Yasy-Yatere

 Spring 1993

It is famous in Paraguay, the legend about Yasy-Yatere.  Yasy-Yatere is a little person, with blond hair, who appears suddenly in a period of time between noon and 3:00 called "siesta."
   The legend was created by Guarani indians a long time ago, maybe before the Spanish showed up in South america.  Therefore the name Yasy-Yatere is a Guarani one.  The legen talks about the following fact.  The weather in Paraguay is very warm, especially in the "siesta."  Therefore, adults wanted to sleep, but their children made a lot of loud playing and shouting, and didn't let their parents sleep.  then, the parents told their children that if they were loud, Yasy-Yatere could appear and carry them away, and they could never come back to their homes.  Consequently, the children got scared and kept quiet during the "siesta", and the parents could sleep.
   Now, the parents tell the same story to their children, and they keep quiet too.

    -Horacio