Poreskoro
Artwork by Benedetta Fiore. ArtStation | Instagram
Origin: Romany folklore
Poreskoro is the youngest child of Ana, the queen of Keshalyi, and the king of the Loçolico. Ana despaired over being forced to bear children for the demon king, and so the Keshalyi (fertility fairies) try to help. They feed her a cake with the hair of a cat and a hellhound and a powdered snake—and so Poreskoro, the worst of disease-carrying demons, was born.
Poreskoro is a hermaphrodite with four cats’ heads, four dogs’ heads, and a snake for a tail. Poreskoro gives birth to a number of children, who then bring some of the worst epidemics in history to humanity: the bubonic plague, cholera, smallpox, and parasitic diseases. It’s said that Poreskoro’s rare appearance from an underground lair heralds death and destruction.
Despite failing to initially keep the demon king away from Ana, the Keshalyi knew that this offspring would be too much even for the demon king. Appalled by Poreskoro, he releases Ana—but on the condition that any Keshalyi who lives to be 999 years old must be given to the Loçolico.
Appearances in media
Books:
Dictionary of Gypsy Mythology: Charms, Rites, and Magical Traditions of the Roma