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Meaning & History
A spirit of knowledge in Basque mythology, his name means "devil" or "fiend". He teaches in a cave, and knows a great deal, but he is feared because, at the end of his lectures, he requires one of his students to remain at his service forever. Atarrabi and Mikelats were once his pupils. At the end of their studentship, Etsai asked Mikelats to stay and serve him. Atarrabi, the good son of Mari, proposed instead that he should take his brother's place. Etsai agreed, but was suspicious of his servant, and thus often called Atarrabi's name. And he would answer "I am here". But in the meantime, Atarrabi taught a flour weevil to talk and answer for him, and he managed to escape Etsai's cave