In Lithuanian mythology, goddess Laima's name originates from the Lithuanian word "laimė" – happiness, joy, flourishing, and well-being.
She was mentioned by Matthäus Prätorius, Jacob Brodowski, Philipp Ruhig, and others as a deity who improves people’s quality of life.
One of Laima’s most important duties was prophesying (Lithuanian: lemti) the life of a newborn. Laima always took care of women during childbirth and determined the fate of each person and animal.
Laima always ensured that her decisions were proceeding exactly as she intended them to. She was first imagined as a cuckoo. People believed that she was the ruler of birds capable of helping people. As a cuckoo, the goddess lived in a nine-limbed linden tree with golden leaves. Women prayed for fertility and happiness to Laima under lindens and talked to them as if they were people. Orphan girls asked Laima to be their mother, or begged the goddess to turn them into lindens too.
Laima’s trees were considered sacred as their bark and twigs could provide protection from maladies and evil spirits...
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