Lycée George-Sand La Châtre

The myths of Trinidad and Tobago came, for most of them, from French and African civilizations.

Douens
Douens are the souls of children who died before they were baptized. They are seen playing in forests and near rivers. They have no faces and their feet are turned backwards. They approach children and lead them far into forests until they get lost or they can come near people’s house for scared them.
Old people say that we can prevent the Douens from calling our children into the forest at dusk : we must never shout their names in open places, as the Douens will take their names, call them and lure them away.

La Diablesse
She is a devil woman who has eyes like burning coals and a face resembling that of a corpse, but hides it under a beautiful wide-brimmed hat and a veil over her face. She is dressed in a blouse with puffy sleeves and long, petticoated, skirts ; and she has one cloven foot, which she tries to hide under her skirts. She appears at local dances festival and she is disliked by every woman because she attracts men and lead them deep into the woods and then disappears, leaving them alone, unable to find their way back home, wandering in the woods until they fall into a ravine or a river, in fact until they die. Old person’s advice : « If you feel you may encounter a La Diablesse on your way home, take off all your clothes, turn them inside out and put them on again, and this will surely protect you from La Diablesse. »

Lugarhoo
A Lugarhoo is a person who can change himself into a half animal from the torso down and can alter his size in an instant. He changes his shape at night.
Old folks that if you want to see a Lugarhoo and not be seen by him you must take some yampee from the corner of a dog’s eye, put it in your eye and peep out of a key hole at midnight.

Papa Bois
Papa Bois is an old man who lives in the forest and take care of animals that live there. He is often seen by hunters and other people who live near the forest. He is usually dressed in a pair of ragged trousers with a bamboo horn hanging from his belt. He can turn himself into the form of a large stag or any other animal. He is usually a very kind person but he can become dangerous and cast a spell onto a bad hunter and turn him into a wild hog.

Silk cotton trees
Silk cotton trees are huges trees watched with fear.They are the dwelling of spirits and duppies (= ghosts). Nobody must to cut down a silk cotton tree, because doing so would release all the captive spirits locked inside, and unleash them onto the earth.

Soucouyant
A soucouyant is a supernatural person who made a pact with the devil to be able to change himself into all kind of forms. At night he sheds her human skin and becomes a ball of fire or any kind of animal and casts spell on people. He has to slip back in her skin before dawn breaks and the cock crows, otherwise he will not be able to return in it.