Among all the legends of our folklore, one of the most frightening and popular is certainly that of the headless mule! This frightening creature, who walks through the night with flames in place of his head, is one of the most striking figures of the legends of our culture.

To present you with all the details of this frightening legend, we have prepared this article that explores the origin of this legend, the main characteristics of this myth, its curiosities, and the differences that exist in relation to this legend in the different regions of Brazil. Check it out!

Origin of the Headless Mule

We are used to discovering that the origins of the legends of our folklore are to be found in the indigenous tribes that inhabited our lands before the colonization of Portugal, but to the surprise of many, this is not so with the headless mule.

In fact, this figure was born in the Iberian Peninsula, which is how the region where Portugal and Spain are located is known. The legend of the headless mule existed in these two countries and was brought to our country by the Portuguese colonizers and to other countries in South America by the Spanish colonizers.

In countries like Mexico (known as malora) and Argentina (known as mula anima), this legend is also present. Except for the name, there is almost no difference between the legends of these other countries and the legend that has become popular here.

According to researcher Luís da Câmara Cascudo (1898-1986), the legend must have its origin in the fact that, according to a Portuguese law from the 13th century, the mule was defined as an official means of transportation for priests and other religious. Moreover, they were, in fact, used a lot by priests, because they were easily accessible and easy to ride.

Legend of the Headless Mule

Also known as burrinha de padre or simply burrinha, the headless mule is, according to legend, a woman who turns into a mule that, instead of a head, has flames of fire above its trunk.

The origin of this woman who turns into a headless mule is, according to the myth, a curse for women who commit the sin of having intimate relations with priests and other members of the Church. According to the legend, only the woman who committed the sin was punished by the curse, not the priest.

Samuel elias perazolii / Wikimedia Commons

Then, at the turn of Thursday to Friday, the cursed woman turns into a black mule with flames of fire on her head and a tail of fire.

Therefore, the cursed woman remains in this condition until she hears the first cock crowing the next morning, when she returns to her human form full of wounds and bruises.

According to legend, the headless mule is a rabid and extremely violent creature, so it attacks anyone who gets in its way, that is, regardless of who they are. If the person cannot escape the flames and its kicks, they can be attacked to death.

Headless Mule in Brazil

The legend of the headless mule is very similar in all regions of Brazil. Generally, the main difference lies in the way in which it is possible to prevent the woman from being transformed into a mule.

In most Latin American countries, as well as in the Southeast and South regions of Brazil, legend has it that the main way to prevent the woman from continuing to turn into a mule is for her to be cursed by a priest seven times before the beginning of a mass.

In the Midwest region, the most common is to remove the bridle that hangs where the mule's mouth would be. Therefore, only the bravest men are willing to perform this task, which can end with burns and even death.

Samuel elias perazolii / 123RF

In the North and Northeast regions, the most common thing is for the mule to become a woman again permanently if she is wounded with a sharp object, but this requires a lot of skill and ability, so that she doesn't end up dead, because if the mule dies, the woman will die as well.

In regions of Portugal and Spain, they say that there is no way to bring the woman "back" and that she must deal with the punishment for the sin she committed. The "relief" is that she attacks seven cities every time she transforms.

Curiosities about the headless mule

1 - The mule is always described wearing silver or gold hooves, which makes many greedy people try to approach it to get the precious metals, but end up dying because of greed;

2 - In deserted places, according to legend, the mule usually hides and gives moans that simulate a woman in trouble. When someone comes to the rescue of this defenseless woman, the mule appears and then attacks;

3 - Some variations of the legend include that even women who lose their virginity before marriage turn into headless mules.

Headless Mule in Movies, Series and Books

Because it is so popular in our folklore and culture, it is normal for the headless mule to appear in our works of fiction, such as movies, series and books. Check out some works in which you can see it!

"Headless Mule" (2015) Ilan Brenman and Marjolaine Leray: This book, published by Companhia das Letrinhas, tells a lighter and less violent story about the legend of the headless mule, which can be understood and assimilated by children without getting into issues involving sin and intimate relationships.

"Invisible City" (2021) : The Netflix series presents a retelling of many legends from our folklore. The story revolves around an investigator who discovers a pink river dolphin in a lake in Rio de Janeiro and decides to investigate how the animal ended up there.

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"AnimaCriança - Brazilian Legends" (2019) : Throughout the 13 episodes of this cartoon, suitable for children, a group of boys and girls tell stories of our folklore in an easy-to-understand way, since the children themselves narrate the stories.

Anyway, this is the main information about the headless mule, one of the main legends of our folklore. If you are curious to know even more about this creature, consume the works we have indicated. Be careful, however, when you are on the dark streets between a Thursday and Friday, eh?!