The Bandari Witch

In the 1600s, a poor old woman from the Santa Ana Volcano surroundings was expelled from her lands by the Conquistadors. They stole all that she had and laughed about how poor she was and how she looked like a bandari, they said: “You are just a bandari, get out of here and come back to the jungle with your relatives! You cannot even speak Spanish!”

While she was walking around the place for days without food or water, she was starving near the lake when she met an elegant white man wearing a black coat, who asked her: “Dear, why are you so lonely? Did anything happen to you?”

She was very surprised and thought she was suffering from some hallucinations because she had been in that place for days and never seen anyone and he spoke her language too. She felt some shivers from the presence of that man. However, she answered that she was expelled from her house and lost everything in the hands of some evil Spaniards.

The man was thoughtful and for a while gave her a piece of bread from his pockets. He was only watching her later, after some minutes, he told her: “I could help you recover all that you had, but I’ll need a little favor from your side.”

She didn’t have anything to lose. She was starving and didn’t have where to go or even relatives. She asked him: “How can you help me? And what do you want?”

He told her:

“There is a lake in the northern part of these lands called: Lake Güija. In its center, there is a powerful stone that I heard could transform anyone into a magical animal similar to a chimpanzee, but as massive as an orangutan.

Take care. It can corrupt anyone who can get it. I can help you acquire it, but you will share its secrets with all women who have problems with these wicked men as a condition.”

She was surprised by his offer, why was he trying to help her? However, she just agreed and started this journey to the north.

After three days of riding some new animals called horses, she and the gentleman arrived at the lake. She walked for a while and found someone who lent them a boat just for a couple of hours.

In the center of the lake, they found a mysterious stone. She took it, but there was a transcript next to it. She couldn’t read it because she was illiterate.

The woman felt an immense power in her inner self. She felt that she could even lift rocks and recover everything she had!

After a few minutes, she looked back and the gentleman who had escorted her had vanished, but she never cared about it! It was time for revenge. She discovered she was able to run as fast as a jaguar. Also, she was able to climb trees like a monkey and jump from one tree to another without being even noticed. She was invincible!

When she came back to her former house, she still found the Spaniards there and scared them and took what was hers, and continued scaring all of the Conquistadors from the surroundings. She became the terror of the Spaniards, “The Bandari Witch” (figure 1).

Figure 1. The Bandari Witch. ¹

She shared the stone and the knowledge as the man requested it. However, one day she was too old to keep doing it and the man showed up in front of her one more time. She was shocked because he looked as young as he was many years ago and asked him: “Sir, what are you doing here? And how are you so young?”

He told her: “I have seen your actions, and you have followed our agreement, but now it’s time to fulfill the last part of our deal. Regarding, why I am so young? I’m not from this world. I am from the beyond!”

She was trembling and said: “What deal? I have shared the knowledge as you requested!”

He answered: “Yes, but did you remember there was a transcript next to the stone?”

She remembered it, but she never read it because she was unable to and never took care of it. He gave her a copy and read it for her:

“Anyone who is searching for power shouldn’t take this stone.
The devil cursed it and will take your soul one day.

Nevertheless, if you take the risk, he is going to give you
great powers and you will be able to transform into
a magical bandari.

Keep away from it if you value your soul!”

Later he said: “As you can see, it’s time that you come with me.”

She transformed into the Bandari Witch one more time and ran for her life, but he captured her and took her soul. After that day, no one ever heard of the first Bandari Witch.

At the present time …
Her followers, the Bandari Witches, continue her legacy. They have become merciless and increased their power and knowledge significantly, that’s why their current fights in the Salvadorean volcanoes are something terrifying.

If you fight any of these malignant witches, they will not stop laughing creepily. Their screams can paralyze even the bravest men. Plus, if you are one of the few lucky who managed to escape from these beasts, you have already lost your soul forever.

As a final reminder, if you ever met the Black Knight as it’s called these days, he is a trickster only. Carry on with your journey, and don’t accept anything from him because you could be the next one who loses his or her soul!

Credits:
Location: Santa Ana, Salwador

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