Południca/Poludnitsa/Noonwraith – Slavic Demon of Noon – Slavic Mythology Saturday

After last week’s post about Marzanna/Morana, the Slavic goddess of the winter, we return to demons this Slavic Saturday with the Południca – a demon of noon (also known as the Poludnitsa/Полудница, Poludnica, Noonwraith, and Lady Midday).

(June 2021 Updated) Note: If you enjoy Slavic mythology, check out A Dagger in the Winds, the first book in my Slavic fantasy series called The Frostmarked Chronicles. You can also join my monthly newsletter for updates and free novellas (such as the prequel, The Rider in the Night) set in the world of the series.

Fear the Noon

Both the Południca’s translated name, “Noon,” and her nicknames of “Noonwraith” and “Lady Midday” tell quite a bit about this demon. Like the Polewik/Polevik, the Południca haunts the fields – especially around noon, as her name implies.

There doesn’t seem to be a clear origin story for the Południca compared to other demons. Typically, (most) demons in Slavic mythology are the restless souls of those who lived “unnaturally” or died in violent ways. The tales I have been able to find tell of Południca being women who died within the fields beneath the midday sun – similar to the drowned Rusalka/Rusałka. In this case, they are cursed to protect the field and avenge their death (which could’ve been caused by heat stroke or a bandit’s attack).

For most, the Południca’s presence was something to fear. Wielding a sickle or scythe, she would appear during the midday, when it was typical for field workers to rest. It is no coincidence she comes at the hottest part of the day, as heat stroke was another of her weapons upon unsuspecting workers.

Demons sometimes were meant to be protectors of an area Slavic mythology. The Domowik/Domovoy, Dvorovoi/Dworowy, Płanetnik/Zduhać, and Leszy/Leshy are all examples of this, and the Południca is no different. There is an odd duality to her, both threatening workers but also protecting the fields. Similar to the Polewik once again, her role in mythology was to ensure the fields were worked “correctly.” Stories of her encouraged workers to rest from the dangerous heat, kept children from straying too far, and warded off bandits.

Appearance

The Południca’s appearance is as frightening as her role. She is typically pictured as a young woman whose skin has rotted away beneath the sun. This sight of bones and decayed skin is oddly contrasted with her flowing blonde hair and the dress of a young woman, again, showing the curse that has befallen her. Romanticized modern art has made her appear more beautiful, but this fits the original folklore less.

One of the most popular cases of the Południca’s appearance in popular culture comes from The Witcher series of video games, where Geralt meets both noonwraiths and nightwraiths (another, similar and less commonly known, demon in Slavic mythology). Her appearance in the games is definitely meant to play up the frightening aspects.

In The Frostmarked Chronicles

The Południca is one of the demons I haven’t managed to get into the series yet. Considering the prominence of agriculture among the cultures in The Frostmarked Chronicles, though, she will at least be making an appearance in a novella, if not the main story. With demons like her, I like the concept of why they became demons in the first place, so that will be fun to investigate.

That’s all for this week’s Slavic Saturday. Be sure to keep a lookout for more posts next week, and if you haven’t seen the full series of posts, be sure to check them out.

*As always just a quick disclaimer. Slavic mythology is broad and not written in many if any primary sources, so there’s a variety of interpretations. The interpretations I’m using here are from the sources I’ve found to be reliable.