Bestiary · Slavic · Souls of the dead
Nav'
Also known as: nav', nav'e, navi, navka, navky, mavka, mavky
The Old Russian name for the dead and their world; the Ukrainian navky and mavky are the souls of children who died unbaptized.
The Old Russian nav' (nav'e) means the dead, pictured as elfin, dwarf-like beings. Afanasyev derives the word from a Sanskrit root meaning "to perish". In Ukraine the navky or mavky are the souls of children who died unbaptized; they go with the rusalkas and take revenge on the living. He also connects with nav' the god Nia (Nya), whom Długosz describes as the Polish Pluto, guide and guardian of souls after death.