by Natalia Essigmann
Her piercing eyes tore right through me,
I couldn’t help but see
Those scaly cheeks and yellow strings
Oh, what sharp teeth!
Now the day has come when it all came true,
Those lullabies from my sleep.
I knew I should have closed my eyes
And fallen into my dreams!
Now the smell of potions and cold air
Have seeped into my skin.
Oh, how will I ever be forgiven?
When will this end?
The Cuca, loosely translated to “boogeyman” in English, is one of Brazil’s most well-known folklore monsters. According to Mortoza (2018), Brazil’s Cuca most likely originated from Iberia (now Spain and Portugal) in the Medieval Ages. During this time in Iberian Folklore, there was an evil being named Coca that scared children. The first Galacian word related to Coca was coquetriz from 1437, which means the “processional alligator” (p. 167). Considering the fact that Portugal colonized Brazil, it makes sense that Coca may be an inspiration for Brazil’s Cuca. Coca also has connections to ancient Rome: During celebrations of the goddess, Juno Sospita, children would leave food in front of the cave where the goddess’ serpents lived. Ancient Romans believed that in doing so, the goddess would grant them a plentiful harvest. Consistent with most representations among several cultures, Coca/Cuca has always been associated with a snake-, crocodile-, or dragon-like image, and a cave residence. Coca/Cuca’s reptile-like image is thought to be connected with the serpent in Genesis. Thus, the Coca/Cuca may have been a representation of the Devil during ancient times.
The earliest record of the Coca in Corpus Christi celebrations was in 1265 Portugal. In France centuries later, the Coca was incorporated into the Corpus Christi celebrations as “Christ’s defeated enemy” (i.e., Satan; p. 165) per officialization by Pope John XXII in 1317. The Coca’s physical characteristics were notable: a snake-like body, a large jaw and/or large teeth, wings like those of a bat, and a pointed tail. The tradition of using the Coca in Corpus Christi celebrations continued until the late 18th/early 19th century.
Ultimately, considering Brazil’s diverse cultures and immigrant-rich history, Brazil’s Cuca was a result of Iberian, African, and Indigenous influences. Today, the Cuca is seen as a blonde-haired female alligator that kidnaps disobedient children, especially those who do not go to bed on time. Thus, there is a clear connection between this folklore monster and child discipline, which is supported by the existence of threatening lullabies. Although the kidnapping aspect of the folklore is relatively consistent among different areas in Brazil and in other cultures, the treatment of the children after-the-fact is less so. Are the children locked up, tortured, or eaten? Such information seems to be left to the imagination. Other modern Cuca characteristics include a back hump and a nocturnal lifestyle. The Cuca is often associated with witchcraft and is thought to sleep only once every seven years. In 1977, she was popularized in the Globo (the most popular channel in Brazil) TV show, O Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, of which there were several adaptations (Mortoza, 2018; Myth / Brazilian Folklore, n.d.).
The following is an interview with my mom, a Brazilian raised in the 1970s and 1980s:
When did you first learn about Cuca?
When the show on Globo came out in 1977; I was around seven years old. Also, there was a book at school by Monteiro Lobato, O Sítio do Pica-pau Amarelo. My elementary school teacher taught us about Brazilian folklore using this book. She also had us sing songs about it. One of them went like this,
Cuidado com a Cuca (watch out for the Cuca)
Que a cuca te pega (because Cuca will get you)
Pega daqui e pega de lá (get you from here, get you from there)
What do you know about Cuca?
The Cuca is a powerful female alligator that kidnaps disobedient children, locks them up, tortures them, and eventually eats them. She has a blonde wig. She occasionally locks up saci perere [another Brazilian folklore figure] to grant her wishes. She does not only kidnap children; she often kidnaps other Brazilian folklore characters as well. The Cuca can shapeshift, trigger hallucinations, and do other things using spells. Once, she shapeshifted into a beautiful woman.
How do you feel about the Cuca?
I never liked her because she always did bad things to others. My mom used to sing me the lullaby, but I never thought too much of it. However, at some point, I began thinking about the meaning of the song and got scared.
Here is a YouTube video showing the very popular Cuca lullaby (with some creepy images, might I add)
The translation:
Sleep little baby
Because the Cuca will get you
Father went to the farm
Mother went to work
Sources
Mortoza, M. P. D. (2018). Cuca, the “Bogeywoman” of Brasil. Nuntius Antiquus, 14(1), 159- 183. Myth / Brazilian Folklore. TV Tropes. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from
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