Brown stone-concrete block effigy of the El Trauco troll, holding an axe and club, Plaza de Armas, Ancud, Chiloe Island, Chile
El Trauco, a deformed and ugly troll, whose feet are mere stumps, wears a conical cap and carries a stone axe and wooden club. He lives in the forest and has superhuman strength, being able to fell any tree in three strokes. Despite his ugly appearance, his breath is irrestible to women, so he is blamed for any unexplained pregnancies on the island. Chiloe Island's isolation from the mainland, with self-reliance on the sea and land, has produced a rich combination of myth and folklore that intrigues visitors. The 1993 renovation of Ancud's Plaza de Armas featured the effigies of several Chilote monsters.
Size: 2465px × 3418px
Location: Plaza de Armas, Ancud, Chiloe Island, Chile
Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: america, american, ancud, armas, beliefs, chile, chiloe, chilote, de, dwarf, effigy, el, folk-tales, folklore, geography, history, island, legends, monster, monsters, myth, mythology, myths, plaza, south, supernatural, superstitions, traditions, trauco, travel, troll
