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Parentswarntheirchildren,\,orElCocowillcomeandtakeyouaway.\Itisataletoldtochildrenwhowanttogointodangerousplaces,thosewhodonotlistentotheirparents,andthosewhodon'twanttogotobed.You'llnoticethatthereareconflictingdescriptionsofElCocoandthatthewarningof\meaningbasedontheparent.THESTORYBEHINDCOCOTherewasasmallmountainvillageintheNorthernPortugalwhereaboycalledTomasoncelived.AsthelegendsofElCocospreadaroundthevillage,hestartedtomakefunofthem.Strongandstubborn,helaughedattheelders'cautionandalsoignoredthewarningofhismother.%u201cElCocoisjustastoryforkids,%u201dheusedtosay.Onenight,whenthevillagewasasleepThereweresomesoundsoutsideTomas%u2019swindow.Ascratchingsoundthatstartedweakbutintensifiedandgottrongerbythesecond.Hegatheredallhiscourageandlookedthroughthecurtains.Tothesideofthewall,hecouldmakeouttheoutlineofaratherstrangefigure.Ithadeyesocketsthatwereempty,yettheyglowed.Thefigurespokeinaraspyvoice,anditsentchillsdownhisspine.ItstruttedTomas'sname,whichechoedinthesurroundings.Flabbergastedbythevoice,Tomasstartedtodart,butthecreaturewasmuchfasterthanthepoorboy.ThethingdraggedTomasfromhisbedandtookhimtothedeepestpartsofthedarkforests.Dayswentby,andthevillagerssearchedforhimeverywhere;theboywasnowheretobeseen.Localssaidthatwheneveritwasdark,itwascommontohearaboy%u2019svoicecomingfromthewoods,whichscaredthelivingdaylightsoutofpeople,asmostbelieveditwasthevoiceofElCoco.Thevillagerswentonandonabouthowtheboylived,buteversincesuchtalesdidrounds,noboywasabletolockeyeswiththeirparents.