The Strzyga: The Double-Souled Vampire of Polish Folklore

When I began searching for a new creature to feature on my blog, I wasn’t planning to explore another type of vampire. In fact, I was hoping to find something more obscure. But as I delved into the Strzyga from Polish folklore, I couldn’t help but become fascinated. Unlike most vampires, who are "created" by a vampire’s bite, a Strzyga is born with a dormant vampire nature, waiting to emerge. How does this work? According to legend, a Strzyga is a person born with two hearts, two sets of teeth, and, most intriguingly, two souls: one good and one evil.

Folklore suggests that as long as both souls remain in the body, the person leads an ordinary life. However, Strzygas are believed to die young. When the "good" soul departs to the afterlife, the demonic second soul reanimates the corpse and takes over. It’s fascinating that the malevolent soul is the one that emerges later; I wonder how the lore might change if their roles were reversed. Still, the legend is clear: once the evil soul takes control, it craves blood. Animal blood may satisfy it briefly, but soon it longs for human blood and flesh, often seeking revenge on those who wronged it during its first life.

The Strzyga looks normal when the good soul possesses their bodies. However, there are a few telltale signs. The first is when a child is born with fully developed teeth; another indicator is whether a woman doesn’t have armpit hair. Super weird, right?

Once the second soul takes over the body, the Stryga skin takes on a bluish tone. Over time, the creature develops owl-like features, including feathers, claws, glowing eyes, and pointed ears. Eventually, allowing these creatures to hunt their prey from the air as they learn to fly. Nighttime travelers were urged to use caution and keep an eye above in case a Strzyga attacks.

The word Strzyga derives from Strix, meaning 'owl' in Latin, and refers to a bird-like creature in Roman and Greek Mythology that feeds on human flesh. Clearly suggesting there is a link between the Strzyga and the Strix.

There are some protective burial methods to prevent a Strzyga from reanimating:

1. Separating the head from the body and placing it between the legs.

2. Burying the body with a sickle placed over the neck so that if the creature tried to rise, it would be beheaded.

3. Burying the corpse face down so that if it tried to dig its way out, it would dig deeper into the earth instead of toward the surface.

4. Exhuming the body in the presence of a priest and placing a piece of paper with the word "Jesus" under the tongue.

To protect a home from a wandering Strzyga, tradition held that poppy seeds, shaped as a cross, should be scattered in every corner of the house. The Strzyga was believed to be obsessive, compelled to count every seed before attacking the home dweller.

So now you see why I couldn’t resist reading more about the Strzyga. The idea of a creature possessing two souls—one good, one evil— reminds me of the complexities within each of us. Again, folklore offers us an intriguing and haunting comparison to the human condition.