Al Ana

Al Ana is a female fatal spirit or demon prominent in Turkic folklore, particularly in regions inhabited by Tuvan, Kyrgyz, Turkish, and Azerbaijani peoples. Her name is derived from old Turkic words, with "Al" signifying red, fire, or evil, and "Ana" meaning mother, suggesting an interpretation as "Red Mother" or "Evil Mother."

Description and Actions

Oral traditions describe Al Ana as an aged, unappealing woman with a hairy physique, long, straight hair, and exceptionally large breasts, which she purportedly uses for washing her garments. She is often depicted wearing a red hat adorned with a fern twig. Al Ana's primary malevolent activity involves the abduction of human infants shortly after birth. She then replaces these stolen babies with her own offspring, known as foundlings or changelings.

Changelings

These changelings are distinguishable by their peculiar and often unsettling appearance. They might exhibit disproportionate body parts, common disabilities, or a generally wicked demeanor. Specific characteristics attributed to changelings include a large abdomen, unusually small or large heads, humps, thin limbs, hairy bodies, and long claws. They were also said to develop their first teeth prematurely. Their behavior was marked by intense spitefulness towards those around them, a fear of their mothers, restlessness, an aversion to sleep, and extreme gluttony. Those changelings that survived infancy, which was rare, would grow into disabled adults who gibbered instead of speaking and harbored a deep mistrust of people.

Protection and Risk

Cultural practices offered methods to protect newborns from Al Ana's influence. Mothers were advised to tie a red ribbon around their baby's hand, place a red hat on its head, and shield its face from the moonlight. Additionally, it was cautioned against washing a baby's nappies after sunset or turning one's head away from a sleeping child. Certain individuals were considered particularly vulnerable to becoming Al Ana spirits after death. These included midwives, old maids, unmarried mothers, pregnant women who died before childbirth, and abandoned children born out of wedlock.