Some social media users condemned the incident as superstition gone wrong, leading to animal cruelty. The villagers said the owl was really a lechuza and its screams as it was being burned were the witch screaming. An entertaining bilingual picture book featuring a spooky character from Mexican-American folklore. In August 2014, a video of Mexican villagers interrogating and burning an owl alive went viral. Zulema and the Witch Owl / Zulema y la Bruja Lechuza kids book from the leading digital reading platform with a collection of 40000+ books from 250+ of the. Giant birds have been reported in the area, and legends from Native American tribes north of Texas also incorporate giant birds (e.g., thunderbirds).įearers of the lechuza have taken action against actual owls. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for La Lechuza Painting - YOU PICK Shapeshifter Owl Woman - Witch - Bruja - Buho at the best. Tales of Lechuza are quite popular in Mexico and Texas. The exact origin of the lechuza legend is unknown, though it is possible that an actual giant owl was the inspiration for the story. Lechuza are either shape-shifting witches or spirits in Hispanic folklore. Stories of the lechuza are thought to have been around since the Spanish colonized Mexico. Various methods are claimed to protect against the lechuza: tying seven knots in a rope and hanging it by the front door, throwing salt and chili powder into the bird’s face, shooting the bird, or reciting the Magnificat, a Christian prayer to the Virgin Mary. Some legends state that multiple women act as La Lechuza in their territories, flying through the night to find prey. However, she can be identified by her head, which is that of a hideous old woman. It is said that a lechuza, or owl, specifically a white owl, is a bruja or witch that has taken the form of this owl. I’ve heard several people describe it as a witch who transforms into a massive owl over 7 feet tall sometimes. There are small owls that are believed to be witches, but the legend of la lechuza is one giant owl. As a result, she can transform into a large bird. La lechuza is an old witch (bruja) who sold her soul to the devil in exchange of magical powers. She lures her targets, often children or drunk people, out of houses by crying like a baby or by swooping down on cars late at night. La Lechuza is an old witch (bruja) who sold her soul to the devil in exchange of magical powers. Sometimes the owl is variously depicted as black or white and sometimes with the head of the old woman.Įxactly what the lechuza does to exact revenge varies widely across tellings of the story, though most reference the lechuza carrying away unsuspecting prey to her lair. In Texas' Rio Grande Valley, there's a well-known tale of a. As the story goes, an old woman shape-shifts into a giant owl, La Lechuza, to take revenge on people who wronged her during her life. In this story about the consequences of being mean to others, Zulema learns something about herself and possibly her grandmother too.Lechuza-a Spanish word for a type of owl, especially the barn owl-is a myth popular throughout northern Mexico and Texas. When Grandma Sabina comes to live with the family, the first thing Zulema says to her is, ”You sure look old and ugly.” Grandma Sabina warns her granddaughter about the Witch Owl who prowls the night looking for mean children, but Zulema laughs defiantly at such a preposterous tale.
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