Douens

Of all the creatures in Caribbean folklore, the Douens are perhaps the most heartbreaking. They are the spirits of children who died before they could be baptised — souls trapped between worlds, neither fully of the living nor of the dead.

You can recognize a Douen by its feet, which face backwards. They wear large mushroom-shaped straw hats that hide their faces — because they have no faces. Just smooth, featureless skin where eyes and a mouth should be. Despite this, they can speak. And what they say is the most dangerous thing of all: they call children by name.

A child who hears a Douen calling their name from the edge of the forest feels an irresistible pull to follow. The Douen leads them deeper into the wilderness, playing and laughing, until the child is hopelessly lost. Some say the Douens want companions — other lost children to play with forever. Others say they are simply lonely, trapped in eternal childhood, reaching out for the life they never had.

Caribbean parents have long warned their children: never tell a stranger your name. Never answer a voice calling from the bush. And never, ever follow someone you cannot see into the trees.

In "Shadows In The Trade Winds," the Douens represent lost innocence and the unseen dangers that prey on the most vulnerable among us.

Known Traits

• ⟡ Feet face backwards
• ⟡ Faceless
• ⟡ Wear straw hats
• ⟡ Call children by name
• ⟡ Wander forests in groups

Protections

• 🛡 Never tell strangers your child's name
• 🛡 Baptise children as early as possible
• 🛡 Keep children indoors after dark
• 🛡 Place a pair of small shoes at the door — Douens will try to wear them and be unable to walk

Appears in: Chapters 2, 8, 14