10 Examples of Colombian Legends

Colombian legends

The Colombian legends They are narratives of oral tradition that tell invented stories, but that may have some real component, and that are transmitted in Colombia. All these stories have the peculiarity that they include at least one fantastic element.

In Colombia there are two large groups of legends: the ancient and the modern. Ancient legends have a lot of diversity, because this country has a lot of cultural diversity, that's why some of These narratives have elements of the Spanish culture, the culture of the native peoples and the culture African.

Modern legends are urban legends, that is, legends that have the particularity of narrating events that occurred in the city. In addition, there are modern legends that are set in the countryside, the forest or the jungle.

Characteristics of Colombian legends

Examples of Colombian legends

1. Legend of the shod mule

This legend takes place in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. According to legend, after midnight the footsteps of a mule are heard. The story says that there was a man, Don Álvaro, who had a mule that always accompanied him wherever he went. But one day Don Álvaro died and the mule wanders through the streets of Bogotá to find its owner.

1. Legend of the Yacuruna

According to legend, the Yacuruna is a monster that lives in the Amazonian part of Colombia. This being has the body of a man, but it is green, it is covered in scales and it has a terrifying head. It is said that the Yacuruna is the god of water, who protects the animals that live there and who kidnaps people to take them to the city that he has at the bottom of the river.

This being can communicate with the animals of the river and the native peoples that inhabit this region usually perform rituals to invoke it and to make pacts with it.

1. Legend of El Dorado

A few years after Columbus arrived in America, many men came from Spain to this continent to seek riches. Many of these men ventured to seek wealth in places totally unknown to them and followed any leads that promised to find good loot.

One of the best known cases is El Dorado, a supposed city that was made of gold and in which there were many treasures. Many Spaniards made expeditions to try to find this city, but all failed.

1. Legend of the Burgama witches

In colonial times there was a belief that certain women could be witches, therefore, the Church persecuted and murdered women it considered to be witches. This legend takes place in the town of Burgama, where five women lived who were accused of being witches, who were arrested and wanted to hang.

But just as they were about to hang the first, which was the most powerful of the five, a group of men attacked the executioners and the five women were able to escape. It is said that the most powerful witch roams these lands scaring or protecting people.

1. Legend of the tunnels of Bogotá

This is an urban legend that maintains that in Bogotá there are underground tunnels that were built several years ago. years or centuries and that were used so that important people could escape from the city if they came to need it.

Some of these tunnels supposedly connect the presidential house with a train station and a school with the congress.

1. Legend of Caraú

The caraú is a bird that lives in swamps and produces a sound that many people consider to be dark. According to legend, Caraú was a man who always went out at night, even once his mother was very ill. His mother died and they went to tell Caraú, but he did not return to his house, but stayed at the party until it was over.

When he returned to her house, he put on a black suit and went to her mother's wake, but her sadness and repentance was such that they say she turned into a black bird that produced a sound similar to that of a cry, that is, Caraú would have become the first caraú. It is believed that if the squawk of this bird is heard, a person may be unlucky.

1. Legend of the Candileja

They say that the Candileja is a ball of fire that has limbs and that makes a sound similar to that of a broken vase. According to legend, this being persecutes men who have bad behavior.

It is said that the Candileja is the spirit of an old woman who was very permissive with her grandchildren and that, die, she received the punishment of becoming this being that punishes men who do not go the way Right.

1. Legend of Juan Machete

This legend is typical of eastern Colombia. According to the story, there was a man named Juan Francisco Ortiz who had a very large machete, which is why he acquired the nickname "Juan Machete." This man made a pact with the devil, in which he exchanged his soul, that of his wife and that of his son, in exchange for money, land and animals.

Juan Machete was doing very well, until a very large bull appeared in his field and the droughts began, there was less and less money and the field animals were dying in droves. Furthermore, his family abandoned him and his house burned down along with almost all of his wealth.

This man repented of the pact he had made and went to the forest to pay his debt to the devil and to bury what little riches he had left. It is said that now his spirit wanders in the fields and in the forests scaring the people who approach his treasure.

1. Legend of Mother Monte

This legend has its origin in the Amazonian part of Colombia. It is believed that Mother Monte is a being that takes care of nature and has powers that allow her to drive away hunters and fishermen. She has different descriptions, one of them assuming that she is a woman covered in moss and branches.

This legend has elements of the myths of the original peoples that inhabit this area. In some places, Mother Monte was believed to be responsible for floods, storms, and other natural events.

1. Legend of Charco Negro

Charco Negro is a water well that has a waterfall and is located in Antioquia, a municipality of Colombia. A few centuries ago, merchants and travelers had to travel very long roads to get from one place to another. It is believed that, where Charco Negro is today, there was an inn where these people stopped to rest and eat something.

As there were many parties in this place, a priest cursed him and it is believed that, as divine punishment, he rained and the inn was covered by water.

There are many other legends regarding Charco Negro and also many mysteries, since the water is dark because the well in which it is found is very deep.

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