Translation of the image:
In the Pityusic Islands, it is believed that if on the night of Saint John (Midsummer) or New Year’s you pick a very small herb that grows under the old bridge over the river of Santa Eulàlia (a bridge that was built by the Devil) and put it in a black bottle, the Fameliar appears: a hideous dwarf with a terrifying mouth and thin long arms.
The Famerliar has a benevolent character, but also colossal strength and power.
When it gets out of the bottle, it constantly demands work or food.
Fameliar is a lesser demon from the legends of the Pityusic Islands (Eivissa and Formentera). He was kept inside a black bottle until a human needed him to complete a task that would be impossible for us, such as reaping a whole field in a day or building a wall in one night.
The fameliar is very nervous, and when he’s released from the bottle he says “som el fameliar, vull feina o menjar” (“I am the fameliar, I want work or food”), and then the person who released him gives the order, or lets him eat. He loves bread with cheese.
He has a benevolent character, and unlike other similar being of Catalan legends (such as minairons) he doesn’t misbehave when he isn’t given any orders, and always finishes the task. He has a human body but smaller, with a disproportionately big head and small arms and legs, and he’s bald. He’s a good helper, and is supernaturally strong. He’s such a hard worker, that the only way to make him get tired is to order him to fulfill impossible tasks.
To get him inside the bottle again, one must hold a blessed olive tree branch and say a prayer that nobody remembers anymore.
There are known cases of people in Eivissa who were judged by the Inquisition for having fameliars at home, such as Bartomeu Fluixà from Sant Llorenç in the 18th century.
The illustration is by Melicotó, if you speak Catalan check out their blog or follow them on social media (facebook / instagram / twitter) for more illustrations about culture from the Balearic and Pityusic islands and cute products based on popular culture from the islands.
