Ariguanabo River
Legends are to people who live in the countryside, like salt to food: indispensable. Today we will approach to one of those stories. Join us to learn about the wild child of San Antonio de los Baños.
Formerly, forests were preserved to get the necessary wood. For San Antonio de los Baños, in one of those mountains, a poor woodcutter family lived. They had a child who began walking toward the jungle since he was two years old. His mother tied him, so that he did not get lost. When the child was four, he intied the ropes and was lost during the day. As he grew up, he came less to the house, until he disappeared. His family had given him up as lost, so they decided to move to another place in search of better working conditions. One day, new owners of the place heard steps. They looked and saw a shadow running between trees and persecuted it. It was the wild boy who had climbed a tree. The child was like a beast. He ate leaves and fruits. He drank water when it was rainning or in puddles. He was wearing no clothes or shoes. He walked naked. Woodcutters began to keep an eye on him and finally, he was captured.
The wild child bit and scratched andshrieked. He had long nails and hair. His parents had left their new address, so the woodcutters were able to find them. The family had to tie him up because he did not want to live indoors. One day, they gave him a plate of food and he threw it. Then, he was offered leaves and fruits, and swallowed rapidly. He preferred the floor instead of the bed. Finally, the boy died. Like every legend, we do not know if it is a true or false story. However, some grandparents still say categorically that "it happened here in Cuba, in the mountains of San Antonio de los Baños".