Mythology has been passed down from generation to generation. Our ancestors made courageous and cautionary tales to explain the unknown. These stories explained events that had occurred that seemed almost mystical and magical, and ultimately, unexplainable. These stories may connect many to cultural beliefs, a specific person or hero, and/or the bridge between fantasy and science.

One especially interesting mythology from Texas is known as the La Lechuza. The Lechuza is a shape shifting witch in Hispanic folklore, and is especially popular in Mexico and Texas. The tale follows a lonely woman who lived near the outskirts of her town without a husband and without children. The townsfolk were always weary of her, until one night a small child had gone missing with no traces. The woman was accused of kidnapping the child for her witchly desires, and was chased out and ostracized by the townsfolk. In order to seek revenge, the woman made a deal with the devil to haunt those who had wronged her.

Her human form had shifted until she came back as a shapeshifting owl, often depicted as a large, strange owl-like monster. In other variations of this story, the Lechuza could also appear as a vengeful spirit, as well as her owl-like counterpart. Many claim to have seen this creature at night, staring with big glowing eyes in the dark. Others have claimed to see a huge monster like bird swooping down at them. This myth was often used as a way to discipline children, or the Lechuza would swoop down and kidnap them.

Another famous mythological creature is known as the Chupacabra, which means “goat sucker” in Spanish. This creature came from unknown means, but seemed to roam the savanna and prey on any animals it could find. Farmers often found the deceased corpses of their goats and cattle, killed and seemingly sucked dry of their blood. The first major sightings of the Chupacabra came from Puerto Rican farmers in the early 1980s and 1990s.

The Chupacabra is not big in size, nor is it especially monstrous. Most people think it is around the size of an average dog, but with no fur, grotesque gray skin, and pronounced bones. In some tales, this creature may even have scales and spines protruding from its back. People have claimed it to walk on all fours, or even on two legs like a human. This creature may look normal at a glance, but the more you stare, the more you will realize that its features are not quite right. 

The most popular theory about the origin of this creature was that it was some type of failed genetic experiment from the U.S. government. Others think it may be an extraterrestrial being brought from Earth from far away. 

El Muerto, known as the dead man, is a Mexican bandit who had been killed by Texas Rangers, only to rise again and seek revenge. A Mexican bandit named Vidal had stolen horses several times throughout his criminal career. On one life changing heist, the horses he had targeted belonged to an infamous Texas Ranger named Creed Taylor.

The Texas Rangers were harsh lawmen who sought criminals and killed them in the name of justice. Creed Taylor had rounded up his fellow Texas Rangers and marksman to hunt down the thief. Unfortunately, this occurred at the border between the United States and Mexico, in a stretch of desert called  no man’s land, which was ruled by bandits and rangers. Vidal was tracked across the land, and eventually killed by Taylor and his accompanying Texas Rangers. Vidal was said to be beheaded and tied to a horse with his head, and let the horse free to roam endlessly. Eventually someone had captured the horse and buried Vidal, whose body had sustained horrible wounds and harsh sun burns.

This story created El Muerto, the headless horse rider who roamed the lands endlessly. His spirit continues to ride around South Texas, and was later renamed the Headless Horseman.

These stories were brought down from generation to generation, where eventually social media created movies and creatures based on the mythology of Texas. No one knows truly if these were true events, but their stories will go down in history, and never be forgotten. 

For more information, please visit www.texasstandard.org/stories/la-lechuza-legend-cautionary-tale-story-revenge/,www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythic-creatures/land/modern-myths#:~:text=Chupacabra%20means%20%22goat%20sucker%22%20in%20Spanish%2C%20and%20according%20to,late%201980s%20and%20early%201990s, or lethbridgenewsnow.com/2020/07/08/the-legend-of-the-south-texas-headless-horseman-el-muerto/#:~:text=Although%2C%20we’re%20not%20talking,dark%20steed%20from%20beyond%20the.