10 Examples of Rural Legends

The rural legends They are those narratives that include fantastic events that occur in the field, in the forest, in the jungle or in sparsely inhabited areas.

The legends They are popular and anonymous stories of oral transmission that originated to give explanations about various phenomena, to respond to concerns, to transmit teachings or to entertain.

Although rural legends include wonderful or extraordinary beings, events or places, they generally mention places, dates or characters that exist or existed in reality. Also, for many people, these stories are true, because they transmit information related to traditions and popular beliefs.

Rural legends can be ancient or modern and differ from the urban by the settings in which the stories take place and by the places in which they originated and in which they circulate.

• See also: legend types

Characteristics of rural legends

• Topics. The themes of rural legends are very diverse, for example, the existence of fantastic beings, and they usually have a terrifying tone.
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• Characters. The characters of rural legends are ordinary people who usually live in the countryside and fantastic beings that are related to the folklore of the place, such as demons and goblins.
• Places. The places where rural legends take place are the countryside, the forest, the jungle or sparsely inhabited places.
• Time. In rural legends, reference can be made to the moment in which the events take place or it is explained why certain phenomena occur in the present.
• worldview. Rural legends reflect the beliefs and way of thinking of the community in which they originated.
• Purpose. Rural legends can have different purposes, such as transmitting morals, scaring, entertaining or teaching important aspects of daily life.

Examples of rural legends

1. The legend of the bad light

This is a rural legend from Argentina and Uruguay. It is said that at night in the field a spirit can appear that manifests itself in a white or green light. It is believed that this ghost is a lost soul and that it is necessary to pray or bite the sheath of a knife to avoid persecution by this being.

In addition, she is recommended not to return to the place where the light appeared during the day or dig a well near the area. However, there are other versions of this legend, in which it is argued that the light is really good, because it indicates that there are treasures under it.

1. The legend of the Telesita

This rural legend narrates events that supposedly occurred in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. It is said that a young woman named Telesfora Castillo was very poor and that she used to roam the countryside in search of food.

One winter night, Telesphora saw a bonfire and went over to warm herself, but the fire reached a large part of the forest and, unfortunately, she died in the fire. The next day, the people of the town found her body and were very sad.

It is believed that the spirit of the Telesita wanders through the fields and forests, but always with good intentions, since she helps all the people who are lost or who need food.

1. The legend of the horticulturist boy

This legend narrates events that supposedly occurred in Mexico. It is said that in a country house a baby was born who did not want to feed on milk. Her parents, very concerned, asked the town healer what they could do. The woman saw the child, she realized that she had a mark of a maguey * on her belly and told them that they had to feed the child pulque ** until he was seven years old.

When the boy was seven years old, the healer saw him again and she told her parents that the little boy had a strawberry mark on his back and that he could only eat this fruit. But she also noticed that the boy had a picture of corn on his left arm and a pumpkin on his right. The woman thought that those spots were a good omen.

When the boy grew up, many miracles occurred, for if he passed through a field, fruit trees and abundant crops would appear.

*The maguey is a type of plant.
**Pulque is a fermented drink that is made from maguey.

1. the legend of luision

This is a Guarani legend that circulates in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. It is said that there is a curse that affects the seventh sons. Upon reaching adolescence, on Tuesday and Friday nights, these young people transform in a luison, that is to say, a werewolf or dog-man and roam the field to feed on corpses. But as soon as the sun rises, these beasts regain their human appearance.

In addition, it is believed that the louisons can transform other people into monsters, which are guardians of the forests and other animals, who punish those who commit crimes and who can be driven away by saying an Our Father or making the sign of the cross.

In some areas, the luisón is better known as the werewolf or the juicho.

1. The legend of Karai Pyhare

The legend of the Karai Pyhare, the Pombero, the Kuarahy Jára or the Chopombé circulates in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Bolivia. It is believed that this being has an appearance similar to that of a goblin, since he is short and very hairy, and that he often gets into mischief or can attack people.

The Karai Pyhare is the guardian of the fields, forests and animals and therefore can disturb or disorient hunters, fishermen and woodcutters. In addition, he usually makes heavy jokes on people who name him at night or those who speak ill of him.

It is said that if someone sees the Karai Pyhare, he must offer it food, tobacco, honey or cane, to avoid an attack by the creature.

1. The legend of the rag doll

This Mexican legend tells of a popular belief in rural areas. It is believed that one day at eleven o'clock at night a rag doll came to life and went to live in the top of a tree.

It is said that every fortnight at eleven o'clock at night in some places a whistled song is heard, but that one should not go to the place where the melody comes from, because the person who produces it is the rag doll, an evil being that attacks those who dare to getting closer.

1. The legend of Campo de Carabobo

This is a Venezuelan legend that narrates events that supposedly occur in the Campo de Carabobo, the site where the Battle of Carabobo took place in 1821. This event was of the utmost importance, since it was the combat in which Simón Bolívar and his troops defeated the Spanish army and achieved the Independence of Venezuela.

Many people say that on full moon nights near the Arc de Triomphe in Carabobo, the monument that commemorates the confrontation, you can see the spirits of two armies fighting.

1. The legend of the Paterrato

This Colombian legend tells the story of an evil character. It is said that a long time ago there was a man who stole grain and animals from other fields and who was always looking for a fight with the people of the town.

One day she had a fight with a farmer and received a very strong blow to one of her legs. Since she didn't know where to go, she hid in a cave until she could feel better, but her leg didn't get better, instead she started to rot. A few days passed and this man transformed into a monster, known as the Paterrato.

It is believed that if this being steps on a crop, all the plants rot and that seeing it is a sign of bad omen, since its presence can herald the death of a loved one or other types of misfortune.

1. The legend of the devil's mother-in-law

This legend circulates in Mexico. It is said that at the beginning of the 19th century in Santa Rita, a peasant woman, Esperanza, was very worried because her daughter, Francisca, could not find a husband. Her mother prayed every day that her daughter would meet a man who wanted to marry her, but she never got an answer. One day she, desperate, she invoked the devil and asked the same as the gods and Christian saints.

A few hours later, a man knocked on the door of the women's house and told her mother:

"Can I rest at the entrance?"

"Yeah, no problem," she replied.

A few hours later the mysterious subject left. He returned three days later dressed in black riding his Friesian horse and proposed to Esperanza:

"I would like to ask for the hand of his daughter." My name is Narciso Vargas and I have many riches. In three days I will come so that we can get married.

The mother did not know what to answer and later she told her daughter everything that had happened, but the young woman was not scared, but happy. Three days passed, Narciso appeared at the house and Francisca went with him to get married. However, when they arrived at the village chapel, they did not find a priest to perform the ceremony, so they left for his land.

When the young woman entered Narciso's house, she felt a chill and a little afraid. In any case, she agreed to stay there until they could get married.

A few days later, Francisca went to visit her mother and told her:

—Narciso is very good to me, but very strange things happen at home. Also, at night, he has a strange voice and emits a lot of heat.

"Oh, my daughter, what a disgrace! I think he is the devil himself. - Her mother exclaimed, very worried about her - But don't worry, I'm going to get you out of this.

At dusk Narciso went to look for his fiancée. The mother ushered him in and said:

"Narciso, do you think the devil really exists?" Because I think he doesn't. And if so, I think he must not be very smart.

—Lady, the devil does exist. What's more, you're talking to him. Narcissus answered.

-I do not believe you. —she maintained and then she began to laugh out loud— If you really are the devil, I challenge you to sit in the embers of the fireplace.

Narciso did a pirouette, sat on the coals and stayed there without burning himself.

-I do not believe you. That's very easy. If he really is a devil, he has to go into this little bottle and go to sleep. said the mother.

“That trick is very simple. -He said.

The devil became very small, he jumped into the bottle and fell asleep. Esperanza corked it and covered it with a blanket that was soaked in holy water.

The two women left the house, dug a very deep well, and buried the bottle. When the devil woke up, he began to curse, because he did not know how to escape from the trap. For this reason, many people say that in the fields of Santa Rita the screams of a man or the lord of darkness are heard.

1. The legend of the zanjón de la zancona

This Mexican legend narrates events that supposedly occurred in a town in Cañadas de Obregón. Peasants lived in this place and, since there was no public lighting, they all returned to their homes before dark.

One day, it was already ten o'clock at night and Antonio had not returned from the field. The villagers heard a scream followed by the gallop of a horse and some stayed in their houses, but others came out to see what was happening.

The noises came from the church, so the men went there. When they arrived, they saw that Antonio was pounding on the door of the temple and that he was screaming for help. The neighbors calmed him down and asked him what had happened. The farmer answered that she had gotten lost in the woods when she was herding her cows, that in the ditch A woman dressed in black and very frightening had appeared from the stilt and had run away.

The next day, the men from the town went to the ditch to find out who that woman was. They made a bonfire, which suddenly flared up when night fell and a few minutes later a being with a black veil appeared floating. They were very scared, but a brave man dared to ask the spectrum:

-Who are you and what do you want?

—I am a spirit and I have been looking for my family for a long time. But I'm not here to bother you. the woman said and left.

The peasants, a little calmer, returned to their homes, since they knew that it was a good spirit.

Follow with:

• mayan legends
• Chilean legends
• Horror legends
• mexican legends
• Argentine legends
• japanese legends

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References

• Cherudi, S. (1975). The folkloric legend in Argentina. Relations of the Argentine Society of Anthropology, 9, 69-75. Available in: SEDICI
• Cortazar, R. and Francis, J. (2008). Waiting for the barbarians: urban legends, rumors and imaginaries about violence in cities. Communication and Society, (9), 59-93. Available in: redalyc
• Rosalia, P. and Rionda, P. (2015). Notes for conferences: The revaluation of oral traditions as an educational strategy. Tales of the Wind.
• Vidal de Battini, B. AND. (1984). Popular tales and legends of Argentina. Volumes VII and VIII. Argentine Cultural Editions.