Lidérc: The Hungarian Shape-shifting Demon

A Lidérc ( pl. Lidércek) is a demon of Hungarian origin which can shape-shift into three unique forms, namely: A Spirit of Death Omen, a Household Spirit, and an Incubus.  The incubus form is very similar to a vampire as it visits in the night to drain the life from its human victim. Sometimes, they drink the person’s blood, and if not stopped, the individual might eventually waste away and die.

Description:

Alternate names for the lidérc are iglic, ihlic in Csallóköz, lüdérc, piritusz in the south, and mit-mitke in the east.

Appearance:

• The Incubus Lidérc has one goose leg and one foot which it keeps hidden in trousers or boots. Sometimes it leaves behind footprints of a horse while it walks.
• The household spirit appears as a featherless chicken.
• The death omen Lidérc appears as a ball of light.

Abilities:

• The Incubus Lidérc has the ability to bring good luck and prosperity. It feeds its female host with erotic dreams which are wild and causes sleep paralysis.
• The Household Lidérc shares gold with the owner of the house.
• The Death Omen Lidérc usually hovers where someone will soon die, thereby predicting an impending death.

 

Forms of a Liderc

The Csodacsirke

As stated earlier, a Liderc exists in three forms and the first being a miracle chicken without feather. This chicken is called Csodacsirke in Hungary. This chicken is hatched from the first egg of a black hen kept warm under the arm of a human being. Other folklores state that any abnormally tiny black egg laid by a hen or any egg at all will become a Lidérc if it is placed on a heap of manure.

 

This form of the Lidérc attaches itself to anyone with the intent of being their sexual partner. If it attaches to a woman, it takes the form of a man to fondle her, sit on her body and sometimes suck her blood, which makes her weak and sick after a time.  This particular act by the Lidérc is the root of the Hungarian word for nightmare, Lidércnyomás which means “Liderc pressure” from where the Liderc sits on the body.

 

This form of the Lidérc hides and amasses gold to make his victim rich. The only known way of eliminating this form of Lidérc is to persuade or convince the being to do an impossible task such as collecting water in a sieve, drawing water from a well in a leaky bucket or hauling sand with a rope. Some legends suggest that this form of shape-shifting demon can be destroyed by locking it into the hollow part of a tree to die.

 

The Földi Ördög

The second form of a Lidérc is called a Földi Ördög in Hungary. Often in the form of a tiny man, this being serves as a kind of good luck charm.  It can be gotten from a black hen’s egg (just like the first form) and can also be found in glass bottles, pockets of old clothes, rags or boxes. When this form of Lidérc attaches to a person, he or she becomes wealthy and able to perform extraordinary feats. The lore states that this happens because the person’s soul has been given to the Lidérc demon or even to the devil himself.

 

The Ördögszeretö

 

The final form of the Lidérc is called the Ördögszeretö in the Hungarian tongue; or “devil lover.” This is quite similar to an incubus or succubus; It is sometimes called a ludvérc or a lucfir. This Lidérc flies at night in the guise of a fiery-like ball or a bird of fire sprinkling flames as it travels. It takes the form of a dead relative or lost lover leaving behind footprints of a horse as it walks on the ground.

It attaches himself to the victim and might decide to bring good luck and prosperity and also help with household chores. However, at night, the lidérc assails its “host” with wild, erotic dreams. He can also drain the life force of the victim.

 

This Lidérc enters homes through the keyholes or chimneys to bring sickness and doom before leaving the house with a splash of flames, dirtying the walls. To drive this form of the Lidérc away, one must burn incense and birch branches. This form of the Lidérc in some parts of Hungary is said to be haunting cemeteries and disappearing at the first crow of a rooster at dawn. It is impossible to outrun.

 

Is An Incubus Demon The Same As A Vampire?

Vampires and incubus demons seem similar, and most people assume that they might have the same origin. The only difference is that a vampire is a zombie-like human and not a demon while an incubus is a demon entity that is non-human.

 

Personal Experiences with The Incubus Demon

 

Here are some personal experiences with incubus demons:

1.

“About three years ago, I visited my parents in the Philippines. They lived in a big house in a quiet province away from the city. After a long flight from L.A and another flight to another island, I took a nap in one of the many rooms that they had. It was about midafternoon. I was awakened to someone caressing my hair like it was moving it away from my face; I didn’t care at first because I was so tired and didn’t rationalize the situation yet. Then I felt someone kiss my lips; I still remember because I felt moist lips which were a little chapped, kiss me gently while it put his hand behind my back to an arch. Only then did I realize that something was off. I was too scared to open my eyes because I didn’t want it to know I was awake; I taught it was a real person who broke in. When I suddenly dared to open my eyes, it was a clear blueish figure on top of me. It was broad daylight. I couldn’t look at him in the eyes, and he just disappeared after ten seconds. I was freaked out. I didn’t go back to sleep that day and ended up sleeping on a couch in my parents’ room. I was around 25 at that time. I don’t do drugs or drink. Nothing could have altered to what I experience.”

 

— Reddit user noCake4u.

2.

“I was in a dark place, and there was some ritual going on. These two people threw me down into a coffin that was in an open grave, and then something had me by the waist and raped me. I woke up having an orgasm. While drifting back to sleep I kept hearing this voice saying things like I’ve loved you from afar for so long, I adore you, just let me love you, please. He said it over and over and over again, just begging me. I kept getting flooded with warm and fuzzy, lovey-dovey images.   While this was happening, I heard another voice say don’t fall for it. It will use whatever means it can think of to try and get you to consent. It will lie to you, it will guilt you, it will imitate past lovers in order to get to you. Just tell it to go away. So with a great deal of struggle, I was able to tell it to go away.”

 

                                   — Reddit user zombiethoven.

3.

“Basically I was going on for about five months without getting laid, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t make it happen, and I was kinda obsessing over it. One night, being weird, I was lying on the bed just staring into silent darkness to trip myself out. The air kinda looked like static, and I thought to myself “Just let it happen”. When I was completely relaxed and tried to lose myself in the darkness, I started feeling rushes of new energy. It felt good. Then it went to my dick and felt super good. I was just chilling. I felt an essence reach through my body and lightly holding onto my colon. It was gentle, but it felt powerful, and I felt comfortable that I wouldn’t be harmed because if it wanted to harm me, it could easily do that. I could feel this energy on top of me and through me.

It kept getting more intense, and I loved it. I wanted more and more. That’s when it hit me. “Holy shit. Is this a succubus?” I tried to lift my arms and couldn’t. I felt this heavy comfort mixed with sexual invigoration, and I didn’t even have to move. Eventually, I was able to lift my arm. Then I laid it down again, and the process started back. I kept going back and forth because it felt awesome, and from what I know about succubi, they are energy vampires, and I can’t have that.

So with all the power, I could muster, I stopped this amazing (feeling) moment and forced myself out of bed to the couch where I watched youtube videos. The sensations started again, and I was super turned on. I went back and forth once again until eventually, I resorted to saying, “No. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave.” (even though I’m not a Christian. I’ve just heard that’s what you’re supposed to say). I was awake for 2 hours before I could go back to sleep.”

 

— An anonymous Reddit user.

 

References:

• https://intothewonder.wordpress.com/tag/liderc/
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidérc
• https://www.wattpad.com/283203171-the-myth-of-the-liderc
• The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology.
• https://thoughtcatalog.com/christine-stockton/2018/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-incubus-demon/