The spirits known by this term represented the souls of girls who had died unnatural, tragic or premature deaths, particularly unchristened babies. s often appear in the form of beautiful young girls who entice and lure young men into the woods, where they "tickle" them to death. s have no reflection in water, nor do they cast shadows. In some accounts, they were also said to help farmers by looking after cattle and driving out wild animals. A subtype of the Mavkas are the
Nyavkas, which behave the same except for having "no back", meaning that their spine and some other insides can be seen; the most defining feature between determining Mavkas and
Nyavkas is whether or not the insides are visible from the back. Mavkas and
Nyavkas were believed to live in groups in forests, mountain caves, or sheds, which they decorated with rugs. They made thread of stolen flax and wove thin transparent cloth for making clothes for themselves. They loved flowers, which they wore in their hair. In the spring, they planted flowers in the mountains, to which they enticed young men, whom they tickled to death. On
Pentecost (known as 's Easter, ), they held games, dances, and orgies. A
demon accompanied them on a
flute or
pipes. To save an
unchristened baby's soul, one must throw up a kerchief during
Pentecost holidays, say their name and add "I baptise you". The rescued soul would then go to
heaven. If the soul lived up to seven years and did not go to heaven, the baby would turn into a and haunt the earth. == Popular culture ==