Poroniec / Slavic Mythology

Poroniec is a creature of ancient Slavic folklore and a demon that emerges from the rebirth of the corpse of an unborn fetus. A Poroniec is born when an unborn fetus lost due to miscarriage or stillbirth is unintentionally discarded and not buried by its parents. Unable to reach the afterlife, these unfortunate souls remained among the living. These souls, seen as cursed, have taken the form of demons by being trapped in the world of the living and transformed.

Coming from the souls of children, these demons have taken various forms and can have a human, bird, or disembodied form. In many parts of the Slavic region, from modern-day Poland to Bulgaria, unbaptized spirits often emerged, depending on the region, as predatory baby owls with curved bills that looked like children. Similar to the bird form, they attack pregnant women and babies, sucking their blood and abducting them. These owls usually spawn near water.