Perun

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.