Papa Bois, Father of the Forest
In Trinidad's forests, the old man Papa Bois guards the animals, and hunters who take too much may meet him, or chase a deer that leads them astray.
What was reported
Papa Bois is the guardian of the forest in the folklore of Trinidad and Tobago: an old man with a beard of leaves, the hooves of a goat and a horn he blows to warn animals of hunters. He is said to be able to take the form of a deer.
Hunters who kill for sport or take more than they need may be led deep into the forest by a deer that turns out to be Papa Bois. Those who meet him are told to greet him politely, 'Bonjour, vieux papa'.
Explanations offered
Papa Bois is a figure of folklore, similar to forest guardians in Brazil and elsewhere. Like them, he teaches respect for nature, and he has become a symbol of conservation in Trinidad and Tobago.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Northern Range, Trinidad
- Witnesses
- Trinidad and Tobago tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.