Veles took Perun’s cattle and hid below the world, while Perun pursued him from the sky with thunder and lightning. Perun’s victory brought rain and drove Veles into the earthly waters.
Veles Steals Perun’s Herds
Veles took Perun’s cattle and withdrew below. He was the serpent Volos, an earthly, underworld, or dark god. Perun remained above, in the sky, on top of the world tree, or on a hill. Veles hid at the base of the tree, under a stone, or in the earthly waters. The two struggled for control of the herds, with Perun above and Veles below.
Perun pursued Veles through the upper and lower regions. He struck him in a tree or under a stone with thunder and lightning. In one telling, he burned Veles. In another, he split him. Related stories told how Elijah, or in some versions God, pursued an unclean force and struck it under a rock, under a tree, or within a person. He then drove the force into the waters. Stories of St George and the serpent followed a similar pattern.
When Perun defeated Veles, heavenly water appeared as rain. Veles escaped or hid in the earthly waters. Later Christian traditions connected him with St Vlas and with the devil. In Byelorussian folklore, Piarun lived on mountaintops and struck the Serpent. He also made the first fire by accident when he struck a tree in which the Demon hid.
Perun Strikes the Dragon
Perun pursued the creature as it moved across the land. He struck the serpent, dragon, monster, or devil with thunderbolts. The creature fled from him, while Perun followed from one place to another. Each blow brought thunder and lightning. The storm marked the course of the hunt and carried the struggle across the earth.
Perun struck the creature in trees and stones. His bolts burned it, split it, or struck the place where it hid. Lightning damaged the trees and stones, leaving marks from the god’s weapon. Thunder sounded with the violence of the blows, while lightning showed where the attack had fallen. In one telling, the demon hid inside a tree, and Perun’s strike made the first fire. In another, the serpent hid beneath a stone or in the earthly waters as Perun pursued it.
Perun continued the attack until he defeated the creature. The struggle had been fought over control of cattle. After Perun won, heavenly water appeared and rain returned. The serpent or devil hid in the earthly waters, while the storm that had accompanied the hunt gave way to renewed rainfall. The defeat ended the pursuit and restored the water that had been withheld.
