Tag Archives: supernatural

El Coco and the Legend of the Evil Coconut

The legend of El Coco has its roots in numerous Spanish-speaking countries. Millions of children across the globe encounter the tale of El Coco in their bedtime stories. What are the mysteries surrounding the El Coco legend? And what exactly do they have to do with an evil coconut?

An Evil Coconut

El Coco derives its name from the Spanish word for coconut El Coco is described as having a brown, hairy face that evokes the eerie image of a frightening coconut. This mythical bogeyman enters children’s bedrooms if they fail to sleep soundly or behave properly.

A Cautionary Tale for Kids

Spanish-speaking parents caution their children that El Coco lurks on neighborhood rooftops, searching for those who refuse to go to bed on time or exhibit disobedient behavior. Should a child become a target of El Coco, the creature may emerge from under the bed or inside a cupboard to whisk them away.

While this tale may sound unsettling, it instills good behavior, obedience to parents, and caution around strangers. These essential teachings are vital for children as they grow, shaping them into responsible and capable adults.

A Haunting Rhyme

As children lay in their beds, a parent will recite the El Coco rhyme to send them off to sleep. 

Duérmete niño
Duérmete ya
Que viene el coco
Y te llevará.
Duérmete niño
Duérmete ya
Que viene el coco
Y te comerá.

Go to sleep child
Sleep now
The coco is coming
And it will take you.
Go to sleep child
Sleep now
The coco is coming
And it will eat you.

Quite the pleasant tale to tell your kids. This song reinforces the message by warning the child that failing to go to sleep will summon El Coco, who will make them disappear.

The Legend Works

Picture yourself in a dimly lit home, shrouded in darkness with no street lights outside. The family gathers around the fire, sharing tales of a mysterious bogeyman. Whether you are a child or an adult, listening to the legend of El Coco, and then hearing the wind whistle through the trees or an animal screech, would undoubtedly be sufficient to instill a sense of caution and encourage well-behaved behavior, steering clear of any potential encounter with the monster!

Tim Kane

Asema – The Corpse Light Vampire

The cloak of night descends and the human skin slips away, falling into a heap on the floor. What remains is a radiant orb of blue light. This is the Asema, a vampire native to the northern stretches of South America. The corpse light vampire, also known as a ball vampire, invades homes, driving by its insatiable thirst for blood.

Bloody Habit

The Asema loves the taste of human blood. It often would not drain a victim dry, choosing to return night after night. But if your blood was particularly tasty, you might be emptied that very night. With the break of dawn, it resumed their human guise, repeating this haunting cycle day after day.

Defensive Measures

Placing garlic around your bedside will deter the Asema. Some people consume herbal concoctions to render their blood unappealing to these supernatural beings. 

Many vampires can be waylaid with scattered seeds. The Asema takes this OCD behavior to the next level. You can mix in the trimmed claws of an owl with the seeds. The Asema must pick up and count the seeds, yet if it grabs a single owl claw, it must drop them all and start over. 

Shriveled Skin

The best way to stop an Asema permanently involves its discarded skin. You give the skin a heavy dose of salt, but not as the usual seasoning. In this case, you want to shrink the skin so that it will not longer fit the Asema when it returns in the morning and the day’s light will destroy it.

In this fashion, the Asema bears a similarity to the Malaysian Penanggalan. In that case, you fill the discarded skin with shards of glass. On wonders if these two vampires are related or have a common ancestor?

Tim Kane

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La Siguanaba: The Horse Faced Woman

The myth of La Siguanaba is closely linked withMayan heritage — a haunting portrait of a beautiful woman in a white dress who emerges at night, beckoning to unsuspecting travelers or those who have transgressed societal norms. Passed down through generations, this legend bears the unique imprints of various cultures that have woven their distinct elements into its narrative. But who is La Siguanaba?

Modern Folklore

Picture the moonless nights in the Salvadoran countryside, where La Siguanaba prowls, captivating unwary travelers—often unfaithful men—near bodies of water. She appears as a near-nude figure, radiating an irresistible charm. She entices men with the promise of intimacy.

When she gets her victim along, her facade dissipates, revealing her true visage—a horse’s face. Some legends show her with huge deformed breasts that she beats on rocks to terrify her victims. Some succumb to sheer fright, while others are driven to madness. Those unfortunate enough to survive find themselves abandoned in the wilderness, condemned to wander until their inevitable demise.

Aztec Influence

In Central America, the tale of La Siguanaba maintains close ties to the ancient Aztec religion. La Siguanaba was originally known as Sihuehuet, translating to “beautiful woman.” Sihuehuet, a peasant woman, possessed an unparalleled beauty that could captivate even the gods themselves, including Tlaloc, the lord of the storm.

Sihuehuet ensnared Tlaloc, and bore him a child. But she apparently didn’t have any maternal inclinations. She neglected the child and cheated on Tlaloc when he went to war. 

Driven by an insatiable hunger for power, Sihuehuet plotted to eliminate Tlaloc and usurp his divine throne. Crafting a poisonous plan, she intended to assassinate him. Yet, the scheme backfired when it transformed Tlaloc into a monstrous entity that wreaked havoc upon the community.

Upon learning of La Siguanaba’s malevolent actions, Tlaloc sought aid from the mighty god Teotl. Teotl then cursed her with the epithet “Siguanaba,” meaning “hideous woman.” This curse warped her into the nightmarish figure with a horse-faced appearance. Her days are now spent laundering clothes by a river’s edge while endlessly searching for her lost son, trapped in her grotesque form as punishment for her past misdeeds.

Warding Off La Siguanaba

The best advice is to simply not be lured with the prospect of sex with a strange woman. But should you fall victim, here are some ways to protect yourself: 

  • Pull your hair
  • Bite into a machete, a metal coin, or a cross necklace

You can also scare her away by yelling three times: “no te vas a ir Maria, pata de gallina,” which means “you are not leaving, crabgrass Maria”.

Tim Kane

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Mètminwi: The Haitian Boogeyman

One boogeyman stands taller than all the rest—the towering Mètminwi. This mysterious Haitian boogeyman, rumored to be a colossal two stories in height, haunts the nocturnal streets, where tales of his appearance vary from incredibly long-legged to a giant with stilt-like limbs and arms.

Tales of the Twilight Terror

Throughout Haitian folklore, various renditions describe Mètminwi as a seclusive giant with haunting red eyes and a pale, frowning countenance. His haunting presence emerges precisely at midnight, and he is said to prowl the streets, indiscriminately catching and consuming any unfortunate soul still lingering outside, regardless of their behavior.

The Mètminwi’s story serves as a cautionary tale, instilling lessons about obedience, respect, and the consequences of defying the night’s rules. The legend is a tool to dissuade mischief and wandering after the witching hour, guiding the young to heed the warnings of their elders.

Understanding the Legend

While the descriptions of Mètminwi might vary, the central message remains consistent: he stands as a looming figure in the night, a warning against venturing out after midnight. Mètminwi name is a clever play on words, translated as “midnight master.” It’s a reminder that a midnight snack at home might be a safer choice than a moonlit stroll on the streets of Haiti.

Mètminwi, in essence, remains a steadfast reminder to all: the night belongs to the daring, but it also holds its own share of mysterious and cautionary tales.

Tim Kane

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