Nocnitsa

The Nocnitsa, or "Night Hag", in Polish mythology, is a nightmare spirit that also goes by the name Krisky or Plaksy. She is known to torment children at night, and mothers in some regions will place a knife in their children's cradles or draw a circle around the cradles with a knife for protection. This is possibly based on the belief that supernatural beings cannot touch iron (Lindemans).

She is known in Bulgaria as Gorska Makua.

References

• Lindemans, Micha (2004). http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/nocnitsa.html . Retrieved December 2, 2005.