The São Francisco River is one of the largest watercourses in Latin America. It rises in the Southeast, in Minas Gerais, and crosses four states in the Northeast. For bathing more than 500 municipalities and marking the lives of thousands of people, it is also the cradle of many legends.
One of these legends talks about the danger of waking up Velho Chico, as the river is called by the locals, after he falls asleep at midnight. Another looks like the myth of vanity in Greek mythology, with a beautiful young woman in place of Narcissus but instead of wasting away, like the classic character, she turns into a serpent.
There is also the story of Nego d’Água, a very tall black man with amphibian characteristics who usually capsizes fishermen’s canoes and scares the riverside dwellers.
A resident of Juazeiro, Bahia, identified only as A.P., is 67 years old, retired, and never had the courage to return to the scene of the incident. Below is her account in her own words:
“In Juazeiro, Bahia, the city where I live, there are legends and old stories involving the São Francisco River. The folklore around it is old and, since I was a little girl, I have heard that in those waters live beings that are neither human nor animal. They are there to protect the river and, therefore, they usually keep people away. I never gave credit.
But one day, more than 30 years ago, I went swimming with my husband in the river, as we liked to do, alone in a remote stretch of the city. The day was beautiful and the bath, a delight and the nature of the region is really special. We dive and, when we submerge, we feel a current form. The water, which until then had been placid, suddenly became agitated.
We looked at each other and immediately started swimming fast to the shore. At that moment, my husband and I felt a strong turbulence pass through our legs. It was an upward pressure, as if something was rising from the bottom of the river towards the surface.
Suddenly, a gigantic man emerged from the water. He was very tall and naked. He had a muscular body, black skin and a bald head, in addition to appearing young and displaying scales on his body. I could hardly believe it, but this man was exactly as they described it in the regional stories. As soon as he came out of the water, he began to shout at us in a language we did not understand.
The man moved his arms and legs and the river churned, pulling us down. It was difficult to swim and stay without swallowing water. I was terrified and soon understood that he wanted to drown us. We kept struggling, trying to get to the riverbank, until finally we came across the sandbar. I don’t know where we got our strength from.
As soon as we got out of the water, we looked back, but the giant was gone. It was all very fast. We grabbed our things and started running away from there. We were desperate, and when we saw the first people, we told them what had just happened. Nobody believed us. I never had the courage to step on that stretch of shore again, not even close. I continue to swim in the São Francisco but, to this day, I pray and ask for protection every time before entering.”
