Saturday Goddess Blogging

Vila

Vila started out as a Slavic Goddess and eventually became known as a type of Slavic fairy or nymph. She is known to modern Pagans as a nature Goddess and the patron Goddess of shapeshifting.
In Goddess & Heroines, Patricia Monaghan begins describing Vila as a Goddess, explaining that:

One of the most powerful eastern European [G]oddesses was called Samovila, Vila, or Judy according to the language of the people, who pictured this woodland force as a fairskinned winged woman with glistening garments and golden hair falling to her feet. She lived deep in the woods, where she guarded animals and plants as well as cleaned streams of rubble and assured sufficient rainfall.

Monaghan then shifts, describing "the Vila" and what "they" might do to those who would harm animals: Hunters were wary of beautiful, well-dressed women speaking the languages of animals, for the Vila was fiercely possessive of her wild herds. Should one be injured or-worse yet-killed, the Vila mutilated the offender or lured him into a magic circle and danced him to death. Alternatively, the Vila might bury him in rocks by starting an avalanche, or simply cause him to keel over with a heart attack.

The Vila was able to masquerade as a snake, swan, falcon, horse, or whirlwind. Cloud Vilas could transform themselvs into clouds or fog.

In the next sentence, Monaghan is back to discussing the Goddess Vila: Born on a day of soft misty rain, when the sun formed miniature rainbows on the trees, she knew all the secrets of healing and herb craft. Should a human wish to learn her skills, blood-sisterhood was forged with the Vila. The applicant appeared in the woods before sunrise on a Sunday of the full moon. Drawing a circle with a birch twig or a broom, she placed several horsehairs, a hoof, and some manure inside the circle, then stood with her right foot on the hoof calling to the Vila. Should the spirit appear and be greeted as a sister, the Vila would grant any wish.

It's appropriate for a shapshifter, don't you think? Monaghan is never really sure who she's describing.

Wikipedia says:

The Vila, or Willi or Veela, are the Slavic versions of nymphs, who have power over storms, which they delight in sending down on lonely travelers. They are known to live in meadows, ponds, oceans, trees, and clouds (cf. Leimakids, Limnades, Oceanids, Dryads, Nephele). They can appear as swans, horses, wolves, or, of course, beautiful women.

The Vilia is the Celtic version of this woodland spirit. She enjoys captivating passing men with her beauty, but then abandoning them. In a love song titled Vilia, from "The Merry Widow" by Lehar and Ross, a hunter pines for Vilia, "the witch of the wood".

Named vilas in Serbian mythology are: Andresila, Andjelija, Angelina, Djurdja, Janja, Janjojka, Jelka, Jerina, Jerisavlja, Jovanka, Katarina, Kosa, Mandalina, Nadanojla and Ravijojla.[1] Ravijojla is the most well known of them, connected to Prince Marko,[2] while Jerisavlja is considered to be their leader.[
J.K. Rowling adopted the idea of Veela in her Harry Potter series. Wiki notes that, in Harry Potter Fleur Delacour's grandmother was a veela, making [her] at least one quarter veela. This heritage accounts for Fleur's fair hair, skin and eyes, and apparently her ability to entrance men. This could put her in danger from Voldemort and his followers, as they have a strong prejudice against "half-breeds." She is engaged to Bill Weasley, the eldest brother of Ron Weasley.

Art found here, here, and here.