Tradition: Brazilian Mythology, Paraguayan Mythology, Guyana Mythology
Alternative Names: Currupira, Korupira
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Curupira is a small, humanoid forest spirit known for its unusual appearance and backward-facing feet. Its feet point in the opposite direction from those of an ordinary human, allowing it to leave footprints that mislead trackers. It is commonly described as a short Indigenous-looking figure, sometimes bald on the head but covered in long, shaggy body hair. Some accounts give it enormous ears and blue or green teeth, while others describe a bright red face, cloven feet, or a single eye. Its hair is sometimes portrayed as red or orange, although this feature may reflect confusion with another Brazilian forest spirit, the Caipora. The Curupira’s appearance varies considerably between regions.

The Curupira inhabits forests across Brazil, Paraguay, and the Guianas, where it acts as a guardian of the natural world. It punishes people who recklessly cut down trees or exploit the forest. One of its characteristic tricks is to make intruders lose their way, causing them to wander endlessly among the trees without finding their way home. Its backward-facing footprints make it especially difficult to follow its movements: anyone attempting to track or escape the creature may instead find themselves following it deeper into the wilderness. The Curupira can also cause nightmares, inspire troubling thoughts, and sow distrust and discord between people.

The Curupira’s temperament differs between accounts. Early Jesuit descriptions from São Paulo portray it as a feared supernatural being capable of inflicting terrible injuries, whose favour could be secured through offerings. In other traditions, it appears as a mischievous trickster that sometimes bungles its schemes and allows humans to outsmart it. Despite this more playful portrayal, it remains dangerous, capable of causing misfortune and death. Its ability to confuse and deceive people has also led to its association with lies and misleading thoughts.

According to some traditions, the Curupira has a wife and children who live inside the hollow trunks of dead trees. Its female relatives are described as having long hair, and the family sometimes enters cultivated fields to steal manioc. Other accounts portray its wife as an ugly, malicious woman who assists in its misdeeds. Some versions even identify the youngest child as Saci, another well-known figure in Brazilian folklore. The Curupira is also sometimes depicted riding a deer, rabbit, pig, or peccary, and in stories from Pernambuco it may be accompanied by a dog named Papa-mel.

Hunters can sometimes appease the Curupira by leaving offerings of tobacco or cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugarcane. The creature is particularly fond of tobacco and may reward hunters who provide it, although they are expected to keep the arrangement secret from their wives. These offerings reflect the belief that the forest spirit can be approached through respect and gifts, even though its behaviour remains unpredictable.

As a guardian of the forest, the Curupira embodies both the dangers of the wilderness and the consequences of exploiting it. It protects trees and wildlife by confusing, frightening, or punishing those who abuse the natural environment. Its backward feet, deceptive tricks, and shifting appearance make it a formidable opponent for anyone who enters the forest without respect for the supernatural forces believed to dwell there.

Sources

“Curupira.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curupira

Tradition / Region: Paraguay Mythology, Brazilian Mythology, Argentine Mythology
Alternative names: Pomberito, Karai Pyhare, Pyrague, Kuarahy Jára, Cho Pombé, Lord of the Night
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Pombero is a mysterious nocturnal being that inhabits forests, abandoned houses, barns, and lonely rural places throughout the Guaraní-speaking world. Usually active after dark, he is known as the Lord of the Night and is one of the most feared and respected figures in Paraguayan folklore.

He is commonly described as a short, ugly humanoid with extremely short arms and hairy hands and feet. His feet allow him to move silently through the forest, while the touch of his hairy hands is said to send a cold shiver through those he touches. The Pombero possesses many supernatural abilities, including invisibility and the power to squeeze through impossibly narrow openings.

Before appearing, he often announces his presence with strange whistles and the songs of nocturnal birds, which he can imitate perfectly. Because of this, he is regarded as a protector of birds and is said to punish children who hunt them with slingshots.

Although generally considered a mischievous spirit rather than an outright monster, the Pombero delights in causing trouble. He steals eggs, honey, and chickens, scatters grain and food stores, releases livestock, and frightens horses so that riders are thrown to the ground.

He is also associated with mysterious pregnancies and is sometimes blamed for fathering children born unusually hairy or unattractive. In darker traditions, he is said to kidnap lonely or ungrateful young women, force his affection upon them, and violate them. Similar stories are also attributed to the Guaraní being Kurupi.

Because of his unpredictable nature, people seek to appease the Pombero with offerings. Cigars and rum are his favorite gifts, though honey is also considered acceptable. Families in rural Paraguay often leave these offerings outside at night to prevent his mischief.

Those who regularly honor him may gain his friendship. A satisfied Pombero is believed to protect homes, animals, and possessions, and sometimes rewards his benefactors with small gifts of his own.

Thus, the Pombero remains one of the most enduring figures of Guaraní folklore—a silent lord of the forests who walks unseen through the night, bringing either mischief or protection depending on how he is treated.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pombero. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pombero