In the folklore of the Wai people of West Africa, who live in the lands of Liberia and the neighboring lands of Sierra Leone, the loso is a fabulous forest monster that kidnaps beautiful girls. It lives in impenetrable jungles, but no one knows exactly where. However it sometimes settles in caves. Loso makes terrible sounds that frighten entire tribes. It is the curse of the land, because it carries with it constant robberies, thefts, and most of all, it likes to feast on human flesh, which is why the local residents are very afraid of it.
It often kidnaps beautiful girls, who are followed by men into the jungle and often do not return...
A lot of brave warriors, a lot of worthy men, a lot of beautiful princes fell prey to the terrible loso in his secret lair deep in the jungle. The tale tells that for many years the kingdom mourned the death of honest people who were victims of a voracious loso. The king was sad, and his soldiers were frightened. More than once a whole army went in search of the monster, but the loso was cautious and swift, and no one could get close to him. None of the soldiers alone or together could handle the loso, moreover his appetite grew every day.
The loso was described as follows: large teeth protruding forward, long strands of hair hanging from an ugly balding skull, a terrible voice. According to the description, it resembles a gorilla, so this fairy-tale image probably has a real basis. In the west of Tropical Africa, giant western gorillas live, about which many legends are told: they feed on human flesh, kidnap women. The first mention of them belongs to the Carthaginian Hannon , who visited the shores of West Africa in the 5th century BC. It is difficult to say whether there is a real story, because all gorillas on the lands inhabited by the Wai people were exterminated, but the Yoruba people have a similar fairy-tale about the loso, represented as a gorilla.
The loso is terrible and invincible, the best warriors could not cope with it, but it can be killed by the "strange and mysterious" sound from the horn of a wild goat. This sound is compared to the voice of a dead man, which can scare anyone. Magical properties of the horn of a wild goat are attributed not only to the Wai, but also to other peoples of Africa. This is an integral attribute of magic.
Be on your guard when traveling through the lands of the Wai, lest you end up in the mouth of the dreaded loso. It is desirable for girls to hide their beauty, and for men to be ready to blow the horn of a wild goat. Have a pleasant trip and unforgettable experiences. See you!