| Carbuncle | |
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Real Name |
Carbuncle, Carbunclo, Carbunco or Carbúnculo |
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First Appearance |
South American Myth |
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Created by |
South American Myth |
Origin[]
Carbuncle is a legendary species of small animal in South American folklore, specifically in the mining folklore of northern Chile. The animal is said to contain riches of some sort; in some versions it is a precious stone that gives fortune and good luck to its owner. It may originate from the medieval guivre, which was said to have a carbuncle on its head.
In the Chilote mythology of southern Chile the carbunclo is said to be the "guardian of the metals". Descriptions of it vary, from a luminescent small dog, a luminescent bivalve, a cat with a luminescent chin, or a greenish-red fiery light reminiscent of fireflies. The carbuncle is said to manifest itself at night around the Southern Hemisphere winter solstice (late June).
According to the myth, someone who sees the carbuncle may find treasures via the following careful steps: First, a lasso or similar objects is to be thrown towards the carbuncle as to trap it. The carbunclo will respond by vanishing along with the object. Then the treasure hunter who threw the object has to return to the site in the morning before dawn and search for the object, which will be completely buried except for a small part that sticks above the ground, often at the feet of a thorny calafate. It is there that the treasure hunter must dig for the treasure. The treasure has to be unearthed, however, in the coming night with a new shovel and in the company of an old widow holding a black cat. With each additional vara (distance of approximately one meter) dug in depth, the black cat has to be thrown into the hole. It will subsequently disappear, but will reappear in the hands of the widow just before the next vara is dug up. The cat is then thrown again and the whole procedure is repeated until the treasure is encountered. If the treasure hunter shows any sign of fear the treasure will turn into rock, and if the cat not is not thrown with each vara, the treasure hunter will die as a result of the noxious gases that the treasure releases.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- La Argentina (1602)