Writers Abroad Magazine Issue 3 September 2015 | Page 33

WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE

Myths and Legends
A New (or Rather Old) Take on Vampires by Nina Croft
One of the wonderful things about living in new countries is discovering the folk laws
peculiar to that place. I live in a beautiful area of Spain known as Las Alpujarras, which
lies between the Mediterranean and the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s very remote
area of steep mountains and ragged gorges and its isolation has led to it developing
a rich source of unique myths and legends.
One of my favorites is the legend of the mantequero.
Mantequero actually means: pertaining to butter (the word for butter in Spanish is
mantequilla). And a mantequero is a Spanish vampire who sucks fat. They are also
known as sacamentacas (takers of fat).
A sort of early form of liposuction?
Now, I have to admit to a fondness for vampires. My Dark
Desires series is a mix of romance and space opera based
around the crew of a space ship called the Blood Hunter.
Ricardo Sanchez, hero of book 1, Break Out, is the pilot; he’s
also a 1,500-year-old Spanish vampire. But unlike the
mantequero, Rico sticks to sucking blood, not fat—thank
goodness. I’d find it hard to make anyone who munched on
fat a viable romantic proposition
Around here, the mantequero is a sort of bogeyman to
frighten children, though there is very little written information
to be discovered.
Gerald Brennen in his book, South from Granada, found the legend alive in this area.
He describes the mantequero as a monster in human form, tall and very thin (unless
they’ve recently eaten.) They live in remote areas and feed on human fat. When
captured, the mantequero will shout in a high pitched voice
It’s also believed that the blood of the mantequero has magical properties and anyone
resembling one (and this is the first time I’ve ever been glad I’m not tall and thin!) ran
the risk of being hunted down and killed before they could prove otherwise.
In 1927 Brennen sublet his house in the area to another writer—a tall thin man…
One day while walking in the countryside, he saw three disreputable looking
characters, and deciding running might be his best option, he made a dash for it. They
followed him shouting, “Mantequero!” They caught him and brought him before the
judge. Luckily he managed to avoid having his throat slit by claiming kinship with King
George V of England.
So, if you’re tall and thin, and travelling in this area—think up your story beforehand
and keep safe! WA
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