Tradition / Region: Argentinian Mythology
Alternate Names: Devil Bull; Toro Supray
Category: Cow
The Myth
In the lands of Santiago del Estero, near the Saladillo River, people speak of a fearsome creature called the Toro el Súpay.
This bull is said to be enormous beyond any natural size. Its head appears partly human and partly bovine, set upon a strong upright neck. Its mane and tail bristle, and smoke pours from its nostrils. Some say its horns shine like gold, flashing in the light as it moves.
Though terrible to behold, the bull is not always a bringer of harm. It is believed to guard the herds of the one who owns it, ensuring that livestock thrive and multiply beyond ordinary fortune. Yet such prosperity is never free, for people say the owner must have made a pact with the Supay, the devil of the region.
The truth of this bond is revealed only when the master dies. At that moment, the Toro el Súpay gathers the soul of the dead and drives away every animal belonging to him. By dawn, while mourners may still sit beside the body, the corrals stand empty, and no beast remains.
Thus the Toro el Súpay is remembered as a bull of dark blessing, one that brings wealth in life but claims all in death, leaving behind only silence where herds once stood.
Gallery
Sources
Colombres, A. (1984). Seres sobrenaturales de la cultura popular argentina. Ediciones Del Sol, p. 48.
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive