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Woodman
A woodsman in Ukrainian demonology is a spirit that protects forests and everything that lives in them. He is considered the owner of the forest and its inhabitants, controls order in his possessions and makes sure that people do not violate his laws. A woodsman usually has a human-like appearance, but with distinctive features reminiscent of his connection to the forest. He can be tall or short, depending on the situation, and his face often resembles the bark of a tree. A woodsman`s hair, beard, and clothes are covered in moss and leaves, and his skin can be green or dark like the trunks of old trees.
A forester is not only a guard, but also the master of the forest, watching over animals and plants. It was believed that a forester can change its height: become huge among the trees or shrink to the size of grass, hiding from the human eye. He is able to confuse people, forcing them to wander through the forest for hours, even if they know the way well. If someone misbehaved in the forest - broke trees, hunted unnecessarily or harmed nature, the forester could get angry and call disaster upon them.
Often the forester looks good-natured, but can be dangerous if provoked. He can cause sudden storms, frighten people with noise and voices, or lure travelers deeper into the forest so that they cannot find their way back.
To appease the forester, people left gifts at the edge of the forest: bread, salt or other products so that he would not touch them while working in the forest or hunting. Wearing consecrated charms or iron objects was considered protection against the forester, since the forester was afraid of iron. People also avoided working in the forest on holidays or at night so as not to anger the spirit.
A forester is not only a guard, but also the master of the forest, watching over animals and plants. It was believed that a forester can change its height: become huge among the trees or shrink to the size of grass, hiding from the human eye. He is able to confuse people, forcing them to wander through the forest for hours, even if they know the way well. If someone misbehaved in the forest - broke trees, hunted unnecessarily or harmed nature, the forester could get angry and call disaster upon them.
Often the forester looks good-natured, but can be dangerous if provoked. He can cause sudden storms, frighten people with noise and voices, or lure travelers deeper into the forest so that they cannot find their way back.
To appease the forester, people left gifts at the edge of the forest: bread, salt or other products so that he would not touch them while working in the forest or hunting. Wearing consecrated charms or iron objects was considered protection against the forester, since the forester was afraid of iron. People also avoided working in the forest on holidays or at night so as not to anger the spirit.