History Myth / BrazilianFolklore

'''Tutu Marambá''': Tutu Marambá is a character featured in lullabies meant to scare children into sleeping, such as this: "Bicho-tutu, sai de cima do telhado, Deixa esse menino dormir sossegado" [[note]] Tutu, get off the roof, let this boy sleep peacefully [[/note]]. He is described as a strong, hairy and ugly ogre-like creature that devours kids that don't go to sleep. In some regions he is described as having traits of a peccary.

It is believed this myth comes a real-life french general called Pedro or [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Labatut Pierre Labatut]], an important military man who fought in the Brazillian War of Independence in the nineteenth century. He is said to have been so needlessly violent and brutal to his own army that local folklore made him into a monster.

Most notably, the lobisomem traditionally doesn't become a wolf[[note]]different from Portugal, there aren't true wolves in Brazil (though there are similar canids, such as the Maned Wolf)[[/note]], but farm animals, normally the ones that wallowed upon the crossroads in which he transforms on. It normally is of a large dog, but one of the most common forms is of a mix between a dog and a pig, with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], black fur, long ears and [[EvilSmellsBad putrid odor]], and other stories telling about donkeys, bulls and male sheep aren't unheard of; the more animals in the mixture, the more powerful the werewolf is. It should be noticed, however, that this is more restricted to traditional versions, and more modern and urban myths have been influenced by the european and Hollywood versions.

Each night the headless mule has to run through seven parishes until it goes back to human form. The only way of avoiding her is by crounching, hiding your nails, closing your eyes and waiting until she goes away. Her curse is only lifted if someone manages to remove her tack or draw her blood with a needle, which turns her back into a woman.

The Cuca is strongly associated with the mind, fears, dreams and nightmares. She is also the subject of the popular lullaby "Nana neném que a Cuca vem pegar, papai foi para a roça, mamãe foi trabalhar."[[note]]"Sleep baby, that the Cuca is coming to get you, daddy went to the farm and mommy went to work."[[/note]]

In Brazil it is said that the seventh child of the same gender in a row would become a Lobisomem. Or a boy born after seven daughters, or the eighth child of a couple regardless of gender. Rather than transforming during a full moon, the Lobisomem changes during a Friday, midnight, at a crossroads. Then it sets out to kill animals and people for food, especially unbabtized children. Before morning dawns, it goes back to the same crossroads to return to human form. During the Lent, though, their transformations happen with more frequency and they get more agressive, especially at the Good Friday.

Most notably, the lobisomem traditionally doesn't become a wolf[[note]]different from Portugal, there aren't true wolves in Brazil (though there are similar canids, such as the Maned Wolf)[[/note]], but farm animals, normally the ones that wallowed upon the crossroads in which he transforms on. One of the most common is a mix between a dog and a pig, with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], black fur and [[EvilSmellsBad putrid odor]], but other stories telling about donkeys, bulls and male sheep aren't unheard of; the more animals in the mixture, the more powerful the werewolf is. It should be noticed, however, that this is more restricted to traditional versions, and more modern and urban myths have been influenced by the european and Hollywood versions.

'''Tutu Marambá''': Tutu Marambá is a character featured in lullabies meant to scare children into sleeping. He is described as a strong, hairy and ugly ogre-like creature that devours kids that don't go to sleep. In some regions he is described as having traits of a peccary.

It is said the leg is from the Devil himself, getting out of Hell to harm the living. Other versions say it was the leg of a cruel man who kicked his own mother to death, and after his own, his leg continued to torment people at night. Curiously, the myth came from a joke in the radio station of the city during the 1970's, in which a guard finds out [[BedroomAdulteryScene a hairy leg coming from under the bed of his wife]]. The joking report ended up being interpreted as a monster by the population and, with time, gained its own characteristics and identity in oral tradition, until it became an urban legend of its own. To this day, the Leg is rather famous in Recife, inspiring many Livros de Cordel/String Books. [[note]] a popular literary genre, many times encompassing oral stories written in rhymes, common in the Northeast region [[/note]]

'''Quibungo''': A monster similar to the boogeyman of african origins, common in the state of Bahia. He is a creature part man and part animal, compared to either a dog or a monkey, with an enourmous mouth on its back that opens as he lowers and lifts his head, and uses it to devour misbehaving children whole. Despite its ferocity, it isn't said to be particularly smart or brave, being easily scared or killed with normal weapons, and will fled with fear at the sign of a fight.

* The Brazilian series Invisible City is basically about local folklore.

Despite its popularity, the legend is most likely a [[NewerThanTheyThink modern reinterpretation]] of the myth, since it is believed Iara has roots in the european legends of mermaids brought during portuguese colonization, instead of native culture alone, as her first stories only appeared around the seventeenth century. Iara, therefore, would have come from european legends associated with indigenous culture. Native people did have a man-eating river creature called Ipupiara, but different from Iara, they were monsters with fur and whiskers that used violence instead of seduction to devour their victims.

In Brazil it is said that the seventh child of the same gender in a row would become a Lobisomem. Or a boy born after seven daughters, or the eighth child of a couple regardless of gender. Rather than transforming during a full moon, the Lobisomem changes during a Friday, midnight, at a crossroads. Then it sets out to kill animals and people for food, especially unbabtized children. Before morning dawns, it goes back to the same crossroads to return to human form.

Most notably, the lobisomem traditionally doesn't become a wolf[[note]]different from Portugal, there aren't true wolves in Brazil, though there are similar canids, such as the Maned Wolf[[/note]], but farm animals, normally the ones that wallowed upon the crossroads in which he transforms on. One of the most common is a mix between a dog and a pig, with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], black fur and putrid odor, but other stories telling about donkeys, bulls and male sheep aren't unheard of; the more animals in the mixture, the more powerful the werewolf is. It should be noticed, however, that this is more restricted to traditional versions, and more modern and urban myths have been influenced by the european and Hollywood versions.

'''Matinta-Pereira''': An old witch from the northern region of the country who can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn herself into a bird]], normally an american barn owl. She uses this power to fly to the roof of houses at night and make an unbearable screeching, until someone promises to give her a gift at morning so she would let them sleep. She then appears in the next day in human form and asks for the gift, normally food, coffee, alcohol or tobacco — if the promise is kept, the Matinta goes away. But if not, she curses the house with misfortune, possibly causing disease or even death. Some versions say she doesn't become the bird herself, but trained one to use in her plans.

'''Labatut''': A humanoid man-eating monster in the Northeast region with long and hard hair across its body, round feet, one single eye on its forehead and tusks in its mouth, similar to those of an elephant. He roams cities at night looking for people to eat, stopping at doors to hear if someone is whispering or whistling inside, so that he will promptly devour them, with a preference for [[ChildEater children]] due to they having softer meat. He is accompanied by a strong gale and said to be worse than the Werewolf, the Headless Mule, the Caipora and even the Devil.

It is believed this myth comes a real-life french general called Pedro or [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Labatut Pierre Labatut]], an important military man who fought in the Brazillian War of Independence in the nineteenth century. He is said to have been so needlessly violent and brutal to his own army that folklore made him into a monster.

** The Cuca is an interesting example, her depiction as an old hag and as a nocturnal creature comes from different association of the word Coca (her original Portuguese name and similar sounding words from Native-Brazilian and African languages.

* RedEyesTakeWarning: The werewolf and the female stomper are sometimes said to have these.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Many myths are said to be able to change forms: the matinta-pereira can turn into a bird, the boto can turn into a handsome man at night, the caboclo d'água is able to shapeshift into logs or dead horses floating in the water to lure their victims, and Saci sometimes is said to become a bird. Moreover, the bird ''Tapera naevia'' is popularly known as Saci or Matinta-Pereira in Brazil.

Most notably, the lobisomem traditionally doesn't become a wolf[[note]]different from Portugal, there aren't true wolves in Brazil, though there are similar canids, such as the Maned Wolf[[/note]], but farm animals, normally the ones that wallowed upon the crossroads in which he must transform on. One of the most common is a mix between a dog and a pig, with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], black fur and putrid odor, but other stories telling about donkeys, bulls and male sheep aren't unheard of; the more animals in the mixture, the more powerful the werewolf is. It should be noticed, however, that this is more restricted to traditional versions, and more modern and urban myths have been influenced by the european and Hollywood versions.

'''Tutu Murambá''': Tutu Murambá is a character featured in lullabies meant to scare children into sleeping. He is described as a strong, hairy and ugly ogre-like creature that devours kids that don't go to sleep. In some regions he is described as having traits of a peccary.

'''Labatut''': A humanoid man-eating monster in the Northeast region with long and hard hair across its body, round feet, one eye on its forehead and tusks in its mouth, similar to those of an elephant. He roams cities at night looking for people to eat, stopping at doors to hear if someone is whispering or whistling inside, so that he will promptly devour them, with a preference for [[ChildEater children]] due to they having softer meat. He is accompanied by a strong gale and said to be worse than the Werewolf, the Headless Mule, the Caipora and even the Devil.

It is believed this myth comes a real-life french general called Pedro or [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Labatut Pierre Labatut]], an important military man who fought in the Brazillian War of Independence in the nineteenth century. He is said to have been so needlessly violent and brutal to his own army that folklore made him into a cruel monster.

'''Cumacanga/Curaganga''': A floating head with fiery hair, that crosses the air like a fire globe. Depending on the version, the Cumacanga or Curacanga is either a woman who becomes romantically involved with a priest, the daughter of their forbidden love, or the seventh female child of any family.

'''Caboclo d'Água (Man from the Water) '''[[note]]the word "caboclo" in Brazil means the descendant of europeans and natives, though it can also sometimes be used to refer to natives in general or people in the countryside. In the context, in a nutshell, it is being used as a broad term for men[[/note]]: Also called Negro d'Água (black man from the water), he is a strong humanoid river creature who perturbs fishermen and ferrymen by making them fail to catch fish, turning over their boats or even drowning people. The appearance of the creature can vary, but it is normally a [[FishPeople fish man]] covered by copper-colored scales or fur and with membranes on its fingers, sometimes one-eyed. He can be avoided by sticking an [[ColdIron iron or steel blade]] at the bottom of the boat, painting a star of David at the hull, or by decorating the bow of the canoe with a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carranca Carranca]], a frightful statue traditionally used to scare away evil spirits from the river, what includes the Caboclo. The myth is famous across the river São Francisco, one of the most important rivers of the country, at the Northeaast region, and the carrancas are a cultural tradition across the place.

* MagicalSeventhSon: In many versions, the origin of Lobisomens, if it is male, and witches and Cumagangas, if it is female.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Many myths are said to be able to change forms: the matinta-pereira can turn into a bird, the boto can turn into a handsome man at night, the caboclo d'água is able to shapeshift into logs or dead horses floating in the water to lure their victims, and Saci sometimes is said to become a bird. Moreover, the bird ''Tapera naevia'' is popularly known as Saci or Matinta-Pereira.

* BagOfHolding: In one folktale, the Curupira helps a misafortuned fisherman who explains he was trying to feed his family. He catches lots of fish, and then makes a small basket that magically held all of them to help the man, under the condition that he wouldn't open it until he got home. The fishermen thankfully agreed, but wondering how the Curupira would be able to put so many fish inside of something so small half-way, checked the basket, only for it to be dismatled and all of the fish to fall on the ground.

* {{NatureHero}}/{{NatureSpirit}}: Curupira, Caipora and Fulozinha. Iara and the Gourd-Head are also this in the sense that they protect specific rivers.

* RuleofSeven: The number seven appears in many myths. With the werewolf, for example, the man is cursed if it is born as the seventh child, makes seven knots on its shirt when take it out in order to transform, and must run through seven cemeteries, seven churches or seven parishes every friday.

'''Cumacanga/Curaganca''': A floating head with fiery hair, that crosses the air like a fire globe. Depending on the version, the Cumacanga or Curacanga is either a woman who becomes romantically involved with a priest, the daughter of their forbidden love, or the seventh female child of any family.

'''Caboclo d'Água (Man from the Water) '''[[note]]the word "caboclo" in Brazil means the descendant of europeans and natives, though it can also sometimes be used to refer to natives in general or people in the countryside. In the context, in a nutshell, it is being used as a broad term for men[[/note]]: Also called Negro d'Água (black man from the water), he is a strong humanoid river creature who perturbs fishermen and ferrymen by making them fail to catch fish, turning over their boats or even drowning people, common in the river São Francisco, one of the most important rivers in the country. The appearance of the creature can vary, but it is normally a [[FishPeople fish man]] covered by copper-colored scales or fur and with membranes on its fingers, sometimes one-eyed. He can be avoided by sticking an [[ColdIron iron or steel blade]] at the bottom of the boat, painting a star of David at the hull or by decorating the bow with a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carranca Carranca]], a frightful statue traditionally used to scare away evil spirits from the river, what includes the Caboclo.

However, it is also possible to make deals with the creature as well to soothe its anger, offering oblations of alcohol, tobacco or food in exchange for permission to use the river. If treated with respect, he may even help to catch fish.

----

'''Matinta-Pereira''': An old witch from the northern region of the country who can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn herself into a bird]], normally an american barn owl. She uses this power to fly to the roof of houses at night and make an unbearable screeching, until someone promises to give her a gift at morning so she would let them sleep, normally food, coffee, alcohol or tobacco. She then appears in the next day in human form and asks for the gift - if the promise is kept, the Matinta goes away, but if not, she curses the house with misfortune, possibly causing disease or even death. Some versions say she doesn't become the bird herself, but trained one to use in her plans.

* DysfunctionalFamily: The Gourd-Head killed his mother accidentally, Norato had to kill his evil sister, Iara's brothers tried to kill her and her father did kill her for killing them in self-defense. And then there's Romãozinho, who manipulated his father into killing his mother.

'''Caboclo d'Água (Man from the Water) '''[[note]]the word "caboclo" in Brazil means the descendant of europeans and natives, though it can also sometimes be used to refer to natives in general or people in the countryside. In the context, in a nutshell, it is being used as a broad term for men[[/note]]: Also called Negro d'Água (black man from the water), he is a strong humanoid river creature who perturbs fishermen and ferrymen by making them fail to catch fish, turning over their boats or even drowning people, common in the river São Francisco, one of the most important rivers in the country. The appearance of the creature can vary, but it is normally a [[Fish People fish man]] covered by copper-colored scales or fur and with membranes on its fingers, sometimes one-eyed. He can be avoided by sticking an [[ColdIron iron or steel blade]] at the bottom of the boat or by decorating the bow with a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carranca Carranca]], a frightful statue traditionally used to scare away evil spirits from the river, what includes the Caboclo.

However, it is possible to make deals with the creature as well, offering oblations of alcohol, tobacco or food in exchange for permission to use the river. If treated with respect, he may even help to catch fish.

Despite its popularity, that legend is most likely a [[NewerThanTheyThink modern reinterpretation]] of the myth, since it is believed Iara has roots in the european legends of mermaids brought during portuguese colonization, instead of native culture alone, as her first stories only appeared around the seventeenth century. Iara, therefore, would have come from european legends associated with indigenous culture. Native people did have a man-eating river creature called Ipupiara, but different from Iara, they were monsters with fur and whiskers that used violence instead of seduction to devour their victims.

Despite its popularity, that legend is most likely a [[NewerThanTheyThink modern reinterpretation]] of the myth, since it is believed Iara has roots in the european legends of mermaids brought during portuguese colonization, instead of native culture alone, as her first stories only appeared around the seventh century. Iara, therefore, would have come from european legends associated with indigenous culture. Native people did have a man-eating river creature called Ipupiara, but different from Iara, they were monsters with fur and whiskers that used violence instead of seduction to devour their victims.

'''Mula-sem-cabeça (Headless Mule)''': If a woman gets romantically involved with a priest, she is turned into a headless mule, either immediately or after she dies. The animal has a flame coming out of the hole in its neck and wanders the countryside haunting whoever it finds.

Each night the headless mule has to run through seven parishes until it goes back to human form. Her curse is only lifted if someone manages to remove her tack or draw her blood with a needle, which turns her back into a woman.

'''Perna Cabeluda (Hairy Leg)''': [[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin An autonomous leg with dark fur]] that haunts the streets of Recife, in Pernambuco, as well as nearby states, hopping around at night. Some versions also say it has an eye or a mouth on its knee. It attacks its victim, normally drunks or adulterers, though passersby might be chosen as well, by making them trip and violently kicking them, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness.

It is said the leg is from the Devil himself, getting out of Hell to harm the living. Other versions say it was the leg of a cruel man who kicked his own mother to death, and after his own, his leg continued to torment people at night. Curiously, the myth came from a joke in the radio station of the city during the 1970's, in which a guard finds out[[BedroomAdulteryScene a hairy leg coming from under the bed of his wife]]. The joking report ended up being interpreted as a monster by the population and, with time, gained its own characteristics and identity in oral tradition, until it became an urban legend of its own. To this day, the Leg is rather famous in Recife, inspiring many Livros de Cordel/String Books. [[note]] a popular literary genre, many times encompassing oral stories written in rhymes, common in the Northeast region [[/note]]

'''Hairy Leg'''': [[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin An autonomous leg with dark fur]] that haunts the streets of Recife, in Pernambuco, as well as nearby states, hopping around at night. Some versions also say it has an eye or a mouth on its knee. It attacks its victim, normally drunks or adulterers, though passersby might be chosen as well, by making them trip and violently kicking them, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness.

It is said the leg is from the Devil himself, getting out of Hell to harm the living. Other versions say it was the leg of a cruel man who kicked his own mother to death, and after his own, his leg continued to torment people at night. Curiously, the myth came from a joke in the radio station of the city during the 1970's, in which a guard finds out[[BedroomAdulteryScene a hairy leg coming from under the bed of his wife]]. The joking report ended up being interpreted as a monster by the population and, with time, gained its own characteristics and identity in oral tradition, until it became an urban legend of its own. To this day, the Leg is rather famous in Recife, inspiring many Livros de Cordel/String Books. [[note]] a popular literary genre, many times encompassing oral stories in rhymes, common in the Northeast region [[/note]]

'''Mula sem-cabeça (Headless Mule)''': If a woman gets romantically involved with a priest, she is turned into a headless mule, either immediately or after she dies. The animal has a flame coming out of the hole in its neck and wanders the countryside haunting whoever it finds.

Most notably, the lobisomem traditionally doesn't become a wolf[[note]]different from Portugal there aren't true wolves in Brazil, though there are similar canids such as the Maned Wolf[[/note]], but farm animals, normally the ones that wallowed upon the crossroads in which he transforms on. The most common is a mix between a dog and a pig, with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], black fur and putrid odor, but other stories telling about donkeys, bulls and male sheep aren't unheard of; the more animals in the mixture, the more powerful the werewolf is. It should be noticed, however, that this is more restricted to traditional versions, and more modern and urban myths have been influenced by the european and Hollywood versions.

Most notably, the lobisomem traditionally doesn't become a wolf[[note]]different from Portugal there aren't true wolves in Brazil, though there are similar canids such as the Maned Wolf[[note]], but farm animals, normally the ones that wallowed upon the crossroads in which he transforms on. The most common is a mix between a dog and a pig, with [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], black fur and putrid odor, but other stories telling about donkeys, bulls and male sheep aren't unheard of; the more animals in the mixture, the more powerful the werewolf is. It should be noticed, however, that this is more restricted to traditional versions, and more modern and urban myths have been influenced by the european and Hollywood versions.

'''Matinta-Pereira''': An old witch from the northen region of the country who can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn herself into a bird]], normally an american barn owl. She uses this power to fly to the roof of houses at night and make an unbearable screeching, until someone promises to give her a gift at morning so she would let them sleep, normally food, coffee, alcohol or tobacco. She then appears in the next day in human form and asks for the gift - if the promise is kept, the Matinta goes away, but if not, she curses the house with misfortune, possibly causing disease or even death. Some versions say she doesn't become the bird herself, but trained one to use in her plans.

'''Matinta-Pereira''': An old witch from the northen region of the country who can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn herself into a bird]], normally an american barn owl. She uses this power to fly to the roof of houses at night and make an unbearable screeching, until someone promises to give her a gift at morning so she would stop, normally food, alcohol or tobacco. She then appears in the next day in human form and asks for the gift - if the promise is kept, the Matinta goes away, but if not, she curses the house with misfortune, possibly causing disease or even death. Some versions say she doesn't become the bird herself, but trained one to use in her plan.

Despite its popularity, that legend is most likely a [[NewerThanTheyThink modern reinterpretation]] of the myth, since it is believed Iara has roots in the european legends of mermaids brought during portuguese colonization, instead of native culture alone, as her first stories only appeared around the 17th century. Iara, therefore, would have come from european legends associated with indigenous culture. Native people did have a man-eating river creature called Ipupiara, but different from Iara, they were monsters with fur and whiskers that used violence instead of seduction to devour their victims.

There are many ways of avoiding, curing or killing a werewolf, but most aren't easy. Depending on the version, to lift the curse away, it is necessary to skewer the creature with the thorn of an orange tree planted in a cemetery or on a Friday, or to hit it in a specific point at its head. To face it, one can bring it down by shooting it with a bullet wrapped in the wax of a candle used in three masses or [[ColdIron fighting it with a blade of iron or steel.]] The latter is dangerous on its own, however, as the blood of the lobisomem is said to spread the curse to whoever enters in contact with it.

'''Mapinguari''': A cryptid said to live in the Amazon jungle. The Mapinguari is described as having characteristics of a ground sloth, and an anteater, as well as bright red fur. It is sometimes described, instead, as a giant fur-covered humanoid with a [[{{Cyclops}} single eye]] and a [[BellyMouth mouth in its belly]], that attacks and devours those that wander into the forest alone. Similar to Capelobo, it can only be defeated by attacking its bellybutton.

----

Despite its popularity, the legend is most likely a [[NewerThanTheyThink modern reinterpretation]] of the myth, since it is believed Iara has roots in the european legends of mermaids brought during portuguese colonization, instead of native culture alone, as her first stories only appeared around the 17th century. Iara, therefore, would have come from european legends associated with indigenous culture. Native people did have a man-eating river creature called Ipupiara, but different from Iara, they were monsters with fur and whiskers that used violence instead of seduction to devour their victims.

'''Mapinguari''': A cryptid said to live in the Amazon jungle. The Mapinguari is described as having characteristics of a ground sloth, and an anteater, as well as bright red fur. It is sometimes described, instead, as a giant fur-covered humanoid with a [[{{Cyclops}} single eye]] and a [[BellyMouth mouth in its belly]], that attacks and devours those that wander into the forest alone. Similar to Capelogo, it can only be defeated by attacking its bellybutton.

Each night the headless mule has to run through seven parishes. Her curse is only lifted if someone manages to remove her tack or draw her blood with a needle, which turns her back into a woman.

According to some versions the Saci must be lured with fubá (a type of corn flour) and captured in a bottle, instead. While others claim he CannotCrossRunningWater.

The most well known legend about her origins tells that Iara was a native woman and a peerless warrior. Her two brothers were jealous of her skills, and ambushed her to try and kill her. Iara defended herself and killed them both. Her father, mad with anger, punished her by throwing her at the convergence of the rivers Negro and Solimões, leaving her to drown. But she was saved by local fish (or by the Tupi moon goddess [[{{Lunacy}} Jaci]]), and assumed her current form. Despite its popularity, the legend is most likely a [[NewerThanTheyThink modern reinterpretation]] of the myth, since it is believed Iara has roots in the european legends of mermaids brought during portuguese colonization instead of native culture alone, as her first stories only appeared around the 17th century. Iara, therefore, would have come from european legends associated with indigenous culture. Native people did have a river creature called Ipupiara, but different from Iara, they were monsters with fur and whiskers that used violence instead of seduction to devour their victims.

In Brazil it is said that the seventh child of the same gender in a row would become a Lobisomem. Or a boy born after seven daughters, or the eighth child of a couple regardless of gender. Rather than transforming during a full moon, the Lobisomem changes during a Friday, midnight, at a crossroads. Then it sets out to kill animals and people for food. Before morning dawns, it goes back to the same crossroads to return to human form.

'''Mapinguari''': A cryptid said to live in the Amazon jungle. The Mapinguari is described as having characteristics of a ground sloth, and an anteater, as well as bright red fur. It is sometimes described, instead, as a giant fur-covered humanoid with a [[{{Cyclops}} single eye]] and a [[BellyMouth mouth in its belly]], that attacks and devours those that wander into the forest alone.

* MassivelyNumberedSiblings: In some versions, the cause of a Cumaganca or Lobisomem.

The most well known legend about her origins tells that Iara was a native woman and a peerless warrior. Her two brothers were jealous of her skills, and ambushed her to try and kill her. Iara defended herself and killed them both. Her father, mad with anger, punished her by throwing her at the convergence of the rivers Negro and Solimões, leaving her to drown. But she was saved by local fishes (or by the Tupi moon goddess [[{{Lunacy}} Jaci]]), and assumed her current form.

Thus, the curse was broken and the couple left the cave. They married and lived happily ever after, and are said to have introduced the [[MixedAncestry Iberian-Amerindian descent]] to the southern people.

'''[[OurZombiesAreDifferent Corpo Seco (Dry Body)]]''': A man who was [[CompleteMonster so evil]] during his lifetime that neither God nor the Devil would take him, and even the earth rejected him. One day he leaves his grave, his body dried and thin, but never decomposing, with long hair and nails. The Dry Body is doomed to wander and haunt the living whenever night falls. During daytime, they hide inside caves and passer-bys can sometimes hear their bone-chilling screams.

'''Papa-figo (Liver-eater)''': The Papa-figo looks just like a normal person (althought it's sometimes depicted with sharp claws and fangs). He hunts down children who tell lies and drains their blood and eat their livers. He does so because he suffers from a rare disease (Often considered to be leprosy or Chagas disease), and believes children's blood and livers could heal him. This legend was born during the beginning of the twentieth century, when these diseases claimed several lives in Brazil.

* Monteiro Lobato's [[Literature/SitioDoPicapauAmarelo O Saci]] is largely responsible for popularizing the Cuca in Brazil. Other folkloric beings, including the titular Saci, are also featured.

'''Mapinguari''': A cryptid said to live in the Amazon jungle. The Mapinguari is described as having characteristics of a ground sloth, and an anteater, as well as bright red fur. It is sometimes described, instead, as a giant fur-covered humanoid with a [[{{Cyclops single eye}}]] and a [[{{BellyMouth mouth in its belly}}]], that attacks and devours those that wander into the forest alone.