Vampire, saint and healer: the construction of urban legend of Sarah Ellen in Pisco-Perú

Mendoza S.V. · Boletin de Literatura Oral (2023) · DOI: 10.17561/blo.v13.7621

Resumen

This article focuses especially on one version of the Sarah Ellen legend. The results of the confrontation with three other versions will show that in this version she is a healer and not a vampire. When comparing it with other characters from the Pisqueño imaginary, it is observed that they share similar characteristics. She also had contact with something, someone or went through some transcendent event that transformed her, made her hierophane and endowed her with sacredness. In addition, the configuration of this legend is developed through well-known topics and motifs from oral narration, such as. «The encounter with death», «the ghost lady» and with the type D 672 of Aarné Thompson's classification «Obstacle flight» («Escape through obstacles»).

Instituciones: Universidad Privada del Norte