Читать книгу The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic - John Matthews - Страница 183

In Eastern Bororo in South America, Bakororo was the tapir child of a union between a jaguar and a woman. The jaguar’s mother was a caterpillar whose wicked jokes were designed to kill. She tried to break her daughter-in-law’s carefully reined reserve but the effort of keeping in her laughter caused the girl to burst. The jaguar came home to see his wife dead on the floor and his mother being pecked to death by a falcon. He rushed forward and slit open his wife’s womb to help give birth to her twins. One of these children, Bakororo, ordered that animals should forever afterwards avoid eating human flesh as a result. In the dances of this region, Bakororo is celebrated as the one who can imitate all animals better than anyone else.