Some of my personal favorite #folklore creatures from #Hungary are the Tünder and the Bábák.
The first ones are water-based creatures, or fairies, as many of the white ladies¹. They protect orphans and the poorest, gifting them with pearls. When they comb their long hair, they spread small gems or gold nuggets in rivers. They alway wear white, and they can fly, taking the shape of a swan.
Some say that they originally lived among humans, then moved to the top of mountains when the world started to change, becoming the modern one that we know. Anyway, they still can be seen dancing in the moonlight. 🌕💃
Bábák, instead, are the "usual" old, cranky witches of the collective imagination. The root of the word is the same as many other Eastern European languages that means "wise old lady" (Baba Yaga is the most famous character named after that).²
These two creatures perfectly match the common figures of European folklore: tiny, in contrast, and filled with mystical powers… but not necessarily evil.
P.S. Wow, a lot of new followers arrived in these last couple of days! Thank you! 🙏
¹ https://godsip.club/articles/white-ladies/
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yaga#Etymology
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