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Overview

The collection places beings called Moros at Monte de los Guanacos in the Itata district. It follows the brief local description with a letter from Manuel Alarcón, parish priest of Quirihue. Alarcón recounts a frightened young man seeking confession after dancing with a young widow named Francisca. In the orchard, an indistinct figure scratched him; his blows could not find its body.

As he watched, the figure seemed human but its face lengthened until it was as long as its legs. He fled indoors. Other people explained the attack by saying that these beings fall in love with women and persecute their human suitors. The young man said the pursuer continued following him and pulled the bedclothes to the floor when he tried to sleep. Alarcón records scratches shown on his face and hands as part of the report, without independently establishing a supernatural cause. The name Moros identifies the story’s apparitions; it is not a classification of an ethnic or religious community.

Unclear body evades retaliatory blowsFace grows extremely longJealous pursuit after a danceDisturbs a victim’s bedclothes
01

Origins & earliest records

Julio Vicuña Cifuentes, Mitos y supersticiones recogidos de la tradición oral chilena, Santiago: Imprenta Universitaria, 1915. The appendix combines local reports, named correspondents and quotations from other writers; their different routes of transmission remain specified.

02

Records & interpretation

Appendix A, XLIII, Los Moros del monte de los Guanacos, complete pp. 328–329; Quirihue report followed by Manuel Alarcón’s letter to the author. Young claimant unnamed, Francisca a narrative participant.

In the literature

“sin lograr pegarle, pues nunca le encontraba el cuerpo.”
Unnamed young confessant, mediated by Manuel Alarcón’s letter to Julio Vicuña Cifuentes · Mitos y supersticiones: recogidos de la tradición oral chilena
Appendix A XLIII Los Moros del monte de los Guanacos, complete printed pp.328–329; quoted printed p.328 · Not applicable: inspected original Spanish

A Quirihue report places monstrous Moros at Monte de los Guanacos, Itata. In a letter printed by Vicuña, priest Manuel Alarcón relates an unnamed young confessant’s story: after dancing with the widow Francisca, he was scratched by a bulk in an orchard; his attempted blows found no body and the apparent attacker’s face lengthened until as long as its legs. The youth fled, was told the beings jealously pursue women’s suitors, and claimed continuing pursuit and disturbed bedding. His displayed scratches are part of this reported account.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Mitos y supersticiones recogidos de la tradición oral chilena

    Julio Vicuña Cifuentes · 1915

    Appendix A, XLIII, Los Moros del monte de los Guanacos, complete pp. 328–329; Quirihue report followed by Manuel Alarcón’s letter to the author. Young claimant unnamed, Francisca a narrative participant.

  2. 02

    Mitos y supersticiones: recogidos de la tradición oral chilena — Appendix A XLIII Los Moros del monte de los Guanacos, complete printed pp.328–329

    Unnamed young confessant, mediated by Manuel Alarcón’s letter to Julio Vicuña Cifuentes · 1915

    Julio Vicuña Cifuentes, Santiago de Chile: Imprenta Universitaria1915; original title page previously checked, selected complete sections below visually read in National Library MC0008702 PDF. No claim of whole-volume review.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Located primary passages

Specific passages supporting details in this entry, grouped by their published witness.

Primary source witness

Julio Vicuña Cifuentes, Santiago de Chile: Imprenta Universitaria1915; original title page previously checked, selected complete sections below visually read in National Library MC0008702 PDF. No claim of whole-volume review.

  1. A Quirihue report places monstrous Moros at Monte de los Guanacos, Itata. In a letter printed by Vicuña, priest Manuel Alarcón relates an unnamed young confessant’s story: after dancing with the widow Francisca, he was scratched by a bulk in an orchard; his attempted blows found no body and the apparent attacker’s face lengthened until as long as its legs. The youth fled, was told the beings jealously pursue women’s suitors, and claimed continuing pursuit and disturbed bedding. His displayed scratches are part of this reported account.

    Appendix A XLIII Los Moros del monte de los Guanacos, complete printed pp.328–329

Manuel Alarcón is the named correspondent, distinct from the unnamed claimant and named widow. Reported injuries do not independently establish supernatural cause. Moros is the episode’s designation for phantoms, not a claim about an ethnic population.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary textVicuña Cifuentes 1915: complete selected appendix accountResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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