El Silbón
If the whistle sounds close, breathe: he is far away. If it sounds far, pray.
| Also known as | The Whistler |
|---|---|
| Region | The Llanos (Venezuela and Colombia) |
| First sighting | Llanero oral tradition, 19th century |
| Type of creature | Spectre / soul in torment |
| Danger level | ☾☾☾☾☾ |
The cursed son
The legend tells of a spoiled boy who killed his father for failing to bring him what he wanted. His grandfather flogged him, rubbed hot chili into the wounds and set the tureco dog on him; his mother cursed him to carry forever a sack filled with his father's bones. Ever since, he has wandered the Llanos: a figure up to six metres tall, thin as a rod, with a wide-brimmed hat and the sack across his back.
The whistle that deceives
His signature is a whistle of seven notes — do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti — that mocks the ear: when it sounds near, El Silbón is far; when it sounds far, he is upon you. The plainsmen say he sits in at wakes to count his bones, and that if dawn catches you listening to the count, someone in the house will die. Drunkards and womanizers, they say, are his particular favourites.
How to escape him
Tradition offers three lifelines: the bark of a tureco dog, which reminds him of the bites of his punishment; hot chili, which sears his everlasting wounds; and the whip his grandfather flogged him with. That is why on the cattle ranches people still sleep with a dog nearby and chili hung by the door. On moonless nights out on the savanna, when the wind carries seven stray notes, no one steps outside to find out where they come from.