Devana - the Goddess of wildlife and hunting

Devana is the Goddess of wild nature, forests, hunting and the moon worshiped by the Western Slavs. In the sources, she was first mentioned in the 15th century by Jan Długosz, who compared her to the Roman goddess Diana. Dziewanna is also a Polish name for Verbascum, and the etymology of the word is unclear.

Dziewanna’s story is a unique and interesting one. Dziewanna is the daughter of both Perun, the god of thunder, and Mokosh, the Great Mother and protector of women. From birth, she was an independent spirit, riding horses, becoming a skilled huntress, and taming wolves and foxes, who never left her side. All of this made it difficult for Perun to control her, and that’s where her story began.

Dziewanna’s love of her freedom turned into an obsession. Her unrestrained femininity, though, was unacceptable to the powerful male gods. Perun believed his daughter to be childish and arrogant. Her constant hunts and wearing her hair down (unmarried women were supposed to braid their hair) as a refusal to be married to any man angered him. Then she rebelled.

Dziewanna believed she should rule the three realms of the gods, the living, and the dead. When the gods got wind of the plan, Perun decided he’d had enough. He found her in the woods and roared so loud that her wolf allies were forced to flee, leaving the two of them to fight alone. Riding her mare and wielding either arrows or a spear, she charged her Father, but he was too strong.

Like most gods, Dziewanna was a shape-shifter. Being the witty goddess she was, she turned into a lioness in hopes of defeating her father. But Perun matched her. Again, she transformed, this time into a bird. But Perun became an eagle and caught her in his talons. In a last effort, she shifted to a fish and slipped from his grasp. Perun watched her fall and called upon Mokosz to catch her in a fishing net. His wife answered, and Dziewanna’s rebellion was over.

As punishment for her actions, Perun forced his daughter to marry his rival, Veles, god of the underworld, cattle, sorcery, and the lowlands. Dziewanna never wished to marry and resisted, but in the end, Weles turned himself into a basil flower and soothed her soul. The stories say that while they are not in love, the two remain a powerful pair.

Today is also my birthday! I am 25 now and can't wait for the future <3

Love, Erinthul.