El Sombrerón
In Guatemala, they say a small man in an enormous hat comes at night with his guitar, and in the morning, the horses' manes are braided.
What was reported
El Sombrerón, 'the man with the big hat', is a figure of Guatemalan and Central American folklore: a short man dressed in black, with a huge sombrero and a guitar, who appears at night, often with a team of mules.
He is said to braid the manes and tails of horses and mules in stables overnight, so tightly they cannot be undone. Some tales say he serenades people he takes a liking to.
Explanations offered
El Sombrerón is a folklore figure, especially associated with the old capital Antigua. Similar braided manes are explained elsewhere as 'elf locks' or 'witches' knots', tangles formed naturally in horses' hair. The legend has inspired plays and films in Guatemala.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Antigua and across Guatemala
- Witnesses
- Guatemalan 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.