The legend of Yasy Yateré

The Yasy Yateré , Yacyyateré or kidnapper gnome of children (in the present spelling of the avañe'ẽ -guaraní language-) is a species of goblin or gnome of the guaraní mythology . Its belief extends throughout the territory of Paraguay and northeastern Argentina .

Some sources maintain that Yasy Yatere is a derivation or deformation of the original name that would mean "fragment of moon" in Guarani. Hence, initially this character had golden or yellow hair and was an evening creature.

Many of the characteristics of this character are confused with those of the Pombero . Jasy Jatere is usually represented as a dwarf or a small child, naked, beautiful, with golden hair, (in some variants bearded), with a straw hat and a golden staff where their magical powers reside .

Usually it crosses the mount at the time of the nap -siesta-, attracting the children with a hypnotic whistle that imitates to that of a bird. It is said that it appears especially during the time of the avatiky (crop of corn or tender corn) that likes to eat.

Jasy Jatere uses his whistle or magic stick to attract children, whom he kidnaps. He takes them to the mountain where he retains some time to play with them and feed them with honey and fruit . Then he leaves them or leaves them entangled in a ysypo ( liana ).

Before leaving them, Jasy Jatere licks or kisses them, leaving them silly or idiots ( tavy: akã tavy ), dumb ( ñe 'engu ) or deaf-mutes. However, these recover after a certain time. In some areas, it is believed that at one year after the abduction, the child has an "attack" with seizures ( epilepsy ).

In other versions, if the Jasy Jatere gets tired of the child, he can take him to the river where he chokes them .

One way to make this character harmless is to remove his golden staff, without which he lacks powers. Then the Jasy starts to cry like a little boy. To achieve this, simply drunk it with caña (aguardiente), a drink to which it is very fond.

Another way to ingratiate himself is by offering tobacco leaves, which are left in areas near the house or on the roads to the mountain.

In Rosicran 's version of Guarani mythology, Jasy Jateré is the fourth son of Taú (spirit of evil) and Keraná (goddess of sleep). It is a Guaraní myth, with great diffusion in Paraguay and in few parts of Argentina. Writers in the province of Misiones describe him as a man of short stature, some say that he is a goblin , with blond mane, he wears a straw hat and carries a golden staff which contains his "Powers".

Legends like this warns the children of the dangers of being alone in the forest at mercy of child rapist.