La Lechuza, a horrible way to get your kids to behave!

When I was about six or seven years old, my older cousins baby-sat my brother, sister, and me one Saturday night.  We used to love playing outside until dark, and if we could play until the sun came up, we totally would!  Well that night my two older cousins were getting annoyed and tired and wanted us to go inside because it was already 10p.m., but we refused.  My two older cousins then started talking to each other about how they were worried that "you know who" was coming out that night.  I started to listen in on their conversation and asked them what they were talking about, but they just got quiet and stared at the sky.  So then, one of my cousins screamed in terror and yelled for us to run inside and hide from "her."  My brother and I could not have ran fast enough, but we managed to find a closet on the far end of the house, but we had lost my older sister! We could hear my older cousin screaming, "Lechuza, don't take me, take Sasha!" (My older sister) So my brother and I started crying hysterically, and my other cousin came in the room making noise, and we thought it was what ever had "taken my sister" and opened the closet door and found us crying! All he did was laugh and told us that next time we need to listen to them when they tell us to go inside! My sister was also a part of this mean joke!  After this, I did listen anytime my parents or whoever was babysitting told me to do something! Some time later I asked my parents what a "lechuza" was and they explained it was an urban legend about an owl/witch that takes children if they don't behave, of course trying to get me to behave.


There have been many accounts of this strage creature throughout the Southwest and Mexico for the past century. The Lechuza has its origins in the rural communities in Mexico and till this day, people still have wicked encounters with the "Owl Lady". Witches who are known for practicing both ancient medicine and black magic plus at times have the power to transform themselves into giant owls and prey on those who have done them wrong or steal children for ritual purposes. Apart from the traditional European witches we are familiar with, these Lechuzas have their origins in the rural parts of Mexico where old communities still believe in their power of witchcraft and transfiguration.  It is believed that they work for Satan to lure or capture children for rituals. They have not only have the power to transforms themselves into giant owls, they can also change their voice as that of a baby crying outside as to lure you to step outside for a brief moment. That is the creepiest thing I have ever read! Now, if I ever hear a crying kid outside, I'm calling the cops so they can deal with it!

So, needless to say, I was a pretty behaved child, sort of..