Jaracacas/Jaracas

The Jaracacas is a vampiric and demonic creature from Brazilian myth. They move around in the form of a snake searching for humans to feed on. Often, they prey on mothers who are breastfeeding. They nurse off the sleeping mothers and drain their blood at the same time. Sometimes they are thought to consume the entire breast. If the baby cries in response to this creature, then it stuffs its tail in the child’s mouth. This keeps the infant quiet, but may also suffocate it. When attacking a man, they feed off the upper arm and take a small amount of blood. They will repeatedly feed on the same victim, slowly weakening them until the Jaracacas targets someone else. It’s thought they are impossible to destroy but can be repelled with catholic prayers or blessings. Some believe they can be kept away with large dogs or cats, and there are various incantations, spells, and talismans believed to ward them off.

Citations:

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.

Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.