The legend of big snake, also called "legend of the great snake of the Amazon" is very popular in the north and northeast regions of the country.
This character from Brazilian folklore, also known by the names Cobra Honorato, Norato or Boiuna, is a gigantic snake whose habitat is the depths of rivers or lakes. Her eyes are luminous and terrify those who meet her.
Present in the imagination of many people, this legend inspired the creation of several songs, poems and movies.
Legend Versions
Depending on the location (Amazon, Pará, Tocantins, Roraima, etc.), there are several versions of this legend, which were passed from generation to generation.
The most common story behind this menacing character is from an Amazonian Indian tribe who became pregnant with the Boiuna snake.
She gave birth to two twin children who were born with the appearance of snakes. The boy was named Honorato (or Norato); and the girl, Maria Caninana.
Frightened by the appearance of her offspring, she decided to throw her "snake children" into the river.
The difference between the brothers' personality was notorious. That is, while Honorato had a good heart and always visited his mother, Maria, in turn, held a grudge and never went to visit her.
Because of her temperament, Maria was always scaring the population and animals, or even sinking ships. Her brother, who was the opposite, didn't like his actions at all.
So, tired and saddened by his sister's actions, he decides to kill her to put an end to the suffering of many people.
Some versions report that on nights with a full moon, Honorato acquired human form and could walk the land. However, when the full moon passed, he returned to his life in the rivers.
It was believed that to break the spell, a person would have to wound the snake in the head, in addition to pouring milk into its huge mouth. The point is that with everyone he spoke to, they didn't have the courage because they were frightened by the creature the moment he was transformed.
No doubt, no one wanted to face the big snake. Until one day, a very brave soldier freed him from the curse. Thus, Honorato can live on earth as an ordinary person and close to his family.
In another version, a very bad woman, belonging to an Amazonian tribe, used to kill and devour children. Indignant, the tribe's inhabitants decided to throw her into the river.
However, she did not die as she was saved by a kind of demon called the Anhangá. Eventually they get married and have a son who was turned into a snake by his father so that he could live with his parents in the river.
Over time, it grew until it reached an enormous size, so much so that the rivers no longer had fish. With that, the big snake began to terrorize and devour people from the tribes that lived near the rivers.
When its mother died, the snake was so enraged that it decided to live in a stage of lethargy under the big cities.
In another version, when its mother dies, the big snake is sad and furious that its eye becomes so bright that it even shoots arrows of fire. These arrows were shot into the sky, and therefore it is believed that she acted in storms.
Origin of Legend
The origin of the big snake is indigenous and probably emerged in the Amazon region. Today it is one of the best known legends among the inhabitants who live near the rivers, the so-called riverside people.
It is believed that the great snake was responsible for creating part of the rivers. That's because when crawling it left gigantic furrows in the earth, which over time, turned into mighty rivers, like the Amazon.
The truth is that in the region there are many huge snakes that measure up to 10 meters in length and weigh more than 200 kg. The anaconda, also called anaconda, boiaçu and boiuna, stand out.
To learn more about other subjects related to folklore, read:
- Brazilian folklore
- Folklore Legends
- Legends of the North Region that you need to know
- Northeast Region Legends You'll Love
- Southeast legends you can't miss
- Unmissable Legends of the South Region
- Fantastic legends from the Midwest region
- Legend of Boitatá
- legend of the headless mule
