Case file · Fairy lore
Duendes
Small house and forest spirits of Spanish, Latin American and Filipino lore, blamed for mischief, lost children and hidden objects.
1600 CE · 4.60, -74.08 · status: legend
The account
The duende came to the Americas and the Philippines with Spanish folklore and blended with local beliefs. Stories vary from helpful household sprites to beings who lure children into the woods, and people in rural Latin America still describe encounters.
The sceptical view
Belief stories, shaped by place and tradition; no physical evidence.