The myths and legends of a town explain to a great extent how its first inhabitants have interpreted and tried to give a symbolic explanation to the phenomena and moments that they have lived through and of which at the time it was not known why they occurred.

Only within the Iberian Peninsula we can find a great variety of traditions, myths and other attempts to explain the world from cultures such as the Roman, Visigoth, Arabic or Christian and even earlier ones such as the Iberian, Celtic or Basque. And one of the territories with the greatest variety of myths and legends is the Basque Country. That is why throughout this article we are going to review a small sample of Basque legends , all of which are of great cultural interest.

10 Basque myths and legends

Next we will see a dozen Basque myths and legends, in which we can find relevant elements of the traditional folklore of these lands .

They generally refer to natural elements centred on the mountain, the forest and the creatures that live in them, together with characters and mythological beings that emerged in antiquity, typical of Basque culture (the inhabitants of the territories that make up the Basque Country in pre-Roman times) but also with Celtic influences and adaptations typical of the change in religious beliefs (such as, for example, the arrival and adoption of Christianity as the majority religion).

1. The goddess Mari, in Txindoki

The religious beliefs of the Basques and the Basque population until the arrival of Christianity included the belief in various deities, one of the most important being the goddess Mari . This deity was a feminine entity which had power over storms and over nature (to the point that it was sometimes confused with the mother goddess of the Earth, Amalur) and which used to be cruel in the face of lies or pride. He said that he had his main home in the caves of Mount Amboto, although he had and was moving between the different mountains.

Legend has it that after several years without passing through Mount Txindoki, the deity Mari returned to visit her home on that rise. The deity’s arrival was not unknown: a burning flying horse was carrying her, and her arrival was accompanied by rain until the deity reached her quarters.

One day a shepherdess took her master’s flock to the lack of the mountain, so that when evening came she could gather them and return home. But as she counted them, she realized that she was missing one, fearing that it had climbed to the top. Despite the fear that the deity would punish her, the shepherdess began the ascent in search of the animal, which she found at the entrance of a cave near the summit.

But the young woman also found in her the deity. The goddess was spinning, and proceeded to ask the shepherdess for her cooperation in her task. In return, she promised her that she would reward her and that one day she would have her own flock. The shepherdess accepted, and spent the next seven years learning not only how to spin but also things like the language of animals, as well as helping the goddess. After that time, the deity gave her a huge lump of coal before she disappeared . Upon leaving the cave, the shepherdess realized that the coal had become gold, with which she could buy her own house and her own flock.

2. The legend of Basajaun and wheat

In Basque mythology, there is a large, hairy and strong being with a humanoid foot and another in the shape of a hoof, which is often called the Basque yeti: the Basajaun. This being, of great strength and ingenuity, is considered the protector of nature and livestock , and is the protagonist of numerous legends (sometimes considering a single creature and in others referring to two or more members of the same species of genius). One of them, which speaks of the origin of agriculture, is the following.

In a time before humanity knew agriculture or livestock and when the first populations were beginning to settle in the region, one of the first Basque human settlements was formed on Mount Gorbea. On top of this mountain lived the Basajaun, who dominated agriculture and livestock and lived comfortably. Despite the fact that the humans were suffering a great famine, the Basajaun refused to share their knowledge with the humans .

But one day young Otxando decided to do something to change it. Otxando approached the territory of the Basajaun, who were harvesting wheat in their fields and gathering it into sheaves. There, he challenged them to jump over the sheaves, claiming to be able to jump more than the huge beings. These, surprised, accepted the challenge. While the great and powerful Basajaun jumped without difficulty, Otxando kept falling on them, losing and being mocked by them.

The young man returned to the village. However, as he took off his shoes and shook them, several seeds that had been left behind fell to the ground. These seeds would be planted, and thanks to them the first fields of wheat sown by humans would be born , being the origin of food like bread.

Another version tells us how it was Martiniko who performed the same challenge to Basajaun in a cave in order to obtain the grain, with identical results. Later, he would go to the same cave in order to understand how to sow it, something he would discover when he heard these creatures singing a song in which they inadvertently explained it.

3. The red bull: Zezengorri

Another mythological creature of the Basque legends is Zezengorri, the red bull . This being, a spirit that guards the entrance of his cave, is characterized by expelling fire from his mouth and nose and can get to attack those who disturb the caves, in which they keep the treasures of the goddess Mari. A legend mentions this being in relation to the Atxulaur cave on Mount Itzine.

Legend has it that there was once a thief who inhabited the cave of Atxulaur, coming over the years to accumulate a great treasure. However, the thief would move to new lands (specifically French lands) to continue stealing, a journey in which he would end up being caught and finally killed.

After the death of the thief, there were those who wanted to enter the cave in search of the treasure . However, the spirit of the thief appeared on each occasion in the form of a red and fiery bull, chasing them away. These people eventually discovered that the thief’s remains were still far from their home.

They went to retrieve his bones and brought them back to the place where the man had lived: they threw them to the entrance of the cave, and they sank instantly. When this was done, the animal stopped frightening them and allowed them access, and the thief could rest in peace and those who were looking for their treasure could recover it.

4. The legend of Mariurrika

A legend that tells us about the importance of the family and of protecting it over material considerations, offers us a critique of greed and at the same time is linked to the geography of the Basque Country is that of the legend of Mariurrika, which reads as follows.

There was once a king of Navarre who promised to give his daughter Doña Urraca in marriage to the man who managed to defeat one of his subjects. Pedro Ruiz, lord of the house of Muntsaratz de Abadiano, responded to this challenge and was victorious in obtaining the hand of the princess. With the passing of time the couple had two children, Ibon and Mariurrika.

Mariurrika was the youngest, while she hated her older brother, who was the first-born and future heir. However, in order to get the inheritance, the girl planned with a maid to end her brother’s life : they decided to go on an excursion with him to Mount Amboto. There, they got him drunk, and once in a state of drunkenness and sleep, they pushed him so that he would fall down, falling and dying on the spot. With Ibon dead, Mariurrika returned home pretending her brother’s death was an accident.

Although a group was sent to recover the body, it was never found. However, when the night came Mariurrika began to have strong regrets of conscience and once she was asleep she had nightmares that her dead brother came to her and pointed at her, accusing her of his death. When she woke up, the young woman was surrounded by a group of evil geniuses known as ximelgorris (evil spirits), who had come to look for her. Mariurrika disappeared that same night to avoid returning, and there are rumors that she lives on the mountain where she killed her brother or was thrown into the abyss of the lost spirits.

5. The creation of the Sun, the Moon and the eguzkilorea

The Sun and the Moon are very important stars for the human being, being habitual that the different cultures have realized myths and legends with regard to the moment of their creation. Basque mythology is no exception. Curiously, the legend that talks about its creation also refers to the creation of a typical and traditional flower in Basque culture: the eguzkilorea. It is a flower that has been traditionally used by the Basque people as an amulet of protection against evil, being also known as the flower of the sun. The legend that tells us about the origins of these elements is as follows

Thousands of years ago, when humanity was just beginning to populate the Earth, the world was in constant darkness: neither the Sun nor the Moon existed. Human beings were terrified by the many mythological creatures with which they had to live, and who never ceased to attack them from the most complete darkness. That is why they desperately prayed to Amalur, the great Mother Earth , for help and protection. The insistence of the humans made Amalur finally decided to help them by creating the moon, as a luminous entity that allows them to see.

Although they were terrified at first, they eventually got used to it. However, the witches, geniuses and other creatures also got used to it, terrorizing humanity again. They turned to Amalur again, praying for more powerful protection. The planet reacted by creating the sun, and with it the day and the plants.

Mankind got used to this star, while most of the creatures that harassed them did not. But they still went out at night, something that made people ask for help for the third time. The Earth decided to respond again, for the last time: it created the eguzkilorea or sun flower , which placed on the doors during the night makes the night creatures think they are before the Sun and do not approach it fearing its luminosity.

6. The snake of Baltzola

A legend that tells us a story centred on the cave of Baltzola, in which we can observe elements such as the protection of nature as well as the repercussions and retribution of one’s actions over time.

Legend has it that two brothers, Joxe and Santi, came to the cave of Baltzola one day attracted by the legend that said that the lamas kept a treasure there. When they got there, they saw a large snake, sleeping, at the entrance. Santi, the youngest and craziest, threw a stone at it with such luck that it cut off part of its tail before the snake managed to escape. Joxe, the oldest, reproached his brother for this act and forced him to leave the animal alone. The two of them decided to return home.

Many years later, Joxe had to emigrate in order to make his fortune. Although he grew up there, he still missed his home. But one day, a man with one leg missing arrived and, taking him by the hand, transported him back to Baltzola. There, before he disappeared, the man told him that, so that he would not have to leave again, he would give him a box with gold, while he gave him a belt for his brother. Joxe went in search of his younger brother, telling him what had happened.

After realizing that the man without the leg had never used anything to support himself, Santi decided by chance to tie the belt to a tree, which suddenly began to burn . After looking at each other, they both understood that the man was none other than the snake that Santi had mutilated years before and which Joxe had defended.

7. The legend of the black dog

The animals closest to humans are also the subject of many legends. In the case of the dog, it has often been associated with legends in which they become guardians of the spirit of the dead or even that they are souls in pain. One of the legends starring a dog is the following.

Legend has it that once upon a time a young Bizkaia man about to get married was in the process of handing out wedding invitations. On his way, he passed in front of the cemetery, where he saw a skull lying on the ground . The young man kicked it, saying in a mocking way that she was also invited. After a while, however, he noticed a big black dog chasing him, looking at him in such a way that he got scared. After returning home, he told his mother what had happened, who recommended that he quickly go and talk to the old wizard of the town for advice.

Quickly the boy ran to see him, and the old man told him that the dog was the keeper of the corpse to which the skull belonged and that he intended to avenge the offence committed. However, he told him to take the dog to make amends and during the banquet always serve it first, before the guests. The day of the wedding arrived and the young man did as he was told, giving the dog the best bites always first, despite the criticism of the guests. After doing so, the dog indicated to him that he had done well, because with that gesture his owner (the dead man) had decided to forgive him. After that, the dog disappeared.

8. The legend of the Paseo de los Caños

Some very old Basque legends not only talk about natural elements, but also refer to the orography of specific parts of cities, such as the one that takes place in the Paseo de los Caños in Bilbao.

The legend says that on this walk you can see some strange tracks caused by the race between an angel and the devil for the soul of a local girl . The girl was an eighteen-year-old girl who had always lived in hardship and who used to pray to God to be reunited with him.

Although the devil always tried to tempt her, she never gave in. When she died, an angel was sent to take her to heaven, but the devil also came: both ran after the young woman’s soul, leaving the run of both marks on the ground of the walk. Finally, it was the angel who reached the girl’s soul, taking her to heaven.

9. The lick in love and the shepherd

Another of the most popular creatures of the pre-Christian Basque culture are the lamias. Although in other cultures these beings are almost vampire and demonic, those of the Basque culture are different because originally these creatures were entities similar to nymphs or mermaids , often with anthropomorphic characteristics such as duck feet or fish tails and benevolent character, although they can get angry if their combs are stolen and they are not able to step on consecrated land. There are many legends about this, the one presented here being a legend centered on love.

The legend says that a shepherd, after taking his flock to the mountain, heard a melodious song that made him forget his animals to look for the one who was singing . He found a beautiful young woman in the middle of a river, combing her hair with a golden comb. The shepherd immediately asked her to marry him, to which she agreed.

The pastor returned to the village and told his mother, who was worried and asked for advice. She received as an answer the recommendation of that the son should look at the feet of the young woman before finishing deciding whether to marry , in order to assess whether she was human or lamia. The boy returned to the mountain to see his beloved, observing however that her feet were webbed and like those of a duck: she was a lamia. The young shepherd sadly returned home, where he became ill and delirious for a while with his fiancée. Finally, he died.

The young lamia, after hearing about it, ran to her lover’s house to shroud him with a golden sheet and say goodbye. She tried to follow the funeral procession, but could not participate in the ceremony as she could not enter the consecrated ground. The girl cried so hard that she would end up generating a spring in the place where her tears fell.

10. The Betelu unicorn

Unicorns are creatures that are present in a great number of mythologies and are associated with virginity and purity, but within Basque mythology and legends only one example of a legend is known in which they participate. The legend dictates the following.

The King of Navarre, Sancho the Magnanimous, and his wife, Doña Aldonza, had two beautiful daughters: Violante and Guiomar. One day, a knight arrived at the king’s castle and fell in love with Guiomar, a love that was reciprocated. However, the knight left for the war and died during it , something that depressed the young woman.

Some time later, the queen died, something that left King Sancho tremendously sore to the point that little by little he began to become seriously ill, becoming weaker and weaker. Although no doctor was able to help him, an old man indicated that the only way to cure him was to prepare a potion that he knew, but that required a special ingredient: it had to be drunk through the horn of a unicorn.

Fortunately, the old man knew where one was: in the woods of Betelu . But a unicorn is a being of great power and difficult to capture, which would only accept to approach a maiden who has not experienced the love and hardships of this one. The only ones who would be able to do so would be Violante and Guiomar.

The first approached the forest with determination, but hearing the mythical being whinny, she would be terrified and run away back to the castle. Guiomar then, given the king’s increasingly dangerous state of health, decided to go after the creature despite knowing that her suffering for the love of the knight was endangering her. Guiomar went with several crossbowmen to the forest, indicating that in case of attack they would shoot the unicorn. The woman found the unicorn, but when she approached it, the animal attacked her and pierced her with its horn, killing her on the spot before the crossbowmen could do anything.

They took Guiomar’s body and the horn back to the castle. Despite the fact that the old man was able to make the concoction and get the king to recover from his illness, the monarch ended up dying a few days later after the death of his beloved daughter.

Bibliographic references

  • Calleja, S. (2011). Tales and legends of the Basque Country. Editorial Anaya. Madrid, Spain.
  • Garmendia Larrañaga, J. (2007) Apparitions, Witches and Gentiles: Myths and Legends of the Basques – Eusko ikaskuntza. Donostia, Spain.
  • Martínez de Lezea, T. (2004). Legends of the Basque Country. Editorial Erein.
  • Martínez de Lezea, T. (2016). Magical routes. Administration of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Bilbao. [Online]. Available at: https://turismo.euskadi.eus/contenidos/recurso_tecnico/aa30_folletos/es_def/folletos/2016/mitologia/rutas_magicas.pdf.