Some scholars of ancient beliefs suggest that the Slavs may have distinguished between several categories of beings inhabiting bodies of water. The higher ones were likely spirits of lakes and rivers, and their nature was generally neutral. The lower ones included entities such as rusalki, brzeginki, drowned men, and drowned women.

Over time, the distinctions—and even the original names—were blurred, and entire families of water spirits and beings were simply renamed as water devils. This is one reason it’s so difficult to reconstruct old beliefs, which have been layered over with countless distortions brought by Christianity and, of course, time.

Is there a difference between a drowned man (topielec) and a drowned woman (topielica)?
We’re not even certain such a difference truly existed, but in more recent folk tales—where researchers look for remnants of old faiths—topielice appear relatively often. One such story tells of a girl abandoned by her fiancé. It happened in Raduczyce on the Warta River, where the heartbroken young woman threw herself into the waves. No one remembers her name anymore, but it’s said she became a topielica who especially targets young men, dragging them down into the water. Depending on the version, the number of her victims varies, but supposedly, no one has ever escaped her.

Unlike drowned men, their female counterparts were easier on the eyes and, perhaps aided by dark powers, could seduce human males. Topielice would take the form of young women bathing in shallow waters, inviting strangers to join them. They might also pretend to be damsels in distress, caught by the current and crying for help. The topielica had many tricks to lure men to the shore and into the water. The topielec preferred to grab his victim and use brute force to take their breath away. The topielica was more subtle, though the result was the same: the unfortunate soul caught in her embrace would soon lose the will to fight and, ultimately, his life—hypnotized by her gentle movements and the black depths of her eyes.

It’s said that topielice were either naked or wore only a thin shift.
So if you happen to see such a girl by the water’s edge—especially if her skin is unusually pale or shimmering with a greenish hue—don’t go swimming with her. Unless, of course, you’re equipped with modern safety gear: at minimum a life ring and those inflatable arm floaties.
All jokes aside, it’s said that a possible way to escape a topielica is to distract her by challenging her to a riddle game. That might be just enough to make your getaway.

One successful escape story tells of a young man who was caught by a topielica near the Narew River. He saved himself by shouting, “Look! The river is on fire!”—and while the confused topielica looked around, he managed to swim to shore. Christianity introduced its own methods of protection: a crucifix worn around the neck, or simply making the sign of the cross before entering the water—both were said to drive her away.

Keep those in mind when summer comes and the urge to swim in rivers or lakes kicks in. You never know what—or who—might be lurking beneath the surface.
Well, actually… you might.

See what we’ve created based on our vision of the Topielica: