One of the beings that appears most frequently in the stories are the Lamiñak (Lamin, Lamiñaku, Eilalamina, Latsari…), women with the feet of hens, goats or with a fish tail, living in caves or wells. They are often seen combing their hair with a precious (golden) comb and at the edge of streams, fountains or cave entrances. Those to whom an offering is left overnight will help in the daily work.
Laminak
Many are the legends which tell the stories of impossible love between captured lamiñak and handsome young men.
In some places there are male and female lamiñak. It is asserted that the construction of Christian hermitages in rural, deforested and mountainous areas, as well as public prayers have contributed to their disappearance, although we continue to see them in many places, always with their faces so attractive.
Anyway, toponymy Basque is abundant in appellations that originate from the lamiñak: Lamiaran (valley of the lamiñak), Lamuxain (well of the lamiñak, Laminiturri (fountain of the lamiñak), Lamiñerreka (stream of the lamiñak) etc.
They are credited with carrying out certain works and constructions such as bridges: that of EBRAIN (Bidarrai in Lower Navarre, ARROSA (Arrosa in Lower Navarre), AZALAIN (Andoain in Gipuzkoa), URKULU (Gatzaga in Gipuzkoa)… dolmens: SORGINETXE ( Arrizala en Alaba), MAIRETXE (Mendive in Lower Navarre), and some house churches and castles.
It is also said that the Licq en Soule bridge was built by the lamiñak (see the legend).
Here is another version told by Jaureguiberri de Tardets (Soule):
“A very long time ago, the lamiñak of the Letxarantzü hill undertook to build a bridge over the Gave de Licq. Hard work if ever there was one. But is there anything the Lamiñaks can't do?
The night was very dark and they did not want to see or meet onlookers. They set to work quickly and silently in order to finish it before dawn. They climbed the arch of the bridge not from both sides simultaneously, like the men, but from one side and then from the second as they were accustomed to doing.
There was a baker nearby and, as usual, just before dawn, he turned on the oven. A young rooster in the henhouse, seeing this light, thought the day was breaking and began to crow.
The lamiñaks, with their stones in their arms, were going to adjust it in its place. When they heard the rooster clap, they threw the stone into the bottom of the stream and then fled screaming into the darkness.
Since that day, when the gave is in low water, everyone can see in the foundation, a big hole: This is the place that the last stone of the lamiñak should have occupied. »
In the thick forests we find the BASAJAUN, BASOJAUN or ANXO, lord of the forests with a human body and long hair. He is a being of unusual strength and, depending on the version, can cause fear or devote himself to the protection of the shepherds' flocks. He has one foot like a man's, and the other, on the other hand, is round. He is hairy from head to toe. When he walks around, the wolf does not venture to approach him and the shepherds can rest easy.
This description is prevalent in many accounts. Sometimes we talk about his wife, BASANDERE. Very close to this character, although different, the TARTALO or TORTO, a cyclops with terrifying behavior and cannibalistic habits.
Some of these many geniuses are nocturnal. This is the case of GAUEKO (he punishes all those who dare to challenge or underestimate the night), IELTXU or IRITXU (in the form of a bird or with a human face, he is recognizable by the fire that emanates from his mouth ), GAUARGI (genius in the form of light) and INGUMA (of an evil nature and preoccupied with entering homes to disturb its occupants).
There are many other elves, more or less mischievous and friendly (IRETXO, IRATXO, INTXISU, IRELTXU, GORRI TXIKI…) Likewise, SORGIÑ is a nocturnal genius in the service of MARI, whose name will later serve as a refer to witches.
