when she swings her hair in his direction and hits him with it. A man becomes sick from that blow and sometimes they can fall into a coma. Her symbol is the colour red.

Bosnian faery: she is a girl with golden hair and luscious bosom. She wears a long white gown whose edges are sown through with a golden thread. In her hair there is a flower of lily. Her body is adorned with large wings which she uses, according to legend, to fly through the air and fly over Bosnia in all directions. Bosnian faery has a mellifluous voice and she sings often. By nature she falls within the benevolent kind. She can often be found in the company of other faeries which are of a lower rank than her. Her symbol is the flower lily (Lilium bosniacum).

Faery queen Golden: she is the mistress of all Bosnian faeries. She lives in large thick forests and always moves in the company of her subjects. At night, especially during a full moon, she exits the forests and bathes in a river or pond. She has golden wings and a crown on her head. After her bath she sings and plays with the other faeries on some mound until the first rooster sounds at dawn. Her symbol is a full moon.

Forest faery: she is among the oldest faeries and she is often called the mother of faeries. It is considered that Golden faery is her daughter which inherited her. Forest faery is the one which is most remembered among the Bosnian folk because she was the reason that Mujo Hrnjica became the biggest hero of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is meek and wise by nature and she has a mellifluous voice. The Bosnian witches (stravarka) call them for aid during healing rituals addressing them with words "mother, sister". Her symbol is a golden apple.

Mountain faery: she is a faery that has a garland of flowers in her hair. She wears a long dress and sometimes she holds a walking stick in her hand. She has the ability to transform and she often transforms into a goat for easier passage along the steep hillside. She is familiar with all of the secrets of the plants and healing. Herdsmen often encounter her, and she helps them if there is a need for it. Her symbol is a white goat.

Black faery: she is also called which-faery since she appears in the form of a dark shadow especially around the time of holidays Beltaine (May) and Samhaina (October-November). Sometimes they appear after sunset but more often at nights with moonlight. She appears suddenly and disappears quickly. From all of the faeries the black faery doesn't speak much nor does she sing. Her symbol is black colour.

Water faery: she is the guardian of all springs and it is believed that humans can suddenly fall ill if he walks next to a spring during night or if he accidentally disturbs a faery that is bathing. That's why there was a folk custom to great the spring with these words "Selam alejk, water and waters guardians!" Showing respect towards the faery the humans tried to protect themselves from their rage. All water faeries are by nature egoistic and vengeful. They usually hate men and they are always trying to trick them and drown them in the water while they are more merciful towards the women and they sometimes help them. The symbol of a water faery is a silver coin.

Faeries and magic

It's not impossible to see faeries. Sometimes meeting them can be a spontaneous and sudden event caused by a magical ritual. There are two reasons that can cause to be accidentally visible to humans. The first one is that nature ghosts, in certain circumstances, thicken their fluid form in such a way that it becomes visible to those humans who are sensible enough. As a second possibility comes the one by which man, due to his accessibility or particular psychological state, caused by occult techniques or spontaneity, becomes sensitive to various vibrations.

If you would like to see or hear sky faeries I recommend that you try it somewhere in nature, early in the morning, because according to mythology that is the time when "faeries born during the red dawn" appear, whose appearance is usually the most fascinating. All you need to do is to be open and focused. To help you see the faery in the sky, you can repeat the magical formula "Paralada" which enables you to see them. You will recognize them by the white and golden dresses and long hair in which all of their power is contained, according to mythology. Sky faeries can also be seen in a forest, especially near an old oak tree, or on the back of a deer or some other animal.

Water faeries, which often serve as muses to humans, can be seen near lakes, rivers or creeks. To call forth their forms you should repeat the formula "Nixa" out loud which stimulates clairvoyance in terms of the water element.

The belief in faeries is not only a part of the Bosnian folklore but also of the magical tradition. As the stories about faeries are the best kept part of the ancient occult of the Grand-mother in which fertility, motherhood, love and magic intertwine, i.e. the entire concept of ancient witchcraft was preserved in the practice of many rituals and beliefs. Some of them were practiced until the middle of the past century among the Bosnian women, especially the elderly women.

If child was struck by a negative influence of spellbound eyes and as a result cries often without any visible cause, it has a fever, is sleepless or loses appetite the mother will, at dusk, when the faeries gather around to dance, take the child in her hands and rock it in the direction of west and repeat:

The faeries are calling me to a wedding,
I'm not going nor am I sending my child,
but I'm sending my son's (or daughter's) tears".

Sometimes faeries can attack people and during it they throw vilenine on him, a disease which is manifested in mental issues, fear, unrest, insomnia, headache, etc. To cure himself from such an unnatural disease, the diseased must sit on the floor and one of the members of the household holds a metal dish above his head which holds fire created out of spruce branches. Seven grains of salt are thrown in the fire twenty one times. It is believed that the crackling of the salt in the fire and the smoke of spruce branches will annul the effect of vilenina.