Serbian fairytales and myths are fascinating and very old. Many traditional Serbian stories are over one thousand years old, dating back to when most Serbs worshipped nature and multiple gods and goddesses. When Christianity was introduced in the early 800's, people combined it with their ancient stories, and many of these fairytales are still told to children. Today, we will learn about vampires, zmajs, aždajas, and vilas.
Vampires are spooky creatures that suck blood, and many cultures have stories about them. But did you know that the first vampire story came from a city in Serbia called Kragujevac? Reports said that two men who had died came back to life and scared everyone. That’s where the word "vampire" came from!
Have you heard of zmajs? They are Serbian dragons! Zmajs are very different from dragons you might know. They look like strong humans with wings and have two heads! Zmajs can change shapes into eagles or snakes, and they can be good or bad. Every year, a new zmaj appears from a fiery ball that rises from a lake, and he protects the village from harm. Sometimes, if a zmaj feels sad because he can’t find a wife, he might forget his job of guarding the village! Aždaja is the evil version of a zmaj.
