áletrun

Alétrun is a legendary creature that appears in the folklore of the Aile Valley, a mountainous region in southwestern Italy. According to local oral tradition it is described as a large, cat‑like beast with a silver mane and glowing amber eyes. Witness accounts suggest that the animal has a slight, almost human form and is sometimes accompanied by a faint, melodic hum that is reported to echo through the valley at dusk.

The earliest written references to the allétrun date back to the late 19th century, when an Italian naturalist named Girolamo Venturi recorded several eyewitness encounters in a journal entry that has since been cited by anthropologists. Some scholars interpret the creature as a symbolic amalgamation of regional wildlife such as the Apennine wolf and the European lynx, rationalizing that its mythic attributes reflect the precarious ecological balance of the highland forests.

In contemporary culture, the allétrun has inspired local festivals that celebrate the valley’s natural heritage. The annual allétrun run, a long‑distance race through the valley’s trails, commemorates the mythical creature’s endurance and marks the transition between seasons. From a literary standpoint, the allétrun frequently appears in regional poetry as an emblem of the elusive harmony between humanity and wilderness.

While no scientifically verifiable evidence of the allétrun’s existence has been obtained, the creature remains a persistent element of cultural identity for the people of Aile Valley, featured in museums, souvenir art, and educational programs designed to promote environmental awareness.