Peklenc
Encyclopedia
Peklenc was a chthonic
deity of the Slavic mythology
. He was the lord of the underground and a divine judge.
Peklenc mastered the subterranean fire by which metals and precious stones were forged. He also reigned over the underground water which, according the to ancient Slavic traditions, caused earthquake
s when Peklenc ordered it to reach the surface.
Peklenc had a wholesale knowledge about the deeds of wicked, who were carried next to him to be judged and punished. He was a severe though equal judge, as he provided everybody with the possibility to redeem their past mistakes. The ones who persisted were condemned to death or condemned to punishments depending by their crimes. The cruel were turned into stones, the quarrelsome became werewolves
, while the ones who had no compassion towards the others were turned into creatures feeding on their very bodies.
Peklenc was also capable to punish entire peoples by opening deep ravine
s that swallowed villages and cities, a pond or a lake was left in their place. The inhabitants paid for their punishment by wondering underwater, their desperate scream being transmitted by Oźwiena
, the goddess of echo. Peklenc also sent evil spirits against unjust governors, in order to have them abandon their reigns. The latter ruined and, covered back by grass, returned to nature. He could also use basilisk
s as emissaries or servants.
Chthonic
Chthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land or the land as territory...
deity of the Slavic mythology
Slavic mythology
Slavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs before Christianisation.The religion possesses many common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion....
. He was the lord of the underground and a divine judge.
Peklenc mastered the subterranean fire by which metals and precious stones were forged. He also reigned over the underground water which, according the to ancient Slavic traditions, caused earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s when Peklenc ordered it to reach the surface.
Peklenc had a wholesale knowledge about the deeds of wicked, who were carried next to him to be judged and punished. He was a severe though equal judge, as he provided everybody with the possibility to redeem their past mistakes. The ones who persisted were condemned to death or condemned to punishments depending by their crimes. The cruel were turned into stones, the quarrelsome became werewolves
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
, while the ones who had no compassion towards the others were turned into creatures feeding on their very bodies.
Peklenc was also capable to punish entire peoples by opening deep ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s that swallowed villages and cities, a pond or a lake was left in their place. The inhabitants paid for their punishment by wondering underwater, their desperate scream being transmitted by Oźwiena
Ozwiena
Oźwiena was the goddess of echo in the Slavic mythology. She is similar to the Greek nymph Echo.Her figure was connected to the human communication and the divulgation of discourses and actions. As the goddess of gossip, she was unable to keep any secret or private conversation. If she disliked...
, the goddess of echo. Peklenc also sent evil spirits against unjust governors, in order to have them abandon their reigns. The latter ruined and, covered back by grass, returned to nature. He could also use basilisk
Basilisk
In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance...
s as emissaries or servants.