Post-Columbian culture here has always carried some sense of risk and danger, and as such, these legends have been adapted to help people navigate difficult or dangerous environments.
In El Salvador, the Cadejo negro helps people remain aware and steers people in the right direction. When people want to do bad things (usually late at night), the Cadejo negro, with its big, red eyes, appears in front of these people to instill fear in them, making them go back home and really think about what they had planned to do. The Cadejo blanco is also said to appear in front of people who need protection, like a vulnerable person walking in the street late at night.
Generally, if a Cadejo negro appears in front of you, it means you yourself were trying to do something bad. If a Cadejo blanco appears in front of you, it means that it’s trying to protect you from something bad that was going to happen to you.
How would you feel if a big dog-like creature appeared in front of you? Do you think it would be white or black? What would you think if the dog was black? Or white?
(But don't worry, the Cadejo is said to appear only in front of adults, so you're off the hook for now!)
