Trauco and Fiura

This story takes us to the Chiloé Island. It is the second largest island of Chile. It is located in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile.

Chiloé Island

Before moving to the main topic of this article let's mention that this island is famous for potatoes. Why? The most popular variety of potato in the world , Solanum tuberosum tuberosum is originally from the the Chiloé Island. It was cultivated on the island before the arrival of Spaniards.

The mythology of the island includes two creepy characters. They are called Trauco and Fiura. They are actually husband and wife. They are both very ugly.

Trauco

Trauco has some very special powers. No young or middle-aged woman can resist him. That is why sometimes if a woman gets pregnant, and she does not want to raise suspicion about who the father is, she just says that the father is Trauco.

The woman chosen by Trauco can not forget him. His sexual abilty is beyond any ordinary man. As a symbol of sexual power Trauco carries a small hatchet. It is a local belief that he appears disguised as a priest or a rich landowner.

Men of the island are afraid of Trauco too. His gaze can be deadly. In rare situations a brave man can manage to force Trauco to serve him for a whole year. This is possible if the man fixes his eyes on Trauco before he notices him.

Being Trauco's wife Fiura is sometimes called the Trauca. She has big nose and tiny eyes. She lives in a forest dressed in moss. She is very strong.

Fiura

Fiura likes to bathe in local streams. After bathing she lays naked for hours. She brushes her long hair with a crystal comb.

She also spent lot of time wandering in the bushes in search of the „Chuaras“ fruit. She is not very brave. Whenever she hears something she changes her body in quite bizarre positions.

It is very dangerous for ordinary people to look at her. It is believed that looking at her will deform your hands or legs. In some cases it is possible to cure them. First a plant called "Pahueldún" has to be found. Person has to drink a juice extracted from it. To get the juice a person must be whipped! Immediately after the treatment, branch of the plant used has to be thrown in the sea.

One of Fiura's passion is to cast spell on young woodcutters. They get confused, disorientated. She then forces them to have sex with her.