One legend of Belize that is often overlooked is the Old Heg. The name has become less feared and more of an insult, but she is a very DANGEROUS folklore of Belize. By day she appears as a feeble old woman who will offer children candy (Wangla, a type of sesame seed treat) in order to kidnap them! Then at night, she sheds her skin and turns into a Heg! A creature described as having large wings and a vampire like look. Similar to Vampires, the Heg can only come out at night and fears sunlight.
ORIGIN
Over 80 years ago stories begin to spread in Belize about women who appeared to have shapeshifting abilities. The first known story of a Heg involved a beautiful woman with a jealous old neighbor. It is said the old neighbor went to the beautiful woman at night in her Heg form and tried to suck her blood! The woman fought off the Heg cutting her lip. The next morning she saw her old neighbor with a cut on the lip in the same place.
Other powers of the Heg include turning into a ball of fire and the ability to turn children into pigs. A Heg can also create another Heg from the people they kidnap. You can protect yourself from one by scattering sesame seeds to distract it. But the only way to stop a Heg is to trap it outside the skin. To do so, one must follow her during the day and wait to see where she leaves her skin at night. Then salt must be placed on the skin to shrink it. If successful, the Heg will come back and chant in desperation saying "SKINNY, SKINNY! YU NO KNOW ME!"
PURPOSE
Old Heg stories serve as warnings to children to not wonder off or take candy from strangers. They are also warnings to be careful who you trust.
ALTERNATE NAMES: Ole Hag, Soucouyant, Ol'Higue.
FOR MORE OLD HEG STORIES CHECK OUT IF THE PIN NEVA BEN ON AMAZON :
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