Cipitío

trickster · El Salvador · Mesoamerica

Cipitío is a beloved legendary character from Salvadoran folklore, the illegitimate son of La Siguanaba and Lucero de la Mañana (Lucifer). Cursed by the god Teotl as a result of his mother's infidelity, he was condemned to remain a child forever, with his feet set backward as a reminder of the twisted affair of his parents. He is generally portrayed as an 8 to 10-year-old boy with a large conical hat and a pot belly. His name derives from the Nahuatl word 'cipit' or 'cipote' meaning child. Cipitío is a mischievous trickster who wanders into farmers' fields, throws pebbles at beautiful women, h

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