Basque ethnography at a glance

Weasel. Source: Felix Mugurutza.

In rural folklore, the weasel has always been considered a particularly cautious and dangerous animal. It is so cunning that, unlike other beasts, it is able to predict and anticipate human intentions.

When this happens, when the weasel realizes that humans intend to harm it, it takes revenge with dire consequences. Apparently, this animal possesses supernatural and magical qualities.

Therefore, the treatment of the weasel is based on fear and respect. In a way, it was an animal that symbolized evil in general.

Out of fear, its name was not even used, much less called. In fact, as with the most harmful beasts, it does not have a specific name. Instead, euphemisms are used. In Basque, for example, it is called ‘erbinude’ (derives from ‘erbien inude’ in Basque, which, in English, means ‘hare`s wet nurse’), and, in Spanish, the name ‘comadreja’ is used (deriving from the name ‘comadre’, or wet nurse in Spanish).

Likewise, and perhaps in reference to the brown color of its neck and white belly, it is called ‘ogigaztaia’ (‘ogi’ = bread, in Euskera, and ‘gaztaia’ = cheese; referring to both the color of bread and cheese) in Basque, and, in Spanish, ‘paniquesa’ or ‘paniquesilla’ (again, bread and cheese).

Another Basque name, used in the northern Basque Country, is ‘anderederra’ (beautiful lady), and it undoubtedly reveals a reverential treatment of the animal, to avoid its anger.

The closest references I have come from Llodio, and I owe them to my parents. According to their stories, the farmers of Llodio were greatly distressed to see these beasts in the area. It was believed that they could easily enter farms silently and cause great misfortune. However, as already mentioned, being such a swift and intelligent beast, it was unwise to attack it so as not to disturb it, for if it was disturbed, it would take cruel revenge, killing the best animal in the farmyard or tearing off its hooves.

To scare away the weasels, it was necessary to behave in a way that would not bother them. They used to burn rubber—shoes or other old footwear—for this purpose, so they said, because the smell was very repulsive to them, and therefore they would move on to another place without suspecting the humans’ intentions. This is a widespread belief, not limited to Llodio at all.

If one acted this way, there was no reason to fear its merciless revenge. The elders of the farmhouses in our village remember this well.

My father, who recently passed away, used to tell me how, in his neighbourhood of Markuartu, they remembered that in a house next to his property, a weasel had taken revenge on the neighbours who bothered it by throwing stones to scare it away: “It poisoned all the water in a bucket that they carried from the spring to drink. My mother often told us about it. That’s why you had to scare it away by burning rubber and old things, not by attacking it.”

Finally, still within that municipality, we should mention the information that C. Juan Egia Orue gave to Barandiaran about Llodio in 1935. He said: “According to popular belief, weasels are more venomous than snakes.”

So, do not try to play dirty tricks with such cunning creatures!

Felix Mugurutza – Researcher