DUENDE (Mexico)
The name “Duende” originated as a contraction of the Spanish phrase dueñ(o) de casa, effectively “master of the house”.
A Duende is a small humanoid figure in folklore, with variations from Iberian, Ibero American, and Filipino cultures, comparable to dwarves, gnomes, leprechauns or the Swedish Tomte (also in the anthology).
The Duende that poet Melissa H. Mwai wrote about is of Mexico and American Southwest folklore. These gnome-like creatures live inside the bedroom walls of young children. At night, the Duende (not known for taking care or for precision) will try to clip the toenails of unkempt children, sometimes leading to the mistaken removal of entire toes. Yikes! Children who are kempt, of course, need not worry.
Source: Duende. (2023, September 27). In Wikipedia.
Have you had any encounters with this hidden creature?
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