Legends of Costa Rica
Legends of Costa Rica
By Rose <3333
Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert, and this collection barely scratches the surface of Costa Rican Folklore. As is the nature of folklore, there are many variations of these stories, and this collection is only a brief anthology of retellings that I found online.
Borucan Legends
The Pigs and the Two Villages
Many people used to live along the Rio Terraba.
The people were so numerous that they had eaten all the animals.
The people were so numerous that they had eaten all the plants.
All the wildlife was gone, except for one group of pigs.
Some of the people chased these pigs with their bows and arrows.
The people chased the pigs across the mountains.
These pigs were too fast! Nobody could catch them.
The pigs led the people to a lush valley of rivers and waterfalls.
The people decided that this place is where they would live.
They made a village and they called it Boruca.
Sinijsukra, the King of Pigs
Once in the village of Boruca, there was an unskilled archer.
Each day he went into the mountains to hunt for pigs.
Every time he saw one, he shot them with an arrow.
But because he was so unskilled, he could never kill any.
He just chased the pigs deep into the mountains.
One day the pigs led him to the magical palace, Sankra’ua.
Guarding the door was a giant jaguar. It let the archer inside.
Seated upon the throne was Sinisujkra, the King of Pigs.
He was a beautiful man, with white skin and white hair.
He held a magical pig staff made of lustrous gold.
Sinisujkra grabbed the archer and yelled at him.
“Why must you always hurt my subjects!? You never kill them!”
“I spend all my time healing them with my staff!”
Sinijsukra held the archer in his fist for a long time.
He let him go when the last of the pigs were finally healed.
The King of Pigs spoke to the unskilled archer again -
“Now that I have healed them, I will let you leave.”
“But you must promise to never hurt animals again, only to kill them.”
The archer agreed and left Sankraua, the palace of the Pig King.
He went back down the mountain and stopped in a valley.
Here he found a herd of pigs. He approached them but they did not run.
He killed each pig painlessly and returned to the village.
He told his fellow villagers of his encounter with mighty Sinijsukra.
He told each hunter the decree of the King of Pigs.
They were to kill animals but never hurt them - lest the king come after them!
The Incestuous Siblings
Once upon a time in Boruca, there was a brother and sister.
They were in love, and the sister became pregnant.
Their mother became concerned. She asked her daughter -
“Whose baby do you carry in your stomach?”
The daughter was embarrassed. She did not answer.
The mother went to talk to the elders. They said to her -
“The girl is quiet because the baby is her brother’s!”
This was very sinful. The villagers were outraged!
The elders took the sister to Cac’yra, a sacred stone.
She sat upon the stone, awaiting her fate.
The elders summoned three jaguars to devour the girl
The jaguars surrounded her and began to tickle her.
“Why are you tickling me?” she laughed!
The jaguars began to bite her as she screamed.
By midnight they had eaten everything, even her bones.
At dawn the elders blew a conch and looked upon the sight.
They asked a man who had seen what had happened.
He told them the jaguars had tickled and eaten her.
Next they took the brother to Baru, another sacred stone.
He sat upon the stone, awaiting his fate.
The elders summoned a giant lizard to devour the boy.
The lizard wrapped itself around him. It squeezed him tight.
The lizard finally devoured the brother whole.
The elders had destroyed the wicked siblings, as requested by Zipoh
The stones the creatures stepped upon still have their footprints.
The Woman and the Snake
Once in the village of Boruca, there was a beautiful woman.
Every day, she went down to Rio Sierpe to wash her clothes.
This woman was obsessed, going back to the river every single day.
She came so often that a snake who lived there fell in love with her.
But he was a snake, how would he show her that he loved her?
The snake would stick his tongue out at her to say hello. Ssssssss.
He stared deep into her eyes and she stared deep into his. Ssssssss.
He did this every day, until eventually the woman fell in love with him too.
The woman decided to bring chicha to the snake to show him she loved him.
She dressed in her finest clothing, presenting the snake with the chicha.
The snake became drunk and began to wrap around the woman.
Up to her waist, up to her chest, up to her neck. The snake wrapped around her
He brought his tongue along her face, back and forth and back and forth.
The couple fell down intertwined. This is how they made love.
The woman came back every day to be with the snake like this.
Eventually the village discovered the woman was pregnant with the snake’s children.
An infinite amount of snakes slithered within her giant belly.
If she were to give birth, these snakes would infest the world and kill everyone!
The king decided that they needed to kill the woman. The villagers went to her.
They dressed her in her finest clothes and brought her to the center of town.
They tied her upon the pyre and set it ablaze. She caught fire and burned.
A few moments later, her massive belly exploded and out came countless snakes.
The people stabbed at the snakes with their knives, killing all the babies.
Only one snake got away, though the end of its tail was chopped clean off.
It went to the river to live with its father, and the two are still there today.
The Monkey Sisters and the Waterfall Elves
Once at the waterfall of Mambram, the stones were made of mud.
The elves lived there. Little playful beings that look like humans.
The chief of the elves is named Bisucra, the lord of the waters.
They all shaped the mud in all sorts of ways. As slides, caves, and bathtubs.
All day the elves played in the mud, jumping and laughing.
One day, two sisters came to play at the waterfall. They lived in Doboncragua.
The two girls fell in love with Bisucra, and he fell in love with them.
They came everyday to play, staying later and later each day.
They spent so much time among the elves that they lived at Mambram.
They ate shrimp and fish. They became incredibly strong grown women.
The sisters became very hairy. They looked just like monkeys.
Sometimes a man from Boruca would come to collect the bananas by the falls.
The sisters would pull him into the water with their hairy arms and eat him.
They played with the elves and splashed in the water.
They had become monsters. They were no longer humans.
The elders came together to decide what to do. They went out to get the sisters.
They tied them together with rope and brought them to a lagoon.
The girls were thrown in the pool where they drowned together.
After this, the mud at Mambram turned to stone, and the elves began to hide.
But the elves still play at Mambram, and the lagoon still bubbles with blood.
The Brozeras
Once there were strange creatures on the Island of Cocos.
They were the Brozera, tiny beings that looked like people.
They were skeletons, and their bones were brightly colored like coral.
They lived in the water around the island, and came up to the beach to explore.
Their bones were magical and beautiful. Multicolored like a rainbow.
Warriors from Boruca heard of the Brozera and wanted to see them.
They dressed in countless feathers of macaws, egrets, and parrots.
They traveled on rafts, far out into the ocean until they came across the island.
They threw feathers onto the beach, and the Brozera emerged to collect them
The warriors slayed the Brozera, and took their bones as treasures.
Satu, the Quetzal Prince
Once in the village of Boruca, there was a great king.
This chief was brave and strong, he fought against many armies.
His wife was pregnant with their first child. The chief worried.
He prayed that the wars would stop before the birth of his child.
His prayers came true, and the many conflicts stopped.
His wife gave birth to the most beautiful baby. They named him Satu.
The very same day, a beautiful quetzal perched in a tree in the village.
It sang the most beautiful song there ever was. It echoed through the valley.
The seers knew this was a sign! The child was blessed by the bird.
They gifted the beautiful baby with a golden amulet of the quetzal.
Under the protection of the magic amulet, Satu grew strong and very handsome.
Satu always wore his golden amulet, except when he went to bed.
No matter how many battles he fought, he was never injured.
Satu’s uncle, Labi, grew jealous of the boy. He wanted to be the next chief.
One night, he snuck into Satu’s room and stole the golden quetzal amulet.
The next day, Satu was walking happily through the forest.
Labi was hiding in the bushes along the path of the strong young man.
When Satu turned the bend, Labi let loose an arrow from his bow.
It struck Satu straight through the heart. The boy fell to the ground, dead.
The strong, handsome, and pure hearted man was killed by his wicked uncle.
A quetzal witnessed the crime. It flew down to land on the chest of Satu.
Labi became frightened and shooed the bird away. He worried it could heal Satu.
He took the body of his nephew and the magical amulet and threw them in a fire.
The wicked man was confident he had covered his tracks. He would be the chief!
Just beyond the fire, the bloody arrow lay on the ground.
The king began to worry for his missing son. He gathered the warriors to search.
They followed Satu’s footprints into the jungle, finding the fire and arrow.
The king and the warriors wept silent tears at the discovery.
They mourned their friend, their son. So strong, so kind and so handsome.
They put out the fire, but Satu’s body was nowhere to be found.
Back in the village, a quetzal perched in a tree. Its long feathers touched the ground.
It sang a song more beautiful than the last. It echoed throughout the valley.
The people knew that this was their lost prince Satu, just as beautiful and good.
Satu flew away, deep into the mountains. He lives there still, eternally.
The song of the quetzal still invokes strength. Whoever hears the prince is blessed.
El Príncipe Quetzal
Erasé una vez en el pueblo de Boruca, había un rey mejor.
Este rey era muy valiente y fuerte en batalla.
Su esposa estaba embarazada y él estaba preocupado.
Él rezó que las guerras pararon antes del nacimiento de su hijo.
Sus oraciones se convirtieron a la realidad y las guerras pararon.
Su esposa dio a luz un bebe muy hermoso. El bebe se llama Satú.
El mismo día un quetzal hermoso se sentó en el centro del pueblo.
El quetzal cantó la canción más hermosa del mundo, resonó el valle.
Los chamànes reconocieron la canción como un símbolo para Satú.
Ellos le dieron al bebe un amuleto de oro con forma de un quetzal.
Con la protección del amuleto, Satú creció más fuerte y hermoso.
Satú siempre usó su amuleto, excepto en la noche.
No importa cuantas guerras participó en, Satú nunca resultó herido.
El tío de Satu se llama Labí. Él estaba celoso de su sobrino.
Una noche, Labí se coló en el cuarto de Satú y se robó el amuleto.
Al día siguiente, Satú caminó en la selva.
Labi estaba escondido en los arbustos mirando a su sobrino.
Cuando el joven caminó cerca de Labí, él disparó una flecha.
La flecha dio en el corazón de Satú. Él cayó a la tierra, fallecido.
El joven más fuerte, hermoso, y amable fue asesinado por su tío malo.
Un quetzal miró el asesinato. Le voló a el pecho de Satú.
Labí estaba espantado y espantó el pajarito afuera.
Él tiro el cuerpo y amuleto de su sobrino en el fuego.
Este hombre más malo estaba seguro que él sería el rey.
Un poco más allá del fuego, está la flecha cubierta de sangre.
El rey comenzó a preocuparse por su hijo.
Él y sus guerreros siguieron las huellas entre la selva.
Al encontrar el fuego y la flecha, ellos lloraron lágrimas silenciosas.
Ellos lloraron por su hijo y amigo, el príncipe más fuerte y hermoso.
Apagaron el incendio, pero el cuerpo de Satú no estaba.
En el pueblo, un quetzal se sentó en un árbol. Sus plumas tocaron la tierra.
El pájaro cantó una canción más hermosa que la anterior, resonó el valle.
Las personas reconocieron al quetzal como su príncipe perdido.
Satú voló al centro de las montañas. Él vive aquí actualmente.
La canción del quetzal invocó la fuerza. Quien escuche la canción es bendecido.
Turehua, the Goldfinch Princess
Once in the Kingdom of Zurqui, there was a princess.
Her name was Turehua. Her father was King Terraba.
The princess was in love with the noble Prince Porubri.
His large forehead shone like a silver mirror.
Their love was true, but their kingdoms were at war.
Turehua and Porubri would meet in secret within the forest.
One day, Prince Porubri said to Princess Turehua -
“You are my flower within the mountains. But it cannot be.”
“We live in the land of ash and tears that looks to destroy our love.”
“Turehua, we must run away so we can be with each other!”
Princess Turehua gathered her closest friends to accompany her.
The lovers and their friends ran into the jungle in the dead of night.
They moved without a sound, and the earth closed around their footprints.
The warriors of Zurqui chased after them. They were led by the warrior Zruga.
They shot arrow after arrow, but each one missed their targets.
At last, an arrow meets its mark. Porubri is shot through the heart by Zruga.
He fell to the ground. He died in the arms of his beloved Princess Turehua.
His spirit traveled to the summit of Zurqui Hill, surrounded by fog.
Princess Turehua wailed and cried. Her beloved had been slain.
She and her friends began to run again, this time to Zurqui Hill.
As they ran, the young women’s hair became feathers.
Their feet became talons. Their mouths became beaks.
As they reached the base of the hill, their cries became birdsong.
Each of them became goldfinches, Princess Turehua the most vibrant of all.
To this day they search and sing for their beloved Prince Porubri.
Turehua, the Hummingbird Princess
Once in the Kingdom of Zurqui, there was a princess.
Her name was Turehua. Her father was King Terraba.
Their enemy, Prince Porubri, was in love with Turehua.
His large forehead shone like a silver mirror.
Prince Porubri decided he would kidnap Princess Turehua.
Princess Turehua bathed in a spring under the light of the moon.
Porubri ambushed her, grabbed her, and began to run through the forest.
While he ran, Prince Porubri fought off the warriors that had guarded Turehua.
The archers of Zurqui shot at the wicked prince, hoping to kill him.
But their arrows instead pierced the heart of their beloved princess.
The princess’s body was transformed into that of a hummingbird.
Her blood painted the ground crimson. From that blood grew vibrant flowers.
The god Zipoh cursed the wicked prince. He too transformed.
He took the shape of a wicked ogre with a hideous face named Ibihogua.
He still lurks on the hill of Kakturin, where his screams echo through the valley.
King Corrohere and Princess Dulcehe
Once in the city of Quepo there lived a king named Corrohere.
King Corrohere had a sister named Princess Dulcehe.
At this time, the Spanish had just arrived from their land across the sea.
Quepo was at war with another kingdom nearby, called Coto.
The warriors of Coto kidnapped Princess Dulcehe and imprisoned her.
King Corrohere went to the Spanish conquistadors with many gifts.
He brought beads, gold, and feathers. He asked them to rescue his sister.
The Spaniards sieged the city of Coto with their galleons and guns.
They rescued Princess Dulcehe and returned her to Quepo.
King Corrohere and Princess Dulcehe lived happily ever after.
Chorotegan Legends
Princess Curabanda and the Volcano Witch
Once upon a time lived Princess Curabanda, daughter of King Curabande.
The wise and beautiful princess was in love with King Mixcoac.
But their kingdoms were at war. The lovers had to meet in secret.
One day, King Curabande discovered King Mixcoac.
He threw him into the caldera of Volcan Rincon de la Vieja.
Within the volcano lived a wicked witch named Dadaiba.
Sometimes she appeared youthful, but truly she was an old hag.
Her teeth were that of a jaguar’s, and her eyes were like red coals.
She demanded offerings of pottery shards that she ate with ferver.
Her breath was fire, and she devoured the mighty King Mixcoac.
Princess Curabanda wept for her lost love. Within her was his child.
She left the kingdom and lived upon the highest point of the volcano.
When she gave birth to her son, she threw him into the volcano to see his father.
She became a kind and wise healer, renowned throughout the land.
Some say she still lives upon the volcano with her beloved husband and son.
Princess Nosara and Curime the Warrior
Once upon a time in the kingdom of Nicoya lived beautiful Princess Nosara.
Two great men competed for her heart, a sorcerer and a warrior.
The sorcerer was the powerful Nacaome, who had the strength of the jaguar.
The warrior was the noble Curime, from the faraway land of Tarasca.
Princess Nosara was in love with Curime, as his heart was kind.
Nacaome challenged Curime to a ball game. The winner would marry Nosara.
Curime’s skill was greater, and he won the princess’s hand in marriage.
On the day of their wedding, Princess Nosara was adorned with extravagant jewelry.
Nacaome too got married. He married Princess Chira, for whom he created an island.
But Nacaome was not satisfied. He led his army to attack Nicoya!
Curime and Nosara ran as fast as they could to the beach now called Nosara.
It was there that they were finally slain by the wicked and jealous sorcerer.
They died in eachothers arms, together until the very end. Their love was strong.
All the treasures Nosara wore sunk into the sand, where they remain to this day.
Some say they can still see the ghosts of the lovers searching for the gold eternally.
Eskameca, Tenori, and the Crimson Serpent
Once there was a beautiful and magical lagoon with crystal clear waters.
The surface was covered completely with spotless white ducks and herons.
Within the water grew Nayurihes, a vibrant flower that produces red paint.
The people of the nearby kingdom visited often to bathe in the water.
Among them were the young lovers Eskameca and Tenori.
One day while Eskameca bathed, a tremor shook the mystical lagoon.
The pool’s water turned into blood. It stained the fleeing ducks and herons.
The stone turned into stinking mud that pulled the birds into itself.
The blood frothed like a whirlpool. Before she escaped, Eskameca nearly drowned!
From the center of the pool rose a horrible and monstrous crimson serpent.
Eskameca ran back to the city. She told brave Tenori and the warriors of the monster.
They all travelled back to the bloody lagoon to slay this horrible beast.
When they reached the pool, it began to rumble, froth and churn again.
All the warriors were scared away, leaving Tenori and Eskameca to face the creature.
Tenori shot arrow after arrow at the serpent, but it was no use!
Tenori took his club and dove into the bloodred pool. The serpent swirled around him.
Eskameca watched in shock as the churning grew more and more turbulent.
Finally, the lagoon returned to its original state. The water was clean once again.
But Tenori never escaped the depths. He had drowned after slaying the beast.
Eskameca wept for the loss of her brave and beloved fiance Tenori.
Eskameca refused to leave the edge of the lagoon. She was sure Tenori would appear.
Day became night, and night became day. She stayed there for countless hours.
Even when her body finally gave up, Eskameca’s shadow stayed behind.
She waits for Tenori forever, but one can only see her under the light of the moon.
The birds that still live at the lagoon are stained pink by the blood of the serpent.
Princess Nandayure
Once upon a time in the kingdom of Beda lived Princess Nandayure.
Nandayure was incredibly powerful. She could talk to the Great Spirit directly.
She was very beautiful. She had the power to transform people into animals.
Shouldn’t such a powerful woman have an equally powerful husband?
Not in this case. Nandayure loved the lazy and unfaithful King Nambi of Nicoya.
The noble princess walked in on her husband with other women on many occasions.
Once she discovered him making love to twelve women they had taken prisoner.
Nandayure was furious! She used her magic to slice of the breasts of each woman.
She buried those breasts in the Valley Cayure. From them grew a tree with fruit like breasts.
If one touches this mystical tree, they become hopelessly lost until they smash a fruit.
Another time, she had left to meditate in the hills of Maquenco and Las Camas.
Here she would sit for days staring into the sea to commune with the Great Spirit.
When she returned to the palace, she found all her servants dressed in her gowns!
They had taken her place and had been sleeping with her husband!
The Princess would make sure this would never happen again. She left for the jungle.
Again she meditated. The Great Spirit favored her, and gave her the power to turn them to ants.
She confronted the traitorous girls and transformed each and every one of them.
Nandayure began to doubt herself. Were these girls not innocent? Wasn’t the enemy Nambi?
She went again to the Great Spirit. She asked him to return the girls to their true forms.
The Great Spirit refused. Instead he granted the ants great power.
These same ants still have the power granted to them. They are zombie ants.
They can detect the will of the hearts of men. If they are unfaithful, they will swarm their fields.
If a woman ever sees zombie ants swarming the fields of her husband, she will know his sin.
That is why today it is a very bad sign to see ants in a field. Everyone knows what they mean.
As for Princess Nandayure, she went to Nicoya to rule as the queen!
The Black Mare
Once upon a time, a man was walking from his home in Nicoya to Curime.
Along the road he found a vein of lustrous gold. What luck!
He traded the gold he found to Spaniards in Curime for fancy clothes.
Each day he came back to the vein to mine more gold to trade.
Very quickly, he became a wealthy man. People became jealous.
The brother of this man became very suspicious of his sibling’s immense wealth.
He and his wife followed his brother along the road to the mine, named Tisengal.
The brother was furious! He wanted the gold! He lunged at his brother and they fought.
The fight grew very bloody. The brother’s wife prayed for them to stop!
The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared as a black mare and broke up the fighting brothers.
The Monkey Witches
Deep within the forests live the Monkey Witches. They are wicked creatures.
They look like black monkeys, with long hands and feet. Their eyes grow red.
Some of them fly with the wings of bats, but most nimbly climb through the trees.
The scream of a Monkey Witch is so horrible that they render one speechless for life.
Luckily, the only targets Monkey Witches chase after are womanizing men.
The only way to fend off a Monkey Witch is to recite Christian prayers.
Then you must stick a cross into the ground and set your hat beside it.
You must throw corn, mustard seeds, and salt upon the earth.
The witch will have no choice but to pick up each grain and place them in the hat!
But beware, as if the queen of the Monkey Witches, Enana, catches you, there is no hope.
The Mountain of Crosses
Near the Kingdom of Nicoya is a great wooded hill called the Mountain of Crosses.
This hill has a lagoon where lives a great serpent that causes earthquakes when it shakes itself.
People travel to the top of the hill to pray before three sacred stones to keep the snake asleep.
Ghosts, witches, snakes, and a mysterious black horse haunt the hill on moonlit nights.
They all drink from the lagoon, where crates of silver, gold, and chocolate are hidden.
Huetar Legends
King Tapezco and the Volcano Witch
Once there was a brave king named Tapezco.
His kingdom was at war with the fierce Kingdom of Tori.
Despite their valiant efforts, Tapezco’s army was losing greatly.
Desperate, Tapezco climbed the Poas Volcano that overlooked the city.
There dwelled the powerful fire witch Ibaiba. Perhaps she could help.
Ibaiba agreed to lend her destructive power to Tapezco under one condition.
That upon using the power, he would perish and belong to her.
Seeing no other choice, Tapezco agreed to her wicked deal.
He traveled back to his city only to find everyone slaughtered.
The warriors of Tori had flooded the city, and killed everyone.
Tapezco was furious. He invoked the wrath of Ibaiba upon the city.
The volcano erupted into ash and fire, and burned everything.
Not a single soul survived, and the town was completely destroyed.
The path the lava traveled down are the San Juan and San Carlos rivers today.
True to her word, Ibaiba keeps Tepezco’s soul beneath the hill that was his city.
King Correque and the Lovestruck Witch
Once there was a handsome king named Correque who lived in the kingdom of Tucurrique.
Many women in the kingdom wished to marry him, as he was very good looking.
One of these women, a witch named Nayib, wanted him all to herself.
She confessed her feelings to the king, but he let her know he did not feel the same.
Cursing him, Nayib voyed to get revenge! She hatched a wicked scheme.
Nayib convinced King Correque to go out into the mountains to hunt.
While he was hunting in a canyon, the sky opened up with thundurous rain.
The gorge quickly flooded, and Correque sought refuge in a nearby cave.
All according to Nayib’s plan! She sealed the king within, keeping him to herself.
To this day, people say they can hear the king banging on stone up on Cerro Campano.
The Treasure of King Orontes
Once in Orotina there was a great and powerful king named Orontes.
This king was so strong, clever, and brave that he was worshipped like a god.
His golden palace held countless jewels and brides. He was a very wealthy king.
Once when he was holding a lavish festival, a messenger came on behalf of his cousin.
His cousin, King Garabito, told King Orontes of the armies from across the sea.
While King Garabito fought the invaders, King Orontes gathered all the gold.
He tasked his subjects with burying it beneath the Zuniga Ravine.
This way if they were to be attacked, the invaders wouldn’t find their treasures.
King Orontes set out into battle with his warriors. They fought valiantly.
Many years passed in this war between the Huetares and the Spanish.
Eventually, King Orontes grew too old for battle. He returned to Zuniga Ravine.
It was there that he was buried alongside the golden treasure of his people.
Though many have searched for his tomb, no one had ever found it.
They say the souls of the warriors of Orotina still live along the ravine.
They hold glowing torches, digging for gold eternally beneath the moonlight.
Princess Yumbaruti, Virgin of the Sun [TW]
Once upon a time there lived a elegant and beautiful young princess.
Her name was Yumbaruti, and when she was born, the seers recognized a prophecy.
This baby would be the Virgin of the Sun. On her 15th birthday, she would perform a dance.
If all went as it should, the sun would not go dark as was previously foretold.
If something went awry, the beloved princess would need to be sacrificed.
Yumbaruti grew up to be a well-renowned priestess. Everyone respected her greatly.
She had been preparing for her sacred dance, practicing every day.
Being the Virgin of the Sun, she was not permitted to sleep with any man.
Despite this, a wicked Chorotegan warrior named Turichique wanted her for himself.
A few months before her fated 15th birthday, he finally decided to act.
Turichique kidnapped Yumbaruti, demanding that she be his bride.
He carried her to the mountains, where he kept her imprisoned and abused her.
Yumbaruti could not stop him, despite how many times she told him about the dance.
The day before her birthday, she escaped from her horrible captor and ran to the town.
The people wept tears of joy that their princess had finally returned!
The next morning, the sun did not rise. Yumbaruti was led to the danceground.
It was there that she danced the Dance of the Sun. She spun in a large circle.
She danced and danced, but the world stayed dark. The people were terrified.
As Tuchirique had abused her, she was no longer a virgin. The ritual had failed.
Yumbaruti fell to the ground exhausted. The peoples hearts were heavy with sorrow.
With a resolute heart, Yumbaruti layed upon the sacrificial stone. She was ready.
She knew she had to sacrifice herself to save her people. She closed her eyes.
The priests stabbed her in the shoulder with a spear. It began to rain heavily.
Lightning struck the stone, splitting it in two. The sun came out and shone once more.
Yumbaruti had sacrificed herself, and Tuchurique was cursed to become a rooster forevermore.
Song of the Rualdo
Once there was a young orphan girl who lived all alone.
Her only friend in the world was a little rualdo she took care of.
Each day she sang to the little bird a beautiful song.
Each day the little bird sang back to her. It was very fun.
They had only eachother, and they were the best of friends.
At that time, the volcano they lived by was threatening to erupt.
Inside was a wicked witch named Ibaiba, and she demanded a sacrifice.
The priests kidnapped the young girl and brought her to the volcano’s caldera.
Just when they were about to throw her in, the little rualdo appeared.
The rualdo offered its beautiful voice to Ibaiba in exchange for the girl’s life.
It flew down into the volcano to grant the song to the witch.
Ibaiba agreed, and the little rualdo could sing no more.
But its feathers were scorched beautiful colors by the heat of the volcano.
The little girl returned home with the little bird. She sang to it.
They grew old together, still the best of friends.
The Serpent and the Sapote Tree
Once upon a time, visitors from the kingdoms of the Mexica came to Barva.
They came to request that the people of the land pay taxes in exchange for protection.
With them they brought a baby sapote tree, around which coiled a snake.
When they set this upon the ground, an impossible amount of water poured out.
The people demanded these foreigners leave, and to take their offering with them.
The Mexicans left the strange gift at the Barva Volcano. Water poured out again.
This time it became the lagoon that is there today. The tree grew in the center.
As for the snake, it grew too. It became a giant monstrous snake.
One year later, the snake slithered down the volcano and into the town.
It began to gobble up all the children! The people ran for their lives!
The seer told them that there was no way to kill the snake. Instead they had to feed it.
The warriors chased the snake back up to the lagoon, where they trapped it.
But every year, the snake must be fed the bodies of children.
It is with a heavy heart that the parents give up their babies, but it is necessary.
Otherwise, the giant snake could escape and gobble up everybody!
Irazu, the Volcano Princess
Once in the mountains of Cartago, a bloody war raged.
The city of King Coo was under attack by the armies of King Guarco.
The invaders vastly outnumbered the defenders, and they were losing greatly.
Coo’s son, Prince Aquitaba, fought valiantly in many battles.
But his immense strength was no match for the enemy’s numbers.
The city of Coo was completely surrounded by Guarco’s warriors.
With nowhere else to turn to, Aquitaba prepared his daughter for sacrifice.
As the knife was plunged into Princess Izaru’s heart, the earth began to shake.
Her body was enveloped in ash and fire, growing into a massive volcano!
The fires of the volcano swept by the city, killing all the wicked invaders.
Boiling water also ran from the sides of the great volcano in a torrential wave.
It ran down the valley straight to the palace of King Guarco, and it boiled him alive.
The entirety of the city of Guarco was submerged beneath this steaming lake.
All the inhabitants of the city were forever cursed to build their homes upon steaming mud.
Princess Izaru still looms above the cities of her family and enemies, watching forevermore.
Irazu, the Volcano Warrior
Once in the mountains of Cartago, a bloody war raged.
In this war, two lovers had to keep their forbidden relationship a secret.
One was the princess of the city of Guarco, a graceful and beautiful woman.
The other was a warrior from the city of Coo, the mighty and brave Irazu.
The lovers often met under the light of the moon along the riverbank.
The moon kept the relationship of these star-crossed lovers a secret.
One night, a priest from Guarco witnessed their forbidden meeting.
The priest ran to the king of Guarco, and exposed the princess for her betrayal.
The king sent his warriors to seize the young lovers, and they were brought to him.
His daughter and her love kneeled before him as he announced they would be executed.
The princess called out to the sun to save her. The sun heard her prayers.
Suddenly she was transformed into a wispy white cloud. She floated into the blue sky.
Irazu stared up into the clouds. The king realized he had killed his very own daughter.
Izaru died of a broken heart moments later. He was buried in a tomb with the greatest honor.
That night, his tomb grew to a colossal size. Izaru joined his love in the sky as a volcano.
Princess Cira and Herrante the Warrior
Once upon a time in the valley of Turrialba, there lived an old and widowed king.
This king had a beautiful and beloved daughter, the fair Princess Cira.
The princess’s beauty was unparalleled, as was her skill with her trusty bow and arrow.
A strong hunter wished to marry Princess Cira. He gave her gifts of shell bracelets.
Cira threw them all away, for her heart was already set on another man.
They had met only once. His name was Herrante, and he was from another kingdom.
They had met at a festival where her own kingdom shared their exquisite pottery.
Herrante was in love as soon as he saw kind smile, and Cira felt the same way.
But the two lovers were pulled apart by their families, and had not seen each other since.
Princess Cira often went to the springs to wash her long dark hair, daydreaming of Herrante.
Cira had wandered into the depths of the forest many times, hoping to find her beloved.
One night her longing was so great that she began to enter the forest in a trance.
She quickly became hopelessly lost. She worried someone was following her.
She spun around and around and began to scream. All the animals were frightened.
The princess collapsed by a fallen log, her sleeping form illuminated in the moonlight.
Cira dreamt of Herrante, his strong arms wrapped around her, giving her a kiss.
Wait a minute, this was no dream! Herrante was there! The lovers embraced.
Princess Cira and Herrante professed their love for each other, and intertwined.
The man she had waited for so long was finally in her arms! The stars twinkled in the sky.
Leaves fell from the trees around the couple like the petals of a flower. It was pure bliss.
When dawn’s light shone upon the city of Princess Cira, the king went to look for her.
He began to worry greatly when he found she was not in her room. He gathered his warriors.
The warriors and the king set out into the jungle, certain their beloved princess had been taken.
Finally, the warriors came across the tangled forms of Princess Cira and Herrante.
The king was furious! Who was this man, who had kidnapped his only daughter!?
The warriors let loose a hundred arrows at Herrante, but the earth shielded the lovers.
The earth began to shake, and the shield grew and grew until it was a great volcano.
The two lovers in an embrace, Princess Cira and Herrante, became this volcano.
The king returned to the city to tell everyone of the fate of their lovestruck princess.
Still the mountain puffs white smoke, a symbol of the youths’ everlasting and true love
The Weeping Princess
Long ago in the Kingdom of Huetar lived a beautiful princess with long dark hair.
This princess was in love with a conquistador who had travelled from across the sea to pillage.
The princess would meet her secret lover by a waterfall under the light of the moon.
She became pregnant and was able to conceal her status until she gave birth to baby boy.
But the princess’s father discovered the baby, and confronted his daughter by the waterfall.
Nobody knows exactly what happened next. Some say the king threw the baby over the falls.
Some say that the princess accidentally drowned her baby while bathing him to show her father.
Some say she drowned the baby out of shame and jumped off the waterfall. Nobody truly knows
But what they do know is that the mournful wails of the princess are heard throughout the night.
She still searches for her baby and her father, dressed in white walking along the riverbanks.
The Stone Bridge
Once upon a time, a wily man wished to cross a bridgeless stream with his cart and oxen.
The man called to Pisuicas, the devil himself. “Build me a bridge and you can keep my soul.”
The devil appeared in a puff of smoke! He had the head of a hawk and was dressed in black.
The man spoke unfazed. “On one condition: you must finish the bridge before the rooster cries.”
With a handshake the deal was made, and the devil immediately went to work.
Pisuicas built the bridge with alarming speed! The entire thing was nearly completed!
But the wily man had a plan. He took a rooster from his cart and kicked it with his boot.
Quiqiriqui! The rooster cried just before the devil had placed the last stone! The man had won!
He took his cart and travelled across, leaving the devil completely dumbfounded. He had lost!
The bridge still sits there, a reminder of the time the devil made a bet and lost to a peasant.
Maleku Legends
Creation of the Earth
Long ago, there were no beings in the world. It was empty and barren.
Eventually, the first being arrived at Ucajaya, the great house that is heaven.
His name was Nharinechaconhe, and he drifted off into a deep sleep.
He dreamt of a beautiful woman, with a large chest and the tail of a macaw.
When he wakes, the woman is standing over him. It was no dream!
The goddess introduced herself as Aorechaconhe, she was his wife.
She told him she had been there a very long time, and discovered him asleep.
The gods fall asleep again, and this time they dream of another divine woman.
They wake and she is there. She is Ucuriquichichaafarasufa, attendant of Nharinechaconhe.
The goddesses decide that Nharinechaconhe will be the king, as he slept first at Ucajaya.
The three deities descend unto the earth and each claim a great river to rule over.
Ucuriquichichaafarasufa lives in a palace at the headwaters of Ucurinh River.
Aorechaconhe lives in a palace at the headwaters of Aore River.
Nharinechaconhe lives in a palace at the headwaters of Nharine river.
There he creates all animals and plants, and they spread across the world to live.
The first humans, the Pavones, are created by Nharinechaconhe too.
They were horrible and sinful beings, hurting and killing eachother and the animals.
The three gods went to stay at Ucajaya for a short time, where they drank hot chocolate.
While together, Nharinechaconhe and Aorechaconhe had a daughter, named Jafara.
Aorechaconhe loved Jafara with all her heart, but she held no love for the disgusting pavones.
Transformation of the Earth
Aorechaconhe despised the sinful first humans, who were called the pavones.
Among those beings, brother married sister and everyone was killing eachother senselessly.
Aorechaconhe began to encourage her husband to enact Iacamalfihijica, the Transformation.
In this Transformation, all the pavones would be destroyed and they would start anew.
Nharinechaconhe reluctantly agreed, but first he sent a messenger to warn the pavones.
The messenger was named Tiyeunha, an old and mystical seer. He went to the villages.
But Tiyeunha was seduced by their lawlessness and joined them in their barbarity.
Nharinechaconhe sent three more messengers, named Cachuma, Coroque, and Nashin.
Each one of these seers were speared and slain by the wicked humans and Tiyeunha.
The gods sent one last warning, as all the animals went to the villages. “All is lost” they said.
The Transformation began with eternal darkness. The sun, moon, and stars all lost their shine.
Aorechaconhe shot lighting from her feathered tail and summoned a great hurricane.
The Tocumarama unleashed their cousins, the Maicamarama, or devils. They lived in Ucajaya.
Two horrible monsters were released as well, named Correlenh and Majiu.
Correlenh unleashed her fury, causing devastating earthquakes and destructive volcanoes.
Nharinechaconhe placed three magic stones at the sacred headwaters, one at each river.
These stones disrupted the flow of water, and the rivers broke their banks.
The world was enveloped in a massive flood that covered even the tallest of mountains.
The only place that escaped the waters was a great tree that reached the sky in Ucurinh.
All the people scrambled up the tree, but they were knocked off my Majiu, the giant gopher.
Every last pavone met a grisly end, save for one good man saved in Nharinechaconhe’s hand.
The souls of the damned traveled up to Ucajaya, where the Maicamarama feasted upon them.
Pilhinanhque claimed the souls of those who had been crushed Majia and the trees.
Tafanh claimed the souls of those who were destroyed by the earthquakes and volcanoes.
Yoricofa claimed the souls of those who were destroyed by the hurricanes and cyclones.
Beautiful and horrible Jara, with his dark skin and curly hair, claimed the victims of snakebites.
He lives alone at the Talhacali River, where he tortures his souls over demonic fires.
Aurunanhque, prince of the Maicamarama, claimed those who drowned in the great flood.
His father, Oronhcafa, is the wicked king of all the devils. His giant form dwarfs all others.
His mouth is that of a massive oven, with flames and coals inside. A dirty beard covers his face.
King Oronhcafa devours all those who met a violent end. He gobbles them up in his belly.
He shits out their bodies and boils them again, and repeats the process indefinitely.
Just like this, the earth was transformed. Nharinechaconhe asked his wife to rebuild.
The fickle Aorechaconhe refused, and so Ucuriquichichaafarasufa confronted the queen.
She and Nharinechaconhe tore off the tail of the goddess who had deceived them,
Nharinechaconhe went to the sacred cave of Arefe to begin to heal the earth.
He created all the plants and animals again, and they spread out across the land.
He sewed the earth with tobacco seeds, and from them grew a new generation of humans.
The goddess Jafara would act as a mediator between these new beings and the Tocumarama.
And Nharinechaconhe promised to never destroy the earth or humanity again.
The Island of Giants
Long ago, a race of horrible giants called the Muerras, lived on Zapatera Island.
They kidnapped many people from the nearby towns to sacrifice them to their gods.
They dragged their victims up thousands of stairs, staining the steps red with blood.
At the summit, their still-beating hearts were placed at the feet of seven grotesque idols.
The Muerras would dance drunkenly after, in religious ferver fueled by blood.
Only one woman was able to escape these beasts. She swam across the lake at midnight.
She crawled onto the beach of Upala, where her boyfriend happened to find her.
He held her in his arms as she took her final breaths, and pleaded with him to slay the Muerras.
The warrior made a promise to her. He made an oath to destroy every last one of the giants.
He took her body and tied it to a stone. She sank down into the Ucurinh, finally at peace.
The warrior gazed into the watery grave of his beloved. It reflected the moon like a mirror.
He slept there, and his beloved visited him in a dream. She instructed him with what to do.
When he were to awaken, he would find magic feathers he had to put into his hair.
This would give him great strength and bravery, making him even stronger than Muerras.
She also told him that he was to take the reeds by the river, which would become weapons.
The warrior woke up and did just as his love had instructed. He wove the feathers in his hair.
He grabbed reed after reed, and they became clubs, arrows, bows, and spears.
He brought the weapons to the villagers and he distributed them among them.
When the Muerras next raided the village, every single last giant was slaughtered.
Their blood stained the dirt of the river, where the face of the woman appears on starry nights.
Talamancan Legends
The Birth of Sibu
Long ago there were no people. There were only Sorburu.
They were demons, people with no hearts who ate thorny grass.
The king of all Sorburu, and the cruelest at that, was named Sorkura.
The Sorburu danced around their king with maracas made of foxes.
They blew into their horns and banged their drums in hell.
Sorkura had a son, Sibokomo. He was a wizard.
Sorkura had a niece, Siitami. She was a young girl.
Siitami and Sibokomo traveled together between Hell and Earth.
Sibokomo had four magic healing stones. Three male, one female.
One day, a stone went missing. It was inside Siitami, and it was a baby now.
Sibokomo helped Siitami give birth by the river.
The baby was born in a shell, with the head of an eagle.
Sibokomo lifted him from the water. He cut the baby’s cord.
He took the baby from his shell and cleaned him.
Siitami held him to her chest, but he would not eat.
This strange baby was Sibu. In his mind, he was already grown.
He told his mother “I do not want milk. I want bananas, corn, and chocolate!”
Siitami and Sibokomo fed him what he wanted.
He told his mother “Father must build a shack to clean me in!”
Siitami and Sibokomo built what he wanted.
As Sibu was born, an old rooster sang thrice for the first time.
The Sorburu knew a baby was born. Sorkura was furious.
“This grandchild of mine is too dangerous. He cannot live!”
The Sorburu went to the house to kill the baby, but there was nobody there.
Sorkura cried “I will kill that baby. I must be king!”
Siitami knew the Sorburu were coming. She knew they needed to leave.
She looked for somewhere to escape to. She came across Akura the termite.
Akura said “Do not worry. I will take you to the Kingdom of Ants.”
“Follow me through the tunnel, you and your family will be safe there.”
Siitami, Sibokomo, and Sibu followed Akura to safety.
Sibu grew up in Diratuaa Loratuaa, the Kingdom of Ants.
It is a kingdom of caves ruled by King Plekekol, a leafcutter ant.
In these dark tunnels, Sibu ate more chocolate, banana, and corn.
In eight days, he grew up into a strong man.
He dreamt all things in the world, and they became reality.
Sibu in the Underworld
One day, Sibu told Sibokomo “I wish to go to Hell.”
Sibokomo warned Sibu of the dangers in that land.
Sibu did not care, he wanted to see the land of the Sorburu.
Sibokomo and Siitami knew their son could not be convinced.
They said goodbye as he left into the tunnels.
Sibu entered the dangerous land of the Sorburu.
Before him was a campfire with a fox roasted over it. Nobody was there.
Sibu blew into the face of the fox. It sprang to life!
The fox was so happy that it began to play the drum and sing.
Sibu took his maracas and joined in the party.
Nearby, two Sorburu heard the commotion. Someone was at their fire!
The Sorburu ran back to their camp and attacked.
They threw their spears at Sibu, but they could not harm him.
They chopped up the fox and threw it into the thorns.
In turn, Sibu defeated the Sorburu without effort.
Sibu continued walking, playing his conch-horn. He saw more Sorburu.
He disguised himself in the form of a devil and joined them.
“We are hungry,“ the Sorburu said. “What do you have for us to eat?“
Sibu gave them a chicken. It cried three times, the sign for death.
Kaw kaw kaw! Sibu blew on the chicken, and he went on his way.
Sibu finally made it to the house of Sorkura, his grandfather.
He dressed in his finest grass skirt, carrying honey, his horn, his staff, and his shield.
The Sorburu saw him approach in his finery. “Are you a god?“
“Yes,“ said Sibu. “Yes, I am a god. A very powerful one.“
The Sorburu took his things and locked him in the dungeon.
Sibu turned into wind to escape the dungeon.
“But how will I get my things?“ he wondered. He turned into an old man.
He went to the Sorburu once more. “Are you a god?“
“No, no,“ said Sibu. “I am no god, just a tired old man.“ They let him in.
Sibu took back his things and escaped as the wind!
Sibu had seen roasted foxes and macaws along the walls of the house.
When the Sorburu left the door, Sibu snuck back in.
He blew into the faces of the animals, and they all sprang to life!
The foxes and macaws began to sing and dance. Sibu danced too.
The Sorburu ran back inside, but Sibu was already gone.
Once more, Sibu decided to trick these Sorburu.
He came to the house in the form of a traveler.
“Is it true,“ he asked, “That a powerful God has been here?“
“Yes!” the Sorburu said. “He has been playing tricks on us!”
“When he comes here next, we will kill him!”
Sibu came the next day in his true and powerful form.
The Sorburu raised their spears and attacked him!
Sibu didn’t even move away, the spears just passed through him.
Sorkura went to see what was happening. He would kill this god!
But Sibu had already flown away as a hummingbird.
Sorkura was furious. “For days my Grandson has been tricking us!”
“Next time I see him, I will kill him once and for all!”
“And when I do, I will blow my conch horn in victory!”
The Sorburu danced in a frenzy around their king.
Tomorrow, Sibu would die at the hands of his grandfather!
Sibu met Sorkura at the door the next day. They raised their spears.
“My foul grandson,” Sorkura growled, “Today I will kill you!”
Sorkura threw spears at Sibu. One after another they missed.
Tens, hundreds, thousands of spears. Sorkura threw until he ran out.
Sibu threw a single spear and pierced his wicked grandfather through the heart.
Sibu decided to trick the Sorburu one last time.
He changed to the monstrous form of Sorkura. He blew the conch horn.
Bwoooooooooooooo! The Sorburu ran to see their victorious king.
“Sorburu!” Sibu said, “I have slain this invader! He lies dead at my feet!”
The Sorburu crowded around the bloody body. They believed the trick.
The Sorburu took the corpse and chopped it up into pieces.
They took the body and roasted it. They danced around the fire.
Sibu revealed himself. The Sorburu were horrified, they had destroyed Sorkura!
Sibu threw the parts of the wicked king in the air as the Sorburu fled.
His body transformed into three wicked monsters when it hit the ground.
The first was Wayuk, a creature of bone who sees into the future.
The second was Uruksura, a giant headless pig.
Its neck spews thick blood eternally. Arok arok arok!
The third was Aiaksura, a monkey split in half.
Its lungs spew thick blood eternally. Arok arok arok!
Sibu returned to Diratuaa Lorutuaa, The Kingdom of Ants.
He was greeted by Siitami and Sibokomo, and they embraced their son.
Sibu told them the fate of wicked Sorkura. He was no more!
Through trickery and cunning, Sibu had defeated the Sorburu.
And all without breaking a sweat!
Creation of the Plants and Animals
Sibu had dreamt all the rocks and the sky of the earth, but it was barren and empty.
Sibu wished to fill it with plants and animals, but he was unsure how he could accomplish it.
Sibu lived in his house on Mount Chirripo with his wife, the goddess of chocolate Tsuru.
Also in their house was Dukurbulu, the King of Bats who lived in their dark rafters.
Every day Dukurbulu went out to drink blood, and when he returned, his poo became plants.
Sibu saw this and became fascinated. Sibu begged with the King of Bats to know about it!
After much convincing, Dukurbulu admitted that he had been drinking the blood of Iriria.
Iriria was Sibu’s niece who lived in the underworld. She was just a young girl, but very chubby.
Her mother was Sibu’s sister, Namaitami, who had the head of a tapir and wore no clothes.
Her father was Sula, the first mystic. Iriria had two loving grandmothers,Makeursau and Bikakra.
Iriria was often sung to by her beloved grandmother Makeursau. She sang her many songs.
In the songs, she always warned her to be wary of strangers, especially of Dukurbulu.
But Dukurbulu knew a way to sneak into their house and drink from Iriria while she slept.
Sibu requested that Dukurbulu suck Iriria’s blood again, as he needed to be sure.
When Dukurbulu returned, his poo became more lush plants. Sibu wanted this power.
Sibu decided that he would use his niece’s blood to fertilize the earth. He sent Dukurbulu again.
This time, Bikakra had asked Pita, the King of Agave, to guard Iriria while she slumbered.
Pita appeared as a thin and sharp string, and he sliced Dukurbulu in half when he flew in!
Dukurbulu’s upper half flew back bleeding to Sibu. Sibu hang him upside down to heal him.
But now that Dukurbulu would be no help, Sibu hatched a different plan to use Iriria’s blood.
Sibu appeared in a dream to his sister Namaitami. He invited her and her family to a great party.
The party would be at Sulayum, the center of the world, and Bikakra was to dance in ceremony.
The Sorburu would be there to dance the Devil Dance, as they had helped build houses there.
He requested that Namaitami gather chocolate for the festival, but this was just a cunning trick.
The rest of her family went up to Sulayum, Sula carrying Iriria as she was too heavy to walk.
Everyone enjoyed the dances, Iriria most of all. She danced the Corn, Devil, and Sun dances.
But during the fourth dance, Iriria fell to the ground and was much too chubby to get up.
The Sorburu danced and danced, crushing the poor Iriria and killing her. She bled everywhere.
Her red blood spread across the world, where lush green plants sprang up from the crimson.
Makeursau wailed for her sweet granddaughter, and she fell to the ground unconscious.
Namaitami heard her mother’s cries and ran toward the sound. She came across the scene.
Sibu had planned for this. He gave her a doll of her beloved daughter, whose soul was within.
Namaitami wept for her little girl, and from those tears came all the animals of the world.
Namaitami took her doll deep into the mountains. She is a tapir now, living with her daughter.
It is thanks to the Earth Girl Iriria that all the plants blanket the mountains forevermore.
Creation of the Humans
Sibu brought corn kernels of many different colors to Sulakaska, the Place of Destiny, at night.
He planted these eleven seeds in the ground, and from each came a different clan of humans.
Sebariwak is the House Clan. Ururiwak is the Vulture Clan. Sibawak is the Moon Clan.
Kabekwak is the Quetzal Clan. Korkwak is the Singing Clan. Mururiwak is the Ash Clan.
Dojkwak is the Heron Clan. Tsinikichawak is the Rubber Clan. Mekichawak is the Gourd Clan.
Urejkwak is the Tree Clan. Tsibriwak is the Wizard Clan, with many mystics called Awapa.
One clan was not made from these seeds. They instead came from beyond this world.
They were named the Usekla, and with them they carried magic stones called Sia.
Only a member of the royal clan of Salkwak was able to speak to these powerful beings.
To marry another from your clan is the greatest sin one can commit, and you will be punished.
Sibu allowed Plekekol, the King of Ants, to create a group of humans as well.
Plekekol created the Sikwa from fallen leaves. They had pale skin and lived across the sea.
They were taught to always be working, to always be building, to always be learning.
But they were also taught to destroy whatever they pleased. They destroyed many forests.
When they arrived in the land, they brought many plague spirits, who were fought by the Usekla.
Creation of the Sea
Back when the plants had just been created, there was no ocean, and there were no rivers.
The sister of Sibokomo, the Wizard God, had become pregnant out of wedlock.
To avoid the shame her family would inflict on her, she fled deep into the mountains.
There she gave birth to a beautiful girl, Bulumia, whose dark hair touched the ground.
The woman was transformed into a tall tree, who would speak to her daughter as she aged.
She said to Bulumia “I am your sea, I am the supporter of life. My fruits nourish your body.”
“I am the wood to build your house. My leaves are the pages of a book about love.”
Bulumia built a circular house around her mother, and by now the girl was fully grown.
Each morning she would dance and sing with the sunrise. She sweated rivers in exhaustion.
One day her cousin, the great eagle-headed god Sibu, came to visit her to find her a husband.
Bulumia told him she would rather marry him instead, as he was very strong and handsome.
He told her that could not be! They were cousins, and that would be the ultimate sin, kuru.
Bulumia agreed to search for a husband, and they began to look for a suitable spouse.
They came across a young girl Jutsini, and Sibu asked her if she wished to marry as well.
Jutsini refused, and said she wanted to stay a virgin forever. Sibu honored her request.
Sibu and Bulumia fasted for two days before they visited the great palace upon the hill.
That is where Shulakama, the King of Snakes lived. Shulakama was very cruel and hated Sibu.
Each day, he carved poisonous snakes from a tree. Sibu would take the wood shavings.
He would breathe into them to create non-poisonous snakes, which would gobble up the others.
Because of this trickery, Shulakama refused to allow Sibu to enter, so only Bulumia walked in.
Upon seeing the beautiful and kind Bulumia, Shulakama’s icy heart melted. He fell in love.
Bulumia fell in love with him too. She loved how powerful he was, especially with his magic staff.
They married swiftly, and Bulumia became his wife. She requested a magic staff as a gift.
Shulakama warned her that those staffs were dangerous, but was unable to change her mind.
He took a deadly pit viper and petrified it, and he presented it to his new beloved wife.
Shulakama told her the rules for owning a snake staff such as that one. It was very dangerous.
He told her that one must always carry it upright, and always in the right hand.
The only time you could let go is when you slept. It would be placed beneath your head.
Months passed and Bulumia followed these rules. She also became pregnant with their child.
One day she went to use the bathroom, and she set the staff down behind her. Uh oh.
The staff turned back into a deadly viper, and it struck and bit Bulumia while she sat.
She began to cry out, and the poison raced through her body as she ran to the palace.
By the time she reached her husband, it was too late. She finally died from the snakebite.
Shulakama wept for his beloved wife, and he called for Sibu to give her a proper burial.
Sibu wrapped his cousin in bijagua leaves and layed her body in the forest by his house.
Sibu tasked Kachabuke the poison dart frog to watch her body and sit upon her belly.
Sibu told him that he would return in four days, and that he was not to move, no matter what.
As Kachabuke sat upon Bulumia’s stomach, her still-living unborn child began to stir.
It made the sounds of ocean waves, and Kachabuke became very frightened and couldn't sleep.
Kachabuke became very hungry as the days passed. On the fourth day, he was near starving.
A bumblebee was buzzing just a bit in the distance. If he could eat it, his stomach wouldn’t hurt!
Kachabuke hopped off of Bulumia’s stomach for just a moment to gobble up the bumblebee.
When he turned around, Bulumia had given birth! Her name was Duluitami, and she was a tree.
How strange! Kachabuke hopped over to Duluitami and began to play with the baby tree.
When Sibu returned, he was astounded! Kachabuke explained the miracle that had occurred.
Duluitami grew bigger and taller, until she was the biggest and tallest tree in the entire world.
Her branches were laden with sweet flowers of every color, and fruits of every kind.
Many animals lived upon her expansive branches and ate from her bountiful arms.
But she had simply gotten too big! Sibu decided that it would be best to chop her down.
He gathered a group of spirits and gave them axes of stone. They began to sing and work.
Sibu decided he might as well have a bit of fun while this went on and the spirits went to sleep.
He gave Duluitami and great big hug, and all the spots they had chopped at were healed!
The spirits were confused as to why their axes had been ineffective, and Sibu laughed.
This time when they swung their axes, it was their tools who were destroyed instead!
To make it up to them, Sibu decided to bring the spirits to the palace of Ogama the metalsmith.
Along the way they passed a river of butterflies. Sibu wished to tease the spirits some more.
He turned all the butterflies into beautiful naked women and forbid the spirits from looking!
They reached the stone castle that Ogama called home. He wasn’t happy to have guests.
Ogama refused to help until Sibu summoned a rainstorm and hordes of bugs to threaten him.
Sibu said he would only get rid of these disasters if Ogama crafted them axes of metal.
Ogama relented and shook himself. Metal powder poured from his body, and he collected it.
He forged them axes that shone brightly. As thanks, Sibu gave him some fallen leaves.
These leaves would later become Sikua, the White People. That’s why they use metal so much.
Sibu and the spirits returned to Duluitami, but now Sibu wished to go peek at the naked women.
He climbed up into one of the massive branches, but it snapped under his weight and he fell!
Sibu shattered into a million pieces, and Ogama laughed heartily. Sula sent many vultures.
One of these vultures swallowed Sibu’s liver. When he threw it back up, Sibu was restored.
Sibu realized his antics had to come to an end so they could finish chopping down Duluitami.
He asked the old woman Bulikela to catch the trunk as it fell, but instead it just crushed her.
She was the first person to die, and ever since people have died when they become too old.
Finally they had chopped down the massive tree. But now what would they do with her?
Sibu asked Mulurbijejamidueyabi, the King of Deers, to drag the branches around his house.
The King of Deers did this four times, and on the fourth time, the wood transformed!
The trunk became a great ocean of salty water. Each branch became the rivers and streams.
Now the Earth was finally complete, as there were rocks, sky, plants, animals, and oceans.
Siakoldi River
Once upon a time, the great god Sibu was walking alongside Siakoldi River.
In his arms he carried cassava dough to make a marvelous chicha.
He stopped by the bank and scooped up some water to mix the drink.
He drank the chicha and felt refreshed. He threw the pulp in the river.
The pulp transformed into marvelous and magical white stones called Sia.
The Hurricane Children and Itso
After Sibu had created all the things on the earth, he needed someone to look after it for him.
He gave this duty to Talayakela, the god of thunder. Each day, he went out to slay evil serpents.
Of all the evil beings on the earth, one stood out as the most wretched and terrible: Itso.
Itso was a demon, the physical form of wind and rain. He was even stronger than Sibu.
He was the only being who could lift the magic chocolate jar, and so Sibu left him alone.
Talayakela’s pregnant wife, Agata, took care of their children Obena, Able, and Dile by herself.
One day, the family ran out of firewood. Obena and Dile decided to go gather some more.
They walked into the forest and came across an awapa with a large pile of firewood.
“Are you boys looking for firewood?” the seer asked, “Here, please take all of this home!”
“Here, I’ll help you carry it.” The boys led the awapa back to their home, all carrying the wood.
When they reached the house, Obena invited the Awapa inside. The awapa approached Agata.
“Hello Miss, I see you have lice in your hair. Would you like me to pick them out for you?”
Being very pregnant, Agata had not had time to tend to herself. She agreed to the kind request.
Agata sat and the awapa began to pick through her hair. He pulled harder and harder until…
The stranger ripped Agata’s scalp from her skull and devoured it. He tore at her flesh and ate it.
The stranger devoured every bit of flesh, and finished by slurping up all the blood that spilled.
There was nothing left of Agata but her skeleton and the fetus that was in her womb.
The three brothers could not even scream. They stood and watched before they ran out.
The boys scrambled up a tree with the Awapa not far behind. This was no Awapa, but Itso.
The demon clawed at the base of the tree and pulled at it with his winds before giving up.
The brothers stayed in the tree all night, too scared to move or speak until Talayakela returned.
When he finally did arrive, the boys told him of what had happened with their mother and Itso.
Talayakela wrapped the body of Agata with rare and mystical leaves, restoring her to life.
Not only did she return, but she immediately gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Serike.
The family embraced, finally complete. Talayakela, Agata, and the Hurricane Children.
Itso would pay for what he had done. Talayakela shot at Itso’s home in the sea with his blowgun.
The dark waters churned at Itso emerged and chased after Talayakela to his home.
But the god and his sons had prepared a trap, and Itso fell into a deep deep hole.
Before he could call upon the winds to fly out, Talayakela crushed him with a hot stone.
He threw burning firewood into the hole, and Itso screamed as he turned to ashes.
As he died, Itso’s eyes popped out of his skull. From these eyes two monsters were born.
The first was Woke, the Old Man of the Mountains. His old ugly face makes children cry.
He is very tall. His hair is black and matted, and he is forever covered in hundreds of fireflies.
He lives deep in the mountains where his indescribable screams pierce the night air.
He chases after anyone who gets too close to gobble them up, with a preference for children.
The other eye became Wikela, the Old Hat Witch. Her old ugly face makes children cry.
She looks like a hideous short old woman with the legs of a white chicken put on backwards.
She has the wings of a bat and wears a raggedy skirt. A tule hat sits on her matted hair.
She steals babies to suckle with thousands of ants at her giant sagging breasts that leak milk.
When she realizes the babies aren’t her lost son, she drowns them in the river and wails.
The Hurricane Children and Sakabiali
After Itso was destroyed by Talayakela, Agata’s father Olobasa came to live with them.
Olobasa told the Hurricane Children many stories about the world, and they became curious.
Olobasa told them about his son, their uncle, the Sun King who lived very far away.
One day, the boys decide to visit their uncle and run away without saying a word to their mother.
They travel far and wide before arriving at the house of the Sun King, who greets them.
The Sun King was happy to play with his nephews, especially with Serike, the youngest.
Serike was the naughtiest one too, and had the greatest power over storms and rain.
Whenever Serike would run in a circle, the other boys would join him and create hurricanes.
Each morning, the Hurricane Boys tug on their uncle’s beard of sunlight until it tears the clouds.
Each morning, Serike is the first to welcome in the bright dawn of each new day.
When the boys returned to their house, they found their mother’s picked-clean skeleton again.
The children begin to cry, but they were enveloped in a warm hug by the spirit of Agata.
She spoke to her sons one last time.“The crying woman of the mountains is the one who ate me
“I was sad when you all left without saying goodbye, but I am happy that you are home at last.”
“Please remember that I love you. Please be good, obedient, kind, and respectful children.”
With that, her spirit moved on. It was Serike who spoke first, “We must kill the witch who did this.
The crying woman of the mountains was none other than Sakabiali, who lived at Janeu Lake.
The boys travelled to the pool, but the only thing they found was a large floating raft.
They clambered up on top of it and played until the raft began to move. It was a giant serpent!
The serpent introduced itself as Dululba, the beast that devours all who commit incest.
Dululba told them that Sakabiali was deep below the lake, and would not come up.
Dile recalled that the witch was unable to resist chiles, so the placed one on a fishing line.
Sure enough, Sakabiali rose from the depths in her hideous form of a dog-headed deer.
The evil in her eyes was palpable, and but the Hurricane Children held on tight.
While they had her, they asked how she had killed their mother. The witch grinned evilly.
“Your mother was out in the mountains searching for you boys. You had all run away.”
“I heard her calls and began to chase after her. She ran, but couldn’t get away.”
“I cornered her in a cave, where I smashed her to pieces and ate her, like how I will to you.”
The boys began to run around in a circle and conjured a great hurricane that trapped the witch.
It knocked her against the mountain walls until it was her who was the one who was in pieces.
The Old Hat Witch
There are many contradictory legends of the Old Hat Witch, but her ugliness is true throughout.
She looks like a hideous short old woman with the legs of a white chicken put on backwards.
She has the wings of a bat and wears a raggedy skirt. A tule hat sits on her matted hair.
She steals babies to suckle with thousands of ants at her giant sagging breasts that leak milk.
When she realizes the babies aren’t her lost son, she drowns them in the river and wails.
Some say that the witch was originally a young woman named Maria del Rosario.
Maria was always wild at parties.One day she hooked up with a stranger and became pregnant.
She fled to a river near the Pacific Coast to give birth to her child, but she had no love for him.
She placed the baby in her favorite tule hat and dropped him in the dark river to drown.
Some say that Maria drowned herself then too, but others say she just went back to partying.
But whether she drowned then or died of fever later, her ghost lingers and haunts the rivers.
At first she maintains her beautiful and youthful appearance, inviting any man to dance with her.
But when they place their arms around her, they find themselves covered with many ants.
The ants bite the men and paralyze them with their venom, leaving them to be devoured by her.
She then shows them her true form, always wearing the hat that became her baby son’s tomb.
Others say that the Old Hat Witch was originally an old woman from Desamparados.
This woman was incredibly old and ugly, always dressed in purest black with a tule hat.
Whenever children would steal her hat, she would chase them with her cane to beat them.
One day even the wind itself stole her hat and dropped it in the murky Tiribi River.
The old woman drowned trying to retrieve her precious hat, and she haunts the river evermore.
But some say they also see her in the villages, always carrying a bundle of firewood.
She never stays in one place for long, and each time she takes a child with her before leaving.
One time she visited Escazu on the eve of the feast of Archangel Michael late in the night.
But a man named Tutoyoyo had been preparing for her arrival, and he wrapped her in vines.
He dragged her into the church, leading her like a dog on a leash. What a sight!
There he kept her on the altar until midnight, when the true festival was to begin.
The people in Escazu flooded the streets, each wearing an ugly mask like monsters.
There was a competition being held to find the ugliest monster of all, who would win a prize.
Tutoyoyo led the Old Hat Witch straight to the judges and won the first prize trophy!
After that he let the witch go, but she was so frightened that she had never returned to Escazu.
The King of Tapirs
Once there were two hunters deep in the mountains searching for game.
They came across a giant white tapir, and began to chase after it.
The two men became lost and separated, with just one following the tapir.
The other hunter returned home, and was convinced that his friend had died.
But the other hunter had not died. Instead he continued to follow the tapir.
Eventually the hunter lost the trail of the tapir and layed down to take a nap.
He was awakened by a rooster. But where had that sound come from?
He followed the sound and found himself at an extravagant and beautiful palace.
He was stopped by a large and powerful man who stood before the entrance.
“Who are you, and why have you come here?” The large man asked.
The hunter meekly replied “I was chasing after a great white tapir that got away.”
The strong man told him “Why are you making this hunt into a game?”
“When you shoot, you must shoot to kill. Otherwise you only feed the worms.”
“But I see that you are tired. All will be forgiven. Won’t you come inside to eat?”
The powerful man presented the hunter with the meat of the tapir, and they ate.
The hunter apoligized for staying so long. He began to leave but was stopped.
The powerful man handed the hunter a magical reed and instructed him.
“Take this reed and plant it by your house. You will not be able to speak until it grows.”
The hunter did as he was told. Despite the questioning of the villagers, he stayed silent.
When the reed finally grew, the hunter told his people he had visited the King of Tapirs.
Howler Monkey’s New Conch
Long ago, all the animals talked like people. They walked on two legs like people.
One of these animals was Howler Monkey. He loved to play with his conch shell.
The sound it made was abrasive, and it angered all the other animals.
One day, Howler Monkey heard the most beautiful conch while he was playing.
He went to look for it, and found it in the possession of jaguar. It was his conch.
Howler Monkey hatched a plan to steal this conch shell, as he wanted it for himself.
He dropped a bunch of gourds on the ground from up in a tree. Thud thud thud!
Jaguar came over to see what was causing the racket. Howler Monkey snuck by him.
Howler Monkey snatched the conch and ran away! He blew into it and it made a pretty sound.
That is why the powerful jaguar has such a quiet growl, and clever Howler Monkey is so loud.
Prince Mequeche and Catalina
Once upon a time a family moved to a remote ranch at La Carpintera.
The father of the family was Don Panflio Aguilar, who came from Cartago.
He and his wife had three children, their two sons worked the farm.
Their beautiful daughter was named Catalina, golden-haired like an angel.
Many men professed their love for her that Holy Week when she appeared.
But Catalina was not interested in those men. She was in love with someone else.
But their love was forbidden, as he was Maqueche, prince of the kingdom of Ulatava.
He and his brother Prince Seve would meet in secret with Catalina, as they were friends.
Catalina and Maqueche knew that it wouldn’t work, but their love was as true as any.
Each night, Catalina would dream that she was wrapped in her prince’s arms.
Don Panflio Aguilar was furious when he discovered his daughter’s secret love.
He planned to send Catalina off to Cartago, never to see her beloved prince again.
Catalina refused, and she ran off into the night with Prince Maqueche, finally together.
Her brothers and father moved heaven and earth to find her, but there was no sign.
But some say they see the spirits of an angelic woman and her prince at the Piedra Encanto.
The Woman in the Rocks [TW]
There is a formation of rocks in the shape of a woman in Sabana de Concepcion.
Long ago, those rocks were a young Talamancan woman who was abused by a conquistador.
Her father came upon the assault and shot the man with an arrow, killing him instantly.
The girl’s breasts had been torn at by the wretched man, and so her father chopped them off.
They left the body of the conquistador and the chopped breasts in the middle of the road.
More conquistadors came across this scene. They pulled aside a warrior passing through.
They were convinced that this killing was his doing, and so they put him to death.
Upon finding out of the murder of this innocent young man, the young woman grieved.
She returned to the site of her assault and laid near the two corpses and her breasts.
She wept and was turned to stone, and such is the fate of the woman in the rocks.
Dunua, Diriak, and the Ogre
Once there was a young and brave warrior from Arrokara named Diriak.
He was in love with a woman named Dunua who lived at a ranch across the river.
Diriak visited Dunua often, each time passing the lair of Huenke at Loma del Sapo.
Huenke was a monstrous ogre, who carried a large axe. He was nearly invulnerable.
He demanded a toll for passage, so Diriak left him a flower each time he crossed.
Diriak arrived at the ranch on the day of his wedding to his beloved Dunua.
Upon seeing eachother, their hearts fluttered like hummingbirds. They ran to each other.
Their ceremony was a joyous occasion, as their love was truest as could be.
That evening, they began to return to Arrokara, passing by Loma del Sapo.
Diriak left another flower for the ogre, but Huenke was not satisfied. He wanted Dunua.
Huenke snatched Dunua, knocking her unconcious. He took her back to his cave.
Diriak raced after the ogre with his spear held aloft to save his beloved bride!
Huenke and Diriak fought, but the warrior was unable to injure the ogre!
That is until he pierced Huenke through his one weak spot, a space right beneath his chest.
As Huenke tumbled to the ground, his axe sliced deep into Diriak, and both fighters died.
Dunua awoke from her unconsciousness and cried loudly at the grisly scene.
She took the body of her husband and placed it in their canoe alongside her.
In the middle of the river, Diriak’s body sank to the bottom. Dunua wouldn’t continue without him.
She swam after the body of her departed love and never resurfaced. She still cries for him.
Hummingbirds now live in Loma del Sapo, a symbol of the doomed love of Dunua and Diriak.
King Guaycora and the Golden Statues
Once in the kingdom of Cabecar, there was a great and mighty king named Guaycora.
At this time, invaders from across the sea were pillaging the land, burning many villages.
They arrived at Cabecar, and King Guaycora’s warriors defended the city valiantly.
But they could not prevent the theft of two sacred golden statues of the Yamipa.
These statues were taken to the city of Portobelo, where the conquerors came from.
King Guaycora and the priest Sumamara rallied their army to retrieve these statues.
The king and priest led their warriors down the mountains, fighting off the invaders.
They arrived at Portobelo and burned the city to the ground, retrieving the statues.
The people of Portobelo fled to Cartago. The invaders had been pushed back.
The years that followed were spent in bloody war in the mountains and valleys.
Mestizo Legends
The Treasure of Cocos Island
On the remote island of Cocos, there is said to be a treasure beyond any other.
While wars for independence were raging to the south, the Spanish King worried for his gold.
He sent for a British captain called William Thompson to bring the gold of Peru to Spain.
But Thompson saw an opportunity to have the wealth of the Spanish Empire all to himself.
He and his crew hid the immense golden treasures in a hidden cave on Cocos Island.
The Spanish discovered the double-crossing, and captured Thompson’s ship in Panama.
There they executed all the crewmembers of the Mary Dear, save for the captain himself.
But Captain Thompson stayed silent and took the resting place of the gold to his grave.
Other treasures are on the island too, like that of pirates Benito Bonito and Henry Morgan.
Many people continue to search for the fabled hoards on the island, but it has never been found.
The Horse-Headed Woman
Once there was a beautiful young woman from Cartago. Her hair fell in curly black ringlets.
Her face was like that of an angel’s, with large dark eyes and red lips, always dressed in white.
Her family was very poor, but her parents spoiled her as best they could. She was ungrateful.
One day she was invited to a ball by a man quite infamous for his adulturous behavior.
She begged her mother to let her go, but her mother refused, wanting to keep her daughter safe
The girl erupted in a fit of rage, screaming and cursing at her mother for not allowing her to go.
She threw and broke things in their house, and her mother just cried for her cruel daughter.
At last the girl hit her very own mother, and at last the mother spoke. “I curse you, my daughter.”
“I curse you for daring to hit the one who gave you life. From today and for all time I curse you.”
“The face you cherish will be so horrible that all men run away, and you will chase them forever.”
And so it was. From that day on, La Cegua haunts the lonely roads at night, waiting for men.
She calls to travellers, appearing in her beautiful human form. She taunts and seduces them.
When they lean in to give her a kiss, they find they aren’t kissing a girl, but instead a monster!
Her face becomes that of a horse’s skull, and her arms become a horse’s skeletal hooves.
La Cegua devours these men, lest they throw mustard seeds at her and never return!
The Cart Without Oxen
Once in San Jose there lived a witch named Epifania. She was a very strange woman.
She was short, pale, and chubby, with golden eyes and long black hair tied in two braids.
She dressed strangely, always going barefoot and wearing a hat like a cone.
People called her the Dog Lady because she had many many pet dogs that followed her.
Despite all her peculiarities, she was in love with the handsome son of a wealthy farmer.
Epifania bewitched him with a love spell, and the two were married. They grew old together.
Epifania’s husband grew deathly ill, and requested to be brought to the church to die.
Being a witch, Epifania hated the church! But she brought her husband in a wagon regardless.
Epifania went to a priest to be let into the building, but the priest refused as she was wicked.
Epifania scowled. “By hook or by crook, I command you to let my beloved inside!”
The priest refused, and Epifania took her wagon to the church the next town over.
Again, she said “By hook or by crook, I command you to let my beloved inside!” No use.
She was refused again. Epifania brought her wagon to church after church with no luck.
Finally, a priest stopped the wagon in the road. “In the name of god, stop!” he commanded.
As the oxen were beasts of god, they continued to walk, while Epifania’s wagon stayed put.
Epifania cursed again, and the Devil, El Cuijen, himself appeared to assist her!
Epifania yoked him to her cart and they set off again on their futile journey to a damned church.
People say they can still see the wagon travelling lonely roads in the dead of night.
Within it is a peculiar witch and the corpse of her old husband. A pack of wild dogs follows them.
And of course, the cart has no oxen. Instead the hawk-headed devil pulls the cart along!
The Headless Priest
Once there was a lecherous priest who fled from Peru to Cartago from angry inquisitors.
This priest did not love god, but instead gambling, drinking, money, and women.
The priest was lusting after his brother’s fiance who attended his cathedral’s ceremonies.
One day, he grabbed the woman at the steps of the church, right in front of his brother!
His brother lunged at him with a knife and a brawl ensued. In the end, the priest lost his head.
But the specter returned on the night of his brother’s wedding, killing both him and his wife.
His ghost still haunts the cathedral. Sometimes mass is performed by a strange hooded man.
If one reaches out and pulls the hood back, they will be shocked to find no head at all!
Some also say that they see the ghost of this priest by a large tree in the city of Escazu.
It is rumored that he was buried there unceremoniously, befitting for an adulturer.
The Headless Pirate
Long ago a fierce pirate sailed the seas near Tivives named William Dampier.
With his ship heavy with stolen gold, greedy Captain Dampier planned to bury it in secret.
He sailed to the twin rocks that lay at the mouth of the Rio Jesus y Maria to enact his plan.
He brought with him just one crewmate, who was more wicked than even the captain himself.
This pirate was Hyena, who had metal hands. El Cuijen himself was the terrible man’s father.
Captain Dampier and Hyena dug a deep hole at the base of an ancient Guanacaste tree.
There they filled it to the brim with hundreds of pounds of gold, their riches finally secured.
But the captain had one last plan to enact. When Hyena’s back was turned, he stabbed him.
As Hyena bled out, Dampier kicked him into the treasure cache that would become his tomb.
As Hyena died, he cried out to the devil himself. “Father, I beseech you. Make him pay dearly.”
The corpse of the pirate sat up with a jolt, his glassy eyes full of evil. “HERE!” he boomed.
“HERE IS THE TREASURE OF CAPTAIN DAMPIER!” Frightened, Dampier drew his sword.
With one slice, he decapitated the living corpse. But the voice continued to shout from within.
The headless son of Satan chased after his former captain.“HERE IS THE TREASURE, HERE!”
Captain Dampier barely escaped back to his boat, and the crew set sail and never returned.
Hyena still roams the rock, shouting late into the night, daring anyone to retrieve the cursed gold
Fishermen say they see him often, still circling his tomb day-in and day-out, never tiring.
Each October, people say they see a strange empty ship sail through the bay towards the rocks.
They say it is the ghost of Captain Dampier, trying and failing to retrieve the treasure.
The decapitated specter of his former crewmate continues to taunt anyone who passes.
The Headless Horseman
Once there lived a hardworking rancher’s son named Luciano who lived in Guanacaste.
He was engaged to a beautiful woman named Carmelita, known as the flower of the plains.
The young lovers had spent many days beneath a great tree, Luciano playing his guitar.
They planned on marrying on Christmas Day with a great party full of laughter and dance.
But another man, Jose the cowboy, was jealous of Luciano, as he was in love with Carmelita.
Only a few days before the wedding, Jose ambushed Luciano, who was unable to fight back.
With his blade he sliced poor Luciano’s head clean off, and he left to go back to town.
Carmelita knew that her love had died. She went to the tree where Luciano would play for her.
There she lay on the earth and drifted away into an eternal dream. Luciano still searches for her.
Guitar music wafts through the plains on moonlit nights. Luciano’s headless specter rides along.
Ghosts of San Juan de Dios Hospital
There are many specters haunting the San Juan de Dios hospital in San Jose.
One of them is Sister Maria, a nun of the Daughters of Charity who carries a glass of water.
In life, she refused a dying man a drink from her glass, leading him to die of dehydration.
In return, she floats through the halls eternally, forever searching for someone to drink the water.
Some say that the water within has the power to heal the deathly ill and allow Maria to pass on.
The ghost of a man dressed in all black appears in the hematology wing, wordlessly watching.
A woman in red floats through the hallways, as does the ghosts of a friar and a dying woman.
Ghostly children and dead mothers appear in the pediatric wing, as do pinching goblins.
Dog howls echo through the third floor, and wheelchairs and stretchers move all by themselves.
The ghost of Ricardo Moreno Canas also appears to anyone who brings a white rose and water.
Ghosts of Duran Sanatorium
The abandoned Duran Sanatorium is empty of inhabitants, save for its many ghostly nuns.
The building was used to house and treat patients with Tuburculosis in the 1920s.
Many nuns gave their lives to treat the sick patients, and they still appear in the empty halls.
Some say they see a pair of nuns that visit each room to check on patients that aren’t there.
Many see a nun escorting a young girl up the stairs into the attic, where more ghostly nuns are.
The Procession of Souls
Once there was an old couple who lived in Puntarenas, named Manuelita and Camilo Briceno.
Mr. Briceno worked a night shift, so the couple slept during the day and lived during the night.
Mrs. Briceno would bring her husband his meals at 11, 3, and 6 in the night. They slept at 8.
Mrs. Briceno would spend the rest of her waking hours all alone in their dark little house.
One day, she noticed something strange outside of her window. A procession of worshippers!
The pilgrims were singing hymns and carrying candles. All of them were covering their faces.
Mrs. Briceno opened the door, but as soon as she did, all but one of the figures vanished.
The figure that remained approached her and handed her his candle. She took it wordlessly.
The next night this happened again. And again. And again. For four nights this happened.
The procession passed the house each night, carrying their candles and singing hymns.
On the fifth night, Mrs. Briceno fell deathly ill. Worriedly, Mr. Briceno called for a doctor.
The doctor could not determine the cause of her illness, so they called a priest instead.
The priest could also discover no cause, so he, the doctor, and Mr. Briceno left the room to talk.
Mrs. Briceno’s friend stayed in the room with her. She heard Mrs. Briceno’s weakened voice.
“Won’t you please light a candle for us? The room is so very dark. I keep them in that drawer.”
The friend obliged and got up to fetch one. When she opened the drawer, she gasped in shock.
There were no candles in the drawer, but instead human bones. Children’s bones.
Terrified, the friend yelled for the priest. He determined that they were the cause of the illness.
Mrs. Briceno explained to them all the procession that had visited her the last four nights.
The procession had been heading to the church in town, and had offered her four candles.
The only way to break this curse would be to return the bones to the cemetery by the church.
Despite her sickness, Mrs. Briceno rose the next day, carrying the box full of bones.
Two children stood at her sides, helping the old woman make the long walk to the cathedral.
They arrived, and Mrs. Briceno buried the box in the cemetery, and signed herself the cross.
After that, she was cured of her mysterious illness, and she lived during the day from then on.
The Bride’s Waterfall
Once there was a newlywed couple travelling with their procession from Paraiso to Cartago.
Everyone was dressed lavishly, the bride most of all. Her long black hair was braided to her feet.
She rode a brilliantly white steed as her maids of honor talked, laughed, and joked.
Eventually the entourage stopped at a great waterfall. Suddenly, the horse became spooked!
It bucked the bride off, and she drowned in the waterfall. Some say she still haunts it today.
The Faceless Bride
Once there was a careless gravedigger at the General Cemetary in San Jose named Chico.
Not only did Chico dig graves for the dead, but he also moved the bodies after some time.
One day, Chico dug up an intricate coffin. When he opened it, a beautiful bride was inside!
She looked as if she were only asleep, her stunning skin just as clear as the day she died.
Over her face was a veil that obscured her features made of exquisite taffeta and lace.
Chico marveled at her beauty before lowering the coffin back into the deep grave.
He turned for a moment and heard a gasp. When he looked back, the corpse was not there!
Maybe he had just imagined it. Chico carried on and covered the ornate coffin with black earth.
It was early in the morning when he finished his shift and headed home. Something was off.
A cold wind snatched his heart as he left the cemetary and continued on his way.
The streets were quiet as he walked towards his house. He could feel someone watching him.
He turned around and saw the bride at the street corner, her face still obscured by the veil.
He rubbed his eyes and again there was a gasp and she was gone. Chico was very frightened.
He ran to his house and messed with the doorknob. Locked! He turned around, there she was.
Terrified, Chico couldn’t move as the specter got closer and closer. Their heads nearly touched.
Still her veil covered her face, but Chico could feel her gaze, piercing and petrifying.
Slowly he reached out to the veil and lifted it. As his fingers pulled back the taffeta and lace…
It revealed featureless skin. This woman had no face! Chico’s scream echoed through the night.
In the morning, neighbours found the corpse of the gravedigger right at his front doorstep.
The faceless bride still walks the cemetary on quiet nights, strolling by the hundreds of graves.
The Haunted Mansion
Many years ago, the mansion in Tacares de Grecia was home to Don Chancho, a gold baron.
Don Chancho and his wife were trapped in a loveless marriage, with Don Chancho unsatisfied.
He was having a secret affair with the maid in their house, and she became pregnant.
The maid kept her baby secret after giving birth to her, raising her in a secret room in the attic.
The girl was very ill, and died around her third birthday. She was buried beneath the house.
The entire life and death of this little girl was somehow kept secret from Mrs. Chancho.
That is until the ghostly form of a thin little girl began to appear for brief moments in the mansion
Mrs. Chancho would see the girl staring at her from the attic window, dressed in lacy dresses.
Mrs. Chancho began to become paranoid and erratic. Records on Mr. and Mrs. Chancho stop.
The house fell into ruin, but it isn’t completely empty, as the ghost of the little girl still haunts it.
The Devil Dog
A large black dog named Cadejos prowls lonely city streets and country roads late in the night.
Following drunks to their houses, Cadejos ensures the safety of those who drink too much.
Some say that he used to be a drunk himself, until his shameful behavior enraged his father.
His father cursed him to become an undying, restless, red-eyed mongrel, always around drunks.
He follows them to keep them safe while in an inebriated fate as he was so often in life.
Others say Cadejos’s father was the one who was a drunk, and a violent one at that.
The boy becomes fed up with his father’s addiction, and plans to scare him one late night.
He waits on a street corner, dressed in all black in the bushes until his father passes him.
Cadejos jumped out and barked at him like a dog, scaring his father greatly, who curses him.
“You lied down on all fours as you will for centuries after!” And so he was transformed.
The Devil Monkey
Once there was a young girl who gave birth to a baby out of wedlock. Her father was enraged.
He threw her out of the house, and she slept with her baby in the trash by a sugar mill.
The girl’s grandfather wished to take her in, and so he searched the streets each night for her.
One night he finally found sleeping her with her baby. He got closer and noticed a strange shape
Bounding towards his granddaughter was a devilish monkey with white hair and red eyes!
The grandfather knew this was an agent of El Cuijen. Loudly he prayed and signed the cross!
He shook the girl awake. Delirious, she could only clutch her crying baby to her chest.
The grandfather draped his holy scapular over her shoulders and continued to pray out loud.
Finally the demonic monkey bounded away, and the grandfather brought his loved ones home.
But the horrible monkey with claws like nails still haunts the hills near Santa Cruz at night.
The Elves
The Vargas family lived on a ranch near Barrial alongside many mischievous elves.
Elves like these ones live around people across the land, though they are very hard to see.
Only young children are able to see the elves, who stand at about one and a half feet tall.
They have chicken feet and dress in whimsical outfits of red, blue, yellow, and green.
Their ears are those of dogs, and they always wear berets and necklaces of stringed garlic.
The elves at the Vargas ranch loved to play pranks on the many children who lived there.
They rode the calves like horses and played in the grain like sand. They tugged on shoelaces.
They giggled and played in every way imaginable, taking delight in annoying the older girls.
The littlest boys of the house would always leave everything in a mess, which the elves hated.
One night they took them from their beds and danced with them in the moonlit fields.
These elves were just too much! It all came to a head when one day the littlest boy peed himself
The elves were fed up with these poor manners, and showed themselves to the family.
“This little boy needs to learn how to potty!” The elves taught him how. He was potty trained!
From then on, the elves helped the family with all sorts of chores. They kept the house spotless!
All they ask in return is that little children clean up too. They play with them as a reward.
Sisimiqui
There is a wicked ogre who lives in the mountains named Sisimiqui. He is very very tall.
His body is hairy like a monkey’s, but much wider. His face is like a human’s, but much uglier.
His head is on backwards, as are his feet. His genitals are very large, they stick out like a tail.
He has only four fingers on each hand, and four toes on each foot. His wife looks very similar.
Her name is Sisimica. She looks identical except her breasts are large rather than her genitals.
A bride must always be protected on her wedding night, as that is when Sisimiqui hunts.
If a bride is left unattended, he snatches her up and carries her back home in the mountains.
He and his wife will gobble up the bride, and no one can save her as they leave no trace.
Their backwards footprints confuse anyone who stumbles across them, leaving them puzzled.
So be careful when walking in the mountains, and be mindful of the direction of footprints!
The Giant Fish of Limon
An impossibly giant grouper swims through the waters around the Caribbean port of Limon.
Only a few fishermen have seen it, and they say it is encrusted with hundreds of pearls.
From it’s mouth hangs a scraggly beard that is made of all the fishing lines it has broken.
Not only is this fish large, but it is also clever. No fisherman has ever caught the beast.
The piers at Limon have since rotted away, but the lure of the greatest catch will never die.
The Cheesemaker and the Devil
Once there was a cheesemaker named Mr. Cascante who sold his wares in San Marcos.
His dairy farm was about a day’s travel from the city, so he would take his mules with him.
One day when he was making this journey, he noticed one of his mules had gone missing.
He drew his sword and looked around, eventually coming across the mule and a thief.
The thief admitted he had taken the mule, and Mr. Cascante held his sword to his neck.
The thief was not worried. He returned the mule to Mr. Cascante, but made him an offer.
If Mr. Cascante would come to the thief’s house, he would pay the mules weight in gold.
Mr. Cascante was a man with more greed than sense, so he agreed and was blindfolded.
When the thief removed the blindfold, they were at a house made of pure gold and silver.
And the thief was none other than El Cuijen himself, dressed in a elegant black suit.
Mr. Cascante took the gold, and in doing so signed his very soul over to Satan in greed.
Each time he made the journey to San Marcos, Mr. Cascante would bring a mule to exchange.
Eventually he began to take after his new master, travelling only at night dressed in all black.
He rode a black mule and had a black dog, both adorned with silver bells that jingled.
When Mr. Cascante eventually died, his family buried an empty coffin. Satan already took him.
The Woman in the Tree
There was an old tree in Quepos that was home to a mysterious spirit of a woman.
She would appear laying naked in the tree, with raven hair so long it reached the ground below.
On moonlit nights, a brilliant white horse would circle the tree. It was made of pure moonlight.
Many years ago, the tree was chopped down, and the spirit of the woman no longer appears.
But some little children still wake their sleeping mothers to tell them they saw a white horse.
The Witches of Machuca River
Once there were two boys fishing at the Machuca River. They heard laughter and investigated.
They turned the riverbend and came across five old women, all naked, cackling and chanting.
Witches! They tried to sneak away, but the women had already spotted them. They ran quickly.
The boys reached a road with the witches in hot pursuit, and came face to face with a boar.
The boys knew this was another witch, and they ran the other way, terrified and panting.
The witches were tireless, and right behind them. Eventually, the boys had no other choice.
They sat to rest and awaited their fate. But the witches never came! Instead the boys slept.
They woke up back at the bank of the river, with no witches in sight. Was it all a dream?
The boys returned to their house and explained they had escaped to their worried parents.
The only thing they had to show from their experience was that their clothes were inside out.
Black Maria
Escazu is known as the City of Witches, and the greatest of these witches was Black Maria.
One day when Maria was young, her grandfather Tali went out to look for her, as it was late.
He found her in the ravine behind their house, completely naked and in a trance murmuring
He shook her awake and she looked at him with pure evil in her eyes, cursing him with a glance.
That night while Tali slept, cow dung appeared all over the roof of his house as per Maria’s spell.
Tali awoke with a start to dozens of cows kicking at all sides of his house, shaking the building.
As soon as Tali began to pray, the onslaught of cows stopped their assault, and all was quiet.
The next night Tali went out on a walk, but was chased by a ferocious giant black boar.
He stabbed at the knife, but it passed clean through the creature, leaving not even a scratch.
The boar was Maria in disguise. She gored her grandfather to death, leaving him to be found.
Black Maria’s power grew more and more as she aged. Dolls and needles were used for spells.
Each time she pierced a doll through the heart, a child died and Black Maria would cackle.
Eventually she met her end when her decreped house caved in on her, but her body was gone.
Many believe she had made a deal with El Cuijen, and still haunts Escazu to this day.
She appears as a large black bull, and chases and who come across her cursed rituals.
Zarate and the Aserri Stone
Zarate is the most powerful of all witches. Many say she got her powers from Itso or El Cuijen.
She is old, small, and fat with big black eyes. Her eyebrows always wiggle when she talks.
She wears her hair in two black braids, and always has a straw hat atop her little head.
She wears a white dress with a high collar, along with a black petticoat. She never wears shoes.
And most curiously of all, a peacock is connected to her leg by a magical golden chain.
This peacock used to be a Spaniard named Bayardo Perez Colma, the mayor of Old Aserri.
Zarate was smitten with the man, though he found her repulsive. She cast a spell as revenge.
Using her powerful magic, the entire town was turned to stone, and all its people into animals.
For her beloved Bayardo, she made him the most beautiful and cast an extra charm on him.
The chain that connected them together would only break if he were to admit his love for her.
Zarate made the stone city into her new palace, and she adorned it with pearls and gold.
Extensive gardens surrounded the Aserri Stone, as did a lake that curses those who see it.
The flowers that grow in the garden will turn any who touches them into an animal.
It is only safe to approach the Aserri Stone on Good Thursdays and Fridays, lest you be cursed.
But many made the journey to visit Zarate anyway, as her magic was the best in all the land.
One desperate old man named Diogenes approached the mystical abode of Zarate for help.
While walking to the stone, he became exhausted and curled up in the garden to sleep.
Twelve brilliant white doves perched above him as he slumbered and whispered to him.
When he woke, he knew the words to the encantation to summon Zarate, as the doves said.
He went to the very center of the stone at midnight and spoke the magic words. It worked!
The stone opened up like a great door, and out walked little Zarate, peacock and all!
Diogenes spoke “Please Madam Zarate, I have nowhere else to turn to. I need your assistance!”
“My wife is gone and my children have nothing to eat!” Zarate took pity on the unfortunate man.
She led him to a secret lake with a breadfruit tree. “These breadfruits will be your food” she said.
She helped Diogenes gather the many fruits, laughed, and hopped in the lake and disappeared!
Confused but grateful all the same, Diogenes made the long trek home with the heavy fruits.
Upon returning to his starving children, he opened his pack and discovered the fruits were gold!
Solid gold! They were saved! Diogenes sold them at the market to buy proper food for his kids.
He passed by twelve women dressed in white. He stood awestruck. It was his late wife Lupita!
“Lupita, you’re alive!” He yelled. The couple embraced and she explained to him what happened
She and eleven other women had travelled to the Aserri Stone to bathe in the magic lagoon.
While there, they picked flowers and were turned into doves! Zarate cared for them herself.
She had seen Diogenes approaching the stone, so she and the women visited him dreaming.
All thanks to Zarate’s magic, Diogenes’s children had full bellies and his wife had returned!
Seeing this, Zarate turned to her peacock. “How long until you admit you wish to marry me?”
Zarate and the Stone of Saint Michael
Zarate’s winter abode is the Stone of Saint Michael, where she lives with her son Stanislaus.
Stanislaus was the ugliest man to ever exist, and his very face brought women to tears.
Stanislaus lived lazily, simply taking all the things his fabulous mother had earned and created.
With this stolen wealth, he wooed a beautiful woman and became a wealthy man in Escazu.
When questioned about his wealth, Stanislaus would falsely claim he was a self-made man.
Zarate grew tired of her son’s laziness, and cursed his unborn child to become even uglier.
The baby was born completely covered in black hair, with matching sharp black claws.
His face was that of a pig’s, and his ears were those of a rabbit’s. How hideous!
Both Stanislaus and the baby died shortly after the birth, both mortified by the other’s ugliness.
And so Zarate punished her mooching son, and cemented her status as a dangerous witch.
THANK YOU FOR READING! <3333
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