Muskerra

The Muskerra, or green lizard, is a cautionary folktale originating from the rural traditions of the Basque Country. It was traditionally used by parents as a strict warning to prevent children from wandering off or falling asleep in the tall grass of local meadows.

The legend warned that a lurking muskerra would crawl into the ear canal of a sleeping victim to consume their brain, permanently leaving them deaf or intellectually impaired. While biologically unfounded, the myth provided a tangible explanation for unexplained medical ailments and protected children from real environmental dangers, later gaining international fame through Bernardo Atxaga's acclaimed 1988 Basque novel, Obabakoak.