Pombero (Pombéro)

No single origin myth is provided in the available sources. The entity appears in Guaraní-derived popular belief as a long-standing figure of rural cultural heritage across Paraguay and neighboring regions; local names such as Karai Pyhare ('man of the night') and Pyrague ('hairy feet') are recorded, but sources do not give a unified cosmogonic origin.

Accounts commonly describe the Pombero as small, short and ugly, with very short arms and notably hairy hands and feet (the epithet 'Pyrague' highlights 'hairy feet'). Descriptions vary between communities; he is sometimes also said to be difficult to detect, able to pass through narrow openings, or to turn invisible. He may inhabit forests and is also reported to choose abandoned houses, deserted rooms, or empty barns.

Reported abilities and behaviours include stealthy silent approach, invisibility or near-invisibility, squeezing through narrow spaces, imitation of forest and especially nocturnal bird sounds, and a whistle said to announce his coming. Typical mischief attributed to him includes setting loose cattle, stealing eggs, chickens and honey, frightening horses, and scattering provisions such as corn or rice. Some accounts also attribute to him sexual interactions with women—ranging in descriptions from seduction to forced intercourse—and the attribution of certain unexpected or unattractive births to his visits. Depending on treatment, he may be appeased and become protective of household animals and possessions.