El Cúlebre vive en grutas de complicadísimo acceso, sobre todo en zonas de acantilados y roquedales. Mitad dragón mitad serpiente, de cabeza ancha, grandes y potentes mandíbulas con enormes colmillos, lengua bífida y amarillenta. Una gran cresta espinosa recorre su reptiliano dorso de la cabeza al final de su cola, sus patas disponen de aceradas garras y tiene dos pequeñas alas en el lomo similares a las de los murciélagos. Su aliento es ardiente y fétido y su repulsivo cuerpo está cubierto de durísimas escamas. Su cola es tan poderosa que es capaz de partir en dos un caballo. El punto débil del Culebre es la garganta, ya que es la parte de su cuerpo sin protección y se cree, que cansados y repudiados por la propia tierra, viajan al fondo del mar con sus tesoros para su descanso eterno. Son los guardianes de los tesoros, la mayoría de los cuales fueron escondidos por los moros. Son muy difícil de ver ya que salen poco y nadie se atreve a internarse en sus guaridas. Comen vacas enteras y una vez al año devoran a una doncella. Existe en San Vicente de la Barquera una cueva “Cueva del Culebre” en la que según cuenta la leyenda, el Apóstol Santiago, en su peregrinar hacia Compostela y atendiendo los ruegos de una joven moza atada a un poste a pie de gruta como sacrifico anual, dio muerte en el exterior de su cueva a un enorme Cúlebre y que a día de hoy aún son visibles las marcas de las herraduras del caballo blanco del Apóstol, grabadas durante el fragor de la batalla en las inmediaciones de tal cueva.
========================================================
The Culebre lives in extremely difficult caves, especially in areas with cliffs and rocks. It is half dragon and half snake, with a wide head, strong and powerful jaws with enormous fangs and a yellowed forked tongue. It possesses a long spiked crest that runs along its reptilian head till its tail. Its legs have steely claws and it has two small wings on its loin, similar to those of bats. Its breath is fiery and foul and its repulsive body is covered in tough scales. Its tail is so powerful that it is able to cut a horse in half. The Culebre's weak spot is its throat, as it is an unprotected body part and it is believed that when they are tired and repudiated by land, they travel to their final resting spot, the sea, with their treasures. They are guardians of the treasures, most of which were hidden by the moors. They are difficult to spot as they do no go out much and no one dares to plunge into their lairs. They eat whole cows and once a year they devour a maiden. Comen vacas enteras y una vez al año devoran a una doncella. San Vicente de la Barquera is home to the "Culebre Cave", which according to legend, the apostle James, during his pilgrimage to Compostela killed a Culebre outside the cave after hearing the cries from a young girl tied to a post who was to serve as the Culebre's annual sacrifice. Today, the apostle's white horse's shoe markings are still visible as they were cast during the uproar of the battle surrounding the cave. The Culebre lives in extremely difficult caves, especially in areas with cliffs and rocks. It is half dragon and half snake, with a wide head, strong and powerful jaws with enormous fangs and a yellowed forked tongue. It possesses a long spiked crest that runs along its reptilian head till its tail. Its legs have steely claws and it has two small wings on its loin, similar to those of bats. Its breath is fiery and foul and its repulsive body is covered in tough scales. Its tail is so powerful that it is able to cut a horse in half. The Culebre's weak spot is its throat, as it is an unprotected body part and it is believed that when they are tired and repudiated by land, they travel to their final resting spot, the sea, with their treasures. They are guardians of the treasures, most of which were hidden by the moors. They are difficult to spot as they do no go out much and no one dares to plunge into their lairs. They eat whole cows and once a year they devour a maiden. Comen vacas enteras y una vez al año devoran a una doncella. San Vicente de la Barquera is home to the "Culebre Cave", which according to legend, the apostle James, during his pilgrimage to Compostela killed a Culebre outside the cave after hearing the cries from a young girl tied to a post who was to serve as the Culebre's annual sacrifice. Today, the apostle's white horse's shoe markings are still visible as they were cast during the uproar of the battle surrounding the cave.