In
Basque mythology, Gaueko is the spirit of the night. He does not allow humans to do certain works outside the house during the night. He especially punishes all those who try to show off as brave in the night, boasting of not fearing the darkness. He is considered to be a devil in some accounts, a
jentil
The jentil (or jentilak with the Basque plural), are a race of giants in the Basque mythology. This word meaning ''gentile'', from Latin ''gentilis'', was used to refer to pre-Christian civilizations and in particular to the builders of megalith ...
or gentilic divinity in others. In some cases he makes his presence felt as a gust of wind, as he pronounces these words: ''Gaua Gauekoarentzat, eguna egunezkoarentzat'' ("the night for Gaueko (the one of the night), the day for the one of the day"). Sometimes he appears in the shape of a cow, sometimes in that of a monster.
[J. M. Barandiaran, Diccionario de Mitología Vasca, Txertoa, Donostia, 1984]
In
Basque, Gaueko literally means "of the night".
References
Basque mythology
Basque legendary creatures
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