Al Basti or Al Kardai is an ancient female spirit, the personification of guilt; references to Al Basti exist in the folklore of peoples along the Caucasus Mountains and reach as far as Sumerian mythology.
According to academician Özhan Öztürk, those visited by Al Basti wake up "with a strong fever... She (Al Basti) is also known for stealing horses, which are found in the morning sweating and exhausted, unfit for a full day’s work. Due to the torments she causes, she is also known as the red mother or the red lady.
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| Al Basti ~ by Mahlukat |
Al Basti in Sumerian culture
A variation of the Al Basti myth stretches back to Sumerian culture, being one of the names of Lilith, the first wife of Adam, expelled from paradise for her disbelief and disobedience. Thus, with minor regional differences, the myth of Al Basti is similar to that of Lilith.Al Basti in Turkish culture
In Turkish folklore, Al Basti is often identified with a moroi, a succubus, or various other female-formed spirits and appears in men's erotic dreams; more precisely, it causes them erotic dreams. However, the difference from other Al Basti legends is that the apparition is not a sexual spirit like a succubus, but rather visits those whose souls are burdened with sin or guilt, or those from families of people who committed bloody crimes that went undiscovered and unpunished.According to academician Özhan Öztürk, those visited by Al Basti wake up "with a strong fever... She (Al Basti) is also known for stealing horses, which are found in the morning sweating and exhausted, unfit for a full day’s work. Due to the torments she causes, she is also known as the red mother or the red lady.
an intense fever ... She is also known to steal horses, who are found sweating and exhausted in the morning, and unable to provide a full day's work. Due to her torments, she is also known as the 'red mother'. Ozturk, Ozhan in Karadeniz Ansiklopedik Sozluk
