Water baby (folklore)

Water babies (tribal names: Ute pawapicts, Paiute pit-u-u, Washoe me-tsung, Western Shoshone nu-numbi) are supernatural entities in the folklore of several Western Native American tribes, primarily within the Great Basin. While their appearance as crying infants leads some observers to identify them as ghosts, tribal traditions define them as a distinct species of spirits inhabiting springs, lakes, and volcanic regions. They are described as small beings with long, dark hair, possessing physical attributes such as fangs, fish tails, or reptilian skin. These spirits are regarded as guardians of water sources and, in shamanic traditions, serve as helpers for medicine people.