The Erchitu is a
legendary creature
A legendary creature is a type of extraordinary or supernatural being that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), and may be featured in historical accounts before modernity, but has not been scientifically shown to exist.
In t ...
of
Sardinian tradition.
According to the ancient
legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
s of
Sardinia
Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...
, a man who committed a serious crime would turn on
full moon nights into a white
ox with two large horns. The creature stops in front of a house and bellows three times: his roar is heard by all the inhabitants of the country, and according to tradition, the master of the house will die within the year.
Sometimes it is accompanied by
devil
A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...
s who lay two lit candles on its horns and prod it with hot skewers.
The Erchitos can free themselves from their torment only when they encounter someone brave and strong, capable of extinguishing the candles in one puff, or capable of cutting the horns on the head with one precise shot.
References
{{Reflist
Mythological human–animal hybrids
Culture of Sardinia