The xana is a female creature found in Asturian mythology that is believed to live in areas with pure water like fountains, rivers, or forests. Xanas are usually depicted as either beautiful Nordic girls associated with possessing treasure or spells, or as small and dark-skinned when stealing children or entering homes. Xanas can promise treasures but also attack people to steal food. They have hypnotic voices that can be heard at night, bringing peace to those with pure souls or insanity to those without. Xanas take human babies and replace them with their own children called xaninos, which they cannot care for themselves.

1. The xana isa character foundinAsturianmythology. She’salwaysafemaleanda creature of
extraordinarybeautybelievedtolive infountains,rivers,waterfallsorforestedregionswith
pure water.
Xanasare usuallydepictedinone of twoways.In one,theyappearas young, beautifu,l Nordic
girls, withlongblonde hair.Thisimage isusuallyassociatedwithxanaswhopossessatreasure
or those undera spell.Incontrast,intalesinwhichthe xanassteal childrenandenterhomes
to bite or steal people,the xanasare small,thinand have darkskin.
The xanas promise treasures.Somexanas mayattackpeople andsteal theirfood. Although
theycan be beneficial spirits aswell,offeringrewardsof goldorsilvertothose foundworthy.
Theirhypnoticvoicescanbe heardduringspringand summernights.Those whohave apure
soul and hearthe song will be filledwithasense of peace andlove.Those whose soulsare not
pure will feel theyare beingsuffocatedandmaybe driveninsane.
Xanashave children,which are calledxaninos,but theycannottake care of them because
they’re notable tobreastchildren(theydon’tproduce milklike normal women). Xanasusually
take a humanbabyfrom hiscradle andput theirownfairychildininstead.Inorderto unmask
the xanín,one must put some potsand eggshellsnearthe fire,and,if the babyisa xanín he
will exclaim,"Iwasbornone hundredyearsago,and since thenI have notseenso manyegg
shellsnearthe fire!"
The Xana are knownundera varietyof othernames:Xaira,Inxangana,Ondina,Encantada,
Mora, Mouras, Xacias,etc..Theyare relatedtothe Galicianwitchesandthe Lamiaof the
SpanishBasque.Theyare associatedwiththe RomanDianaand the CelticAna,whomthey
may be descendedfrom.