Pitsen

What it is

Pitsen is a forest creature in the mythology of the Siberian Tatars. This being is defined by its ability to change form and its dual role in human affairs. It can bring luck to those it encounters, but it also has the power to cause trouble by leading people into the wilderness. The creature is not bound to one shape and often appears as an elder with a staff and knapsack, or as various animals such as apes. It prefers to dwell in derelict lodges and is known to ride horses, oiling their manes with tar.

Where it comes from

However, it is identified as a counterpart to other figures in related mythologies. These include the Chuvash Arçuri and the Volga-Ural Tatar Şüräle. In the broader mythology of the Siberian Tatars, similar entities are known as yysh-keshe among the Tobol and Omsk Tatars. These beings are described as shaggy and stinking spirits that carry away travelers and force them into marriage.

How it is done

Pitsen interacts with humans through transformation and deception. When transformed into a damsel, it may engage in sexual intercourse or marry a human. One legend tells of a hunter who married a beautiful damsel in the forest, after which they became rich. The spell broke when the hunter returned home early and saw his wife as a tusky monster eating lizards. His horror caused her and their wealth to disappear instantly. The yysh-keshe variant is said to fly away from an armpit at night.

Tools and materials

The creature uses tar to oil the manes of the horses it rides. It may appear carrying a staff and a knapsack when in the form of an elder. Its physical forms include apes, damsels, and tusky monsters.

What it is for

Pitsen serves as a complex figure in folklore, representing both opportunity and danger. It can bring luck and wealth, as seen in the story of the hunter who gained riches through marriage. Conversely, it causes harm by leading humans into the wilderness or abducting travelers to force them into marriage. The creature embodies the unpredictable nature of the forest.

Who does it

There are no living practitioners of Pitsen. It is a figure from mythology and legend rather than a subject of active ritual practice. Scholars and collectors of folklore study these tales to understand the beliefs of the Siberian Tatars and related groups.

Peoples and places

Pitsen is primarily associated with the Siberian Tatars. Similar creatures exist among neighboring groups. The Chuvash have Arçuri, while the Volga-Ural Tatars have Şüräle. Among the Tobol and Omsk Tatars, the yysh-keshe shares traits with Pitsen, such as shapeshifting and abduction. These variations show how the motif of the forest shapeshifter spreads across different Turkic peoples.

What people believe

In Siberian Tatar belief, Pitsen is a powerful spirit of the wild. It is believed to inhabit derelict lodges and control the fate of those who enter its domain. The creature's ability to take human form allows it to interact closely with people, sometimes forming families. The sudden disappearance of the damsel-wife upon discovery highlights the fragile boundary between the human world and the spirit world.

When it is done

Encounters seem to occur randomly in the forest or near derelict structures.

How scholars and sceptics see it

The text does not mention specific scholarly analysis. However, the comparison with Arçuri and Şüräle suggests academic interest in tracing the evolution of shapeshifter myths across Ural-Altaic cultures.

Compare and confuse

Pitsen is compared to the Chuvash Arçuri and the Volga-Ural Tatar Şüräle. It is also related to the yysh-keshe of the Tobol and Omsk Tatars. All these figures share traits of shapeshifting, forest dwelling, and interaction with humans through marriage or abduction.

Today

It remains a figure of historical and cultural mythology.

Questions people ask about Pitsen

Good reading and sources

• Pitsen on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data