THERE ARE MANY LEGENDS IN CHILE, ESPECIALLY ON THE ISLAND OF CHILOÉ, LOCATED TO THE SOUTH OF OUR COUNTRY.

EL TRAUCO IS
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MYTHICAL PLACES IN THE REGION.

IT TELLS THE STORY OF A MYTHOLOGICAL LITTLE MAN, 80 CENTIMETERS TALL, WHO IS SAID TO HAVE AN UGLY FACE BUT A SWEET
MANNER, WHICH MAKES HIM A FAVORITE OF THE WOMEN WHO SEE HIM. HE HAS NO LEGS AND IS DRESSED IN A SUIT WITH A HAT. HE
CARRIES A STONE AX IN HIS LEFT HAND AND WHEN HE MEETS A LONE WOMAN IN THE FOREST HE USES THE AX AS A CANE SO HE WON’T
BE AFRAID.

LEGEND HAS IT THAT THIS ONE NAMED TRAUCO LIVES AROUND THE HOUSES OF THE CHILOTES TO TAKE CARE OF THE WOMEN WHO
LOVE HIM. PARENTS FORBID THEIR DAUGHTERS FROM GOING ALONE TO THE FIRE OR GAME FOREST TO AVOID CONTACT WITH THE
ANIMAL. THIS LITTLE GUY ONLY STALKS WOMEN WHEN THEY GO ALONE, NEVER IN FRONT OF WITNESSES. WHEN HE SEES A LOVELY
WOMAN IN THE SNOW, HE QUICKLY DESCENDS AND STRIKES THE TREE THREE TIMES WITH HIS AX TO FRIGHTEN HER AWAY. WHEN THE
GIRL RECOVERED FROM HER FRIGHT, TRAUCO CAME TO HER SIDE AND GENTLY BLEW HIS CANE, BATHING THE WOMAN WITH HIS
BREATH, WHO COULD NOT RESIST HIS CHARM, FALLING INTO A DEEP SLEEP OF LOVE WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE.
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• UPON WAKING FROMTHE SPELL, THE GIRL RETURNED HOME COMPLETELY UNCONSCIOUS,
NOT KNOWING WHATHAD HAPPENED. AS THE MONTHS GO BY, THE VICTIM’S BODY BEGINS
TO EXPERIENCE CHANGES UNTIL THE EGG IS BORN NINE MONTHS LATER, THE RESULT OF THE
STRANGE LITTLE MAN’S SPELL.
•
• MANY PEOPLE IN THE AREA ACTUALLY BELIEVE THESE MYTHS AND LEGENDS AND CLAIM
THAT TRAUCO WAS PREGNANT, BUTOFTEN IT WAS JUST AN INFIDELITY OR UNPLANNED
PREGNANCY, THE CHILEAN WILL ALWAYS FIND AN EXCUSE TO SAVE ANY DIVINE ACT