Likho

Likho

Region of origin: Ukraine

Literally “bad luck,” the likho is physical manifestation of misfortune, appearing as a cycloptic goblin- or hag-like creature who lived in the dark forests of moralistic fairy tales and fables. The likho would wrap its arms around the story’s protagonist’s neck and cling to their back, weighing them down. In different stories, the likho could be attempted to be removed through tricking or cheating the creature itself, tricking another person into accepting it as part of a gift and passing it on or attempting to drown it by jumping in a river, which usually resulted in the hero drowning themselves and the likho emerging from the river, no worse for wear and ready to find its next victim.

Originally posted on Tumblr on November 11, 2016