Trauco- the legend of an evil creature on the Chiloé island

Myths are abundant in every country. However, it is a bit unusual to find legends that still inspire terror in their locals. On this occasion, we will explore the story of a creature from Chiloe mythology: the Trauco. It’s said to live in the forests of Chiloé where he waits for his victims.

The legend of the Trauco

According to one of the legends, the Trauco could be an angel who was banished after his atrocious acts. In Chiloe mythology, it is said that the Trauco was the product of a mythical snake called Caicai. The Trauco has an appearance similar to the one we associate with the dwarves. His face is ugly despite having an apparent seductive look. It is about 80 centimeters tall and does not have feet. Dresses of the fibers of a vine in the area (quilineja). He wears a hat made of this material and carries with him a cane that is called Pahueldún as well as a small stone ax. It is said that the ax is magical and this can knock down trees three strokes.

The Trauco lives in the forest, moving through the branches of the trees. His home is holes in the trees and caves in which he lives with the Fiura. She is a creature of unpleasant appearance that in turn is the daughter of Trauco along with the Condená (another being from Chilote mythology). The union of Trauco and her daughter would come out more Traucos and Fiuras that populate the area. Both live in the forest and act similarly to the way incubus and succubus.

It is said that the Trauco has a huge force and is capable of inflicting damage only with his gaze. This happens essentially when the encounter is with a man because when it is a woman the situation is different. The Trauco will try to possess the woman in the forest especially the maidens accustomed to remain in the home. It is said that he acts when the victim is alone and avoids witnesses. If another person appears on the scene, the Trauco will attack him badly.

His interest in girls

Sometimes, the Trauco is interested in maidens who cannot own because they do not enter the forest alone. In such cases, it begins to seduce her even in dreams. While she sleeps, he will present himself as a handsome man and convince her to go out alone into the forest. From these encounters, the girl had the possibility of getting pregnant. The child would be considered protected by this magical being.

When mothers often suspect that their daughter may be the victim of a trauco, they often leave sand on the girl’s bedside table. The Trauco would see the sand and compulsively count each one of the grains. This task would take him all night and eventually he would avoid witnesses in the morning.

A possible explanation

On the other hand, it is believed that the legend of the Trauco could be used to hide the truth after the pregnancies of unmarried women. Attributing the blame to a mythical being could elude social rejection by the result of an affair and even the responsibility of a violation. It really is a very possible answer to all such cases. On the other hand, this does not respond to the various cases in which “magical” effects can even disfigure the faces of the victims of Trauco.

Conclusion

The legend of Trauco is a story that is worth studying and comparing with other similar cases. This legend seems to have similarities to those reported in Incubi as in leprechauns. Stories that are attributed to Trauco are scarce and should be studied more thoroughly, especially the news of Chiloé.

References

• Trauco – Wikipedia
• El Trauco: Historia de uno de los mitos más temidos en Chiloé | Mitos y Enigmas
• El Trauco – Mito de Chile ~ Historias y Relatos
• Imágen de Portada by DELACRUZ- ART

¿Do you know a story about the Trauco? Do you know any story of the locals? Leave your comments below.