Cóoyoko (child-devouring spirit)
Cóoyoko (child-devouring spirit) is a fearsome spirit being in Hopi mythology who threatens children who disobey their parents or wander away from the village. He is one of several disciplinary figures used in Hopi tradition to teach children respect, obedience, and awareness of danger. Cóoyoko is said to lurk in the arroyos and abandoned kivas at the edges of the village, waiting for those who stray too far. While terrifying to children, Cóoyoko serves a protective function by discouraging behavior that could lead to real harm in the harsh desert landscape