If Di Pin Neva Ben, is a collection of folktales and legends of Belize. In the Introduction, Timothy Hagerty and Mary Gomez Parham explain some of the supernatural characters that figure in the tales, including the Duende. He is the most common of the supernaturals, being both exotic and frightening. He is described as a small, dwarf-like man with a big hat. The name derives from the Spanish dueño de or "owner" and Duende is the guardian spirit of nature.
Whether the Duende takes the shape of a seductress enticing men into the forest, or the hairy gorilla-like creature that attacks and kills men in the forest, or the unseen creature that sounds like string rubbed through a plastic beer cup to sound like a crocodile, he is always there and watching. That there is a Duende of Twin Cays is obvious from the aerial photos themselves, sometimes looking like the archetypal little man, sometimes like the lizard, or (some say) even like a beautiful dancer. Take care.
If di pin neva ben, di stoay no mi wahn en.
