Su iyesi

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In

When angered, it breaks dams, washes away water mills,[2] and drowns people and animals. It drags people down to her underwater dwelling to serve her as slaves. It is in Tatar^[3] fairy tales the same creature as the Su Anası ("water mother"). In Turkic tales, it lives in ponds or rivers. There is no mention of a particular dwelling, and the 'half-sunken log' is unapparent. It rides on a log to travel.

Su Iyesi is sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings. In other Turkic folk traditions, she can be benevolent or beneficent and also cause rain.^[4]

It is believed that some powerful Su Iye, such as Su Dedesi can cause sickness. A disease called Water Disease, allegedly caused by him, appears as watery bubbles in the body of human. To get rid threw salt into river or fountains.^[5]

Su Ana

Su Ana ("water mother") is often mentioned as the female form of Su Iyesi. She is said to appear as a naked young woman with a fairy-like face and yellow and long hair, usually covered in black fish scales. She has a fish's tail and eyes that burn like fire. She usually rides along her river on a half-sunken log, making loud splashes. Local drownings are said to be the work of the Su Anası. She is the wife of Su Ata. She likes shores and likes to get out of the water.

In Turkic languages

Its name in

Su Ata ("water father") is the male form of Su Iyesi. He appears as an old man with a frog-like face, greenish beard, with his body covered in algae and muck. He has webbed paws instead of hands. He usually rides along his river. Consequently, he is often dubbed Vudaş (Chuvash: Вутăш, Vutăş) by the Chuvash people. He is a river and lake spirit. When someone has drowned, people often say "Su Ata took him." He also reportedly hates people who pollute the waters. The advice on how to please him goes that one should throw a whole bread into the water to make him happy. Also, when a bride must go far away, she has to be introduced to Su Ata. He usually appears in winter.^[6]

In Turkic languages

Its name in

• Irmak iyesi or Öğüz (Öz) iyesi is river spirit. It is one kind of Su Iyesi.
• Çay iyesi or Dere iyesi is spirit of creeks and rivulets. In Azerbaijani folklore, it is known as çay nənəsi ("creek grandmother").
• Göl iyesi is a lake spirit.

See also

• Vodyanoy

References