Tradition: Brazilian Mythology
Alternative Names: Tapir Nymph, Tapirê-Iauara, Tai-açu-iara
Category: River dweller
The Myth
The Tapirê-Iauara, also known as the Tapir Nymph, is a terrifying aquatic monster that inhabits the rivers and waterways of the Amazon. It prefers slow-moving waters near groves of aninga plants and palm trees, generally avoiding human settlements. Its body resembles an enormous jaguar about the size of a cow, covered in reddish, waterproof fur and crowned with a thick mane. Its most distinctive features are its enormous, drooping ears, which can reach half a meter in length and flap noisily against the water as it swims. Its body may be red, golden, or black with a cream-colored patch on its chest. Depending on the account, it has jaguar legs, donkey-like hooves, horse legs, duck feet, or large otter paws. Despite its name, it bears little resemblance to a tapir.
The Tapirê-Iauara is usually heard and smelled before it is seen. Its enormous ears slap against the water as it approaches, while its overpowering stench spreads through the surrounding area. At a distance, the smell is merely nauseating, but anyone caught close to the creature may faint or even die from the putrid odor. The monster can also mesmerize its prey, leaving victims motionless before it suddenly pounces. Its diet includes large fish, capybaras, caimans, and humans, making it a formidable predator of the Amazonian waterways.
Fishermen particularly fear the Tapirê-Iauara because it is attracted to fish catches and the foul breath produced by eating poorly cooked fish. It may approach a fishing boat to inspect the catch or attack the fishermen themselves. Fast, persistent, and difficult to kill, it weakens its victims with its stench before tearing them apart with its sharp teeth and claws. One fisherman reportedly had to fire twelve bullets from a small rifle into a pursuing Tapirê-Iauara before the beast finally died. Other fishermen have lost their catches to the monster, while some have been dragged into the river and devoured.
The creature’s foul odor is believed to possess a supernatural power beyond physical harm. In some accounts, the stench can cause a person’s shadow, and therefore their soul, to depart from their body. Anyone who suffers this fate becomes assombrado, a condition that can supposedly be reversed by inhaling the fumes of a fire made from leaves, sticks, and the bones of undercooked piranhas. The Tapirê-Iauara has two known weaknesses: it cannot climb trees, and it is repelled by caraña resin. Those who fear an encounter are advised to carry the resin and seek refuge in a sturdy tree, choosing secure branches in case the creature’s odor causes them to faint. Around Parintins, a similar monster called the Tai-açu-iara appears as a black, pig-like creature with jaguar paws and may be another form of the same beast.
Sources
“Tapirê-iauara.” A Book of Creatures. August 14, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/08/14/tapire-iauara/