Bestiary · Slavic · Field spirit
Noon-woman
Also known as: noon-women, noon woman, noon women, poludnitsa, poludnitsy, polednice
A woman in white who appears in the fields at midday in summer and punishes those who work or wander there at the hour of noon.
The noon-women (poludnitsy) appear in the fields at noon in the hottest time of summer, often as tall women in white. The noon-woman walks round the fields, especially those sown with flax; she questions the women on how flax should be worked, and twists the necks of those who cannot answer. She also steals children, and mothers hush a crying child with: "The noon-woman will come and take you!" Afanasyev places them among the bright elves, beside the kikimoras, who are the dark ones.