Also called Indrik-zver, Indrik the Beast.
Their story
The Dove Book, a Russian religious folk poem sung by wandering singers, answers questions about the world, including which is the mother of all beasts. The answer is Indrik, who lives on a holy mountain and walks beneath the earth as the sun walks the sky, clearing the paths of springs and wells. When Indrik stirs, all the beasts bow down. Some scholars link the name to the unicorn or to the Greek enydris, a water creature.
Best times to give to them
- spring, when springs flow again
- Kupala Night
What they like being given
- clean water poured at a spring
- care for wild creatures
How to honour them
- Visit a spring and give thanks for clean water.
- Do something practical for wildlife, such as putting out water in summer.
How they can help you
- respect for animals
- clean water
- balance in nature
Symbols
- a great horned beast
- springs
- a holy mountain
The Dove Book mixes Christian and older ideas; Indrik's origins are uncertain.
Sources
- Golubinaia kniga (The Dove Book), Russian spiritual verse
- Alexander Afanasyev, Poetic Views of the Slavs on Nature
More Slavic beings
- Div The crying omen in the tree-top
- Vodyanoy The old man of the millpond
- Polevik The spirit of the fields
- Poludnitsa Lady Midday of the harvest fields
- Mavka Hollow-backed maiden of the Ukrainian woods
- Mora The night-mare who sits on the chest
- Zmey Gorynych Many-headed dragon of the byliny
- Firebird The glowing bird of the golden apples