Saci-Pererê: Brazilian Myth

Saci-Pererê was a slave child on the first “black ship” to ever visit Brazil.  However, he was treacherously murdered, and powerful magic brought him back in his current form: a one-legged imp with magical powers.

Saci loves three things more than anything else: tobacco, puzzles, and tormenting travelers in the Brazilian wilderness–particularly Gerard van Oost and Oludara!  He can hop on his one leg faster than most people can run, and can even “hop” through space, teleporting from one place to another at will–a power which allows him to drop in on our duo much more often than they’d like.  He isn’t an official member of The Elephant and Macaw Banner, but don’t tell him that!

Saci-Pererê is undoubtedly the most famous character in Brazilian folklore, and is sometimes used as a symbol of the country itself.  In The Elephant and Macaw Banner series, the myth of Saci lives on, but with new dimensions to his history, powers, and personality.

Gerard and Oludara know the source of Saci’s power, but if you want to know as well, you’ll need to read “The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara”.  And for those who enjoyed the imp’s antics in the first story, don’t worry; you haven’t seen the last of Saci-Pererê!

(Pronunciation: Sah-SEE Peh-(d)eh-(D)AY .  In Portuguese, the “r”s are somewhere between English “r”s and “d”s)

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Saci Perere: Brazilian Myth

Saci Pererê is a very playful character in Brazilian mythology. The color of his skin is black and he has only one leg. He is always depicted smoking a large pipe. He wears a red pointed hat, which gives him magical powers like the ability to appear or disappear whenever he wants to.  He loves to play pranks like distracting people who are cooking so that the food burns on the stove. Some of his other pranks are to hide kitchen utensils, bang doors or letting animals penned in corrals loose. Another favorite of his is to startle travelers or hunters who venture alone in the forests, by whistling loudly in their ears. After this, he appears to them in a cloud of smoke, asking them to light his pipe. During full moon nights, he hops onto a horse and gallops merrily around the countryside.

According to legend, inside every small tornado that raises dust and sweeps everything it finds in its way, there is a Saci Perere. People say that if someone throws a rosary made of seeds inside the tornado, Saci Perere can be captured. By taking possession of his hat, the person can have any wish fulfilled.

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Curupira: Brazillian Guardian of the Forest

Curupira, from “curu”, abbreviation of “curumi” and “pora”, boy body. In some cases the Curupira is said to be a woman. She is the “Mother of the Weeds”, the Guardian of the Forest. He or she, protect the forest and the animals. You, that dare walk in the woods, be good to it and its inhabitants, or you will know the Curupira´s fury. Respect and be respected.

To protect the animals, Curupira always uses a thousand tricks, looking to mess up with the hunter´s perception, using shouts, moans, making the hunter think he is in the trail of a wild animal, but he is chasing the Curupira, and when he realizes it, he is lost in the forest. When a storm is coming, the Curupira runs through the forest, beating at the trunks of the trees, to make sure they are strong to support the storm. If he/she notices that some tree could be knocked down by the wind, he/she warns the animals to avoid the trees.

Curupira can cast speel on adults. In many counted cases, he/she “mundia” (cast spells) on the hunters who are in the forest, they try to leave the woods, but they can´t. They always notice that they are crossing the same places and walking in circles. Nearby, the Curupira is watching, many times laughing. He/she has an alternative: stop walking, get a liana piece and make a small ball. The liana must itself be weaved well hiding the tip so that it's very difficult to uncurl the hank. After this, the person must throw away the ball and shout: “I bet you can´t find out the tip!”. The “mundiada” (enchanted) person shall wait and do it again and again. Then, so curious is the Curupira, that he/she appear and gets the ball. He sits and tries to uncurl the ball, to find the tip and well, he forgets the mundiada person. The enchantment is broken and the hunter find his way home.

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The Curupira: Brazilian God

The Curupira (Portuguese pronunciation: [kuru'pire]) is a mythological creature of Brazilian folklore. This creature blends many features of West African and European fairies but was usually regarded as a demonic figure.

The name comes from the Tupi language kuru'pir, meaning "covered in blisters". According to the cultural legends, this creature has bright red/orange hair, and resembles a man or a dwarf, but its feet are turned backwards. Curupira lives in the forests of Brazil and uses its backward feet to create footprints that lead to its starting point, thus making hunters and travelers confused. Besides that, it can also create illusions and produce a sound that's like a high pitched whistle, in order to scare and drive its victim to madness. It is common to portray a Curupira riding a Collared peccary, much like another Brazilian creature called Caipora.

A Curupira will prey on poachers and hunters that take more than they need of the forest, and he also attacks people that hunt animals that were taking care of their offspring. There are many different versions of the legend, and so the creature's appearance and habits may vary from each region in Brazil. However, Curupira is considered a nationwide folkloric figure.

Saci: Brazilian God of Pranks

Saci (pronounced: [sa-si] or [se-si]) is a character commonly considered the best known character in Brazilian folklore.

He is a one-legged black or mulatto youngster with holes in the palms of his hands, who smokes a pipe and wears a magical red cap that enables him to disappear and reappear wherever he wishes (usually in the middle of a dust devil).

Considered an annoying prankster in most parts of Brazil, and a potentially dangerous and malicious creature in others, he nevertheless grants wishes to anyone who manages to trap him or steal his magic cap.

However, his cap is often depicted as having a bad smell. Most people who claimed to have stolen this cap say they can never wash the smell away.