Spooky and super cool — I will introduce to you an original Czech Mystical Creature – Vodnik, in translation, the Waterman. He is also known to be present in Germany in a slightly altered form, but he doesn’t live anywhere else in the world. He probably decided to reside in Czech due to the abundant ponds built in the southern part of my country in the 16-17 century.

Waterman impersonates the spirit of water and thus can be found in rivers, lakes and ponds. Originally, he is a fallen angel, who fell from heaven into water. However, as you see from the picture, he looks nothing like an angel. He is a green, rather short and ugly creature with green hair, wide mouth, protuberant eyes and with water dripping from his coat. He can take on form of a water animals, as well as a horse or a dog. His other powers include the ability to control all water animals.
http://i.idnes.cz/08/113/gal/KOT273af9_hastrman.jpg
http://www.galerieroudnice.cz/O/lada.jpg
http://www.non-stop.sk/UserFiles/File/vytvarne%20diela/Lada%20vodnik.jpg
In general, Vodnik is a very evil creature who likes to drown people in order to gain their souls and cause harm in other ways. He collects the souls in little cups in his home at the bottom of a lake. He uses his powers to trick people, for example, he takes on a form of a beautiful white horse and he pastures on a shore of a lake. When an innocent person, fascinated by the beauty of the horse comes by and dares to swing into his saddle, he jumps into the water and drowns the surprised rider. The more souls he gains, more powerful he is. If someone opens the cup with a soul in it, the soul escapes, frees itself and the Vodnik is “one soul less powerful.” He also tears fishermen’s nets, blocks mill-wheels in mills and does other mean things.
Some Vodniks, however, have been domesticated and learned to live with people in peace. Some even, if in good mood, help millers with work or go to local pubs to socialize. They like to sit on the branches of willow trees, above the water surface, smoke a pipe, wonder or play a violin.