acalica: a species of weather fairies native to Bolivia.
basajaun: huge hairy hominids that inhabit the dense forests of northern Spain (i.e., the Basque region). Often referred to as the “Lords of the Forest,” basajauns are talented farmers, millers, and blacksmiths.
bruja: a witch or sorceress.
El Cadejo: a supernatural creature created by God to protect mankind. It manifests itself in the form of an enormous white dog. Tales of its heroics and benevolence have been told all over Central and South America for many years.
calacas: undead skeletons sometimes depicted as ferriers of the dead in Mexican and Latino culture.
El Cambiador: an extraordinarily gifted crossbreed who can partially manifest any animal trait found in nature. Spanish for “the Morphling” or “the Changer.”
Cherufe: evil magma monsters that live deep inside active volcanoes in Chile. They are said to be responsible for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
chullachaquis: jungle dwarfs with the ability to take the form of both animals and humans. They are considered by many to be protectors of the Amazon. The only way to identify one is to keep an eye out for its backward foot.
comelenguas: literally translates to “tongue-eaters.” These giant birds feed primarily on the tongues of cattle. Most sightings have been reported in Honduras.
La Cuca: a legendary witch and bogeywoman known by many names (Coco, Cuco, Coca, Cucuy). Her stories were first told centuries ago in Portugal and Galicia, where she was described as a fire-breathing dragon.
duendes: a race of gnome-like beings found throughout Central and South America and the Iberian Peninsula.
La Fuente de la Juventud (the Fountain of Youth): a magical water source capable of granting immortality.
jentil (plural: jentilak): race of giants believed to dwell in the mountainous regions of northern Spain.
El Justo Juez: a legendary Salvadoran figure who prowls the night on horseback in search of evildoers. His name translates as “Righteous Judge,” and it is said that the night belongs to him and him alone.
La Llorona or “Weeping Woman”: the spirit of a once young and beautiful woman who, in a fit of jealous rage, drowned her two children to spite her cheating husband.
La Luz Mala: unnatural glowing orbs said to lead unsuspecting travelers into danger. Most often encountered in the swamplands and marshes of Uruguay and Argentina. The name literally means “Evil Light.”
Madremonte: the protector of the jungles and mountains of Colombia. “Mother Mountain” is considered by some to be the personification of nature itself and sometimes curses those who steal their neighbors’ land or harm animals.
muki: cave-dwelling goblinlike creatures found throughout South America. They possess the ability to transform rock into precious metals and are said to make pacts with miners—many times to the miners’ harm.
nahual: a shape-shifting witch or sorcerer capable of transforming itself into animals, most commonly large dogs, jaguars, or birds. Legends of the nahual first appear in Mesoamerican culture.
Oókempán: a species of ogres with turtlelike shells on their backs. In Argentina and Chile, it is believed that any child playing unsupervised is at risk of being kidnapped by these monsters.
La Sihuanaba: a shape-shifting horse-faced demon. She preys primarily on disobedient children and unfaithful men. She is known by many names (Cigua in Honduras, Segua in Costa Rica, and Siguanaba in El Salvador), and her legend is told almost everywhere Spanish is spoken.
El Sombrerón: a fearsome bogeyman known throughout Guatemala and Mexico for braiding hair (both human and animal), wearing a ridiculously oversize hat, and serenading young maidens with his fabled silver guitar.
tartalos: a race of cave-dwelling one-eyed giants native to the Basque region of Spain. They are known for eating a sheep a day.
El Tucano-yúa: known in Brazil as the bird of the evil eye. Its beak is said to be so deadly that it can kill both humans and animals simply by being pointed at them.
zips: shy, spear-wielding, fairylike creatures most often spotted protecting herds of deer in Central America.