ASTURIAN LEGENDS

I.E.S. La Quintana – Ciaño de Langreo. Asturias, Spain.

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There are many legends in Northern Spain and some of them arevery similar to others in different countries. We can talk about“senior” characters (El cuelebre, la Xana, el nuberu, el trasgu…)and “junior” ones. La Xana, is the famous fairy all over Europe;El cuélebre represents Saint George; el trasgu is like theleprechaun or the gnomes, and el nuberu represents the veryfamous gods in Greek and Latin religions: Zeus and Jupiter. Wecan also talk about la guestia or the guaxa (the death), elbusgosu is the lord of the woods, the mermaid represents capitalsins… These legends prove that Asturias is a magical place.

Asturian legends

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Asturian legends

The Xana is one of the most famous characters in Asturianlegends. The Xana is known all over Europe as the Fairy Queen.She is a beautiful, very pale girl with fair, long hair. She lives infountains and in caves near the mountains and the seas or nextto the rivers.Xanas can be good or bad women. Bad Xanas kidnap children,attack people and steal food. Good Xanas wear white or silverdresses, but bad Xanas wear rags.Some Xanas have been captured by a cuelebre (anothermytological dragon). They have to keep the cuelebre’s treasure:gold, silver and money, because the cuelebre is very rich.If you see them, you'll see they are combing their hair with acomb made of gold. They own chickens and hens made of goldtoo. Some of them wash clothes in the river while they sing anddance. Some others make clothes in their golden spins.

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Asturian legends

The Xana is one of the most famous characters in Asturianlegends. The Xana is known all over Europe as the Fairy Queen.She is a beautiful, very pale girl with fair, long hair. She lives infountains and in caves near the mountains and the seas or nextto the rivers.Xanas can be good or bad women. Bad Xanas kidnap children,attack people and steal food. Good Xanas wear white or silverdresses, but bad Xanas wear rags.Some Xanas have been captured by a cuelebre (anothermytological dragon). They have to keep the cuelebre’s treasure:gold, silver and money, because the cuelebre is very rich.If you see them, you'll see they are combing their hair with acomb made of gold. They own chickens and hens made of goldtoo. Some of them wash clothes in the river while they sing anddance. Some others make clothes in their golden spins.

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Asturian legends

The Xana is one of the most famous characters in Asturianlegends. The Xana is known all over Europe as the Fairy Queen.She is a beautiful, very pale girl with fair, long hair. She lives infountains and in caves near the mountains and the seas or nextto the rivers.Xanas can be good or bad women. Bad Xanas kidnap children,attack people and steal food. Good Xanas wear white or silverdresses, but bad Xanas wear rags.Some Xanas have been captured by a cuelebre (anothermytological dragon). They have to keep the cuelebre’s treasure:gold, silver and money, because the cuelebre is very rich.If you see them, you'll see they are combing their hair with acomb made of gold. They own chickens and hens made of goldtoo. Some of them wash clothes in the river while they sing anddance. Some others make clothes in their golden spins.

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Asturian legends

El Trasgu is one of the most famous mythological Asturian characters. He is also knownas the gnome, the silfo or kobold, and in Ireland it is the leprechaun. This character isvery famous in Northern Spain. He is a funny, friendly chap.He is small and lame in his right leg. He has got a hole in his left hand. He usually wearsred clothes and a red hat.At night he usually likes to get into your house and play jokes on you. But if you treathim right he will make your house jobs for you.Sometimes the trasgu can be too funny and make you mad. In order to throw him outof the house, you must order him to do three impossible things:- To put water in a basket (but baskets can not hold water!)- To collect corn grains from the floor (But remember he has got a hole in his

hand!)- To paint a black ram in white (but the ram will go grey!)

The trasgu will try to do everything because he is too proud. But when he knows thathe can’t, he will feel embarrassed and leave your house. Another way to get him out isto steal his hat.

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Asturian legends

El Trasgu is one of the most famous mythological Asturian characters. He is also knownas the gnome, the silfo or kobold, and in Ireland it is the leprechaun. This character isvery famous in Northern Spain. He is a funny, friendly chap.He is small and lame in his right leg. He has got a hole in his left hand. He usually wearsred clothes and a red hat.At night he usually likes to get into your house and play jokes on you. But if you treathim right he will make your house jobs for you.Sometimes the trasgu can be too funny and make you mad. In order to throw him outof the house, you must order him to do three impossible things:- To put water in a basket (but baskets can not hold water!)- To collect corn grains from the floor (But remember he has got a hole in his

hand!)- To paint a black ram in white (but the ram will go grey!)

The trasgu will try to do everything because he is too proud. But when he knows thathe can’t, he will feel embarrassed and leave your house. Another way to get him out isto steal his hat.

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Asturian legends

El Trasgu is one of the most famous mythological Asturian characters. He is also knownas the gnome, the silfo or kobold, and in Ireland it is the leprechaun. This character isvery famous in Northern Spain. He is a funny, friendly chap.He is small and lame in his right leg. He has got a hole in his left hand. He usually wearsred clothes and a red hat.At night he usually likes to get into your house and play jokes on you. But if you treathim right he will make your house jobs for you.Sometimes the trasgu can be too funny and make you mad. In order to throw him outof the house, you must order him to do three impossible things:- To put water in a basket (but baskets can not hold water!)- To collect corn grains from the floor (But remember he has got a hole in his

hand!)- To paint a black ram in white (but the ram will go grey!)

The trasgu will try to do everything because he is too proud. But when he knows thathe can’t, he will feel embarrassed and leave your house. Another way to get him out isto steal his hat.

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Asturian legends

“El nuberu” is the man from the clouds. He has big ears, long arms, andhas one blind eye. He dresses in animal fur (sheep or goat) ,and he wears afunny hat. El nuberu is a bad person, he is the king of the storms. He isZeus for the Greek and Jupiter for the old Romans. He is very well knownin Egypt, where he is called John Billy Goat.He usually creates winds and storms all over Asturias. He moves from oneplace to another riding on the clouds. El nuberu is careless and sometimeshe loses his clouds and he has to stay in somebody else’s house. If peopleare kind , el Nuberu will give them a good crop and will kill all the snakes.But if you are not nice to el Nuberu, he will take some snakes from his bagand will produce storms and thunder on you.He gets up very early in the morning to make storms and collect lizards. Atlunch time, he returns with his wife, and they have lizards for dinner.El nuberu hates local priests because they pray to eliminate him. That iswhy he escapes from church bells or candles.

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Asturian legends

“El nuberu” is the man from the clouds. He has big ears, long arms, andhas one blind eye. He dresses in animal fur (sheep or goat) ,and he wears afunny hat. El nuberu is a bad person, he is the king of the storms. He isZeus for the Greek and Jupiter for the old Romans. He is very well knownin Egypt, where he is called John Billy Goat.He usually creates winds and storms all over Asturias. He moves from oneplace to another riding on the clouds. El nuberu is careless and sometimeshe loses his clouds and he has to stay in somebody else’s house. If peopleare kind , el Nuberu will give them a good crop and will kill all the snakes.But if you are not nice to el Nuberu, he will take some snakes from his bagand will produce storms and thunder on you.He gets up very early in the morning to make storms and collect lizards. Atlunch time, he returns with his wife, and they have lizards for dinner.El nuberu hates local priests because they pray to eliminate him. That iswhy he escapes from church bells or candles.

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Asturian legends

“El nuberu” is the man from the clouds. He has big ears, long arms, andhas one blind eye. He dresses in animal fur (sheep or goat) ,and he wears afunny hat. El nuberu is a bad person, he is the king of the storms. He isZeus for the Greek and Jupiter for the old Romans. He is very well knownin Egypt, where he is called John Billy Goat.He usually creates winds and storms all over Asturias. He moves from oneplace to another riding on the clouds. El nuberu is careless and sometimeshe loses his clouds and he has to stay in somebody else’s house. If peopleare kind , el Nuberu will give them a good crop and will kill all the snakes.But if you are not nice to el Nuberu, he will take some snakes from his bagand will produce storms and thunder on you.He gets up very early in the morning to make storms and collect lizards. Atlunch time, he returns with his wife, and they have lizards for dinner.El nuberu hates local priests because they pray to eliminate him. That iswhy he escapes from church bells or candles.

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Asturian legends

Elcuelebre (the dragon) is one of the most popular creatures inAsturianmithology. It is a creature like a snake with wings. The cuelebre isvery popular all over Europe. In Asturias it lives in caves near rivers orlakes where it keeps large gold treasures and xanas as prisoners. It isusually an evil figure. It kills the cows and sheep of Asturian people andsometimes it kills humans. Local people usually give him food to keep himcalm.

Elcuelebre never dies. When he gets old he must leave Asturias and fly tothe sea.

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Asturian legends

Elcuelebre (the dragon) is one of the most popular creatures inAsturianmithology. It is a creature like a snake with wings. The cuelebre isvery popular all over Europe. In Asturias it lives in caves near rivers orlakes where it keeps large gold treasures and xanas as prisoners. It isusually an evil figure. It kills the cows and sheep of Asturian people andsometimes it kills humans. Local people usually give him food to keep himcalm.

Elcuelebre never dies. When he gets old he must leave Asturias and fly tothe sea.

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Asturian legends

Elcuelebre (the dragon) is one of the most popular creatures inAsturianmithology. It is a creature like a snake with wings. The cuelebre isvery popular all over Europe. In Asturias it lives in caves near rivers orlakes where it keeps large gold treasures and xanas as prisoners. It isusually an evil figure. It kills the cows and sheep of Asturian people andsometimes it kills humans. Local people usually give him food to keep himcalm.

Elcuelebre never dies. When he gets old he must leave Asturias and fly tothe sea.

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Other Asturian legends

El sumiciuHis hobby is to keep everything hefinds. He usually lives in barns andattics. He’s very tidy and healways keeps all the things in thesame place that only he knowswhere they are.

La güestiaIt is a type of night procession ofsad souls that go on the roads towarn the new deaths of aneighbour or family member. Onlypeople with a special gift can seeher.

La guaxaShe is an old woman with big andstaring eyes. Sometimes peopleconfuse her with night birds. Ifsomeone crosses the guaxa ontheir path, they’ll probably die inthe next few hours.

The baby snatcherHe usually looks like a man goingon the road at nights looking forlost kids. He puts them in his bagand takes them to an unkownplace.

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Other Asturian legends

El busgosuHe is half-man, covered with hair,legs and goat’s horns who lives inthe forests. He kidnaps women tohave fun with them in his homeand he hates hunters andwoodcutters.

The mermaidShe is very beautiful, she lives inthe sea. Sometimes she goes outto rest in the rocks. She’s half-woman and she has got a fish tail,covered with brilliant scales. Theygo with the boats to avoid theyrun around. On sunny days theysing beautiful songs.The mermaid is represented inHomerus’ “Odyssey”There’s a mermaid in the archesof St Stephen’s medieval church inCiaño.

The leprechaun (Ireland)A leprechaun is a type of fairy inIrish folklore, usually taking theform of an old man, dressed in ared or green coat, who enjoysmaking jokes. Leprechauns spendall their time busily making shoes,and store away all their coins in ahidden pot of gold at the end ofthe rainbow. If ever captured by ahuman, the Leprechaun has themagical power to grant threewishes in exchange for theirrelease.

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A Trip to Langreo

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A trip to Gijón

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A trip to Oviedo

Editing Staff (Indians): Lía Fernández Pareja Sara Castro Núñez(4th year E.S.O) Lucía Iglesias Fernández Marcos Suárez Menéndez

Supporting Staff Olaya Huergo Fernández Iris Alonso Fernández(More Indians) Alexis Iglesias Fernández Tania Álvarez Álvarez

Graphic designers: Aida Alonso López Lucía González Fernández(Still more indians!!) Sergio Díaz Montes Óscar Díaz Rodríguez

Editing board (Big chiefs): Senén Bartolome (Technology), Amanda Stephens (Arts),Mónica González (Asturian language), Andrés Suárez and Manolo Carbajo (English)Jesús Antuña and Fernando Fanjul (Computers) Benjamin Fernández (logo).

Copyright @ i.E.S “La Quintana”33900 Ciaño de Langreo, Asturias, Spain

laquinta@educastur.princast.es

Asturias legends