GALIPOTES: A DOMINICAN MYTH

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“We got him! Cover me, Jochi! Ete é un penco pájaro!”

¨Aquí toy, Mimillo!¨ said Jochi.

 “Fafifo, make him come to me! If he moves, tú lo ataja and slice ei maidito's cocote!” Lugarú? Zángano? Mimillo can´t remember the type of beast, in the midst of this reburujú.

¨Guay mi mai, Guaaaaay mi mai!” The little girl screams again, the galipote’s iron grip hurting her arm. 

Mimillo's limbs are still shaking with exertion from killing the other monster not an hour ago. So Fafifo gets ready to strike with his machete, just in case.

Davisote brought a torch! Did he bring the saint's portrait? The previous monster stared at it for half a second, and that was all Mimillo needed to make its head roll free on the ground… Who brought a chair? 

 “Show that maidito the cross of palo de cruz, Dani!” Juama shouts, a bloody bag heavy on his shoulder. “Jaimote, you, read the ensalmo!  Carajo, open the book!” Juama points an urgent finger to Dani´s brother. 

Sensing the end, the galipote fixes his glassy eyes on Mimillo and crunches lower. What a horrendous set of teeth! The galipote´s shrieks crowl up their spines and turn their blood into ice, but they will never admit that to one another!

¨Mimillo, did you hear? I will be carrying the salt and holy water. Mimillo!¨ Fafifo poses his fingers for a roqui-toqui right between Mimillo´s eyes. It is 6:00 p.m. and Mimillo had already planned it all in his head. They were already famous for hunting down monsters, and a terrified village near San Juan de La Maguana had called for their help. They had never hunted galipotes before, but that was unimportant. Mimillo had his brothers, cousin and friends by his side.

Read more about galipotes and their different types, like Lugarús or Zánganos, here:

http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/wp/el-galipote/

http://www.cuco.com.ar/galipote.htm  (Spanish source of info)

Éte é un penco pájaro: this is a huge animal (translation of the idea; "pájaro" really means bird, but this word may refer to different creatures)

Ataja: to catch

Ei maidito: that damned thing

Reburujú: mess, disaster

Mi mai: my mother

Ensalmo: incantation