Poleshchuks and Poleviks: Belarusian Folktale of Marsh Spirits
Long ago, in the wide, misty marshes of Polesye, there lived a people called the Poleshchuks. Strong, quiet, and deeply attuned to the land, they made their homes on the dry islands among the reeds, fished in the dark, winding rivers, and hunted in the dense forests that cloaked the horizon. The Poleshchuks understood the rhythms of nature and respected