Who Are Mavkas?

The mysterious forest maidens of Ukrainian folklore

Mavkas are the next creatures from Ukrainian folklore I’d like to introduce you to.

There are several versions of their origin, and it’s difficult to say which one is the “correct” one. According to one legend, they are the daughters of a forest spirit. According to another, they are the souls of young girls who died before they were baptized.

Personally, I prefer the first version. It gives Mavkas their own unique identity instead of repeating the origin often associated with Rusalky. In that telling, they are part of the forest itself — spirits of nature rather than souls connected to the human world.

To learn more about them, I’d like to share another excerpt from No One’s:

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Rumor had it that Mavkas lived in those forests. Beautiful. Young. With long, thick hair. Spring was their season. They gathered in forest clearings. Making themselves presentable after their winter sleep. Combing their long green braids. Chatting. Singing songs. Preparing to drive any man who looked upon them out of his mind. They were so enchanting, so beautiful, that no words could do them justice. But they had one flaw. They had no backs. From behind, their insides could be seen. Yet they hid it beneath their thick hair. So no one would guess what they truly were. So no one would let their guard down. They beckoned. Called. Lured people closer. And no one who followed them ever returned.

Whether it was true or not was hard to tell. Travelers disappeared. Singing had been heard in the forest more than once. But checking for yourself was a frightening prospect.

But the forests were not the only place where beautiful maidens gathered. Come spring, Marfa’s yard rang with young women’s voices as well. That was the season they came to learn from her. And every one of them seemed blessed by fortune. Slender. Graceful. Long braids. Dark brows. Eyes bright with life. A pleasure to look upon, whoever happened to see them.

Marfa taught them. Explained things. Showed them everything. Asked if they were listening. And they listened without hearing a word. How could they? Spring was in the air. The birds were singing.

And Nestor was out in the yard, walking around in a light-colored shirt. One moment he was carrying a log. The next, hauling water. Then chopping firewood. Then sitting down on the porch for a brief rest. And all of that was far more interesting. Tall. Dark-haired. Strong. Hard-working, too. He had recovered well since winter. Looked like a different man now. Broad shoulders. A strong back. Powerful hands. How could they not look? How were a bunch of young girls supposed to turn their eyes away? How were they not supposed to crane their necks watching him? With a bogatyr (a legendary folk hero) like that walking right in front of them.

Marfa looked at them and rolled her eyes. Fools. The lot of them. No interest in learning. Just looking was enough for them.

“All right then. Repeat what I just said.”

“Uh...”

“Exactly. That’s what I thought.”

Marfa shook her head. The girls lowered theirs. They knew they were guilty. They knew it. But they couldn’t help themselves.

And off he went again, rolling up his sleeves. Getting ready for yet another job. Just look at those big hands. A fist like that. How much strength must be in him. Oh, dear Lord.

Nestor had his own reason for finding work out in the yard. He liked watching Marfa. He didn’t get to see her like this very often. Didn’t often get to hear her explain things. So he kept finding reasons to walk back and forth. Listening. Sneaking glances. Watching her move among the girls. A full head shorter than every one of them, yet the moment she spoke, they listened. Watching her put her hands on her hips and scold them for not paying attention. Watching the way she looked at each of them, focused and sharp. Seeing everything. Missing nothing. Watching her hair catch the spring sunlight, hastily braided into a simple plait. How could he not look? How could he not listen? That was Marfa.

Toward evening, the girls headed home. The sun was beginning to set. Marfa called Nestor inside. She set the table. They sat down to eat. Then she looked at him for a moment and said:

“Don’t go wandering around the yard when I’m teaching.”

“Why?”

“As if you don’t know.”

He looked at her. And genuinely didn’t understand what he’d done wrong.

Marfa looked into his eyes. And saw that he wasn’t lying.

“Just don’t do it. That’s all. No one’s learning a thing because of you. The girls are young. They’ve got foolishness in their heads.”

Nestor laughed. He genuinely hadn’t noticed the girls. If someone had asked him how many there were, or what they looked like, he wouldn’t have known what to say.

Marfa smiled softly. That was Nestor. Foolish. Honest. But foolish all the same.

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This is just one more glimpse into the world of Ukrainian folklore. Next time, we’ll meet the Chuhayster — the mysterious guardian of the forest.