Caballucos del Diablu

Damselfly suborder Zygoptera which is identified with Caballucos del Diablu .

The Caballucos del Diablu (Cantabrian for "(little) horses of the devil") is a myth from the Cantabrian mythology, a region of northern Spain.^[1]

On St John's Eve (June 23), when the people make bonfires to purify their souls, giant dragonflies appear amongst the ashes. These dragonflies -the Caballucos- are the souls of sinners, and they come to release their fury over a year's worth of sins with fire and terrifying screams.

The Caballucos del Diablu appear in a variety of colors, each one being the soul of a different sinner. The red horse was a man who lent money to farmers and then used dirty tricks to steal their properties; the white one a miller who stole many thousands of dollars from his master; the black one a hermit who played tricks on people; the yellow one a corrupt judge; the blue one an innkeeper; and the orange one a child who abused his parents.^[1]

References

1. Llano Merino, Manuel (2001). Mitos y Leyendas de Cantabria (in Cantabrian and Spanish). Santander: Ediciones de Librería Estvdio. pp. 141–143. ISBN 84-95742-01-2.