Book of Shadows (MYTHICAL CREATURES A-Z)

Agnen

Agnen

Mythology: Brazilian

A Demon with great intellect. He features in a story of the two heroic twins. Some sources say that he was one of the primordial Genii, and was alive at the time of the earth’s creation. He spent most of his time catching fish by using a special bait which aided him in catching the fish that the dead eat.

Legend says that Ariconte and Tamendonare were two brothers. They thought themselves as twins they were not as they did not share the same father. One was the son of a great wizard called Maira-ata, while the other was the son of an ordinary man named Sarigoys. Their mother wandered into a village of cannibals and fell victim to their hunger. When the twins grew up, they vowed to avenge their mother. They came up with a plan and told these cannibals that there were great supplies on a small island off the coast. When the cannibals went to the island to gather the supplies, the twins used their magic powers to summon a storm and submerge the island drowning the tribe. Having avenged the death of their mother, they decided to look for their father, the great wizard. They eventually tracked him down and met with him. Maira-ata was very pleased to see them but in order to prove themselves as the true sons of the wizard, Maira-ata asked them to pass some tests. The first was archery. The arrows shot by the twins never made their targets but remained in the air. The second test was to dash past two rocks that rapidly bashed together. One twin tried first but was not agile enough and was crushed to death. The second twin gathered the remains of his brother and resurrected him with magic. The Wizard not satisfied with these test asked them to accomplish a third. This one was to steal the bait that Agnen uses to catch the Alain fish. The son of Sarigoys was first to attempt the task. He approached warily but failed. Agnen caught and savagely devoured the brother. The second twin succeeded in capturing the bait and escaped with his life. He was again used his magical powers to resurrect his brother. Satisfied and convinced, Maira-ata recognised and accepted his two sons.