Argentinian Mythology Archives

Tradition / Region: Mapuche mythology, Chilean Mythology, Argentinian Mythology
Alternate Names: Guruvilu, Guirivilu, Ngarrafilu, Fox-Serpent
Category: Fox

The Myth

Among the Mapuche people there is a feared creature of the waters known as the Nguruvilu, whose name means “fox-serpent.” It is said to dwell in rivers, lakes, and dark channels where the current slows and deepens.

The creature is described as having the head of a fox or wildcat, with the body of a serpent or a small animal stretched long and thin. Its most terrible feature is its tail, long and powerful, tipped with claws. With this tail it snatches those who wade into the water, dragging them beneath the surface to drown or drink their blood.

People say the Nguruvilu waits in hidden places such as whirlpools, backwaters, or river crossings. Sometimes it makes the water seem shallow and safe, tempting travelers and herds to cross. But when they step into the river, the monster coils around them or their horses and pulls them down into the depths.

Stories tell of riders who scoffed at warnings and lost their animals in the river, barely escaping with their lives. Others say the creature grips people as though holding reins, controlling them like a rider controls a horse. Only with a sharp knife and great strength can one cut free from its grasp.

In some places it is said that the spirit of evil itself can take the form of the Nguruvilu. In others, it is believed the creature’s life rests in its tail, and that if the tail is cut off, the monster will die.

Because of this, people once avoided bathing or fording rivers where it was thought to dwell, choosing instead to cross by boat. Thus the Nguruvilu was remembered as a guardian of dangerous waters — a fox-headed serpent that waits beneath the surface, turning quiet rivers into places of fear.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Nguruvilu. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguruvilu.

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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.