Striga— Slavic Creature"The Vampire Witch"

Born with Two Souls

The striga (or strzyga in Polish) is among the most terrifying creatures in Slavic folklore. Unlike vampires who are transformed after death, a striga is born cursed—possessing two souls and two hearts within a single body. This duality marks them for a dark fate that even death cannot end.

Signs of the Cursed

Strigas are often identified at birth by having two rows of teeth or being born with teeth already grown. In some regions, any child born during an unlucky time—such as during a full moon or on certain holy days—might be suspected. These unfortunate souls live normal lives until they die, when the horror begins.

The Transformation

When a striga's body dies, one soul departs to the afterlife, but the second remains trapped with the corpse. After seven years, this soul reanimates the body as a monstrous creature that emerges at night to feed on human blood and flesh. The striga can transform into an owl to hunt, and its screech is an omen of death.

Preventing the Return

To prevent a suspected striga from rising, the body must be buried face-down so it will dig deeper into the earth instead of clawing to the surface. Sometimes the head is severed and placed between the legs, or the heart is pierced with a nail. Crossroads burials were also common, as the confused spirit would not know which path led home.

The Witcher's Striga

The striga gained worldwide fame through Andrzej Sapkowski's "The Witcher" series, where it appears in the very first short story. In this telling, Princess Adda is cursed by incest and dies in childbirth, only to rise as a striga that terrorizes Temeria for years. The witcher Geralt breaks her curse by preventing her from returning to her crypt before the third crow of dawn—one of the few known methods to lift the curse rather than simply destroying the creature.

Cultural Legacy

The striga represents deep anxieties about death, inheritance, and children who are somehow "wrong." It embodies the fear that the dead might return to claim what was denied them in life. In modern Poland, the striga remains one of the best-known creatures of native folklore, thanks largely to The Witcher's international success.