Zhalmauyz Kempir
Description
Cannibalistic old woman who kidnaps and devours children
The Legend
Zhalmauyz Kempir (Kazakh: Жалмауыз Кемпір) is a female character that appears in Kazakh folklore, depicted as a witch. According to Kazakh oral tradition, Zhalmauyz Kempir is often described as an old and ugly witch with bizarre features such as seven heads, sharp claws, one eye, and hooves. She possesses supernatural powers, magical abilities, and incredible speed. Zhalmauyz Kempir is a witch with magical powers that allow her to freely change her form, and she is also known to be a cannibal or a bloodsucking entity like a vampire. Unlike other witches in Kazakh folklore, Zhalmauyz Kempir is portrayed as an ambiguous being who plays not only the role of absolute evil but also sometimes provides help to characters in the stories. However, in her typical portrayal, she acts as a witch who kills people, eats human flesh, and commits the evil act of kidnapping children, serving as a source of fear in the region.
Variants
A similar character appears in Uzbek folklore, named Jalmoʏiz kampir ('old woman Jalmogiz').
This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Zhalmauyz Kempir" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia
Abilities
- 포식