Divine ruler of the waters and their bounty, common to several Baltic and Finno-Ugric peoples traditionally dependent on fishing.
She was also responsible for promoting fertility in humans and in livestock. In appearance, she resembled a mermaid, having long hair, large breasts, and a fishlike lower body. Fishermen sacrificed to her the first of their catch and observed numerous taboos while fishing. Seeing Ved-ava generally boded misfortune, most often drowning. She has been regarded as the spirit of a drowned person or simply as a personification of the water itself.