Ahuizotl

The ahuizotl, from the Classical Nahuatl word āhuitzotl meaning "spiny aquatic thing" or "water dog," is a fearsome creature from Aztec mythology said to lure people to their deaths. It was considered a companion of the rain gods and served as the emblem of an Aztec ruler who bore its name. Some believe the ahuizotl legend was inspired by the water opossum, a real animal known for its raccoon-like hands, prehensile tail, pointed ears, and waterproof fur that becomes spiky when wet.

According to Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, one of his men was killed by an ahuizotl, a story he included in a report to the King of Castile.

Descriptions of the creature portray it as being roughly the size of a small dog, covered in slick, black or gray marbled fur. It had sharp little ears and hands capable of gripping and manipulating objects—on both its forelimbs and the end of its long tail. The Florentine Codex (Book 11) describes the ahuizotl as:

"...very like the teui, the small teui dog; small and smooth, shiny. It has small, pointed ears, just like a small dog. It is black, like rubber; smooth, slippery, very smooth, long-tailed. And its tail is provided with a hand at the end; just like a human hand is the point of its tail. And its hands are like a raccoon's hands or like a monkey's hands..."

In some versions of the myth, the ahuizotl is a guardian of lakes, tasked with protecting the fish. In others, it is sent by the gods Tlaloc and Chalchiuhtlicue to claim the souls of chosen mortals. Because of this connection, those taken by the ahuizotl were believed to be destined for Tlaloc’s paradise, a watery afterlife reserved for those favored by the rain gods.

The creature was said to live in deep lakes or underwater caverns, with most sightings reported near Lake Texcoco. It would drag unsuspecting victims into the water using the human-like hand on its tail, targeting their eyes, teeth, and fingernails. Some stories claim the ahuizotl only attacked people who possessed the wrong kind of precious stones, while fishermen believed it sank boats or demanded part of the catch in exchange for safe passage.

When prey was scarce, the ahuizotl used two main tactics to lure victims: it could mimic the cry of a human infant, or it could stir up the lake, making frogs and fish leap to the surface, drawing curious people close enough for an ambush.

If someone was believed to have been killed by the ahuizotl, only priests were permitted to handle the body. The deceased had to be buried in a house surrounded by water, known as an ayauhcalco. It was said that anyone else who touched the body risked becoming the creature's next victim—or being cursed with gout.