VINTAGE TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

THE WHISTLER (Venezuela 🇻🇪)

Venezuela is a country located on the northern coast of South America. The country is renowned for its diverse natural attractions that are worth exploring. It has numerous tropical resort islands, including Isla de Margarita and the Los Roques archipelago, along its Caribbean coast. To the northwest of the country are the Andes Mountains, and the colonial town of Mérida, which serves as a base for visiting Sierra Nevada National Park. The capital of Venezuela is located to the north, and it is known as Caracas.

Venezuela, a country with a rich historical and cultural diversity, is full of legends and myths that reflect the heritage of its indigenous peoples, the influence of Spanish colonization, and the fusion of different cultural traditions. These legends, passed down through generations, are an important part of Venezuelan folklore, providing a unique insight into the country's cultural identity. Countless horror stories exist in the world, and Venezuela has its own unique set of tales that form a part of its folklore. These stories are capable of frightening listeners of all ages.

One of the most famous legends of Venezuela is El Silbón, which has been terrifying generations of Venezuelans. According to the legend, El Silbón is a malevolent spirit that roams at night in search of lost souls. His most recognizable feature is his sharp and piercing whistle, which announces his presence. It's believed that he carries the bones of his father in a bag, and the sound of the bones clashing together produces the characteristic whistle. The legend of El Silbón is often used to scare children and prevent disobedient behavior.

The name El Silbon translates to "whistler," and it is a popular tale from the Los Llanos region of Venezuela, although it can also be found in Colombia. The legend dates back to the mid-19th century and tells the story of a young man who was spoiled by his parents. He was never taught the meaning of respect and was never told "no."

Let's read;

There was a young man, who was very spoiled by his parents, to the point where he did not know what the word respect meant and was never told no. One day, the spoiled young man craved a dish called “Isadora”, which is liver, heart, and both (I think that’s cow slap) and so the young man’s dad went hunting for the ingredients. The young man was getting fed up with waiting because his dad had not returned promptly, so he grabbed his shotgun and went looking for his dad. The young man found his dad, who had not yet killed a deer, and was furious and killed his dad.

He then proceeded to take his dad’s organs, and then place his bones in a sac. When he returned home, he gave his mother the organs to cook, but once her husband had not yet returned and this meat looked rather strange, she grew suspicious of her son. After some interrogation, he confessed to what he did, and the mother cursed him for eternity.

Then, the young man’s grandfather found out what he did and ordered the young man to be tied to a post and beaten with a lash until his back was destroyed. That was still not enough, the grandfather then let him go and set two starving dogs on him while cursing him to carry the bones of his father forever.

Other versions say that instead of releasing him and setting rabid/starving dogs onto him, the grandfather cursed him to be hunted for eternity by “el perro tureko o el perro del diablo (the devil’s dog)". There is another version of this that paints the young man in a different light. The young man walks in on his father beating the young man’s wife and then kills his father for it, for which the grandfather proceeds to do the same thing. In some versions of this, the father of the young man kills the young man’s wife.

It is said that in the summers, el Silbon can be seen sitting on tree branches, gathering dust and when it rains, he comes down, hungry for murder. He is said to go mostly after drunks and womanizers, though he occasionally will kill an innocent person. He is said to suck the alcohol from the navel of drunks, before murdering them and dismembering them to place in his sack. He quarters womanizers into pieces, removes their bones, and then places them into the sacks he carries.

He is said to be a giant, about 6 meters or just over 19 feet in height, who walks on the treetops while whistling his chill-inducing tune, and bones in his brattlingttle as he moves.

If you hear his whistle nearby, it means he is far away and you are safe, but if his whistle is far away, then he is the opposite and is nearby, and you’re dead meat. The bark of a dog can save you, but that’s about it. In some versions of the legend, a ta para of the aji fruit can save you as well, as El Silbon was chased out of the house with one by his brother Juan, after which Juan set a dog on him.

Legend says that sometimes, he appears in front of a house, sets his bag down, and begins counting all the bones in his bag. If more than one person in the household hears him, then everyone is safe but if only one person hears him, then that person will be dead by morning. In Colombia’s version, he also goes after pregnant women.

Source; A Venezuela Folktale.

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