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All men traveling at night on deserted roads know her, avoid her, and never stop if they see her hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere. She preys on lone men—whether for revenge or pure evil, nobody knows. But many swear she exists. The fortunate ones were able to tell the tale, describing her striking beauty, her flowing white dress, and her animal-like feet.
The unfortunate ones never lived to reveal how she finishes off her victims. Aicha Kandicha appears when you least expect her. This monster, jinn, or evil spirit is after one thing—men. If you see her, run for your life, don’t look back, and whatever you do, don’t stop the car if you’re behind the wheel.
Women, you can relax... or can you? Aicha Kandicha may not be after you, but that doesn't mean you’re safe. Enter her husband. Yes, for those wondering, she is married. And her husband, Hammou Quaiou (or Hammou Quaiou), a jinn, an Afrit, a monster of the night, is after women.
Legend says Hammou Quaiou preys on women traveling alone at night. Why night? Because he’s a nocturnal demon. He stalks women wandering the streets, and when the time is right, he devours them.
A jinn who haunts rivers
Some say he's a water creature, just like his beloved wife, who haunts deserted springs and rivers. Ethnographers report that Moroccans believe Hammou, Kandicha’s partner, inhabits a cave in Ait Issafen, a town in Tiznit Province. Near the cave is a spring, believed to heal the sick.
Others claim he lives with his wife along the Sebou River in northern Morocco. Tribes near the Sebou ensure they aren’t disturbing the couple before taking a midsummer swim.
Finnish philosopher and sociologist Edvard Alexander Westermarck, while traveling Morocco in the early 20th century to document local folklore, noted that people would offer a burning straw with couscous to Aicha Kandisha and Hammou Quaiou before diving into the river.
In his book Ritual and Belief in Morocco (1926), Westermarck describes Hammou Quaiou as «a very tall individual» who lives with his wife in the river. «I also heard of him [Hammou] in other tribes of northern Morocco, near Meknes», he added. «A man told me he once saw him in a river, but he is much less spoken of than his wife».
Whether you’ve heard of him or not, here’s a tip: Hammou is said to fear knives. If you ever encounter him, sharpen a blade on the ground—this may be your only chance to avoid becoming his next victim.
