Ramidreju, from Spain: what it is and what people believe

The ramidreju is a creature of Cantabrian folklore in northern Spain, said to live in that region's mountains and forests. Born from a weasel or marten once every hundred years, it has a long, snake-like body, and its green fur is believed to heal every sickness.

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Said to inhabit the forests and mountains of Cantabria, in northern Spain
Born once a century, folklore says, from a weasel or marten
Described with green fur, yellow eyes, a hog's nose and boar's tusks
Its fur is believed to heal every sickness
Said to have a strong desire for gold

What it is

The ramidreju is a creature of Cantabrian mythology, the folklore of Cantabria in northern Spain. It is said to live in the forests and mountains of that region, and it is described as resembling a weasel, though with a much longer body shaped like a snake's. Its fur has a faint green colour, and the tales say it is born only once every hundred years. In Cantabrian folklore the animal is highly prized, above all because its fur is believed to cure any sickness. The creature is also said to long for gold.

Ramidreju, drawn and placed

Emblem green and yellow, with the feather shape. Drawn from this page, not a photograph.

Living
Revived
Fading
Historical
Legendary
Performed

Standing: Legendary Known from myth, story and legend rather than from recorded practice. This says whether people still do it, not whether it works.

A feather: used in cleansing and blessing in some traditions, worn as a sign of office, and carried as a charm.

Lineage: Cantabrian mythology
Timing: said to be born once every hundred years

Where it sits The tradition it belongs to, and when it is done.

What it is for

In the folklore of Cantabria the ramidreju counts as a much sought-after animal. The reason given is its fur, which is believed to heal every sickness a person may have. The creature is also said to have a powerful craving for gold. Those two qualities, the healing fur and the taste for gold, are what the tales single out, and together they make the animal a prize for whoever finds one.

Peoples and places

The ramidreju is known from Cantabria, a region of northern Spain, and from the mythology told there. Cantabrian folklore gives it a home in the mountains and forests of the region. The creature's name is Cantabrian, and the stories about it form part of the area's folklore. In those stories it is a rare and valued animal, one that people are said to seek out.

At a glance: who, where and when

Peoples

Cantabrians

What people believe

The tales give the ramidreju a fixed nature. It is said to be born from a weasel or from a marten once every hundred years, so the creature exists only at long intervals. Its body is very long, like a snake's, and its fur carries a slight green tint. The eyes are yellow, the nose is like a hog's, and it has tusks like a boar's, with which it digs very deep holes. A craving for gold is counted among its traits.

Compare and confuse

A comparable creature is the kamaitachi of Japan, described as another mythological weasel. The two belong to different countries and storytelling traditions, one Cantabrian and one Japanese. Within its own story the ramidreju is tied to ordinary animals as well: it is said to be born of weasel or marten parentage, yet it grows far longer than either, its body shaped more like a snake's.

Questions people ask about Ramidreju

What is the ramidreju?

It is a creature from Cantabrian mythology in northern Spain. Stories describe a weasel-like animal with a very long, snake-like body, slightly green fur, yellow eyes, a hog's nose and boar's tusks, said to live in Cantabria's mountains and forests.

Where does the ramidreju come from?

It belongs to the folklore of Cantabria, a region in northern Spain. The name itself is Cantabrian, and the creature is said to inhabit that region's mountains and forests. A comparable mythological weasel, the kamaitachi, is known separately in Japan.

Why do people seek the ramidreju?

In Cantabrian folklore the animal is much sought after because its fur is believed to heal every sickness. The tales also give it a strong desire for gold. As it is said to be born only once every hundred years, it counts as a rare find.

How often is a ramidreju born?

Once every hundred years, the tales say, a weasel or a marten gives birth to one. The creature then has a body like a snake's, far longer than either parent, and it uses boar-like tusks to dig very deep holes.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Ramidreju", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-21.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.