The Iele, Dancers of the Night
In Romanian folklore, beautiful women dance in circles in forest clearings at night. Anyone who watches them, or hears their song, is struck down.
What was reported
The Iele are female spirits of Romanian folklore who live in the air, in forests and on hilltops. They appear on moonlit nights, half-dressed, with bells on their ankles, dancing in a ring.
Where they have danced, the grass is said to be scorched and won't grow again. A person who sees them, steps into their circle, or hears their singing can be struck with madness or paralysis. People avoided speaking their names, calling them only 'the beautiful ones' or 'the merciful'.
Explanations offered
The Iele are linked with the Rusalii, spirits honoured around Pentecost, and with the Călușari, ritual dancers who once performed to heal people 'taken' by them. Fairy rings in the grass may have helped inspire the scorched circles.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- As told across Romania
- Witnesses
- Romanian folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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