Dwarf’s Cave

In the 1900s, in the San Pablo canton in Cuscatlan, many women made amazing hand-made comals (kinds of large pans made from clay). They were the best in entire El Salvador, and everyone wanted to know their secrets.

These women used to sell their comals in some unique baskets every Sunday at noon around the municipality. Many people, especially the pupusa makers (las pupuseras in Spanish), jumped to them when they heard those women saying: "Comals! Comals! 2 for 0.15 cents! Comals of all sizes! Do you want a comal?" Everyone ran and approached them because they wanted one. 

Over the years, in the 1920s, a man decided that he deserved to know these women’s secrets. He went to spy on them. He found that the women were making the comals in an odd cave next to a forest (figure 1) every Saturday. He had never seen that cave in his life. He descended around 120 stairs until he reached the secret place where the women made their mystical comals.

Figure 1. Dwarf’s Cave. ¹

He hid silently in a corner to see and take note of all the steps in detail. Nothing looked so special. However, after a few hours, when the women had finished, they put their comals in a specific location near the center of the cave. At that moment, some turkeys appeared from nowhere jumping, over the new comals. The women ran and tried to catch them, but they just flew over them. Suddenly, a pair of small hands appeared from nowhere and started to play with their breasts. After that, the turkeys vanished. Also, for a brief moment, the man saw the shadow of a small reflection on a wall.

The women seemed quite annoyed, but the comals seemed ready for selling. They picked them up and left the cave.

"Definitely, these women had some support from beyond." The man thought.

The man had revealed the women’s secret, and it was time to profit from it. He returned to his house and spoke with his employees. He shared with them his new plan and how to produce on-demand the comals. He asked them to bring their wives since it seemed the dwarf loved to play with the women’s breasts. This was the only way to find him and capture him.

Not all men agreed. They felt annoyed to think about the antics of this dwarf. The few that agreed requested equity if they captured it and not less than 10% of the annual revenue.

The next Saturday in the early morning, he came with his employees and wives to the cave. The man gave precise instructions on how to make the comals to the women. However, after they had finished and set the comals in the precise location, nothing happened. Oddly, not even the women came on that day.

Everyone started to roam around the cave until one of them found a small piece of paper that said: "It seems that someone is not as smart as he thought."

Somehow, the dwarf had predicted the man’s intentions or had tracked him somehow. Also, it seemed that he had a peculiar taste or agreement with those women. What’s more, the women vanished from that day. No one saw them again.

Nowadays, some people swear they have heard the same women in other towns in the eastern part of El Salvador, but no one can confirm it. Also, this cave is a mysterious place where many people believe you can reach Guatemala through it. However, there is a massive rock that makes it nearly impossible to reach Guatemala. Everyone is afraid to go through it because you might never leave since you could reach unknown paths without an end, or the dwarf can capture you.

Inspired by Leyendas de El Salvador’s version.

Credits:
¹ dallidallsen
Location: Cuscatlán Department, El Salvador

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