Soucouyant (n): A person, usually an old woman, who sheds her skin, travels as a ball of fire and sucks people’s blood, leaving a blue mark.
Soucouyants have an unnatural and indelicate propensity for casting off their skin. They usually conceal their skin in or under a mortar and pestle. If you get a visit from the soucouyant there are two plans:
one is to sprinkle salt upon the cast-off skin, should you meet it (there’s the rub); or when you are expecting a visit from the ‘thing,’ or
strew the floor around your bed with rice.
By some mysterious law, the Soucouyant will be compelled to pick up each rice grain by grain, thereby affording you an opportunity for slaying or otherwise disposing of the monstrosity.
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