The story of La Lechusa is an old traditional Latin Folklore that has been told from generation to generation. As a child, I remember hearing countless stories about people being attacked by white giant ominous owls with big red eyes. The owl was a witch transformed. She would torment, attack and frighten people who came to close to her or people that she was sent to torment. To see her was a bad omen.
She was said to only appear late a night. La Lechusa would screech and make strange sounds in the dark on old country roads. Sometimes she would fly into cars and windows. If she did? That meant that someone was casting spells and was trying to cause serious harm. People would often pray for gods protection.
As of today this story is still being told. Most of the time it comes from people who either lived out in the country or ranches. It always seems to occur when the intended victim is alone, and always late at night. Visibility was also minimal. On some occasions the owl appeared to the intended victim when they were with someone else.
I recently heard from a man out of Mexico. He claimed that a friend he knew was walking home one late night. It was very hard to see as he walked through the dense brush towards his ranch. He heard a screech and howl. He stopped and looked around. At first he couldn't verify where the noise was coming from. The man was walking with a rifle in hand just in case he ran into a wild animal. Then out of nowhere came the Lechusa. She flew down and began to chase him. She chased him for a long distance. He was so frightened that he ran as fast as he could. He was running towards his ranch. He decided to stop running. He slowly turned around to face it. He held his rifle to his shoulder, aimed and shot. The shots echoed through night with a loud cracking sound. He heard a loud thump as it fell to the ground. He crept silently towards the figure on the ground. He wanted to know if he had in fact killed La Lechusa. As he approached, he saw that it was a human body that fell out of a tree. He was so frighted that he ran away.
As of today this story is still being told. Most of the time it comes from people who either lived out in the country or ranches. It always seems to occur when the intended victim is alone, and always late at night. Visibility was also minimal. On some occasions the owl appeared to the intended victim when they were with someone else. I recently heard from a man out of Mexico. He claimed that a friend he knew was walking home one late night. It was very hard to see as he walked through the dense brush towards his ranch. He heard a screech and howl. He stopped and looked around. At first he couldn't verify where the noise was coming from. The man was walking with a rifle in hand just in case he ran into a wild animal. Then out of nowhere came the Lechusa. She flew down and began to chase him. She chased him for a long distance. He was so frightened that he ran as fast as he could. He was running towards his ranch. He decided to stop running. He slowly turned around to face it. He held his rifle to his shoulder, aimed and shot. The shots echoed through night with a loud cracking sound. He heard a loud thump as it fell to the ground. He crept silently towards the figure on the ground. He wanted to know if he had in fact killed La Lechusa. As he approached, he saw that it was a human body that fell out of a tree. He was so frighted that he ran away.
I remember as a small child that my parents truly believed in La Lechusa. They were extremely frightened. I remember traveling one late evening with my parents to Orange Grove, Texas. I might have been around seven years old. In those days old folklore was still very strong in the minds of the people who heard about them. We were on our way to visit an uncle. All that could be seen was the headlights from the car on the road.
Suddenly out of nowhere came a big white owl. Everyone screamed as it hit the windshield of my fathers station wagon. My mother said in spanish, " Mira! Mira! Era una Lechusa." (look! Look! It's a Lechusa!) She explained that seeing a Lechusa or being chased by a Lechusa was a bad omen. I remember screaming as it hit the windshield. While I understand NOW that it probably was a poor owl with bad vision; I'm still afraid to drive onto dark roads and dense brush in neighboring ranch areas.
Suddenly out of nowhere came a big white owl. Everyone screamed as it hit the windshield of my fathers station wagon. My mother said in spanish, " Mira! Mira! Era una Lechusa." (look! Look! It's a Lechusa!) She explained that seeing a Lechusa or being chased by a Lechusa was a bad omen. I remember screaming as it hit the windshield. While I understand NOW that it probably was a poor owl with bad vision; I'm still afraid to drive onto dark roads and dense brush in neighboring ranch areas.
If you have a story to tell let me know. I'll post it here. Or you can post your own story on the comments section.
Write to me at: Loveroses24@hotmail.com
Write to me at: Loveroses24@hotmail.com
Written by Donna C. Ledesma
Copyright © 2011
