Caipora

Caipora (Portuguese pronunciation: [kajˈpɔɾɐ]) or Caapora (Kaapora) is a forest spirit or humanoid and guardian of wildlife or game in Brazilian folklore.

The word "Caipora" comes from Tupi and means "inhabitant of the forest", and perhaps may be traced to Kaagere (also meaning "forest dweller", and an alias of anhanga) of the Tupi-Guaraní mythology, but this is far from definite.

Caipora is variously represented as a dark-skinned, small Native American girl (caboclinha) or boy (caboclinho), a dwarf or large-sized hairy humanoid or beast. It is often said to ride an animal such as the peccary, and armed with a stick or whip made of certain plants. It takes bribes of tobacco and alcohol, and sometimes also has a pipe.

Its description varies greatly depending on the region or source. It is sometimes confused with Curupira, which is another mythological creature who protects the forest, but it is also amenable to comparison with other mythical creatures (Saci, Pé de garrafa) with which it may share certain traits.

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