Letiche: North American Folklore

The bayous of Louisiana are full of a distinct culture, overflowing with it's own personal brand of folklore. From those strange swamps emerges the tale of a mischievous and malevolent creature known by the name of Letiche.

The Letiche are aquatic, spending their lives in the swamps of Louisianna. It is their mission to search the swamps for vulnerable boats and upend them. Turning over boats is not their only forte. Letiche are sometimes known to drag their victims under the water after capsizing their boats.

There are two different origin stories for this monster. The first, more commonly accepted theory is that Letiche are the souls of unbaptized children who have passed away, cursed to linger in the unforgiving swamps and bring havoc to the area. The second story has roots in Native American mythology. The legend goes that a child was taken by swamp alligators and raised as one of their own. Over time, the Letiche developed the qualities of an alligator. So while he may still maintain some features of a man, such as walking upright and having human hands and feet, his life in the swamps among the alligators has caused him to develop many reptillian characteristics. This includes a green hued hide, not unlike that of an alligator, and of course, a set of sharp, lethal teeth.