Cuélebre
Encyclopedia
Cuélebre, or Culebre, is a giant winged serpent
-dragon
of the Asturian
and Cantabria
n mythology, that lives in a cave, guards treasure
s and keeps xana
s as prisoners. Although they are immortal, they grow old as the time goes by and their scales become thick and impenetrable, and flag wings grow in their bodies. They don't usually move, and when they do it, it is in order to eat cattle and people. One can kill the cuélebre giving him as meal a red-hot stone or a bread full of pins. Its spit it is said to turn into a magic stone which heals many diseases.
In Midsummer
, which is a magical night in Asturian and Cantabrian folklore, it is possible for brave men to defeat the cuélebre, whose spells don't take effect that night, and marry the xana and get the treasure. However in Cantabrian areas it's said the night of Saint Bartholomew the creature increases his power and unleashes all his fury against people in revenge.
When the cuélebre grows older its scale become thicker and thicker, and he must flee Asturias and fly to the Mar Cuajada, a paradise located beyond the sea.
Serpent
Serpent may refer to:* Serpent, a synonym for snake* Serpent , the name given to a snake in a religious or mythological context* Serpent , said to have tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden* Serpent in astronomy...
-dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
of the Asturian
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
and Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
n mythology, that lives in a cave, guards treasure
Treasure
Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
s and keeps xana
Xana
The xana is a character found in Asturian mythology. Always female, she is a fairy nymph of extraordinary beauty believed to live in fountains, rivers, waterfalls or forested regions with pure water. She is usually described as small or slender with long blonde or light brown hair , which she tends...
s as prisoners. Although they are immortal, they grow old as the time goes by and their scales become thick and impenetrable, and flag wings grow in their bodies. They don't usually move, and when they do it, it is in order to eat cattle and people. One can kill the cuélebre giving him as meal a red-hot stone or a bread full of pins. Its spit it is said to turn into a magic stone which heals many diseases.
In Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
, which is a magical night in Asturian and Cantabrian folklore, it is possible for brave men to defeat the cuélebre, whose spells don't take effect that night, and marry the xana and get the treasure. However in Cantabrian areas it's said the night of Saint Bartholomew the creature increases his power and unleashes all his fury against people in revenge.
When the cuélebre grows older its scale become thicker and thicker, and he must flee Asturias and fly to the Mar Cuajada, a paradise located beyond the sea.