The main legends and myths of Honduras involve indigenous elements, diabolical creatures or celestial beings. The sinaguaba, the sisimite and the white chain are some of these manifestations.
In Honduras, stories, stories, legends and myths are traditions that are transmitted from generation to generation. Each story represents a fantasy and mysterious fact that many consider inventions of the grandmother, but are perceived by others as chilling stories that will continue to be told through the years.
As it happens in many places of Latin America, the fables and myths are originated in rural zones with vestiges of the indigenous histories. In these places the ancestral mythological beliefs, the superstition, the black magic and the witchcraft are in flower of skin.
In Honduras, and throughout Central America, it is daily to tell these stories and to hear of diabolical, ghostly or even heavenly entities. It is no wonder, because they are so mentioned that they are already part of the day-to-day and of the traditions that nurture the folklore of the country.
There are many tales and myths in Honduras, but the most recurrent are related to terror and mysterious beings, with mythological and fantastic creatures rarely seen and with diabolical or celestial beings that persecute humans.
The 11 main legends and myths of Honduras
1- The infatuation of the elf of Trujillo
Of this goblin they said that it was a sweet angel that touched the guitar and that was expelled from the sky by womanizer. When he fell on Earth he became a leprechaun: a little man, a big ear, big-bellied, with his head always covered by a giant hat.
They say that the goblin robbed pretty and young women. Today, when a woman believes she has seen the goblin she must say"remember the music of the sky"so that it is frightened and goes away.
The goblin intimidates a woman, throwing things at the window of her house. When the goblin takes the women, more is never heard of them.
2- The Sinaguaba
It is the story of a very pretty girl, who appears near a river at midnight before men who betray their wives or girlfriends. She loves and loves them, but when they accept the innuendo, she becomes an ogre.
According to the legend, only appears to men who are unfaithful to their wives and the young"donjuanes".
3- The Sisimite
The Sisimite is another version of the giant creatures that appear from nothing and disappear in the same way.
This monster is also called Itacayo and wanders the high mountains looking for the most remote caves to inhabit. These monsters kidnap the women and take them to their caves. It is said that from this union are born men-ape.
This story is still used to frighten young girls who are far away from their homes, although there is a story that tells that a woman managed to escape from the hiding place where the Sisimite had it prey.
4- The comelenguas
At one time Honduran farmers began to complain about the loss of cattle. The cows appeared dead lying in the grass as if they had been attacked by a wild creature. Their cut-off tongues appeared, their broken jaws dislocated.
There are photos of very rare animals that seem prehistoric and were accused of being comelenguas. However, there is still no certainty that these animals existed, although in the 1940s, when most of the cases occurred, data were collected from similar creatures in Goias, Brazil.
5- The white chain
It is a mythical dog that only appears before people who wander the street late at night. According to the versions, the dog has two forms: a white, which is good; and another black, which is the bad.
The black dog is associated with evil and say that it persecutes people who are drunk going out from parties, carnivals or games of chance and canteens.
The white dog protects those who do not walk in vices but who also had to wander the street at night for some different reason.
6- The Dirty
This story is very similar to La Llorona or La Sayona in the rest of Latin America. This was a very beautiful girl who had a fiance, the love of her life.
However, the priest refused to perform the wedding because the young woman was not baptized. The marriage did not occur and she went into a depression, which is why the boyfriend left her.
When he learned that his ex-fiance was about to marry another, shocked by the news, he went into dementia and plunged down a precipice. That is why his spirit wanders along the banks of the rivers, screaming horribly and frightening men and youth.
7- The Christ of Saint Lucia
This is a story shared by the peoples of Cedars and St. Lucia. The inhabitants of these towns realized that the Christs of their principal churches were interchanged and decided to return each to their place of origin.
Both towns went in procession to Tegucigalpa, where the saints would be exchanged, but those of Santa Lucia could not arrive because the Christ began to put very heavy in a place called The Crossing, and they could not load it in that direction anymore. So the image returned to the church of St. Lucia.
8- The ironed mule
It is a frightening tale about another beautiful young woman who died when she learned of her mother's death, caused by the punches that a"mule"mule had given her when she left her alone.
The young woman was buried and on the third day she stood up from the grave turned into a black"ironed"mule: half woman, half mule. They say that was the punishment for abandoning his mother.
Some say they saw her at midnight riding near a place where people from bad life meet, urging them to change their attitude.
9- The rain of Yoro fish
It was an incredible weather phenomenon that occurred in the city of Yoro. It is a rain of fish that still happens between the months of May and July. According to the inhabitants of Yoro, this extraordinary event happened for a century.
The superstitious origin of this phenomenon is due to the history of the father Subirana. When he met many poor and hungry people, he prayed for three days and three nights asking God for a miracle to help the poor get food.
10- The Cerro Brujo
It is a mountain of smaller size that is located near the city of Tegucigalpa.
This legend is barely 40 years old for the date. According to the oral record, at the top of the hill was planned the construction of a residence, which was not carried out because a giant man appeared in the place while some people worked.
Could it have been the Sisimite? After this fact the work was paralyzed for fear that the giant appeared again. That is why they named the area as"The Cerro Brujo".
11- The Cyclops
The Indians of the Misquita forest believe in the existence of a being similar to the Cyclops. According to one of the stories, in the middle of the 20th century, an Indian named Julian Velásquez did not want to be baptized.
He lived near the Dry Lagoon, but traveled to the Atlantic coast in the company of a sorcerer. There he found a tribe of cannibals who possessed only one eye.
Julian was captured and imprisoned along with three Ladinos (white and mestizos) to be fattened. Julian Velasquez managed to escape from the infamous tribe. Never again have we heard of such Cyclopes.
References
- Toro Montalvo, C., Cueva Sevillano, A. and Cueva García, A. (2008). Myths, Fables and Legends of America . Lima: A.F.A. Editores Importers S.A.
- Aguilar Paz, J. (1989). Traditions and Legends of Honduras . 1st ed. Tegucigalpa: Museum of the Honduran Man.
- Montenegro, J. (1972). Tales and legends of Honduras. Tegucigalpa.