Nóshtex

Nóshtex is the cannibal giant who opens the Elal cycle. He carries off the cloud-maiden Teo to his cave and forces her to live with him; when Kóoch prophesies that her son will be mightier than his father, the terrified giant tears the unborn Elal from Teo's body, but the infant is saved by a tuco-tuco. Nóshtex's attempt to forestall the prophecy only ensures its fulfilment, for the grown Elal brings about the giant's death. He belongs to the class of monstrous, man-eating beings of the older mythic world that the culture-hero must overcome.

Children

• Elal

Domains

• giants and monstrous beings
• cannibalism and devouring

Powers

• to devour human flesh as a cannibal giant

Epithets

• NóshtexBórmida, Marcelo & Alejandra Siffredi. "Mitología de los tehuelches meridionales." RUNA: Archivo para las Ciencias del Hombre 12 (1969-70): 199-245. (secondary)

Relations

• enemy: ElalFather and would-be killer of Elal, and the hero's principal early antagonist.Bórmida, Marcelo & Alejandra Siffredi. "Mitología de los tehuelches meridionales." RUNA: Archivo para las Ciencias del Hombre 12 (1969-70): 199-245. (secondary)
• captor of: Teo, the cloud-maidenNóshtex abducts the cloud-maiden Teo and holds her captive in his cave, where Elal is conceived.Bórmida, Marcelo & Alejandra Siffredi. "Mitología de los tehuelches meridionales." RUNA: Archivo para las Ciencias del Hombre 12 (1969-70): 199-245. (secondary)

Sources

• Nóshtex is the cannibal giant of southern Tehuelche myth, abductor of the cloud-maiden Teo and father of Elal, who tries to kill his unborn son and is in the end destroyed by him.: Bórmida, Marcelo & Alejandra Siffredi. "Mitología de los tehuelches meridionales." RUNA: Archivo para las Ciencias del Hombre 12 (1969-70): 199-245. (secondary); Wilbert, Johannes & Karin Simoneau, eds. Folk Literature of the Tehuelche Indians. UCLA Latin American Center Publications. Los Angeles: University of California, 1984. (secondary)