Some figures, such as the saci-pererê and the cuca, are like “stars” in our folklore. But there are other smaller and less popular creatures that are also part of this set of legends and customs we call folklore. In short, folklore is about the legends and customs that form the culture of our people.
And one of these legends is that of the pink dolphin, a creature that could do a lot of harm to single women, as we will see later. Find out more about this legend below!
Origin of the pink dolphin
The greatest specialist in Spanish folklore, researcher LuĂs da Câmara Cascudo (1898-1986) says that the legend of the boto was probably inspired by narratives dating back to Ancient Greece. For since that time, cetaceans such as the dolphin were used as a representation of lust and perdition for both Greeks and Romans.
According to the researcher, many civilizations considered the movements of dolphins similar to sexual and sensual movements. Therefore, these animals were often associated with pleasure. Because of the shape of their beak (known as the rostrum), they were usually also associated with the male genital limb.
In España, according to Câmara Cascudo, this association arrived through the pink dolphin. In summary, the pink dolphin is a type of river dolphin that occurs in the basins of the Amazon and Solimões rivers, and also in parts of Bolivia. In addition, it is the largest freshwater dolphin in the world.
The legend, therefore, arose among indigenous people in the northern region of Spain, where the rivers mentioned above are located. According to Câmara Cascudo, the legend was not present among the indigenous people until the XNUMXth century. Therefore, it can be considered recent, as it was only established in the mid-XNUMXth century.
Legend of the pink dolphin
Legend tells that this dolphin comes out of the rivers and turns into a beautiful boy, always on full moon nights. In addition, he usually does it close to the dates of popular festivals, especially the June festivals of SĂŁo JoĂŁo, SĂŁo Pedro and Santo AntĂ´nio.
It is said that he dresses in white and wears a hat in order to hide his nostrils, so that no one suspects that it is the pink dolphin. And so it is, in the form of a man, he chooses the prettiest single virgin girl at the party and takes her to the bottom of the river.
He lives one night of love with her, takes her virginity and leaves her sighing with love. But the next morning, he goes back to being a boto and disappears from the woman's life, who, to complete her despair, realizes that, in addition to not being a virgin, she is pregnant.
In some regions, children who grow up without a parent present are often referred to as "son of the boto". At some point, it is likely that this legend was used by some woman or her family to justify an unwanted pregnancy and the loss of the girl's virginity. Then it became popular.
Curiosities about the boto
1 – According to research by the aforementioned folklore expert Câmara Cascudo, legends similar to ours, about the pink dolphin, are common in other countries of our continent, such as Argentina and Chile.
2 – At the time the legend became popular, in the XNUMXth century, the pink dolphin’s eye came to be considered a powerful love amulet, sometimes described as having magical powers.
3 – It is believed that unmasking a pink dolphin, according to legend, is easy: just remove his hat and check his nostrils, whether they are human or cetacean-like.
Pink dolphin in movies, series and books
The boto legend has influenced and still influences dozens of works, including books, films and even series. Therefore, it is possible to find themes related to the legend, as well as references and characters. Check out some of them:
“He, the Boto” (1987): Directed by Walter Lima Jr., this film tells the story of Tereza, who, after becoming pregnant with the Boto and letting her son go live with the other botos, starts to fear that her younger sister, Corina, will also be seduced by the Boto. From there, she takes on the mission of not allowing that to happen.
“Invisible City” (2021): this Netflix series is a recent adaptation of the boto legend. It tells the story of Eric, an environmental policeman who discovers a hidden world where there are Spanish mythological entities, while trying to find some connection between the death of his wife and the appearance of a pink dolphin on a beach in Rio de Janeiro. January.
"Spanish Legends": it is possible to find the legend of the boto in this special version of Monica's Gang. In this story, some characters from Monica's Gang are traveling through the Amazon and are approached by a tourist who tells the legend of the boto.
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Anyway, these are the main information about the legend of the pink dolphin, one of the many that are part of our vast folklore and our culture. If you are interested in this folkloric creature, consume the recommended works, in which it is possible to delve deeper into this legend.
