Leyak is a type of vampiric witch in the island of Bali in
Indonesia. During the day the Leyak
would appear like everyone else in the community but at night it would be often
seen searching the cemetery of entrails that she will use for her magical
rituals.
In times that the Leyak was unable to found entrails from a corpse, she
would gather the materials that she needed on a sleeping person. The potion that she is brewing is believed to
give her the ability to shape shift in a tiger. It also gave her the ability to
detach its head from its body that enables her to fly while dragging her
entrails (similar to Penanggalan). The
Leyak can also unleash spell that spoils the crops and cause plague and famine.
It can also assume the form of other hideous creature such as a
motorcycle driving on its own, a corpse candle, giant rat, monkey with golden
teeth, a bald giant or a bird that is as large as a horse. There were also incident that a leyak would
possess another human being, the person is now called pengeleyakan. No matter what form she takes, she is always considered
a dangerous monster.
Leyak would drink the blood of animals or human, but she is particularly
delighted on the blood of a woman who was fresh from giving birth or an
infant. Some families commonly leave a
gourmet food on their doorstep to appease the troubled soul of the leyak.
But according to legends, the power of Leyak is bounded only on
Bali. Should she decide to move on the
other islands; she will lose all her powers and be rendered impotent. A temple was built in a town in Bali to honor
Ratu Gede Mecaling who is the patron saint of all Leyak.
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