The dance on the beach

On the beaches of Chiloé, in the south of Chile, fishermen watch the water carefully. They are not only looking at the weather. They are hoping to see a young woman with long hair dancing on the sand at dawn.

She is called La Pincoya. When she dances facing the sea, there will be plenty of fish that year. When she dances facing the land, the fishermen know it will be a hard season and they should move to another beach.

She decides how much the sea gives, and she does not like people who take too much. If a village catches more shellfish than it needs, she moves everything somewhere else. The rule is simple: take what you eat and leave the rest.

The old people also say she helps those who are drowning. She takes them to the Caleuche, the ship of lights, so they do not stay in the cold water. Whether that is a rescue or not depends on who tells you the story.