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I found this collection of stories on a Spanish language website while following up a lead from the Fairy Investigation Society. It was written in 2003 by a Sr Fabio Picasso, and was a Spanish version of an article in French (presumably by the same author) called Les petits êtres d'Argentine [The little beings of Argentina] originally published in La Gazette Fortéenne [The Fortean Gazette] volume II, Oeil du Sphinx, París, 2003. [,,,]

[W]elcome to a series of strange encounters. I have translated duende as "goblin", but it is a catchall term for goblins, elves, etc. - even ghosts. I draw no conclusions about the nature of the phenomena described, except to say that, whereas a single witness may be discounted, it is a lot harder for multiple witnesses.

SMALL ENTITIES REPORTED IN ARGENTINA

It all started with an observation of high strangeness in the province of Salta. I say strangeness because even within the atypical nature of these episodes, this one exhibited particular rarity.

The site where the event took place is called El Duraznito [the little peach], a site located between the entrance of a farm and an abandoned house at a distance of 1000 meters from a rock formation known as La Cueva de los Negros [the blacks' cave] where UFO events have been reported.
The witness of the case prefers to remain anonymous but he told the press that on Sunday night he was heading off to visit some friends and then to hunt, carrying a shotgun and a knife as weapons. When he was passing through the place mentioned, he was surprisingly knocked down from his bicycle and when he got to his feet he noticed a black shadow in front of him.

The young man managed to unzip his shotgun and get off two shots, but seeing that he had not hurt the shadow, he took out his hunting knife and stabbed it several times, which also caused no damage to the shadow.

Frightened, he wanted to escape the place, but "El Petiso" [the "shorty"] knocked him down again without a word and dragged him by his hair towards a side of the road.

The boy reported that at the peak of it all he started to scream at the top of his lungs and that was what saved him, since the screams were heard by a neighbor who, when he came to the place, saw a black shadow pulling him by his hair. It then vanished without a trace when he noticed the presence of the other man.

A total of five cases have been reported in the last four years, sustained by police reports and even in the hospital in the area where the victims had to be treated for blows and considerable bruising.

This formless entity, although of small stature, appears to be immune to blows, shots or knife wounds, judging from the testimony of witnesses that when struck, it feels as if it were struck against a log or a fluttering paper [literally, "a flaming paper", but the term is also used for a flag waving briskly in the wind].

Reference: El Petiso, atacó a un joven cazador, El Tribuno (Salta) 21 February 2002, pg.23
A group of researchers from the Hemisferios group of Buenos Aires toured the province of Salta revealing strange events and was able to discover an extraordinary case of small entities that appeared in July 2000, at a time when in the province of Catamarca a goblin beseiged a police station and then a dispatch agency.

The main witness was a 10-year-old girl, Marisol Diaz, who found herself alone at home, when she claimed there were 4 or 5 dwarf beings in the kitchen. They wore white "plastic" attire, had big eyes and belonged to both sexes. A couple who seemed to be in charge and had a height of 1.20 metres[3 ft 11 in] and the rest were somewhat shorter, approximately a metre [3 ft 3 in].

Curiously, the color of the dress was changing according to the site because when they left the house it was taking on a black colour.

According to the girl, they appeared to be a "family": the parents and the smaller children. One of them smelled a bottle of detergent and left it saying "it was poison". In total there seem to have been some 10 or 12 beings. Marisol's sister, who was bathing in a nearby irrigation canal with her cousins, ​​was able to see the beings as they walked away.

In the damp earth, footprints were later found, those of the "woman", described thus by her long blond hair, were normal, then those of her apparent partner being smaller, and smaller still those of the other beings. Curiously, some looked like shoe-marks and others with bare feet and were too long for the width. In other words, they did not bear the usual proportion of human footprints.

Reference: Parente, Patricio: De Luces y Criaturas: I Parte Los Duendes; Gaceta OVNI and personal communication. [dead link]
The Northwest zone of the province of Buenos Aires had antecedents of observations in the localities of Pergamino and Rancagua, in the year 2002 was added the one of Colón. The first sighting of strange beings was carried out near Santamarina Bridge.

On that occasion two teenagers - journalists of Colón Doce [Columbus Twelve] conversed with them - they observed a dark object approaching them, which landed 100 meters away. According to the young people, from the "supposed" ship descended a short being of orange colour. The fishermen fled in fear and told the experience to two friends and then after overcoming the fear of ridicule made it to the press. The story could go unnoticed, or as the product of two teenagers' fantasy.

But the second story confirms the first. An older couple was heading down a dirt road from the Merceditas area to National Route No. 8. The man reported that about 800 meters before reaching the asphalt belt he saw a very strong light.

The same descended in what would be a small lagoon formed by the constant rains present in those days. The descent would have occurred about 70 meters from the road and the married couple could see two orange beings, quite small and moving with agility near the "alleged" extraterrestrial ship.

The very frightened colonists continued trip. They could see a small glow in the area of ​​the sighting.

Reference: Avistamientos de OVNIs. Contacto del Segundo Tipo (sic), Colón Doce (Colón, Buenos Aires), 3 May 2002.
On 3 May 2002, in the province of La Pampa, southwest of Buenos Aires, a group of five teenagers returned, at dawn, from a farm near the urban axis, on the southeast sector of the city of Alvear, when suddenly a woman of advanced age, with long hair and dressed in clear clothing, interposed herself in the middle of the road, repeatedly appealing for help.

Fear seized the teenagers, who launched themselves in a frantic race towards the illuminated sector of the Uruguay Avenue to go to the home of one of them. It is known that they returned to the place with "reinforcements" (that is to say with more people, because the thing was not such as to be faced alone), including those who were informed of the fact while making a kind of tourist drive in cars making noise at the time of the "apparition." [translation uncertain]

It seems that the young people were the victims of innumerable jokes on the part of the neighbors and they chose to tell the strange event to a local radio to express the seriousness of the case.

Reference: Adolescentes Conmovidos por una Extraña Presencia, La Reforma (General Pico, La Pampa), 15 May 2002, pg.3.

Comment: Unless there was a lot more to the story than is covered here, one wonders why it was assumed that the "apparition" was not a genuine old lady needing help.
When the links with the folklore and legends of the towns are established, they usually appear those messengers that frame all the phenomenology of a wave. Perhaps as Mothman at Point Pleasant the ghostly apparition was a prelude to a series of events that would seize the Argentine media for two months.

In reality, the linking of this apparition which, because of the absence of news and the failure to broadcast the story in the regional press, along with the rest of the phenomena, lies in the fact that it happened in what would be the epicenter of the most extraordinary sequence of cattle mutilations that occurred in Argentina. In fact, a few days later the cases began to be reported in La Pampa and southwest of Buenos Aires, episodes that I will not refer to.

But there is still a phenomenon that, together with the appearance of unidentified lights and objects throughout the country, can not fail to be studied.

There in La Pampa were reported incursions of beings of very short stature described by witnesses as goblins [duendes] or dwarfs.

There was no record of importance to claim that this province was rich in stories of small entities in modern times. The author then continues with a long dissertation about fairy folklore in the area, after which he continues:

Let's look at some of the most important cases:
On Friday, May 24, a young man hitch hiking on National Route 35 in the vicinity of Padre Buodo [a town in the province of Pampa] was surprised by an apparition described as "dwarf eared" causing a panic attack to the point that he had to be assisted to decompensate in a health centre.

Reference: De Platos Voladores, Enanos Orejudos, Marcianos Chupatanques y Vacas Mutiladas, La Reforma (General Pico, La Pampa), 31 May 2002, pg.4

On Sunday night Mr. Jose Luis Cowan was journeying to a field near Ataliva Roca when passing by Padre Buodo was met by a light on his left hand side. After driving a certain distance, he stopped the vehicle in order to observe the light, which was very low down, and moving alternately up and down, until it reached a height very close to the ground.

At that moment it began to flash red and green lights to his right. In addition to the aforementioned neighbor and his three companions in the car, other witnesses to the apparition were his daughter, the manager of the field and his wife, who left when they saw the owner approaching the car.

Reference: ibid, pg 4
On the following Sunday at 1700 hours [5 pm] the strange being reappeared in General Acha, to be precise in the Barrio El Oeste [Western Quarter]. The witness, Concepción Balbuena, still frightened, made a complete description of the creature, which was described as being of very short stature, and of a leaden colour, which later changed colour to the varrious tones of the rainbow. She added that she made the disposition to the Police and finished off affirming that the being moved away with fast movements without attacking her and without leaving any traces.

She could not determine if it were clothed, but it emitted a strong leaden shimmer that shone brightly. The dwarf appeared on two occasions, and the second was when its colour was similar to that of the rainbow. According to the witness, the creature seemed to try to communicate through an onomatopoeic language.

The woman said she was impressed by the large ears and scantiness [?], the low height and the speed with which it disappeared.

Reference: Testigo Dice Haber Estado con el Enano Orejudo, La Reforma (General Pico, La Pampa), 4 June 2002, pg.4

With regard to the appearance, another (female) neighbour, who asked not to be identified, reported that the following day the curious character reappeared in the morning and afternoon.

Another witness agreed that it was moving with great speed so it was very difficult to follow it by sight.

Reference: Todos Hablan del Enano Verde, La Arena (Santa Rosa, La Pampa), 6 June 2002, pg. 20
On Saturday, June 8, a worker from the company that builds the aqueduct of the Colorado River filed a disposition at the Ataliva Roca police station stating that around 1900 hours [7 pm], while taking care of the machinery located in the quarry near routes 18 and 35, he saw a strange being.

Police chief Luis Oscar Pasaron reported that the worker said that while sitting at one of the machines, he noticed a strange being of green colour and small stature. In the face of such a situation and filled with terror, the man made a retreat from the place on board the very machine that he was in charge of at full speed, even dragging a gate on to the road. Apparently, the authorities of the company gave him a day off to rest because he was not able to work.

Reference: Misterioso Enano Verde, Ahora lo Vieron en Ataliva Roca, La Arena (Santa Rosa, La Pampa), 12 June 2002, pg. 20.

The witness, Horacio Salgado, 27, told La Reforma newspaper that he was in a mechanical shovel when suddenly, about 50 meters away from where he was, he spotted a strange green light approaching him. So he decided to turn on the lights of the machine but when doing so it disappeared.

It was phosphorescent green, about 50 centimeters [20 in] high, and when approached, he managed to see that it was a person with very thin legs, to the point that they could not measure more than six inches apart. The head appeared to be twice the width of the legs. The strange form disappeared to reappear later in another direction but much closer to him. This was the trigger for putting the vehicle into top speed.

Reference: En Ataliva Roca Vieron a un Extraño Ser, La Reforma (General Pico, La Pampa), 15 June 2002, pg. 4

The city seemed to be to the liking of the mysterious little man to the point that the next day, Sunday, June 9, he appeared in the middle of the urban zone.

Marta Superí, said that on Sunday at 9:30 pm, she went out to get wood when the strange creature suddenly appeared at the height of the rope where she hangs her clothes.

It was silver in colour, had three fingers on its hands, long fingernails, long ears, and large red eyes. Its face was silver and when it moved to disappear it seemed to change color. The witness states that she was very frightened to see it suddenly appear, and that as a result she screamed and became terrified. The being seemed to want to communicate, although it did not succeed in doing so.

She was asked to give such appearances and the woman said that it was the consequence of rituals practiced by a cacique [Indian chief] called Yancay.

Reference: La Culpa esdel Cacique Yancay, La Reforma (General Pico, La Pampa), 15 June 2002, pg. 4
On Thursday 13 the goblin seems to have moved to the town of Castex, also in the province of La Pampa.

A 70-year-old man claimed that in the early hours of the morning when he was about to take his car out of the warehouse where he was holding it, he bent down to check an outer tyre, and was surprised by the appearance of "a bug of a garish green colour, somewhat bright." In declarations to the press he stated that the creature had large rounded ears, a small head and two red dots for eyes. The body ended in the form of a point towards its lower part, like a triangle.

In this assessment, it is roughly in line with the description given by Horacio Sueldo. The witness concludes affirming that when he wanted to speak he could not do it, and he began to feel heat in the body. Immediately the being vanished from his sight.

Reference: Dicen que Vieron al Enano Verde, La Arena (Santa Rosa, La Pampa), 17 June 2002, pg, 20
A week later, four first year girls of the 44th School declared that at a recess, when they approached some accommodation adjacent to the classrooms, they were able to see a green dwarf that seemed to stretch out its hands. Frightened, they recoiled quickly as the being vanished from their sight.

Reference: Dicen que Vieron al Enano Verde, La Arena (Santa Rosa, La Pampa), 17 June 2002, pg, 20
On Saturday, June 22, the last episode of this series of apparitions took place in the town of Rancul at the Los Alamos establishment. There, on the day in question, at 8.30 om was Néstor Pinto, 17 years old and Daniel Gatica, 19 years old who had been working in rural jobs there for 45 days. As related by Gatica to reporters from La Reforma, it seems that both young men were trying to place the cap on a bottle of drink when they saw a mass, which they assume to have been a little dwarf, since it measured no more than a metre[39 in]. It had large, pointed ears, and its little hands reached approximately to its waist. Nestor fled while Daniel threw a stick at the creature. In his urge to escape it seems Daniel Gatica fell on his companion, and in grabbing hold of him, broke his pullover.

Such was the terror they experienced that when they arrived at the house they affirmed that they turned around all the chairs and things that could be put in the way, culminating in hiding in the bathroom for 45 minutes. As proof of their reckless flight, the journalists were able to check bruises and scrapes on both young people.

Then, taking courage, they went in search of a horse to go towards the town but the animal refused to walk in the first instance. From there they left at full gallop for Parera, where they filed the declaration with the Police and gave notice to the owner of the field.

One of the owner's sons approached the site of the unusual encounter in a car, establishing that some strange influence affected all the instruments of the vehicle except for the lights. On the return, everything came back to normal. The police made an intense patrol but could find nothing.

Reference: Dos Jóvenes Dicen Haber Observado a un Enano Orejudo, La Reforma (General Pico, La Pampa), 25 June 2002, pgs. 1, 12
It was the night of Tuesday, September 24, 2002 when Luciana E., thirteen, and her cousin Monica A., fifteen, presented themselves at the police station of Colonia Liebig province of Corrientes (27° 55' S, 55° 49' W) in the company of their family members to tell about the strange episode that happened that day.

Both related that they were very close to the provincial school Antonio Biale when something, which still do not really know how to explain, made them lose the sense of time and space. They reported that the moment they awoke from the confused state, they were on the railway line with the train approaching. The two managed to escape, but one of them saw something which turned the experience into something even more enigmatic: a goblin a few steps away was observing the scene.

The story began about 7:20. According to their submission to the police, the girls were going to school when they felt a strong smell. It was the last thing they remembered of the morning. The two said that, they do not know how, they turned up far from the place where the educational establishment is, in the vicinity of the so-called black railway bridge at kilometre 17 of the railroad tracks.

Monica recalled that she woke up first with an intense headache, and with the rays of the siesta sun impacting on her body, and drawn to the side of the cross-ties. At that moment the girl said he felt the sound of an approaching train and saw his cousin passed out on the rails, so she hastened to revive her .

She told police that while rescuing her relative, a strange figure caught her attention under the shade of a tree that was close to both: it was a little mannikin with a red cape running from the neck to the ground and he had a big yellow hat. The girl said she could define the face of the goblin because both the face and neck were a notoriously black colour. According to Monica, the strange character observed them for a moment, then veered off and turned its back on both teenagers.

She indicated that, after several minutes, when the train was close, she managed to wake her cousin.

According to the youngsters' estimation, it was about mid-afternoon when they began to walk several kilometers to the Apostles station and then home.
They recalled that they drank water, but both of them were unable to utter a single word. During the hours that the girls were missing, the concern of their family grew, for they did not know what had happened to them.

Luciana and Monica went to the police station in their district, and from there to the Apostles police station, where the police doctor determined on Tuesday night that neither had suffered injuries or violence of any kind. Only they were displaying a strong pain in the legs and feet with some swelling, which was attributed to the long walk.

The bigger girl was the one who was inspired to tell what she remembered and recounted that the two were taking the road to school talking about the pombero [?], disbelieving the legend which had been spoken about frequently at home. That's when, one block from the school in the urban area of Colonia Liebig, they passed close to a vehicle (apparently a van) when both felt the strong smell. It was the last thing they recalled, because then they lost consciousness until the elder woke up many hours later beside the tracks.

The testimonies of two match until the time of the disappearance. The two were in shock and had swollen feet and signs on their footwear of a long walk.

They were so terrified when they returned home neither could utter a word. Nobody attacked them on the road. They neither took nor ingested anything as they walked to school early; they talked only with disbelief about the pombero ... until they woke up and saw the goblin watching them, and it was most similar to the legend that they had mocked.

Reference: El Territorio (Posadas, Misiones), 26 September 2002, and personal communication
And the strange beings departed from Argentina, at least up till today. Last year 2002 was the most prolific in terms of appearances of small humanoid entities.

The database Catent Project (Catalog Entities) records to date about 500 cases in Argentina alone, but had never reported so many cases in such a short period. [The Catent Project collects together a group of investigators specialising in humanoid apparitions in Argentina.]

Many of these cases are still under study and there remain several ground surveys of the events. However, it is clear that the strange presences correspond to a cultural background which has abundant history in ancient cultures that inhabited this country. Perhaps traumatic stages running through this society have been a trigger for physical or paraphysical appearance of these creatures.