True Story from Catadupa, Richmond Hill

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A young man from Catadupa, Richmond Hill, was just 20 years old when he claimed to witness something he still can’t explain to this day.

It was around 5 a.m., and the sky was still dark. He was walking along a narrow country road to catch a drive. In certain parts of the Jamaican countryside, catching a ride that early was nearly impossible.

To get to his destination, he had to pass a shallow stream known as Bug River. Though the water was low, cars would still drive through it, since the community had only one way in and one way out. Two narrow bridges were built across the river for people to walk on.

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The First Encounter

As he made his way down the road, he felt for a light. Up ahead, he spotted a man.

“Yow boss, yuh have a light?”

The man nodded. “Mi only have five match stick… but yuh can tek two.”

The young man struck the first match.

That’s when he noticed something strange, the man was smiling… and his teeth looked like they were growing.

He blinked and shook it off. “Nah… mi head just a play tricks pon mi.”

The match burned out, so he lit the second one.

This time, it was clear. The man’s teeth were really growing, long and unnatural. The young man kept his cool, gave thanks, and quickly walked away.

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The Second Man

Still uneasy and needing another light, he walked faster. Then, he saw another man coming toward him.

“Big man, yuh have a light?”

“Mi only have three match… but mi can spare two,” the man said.

He took the matches.

Again it happened. Every time he struck the match, the man’s teeth grew longer.

Now fully alert, the young man started power walking, heart thumping. Something wasn’t right.

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The Final Warning

He came upon a third man, a completely different one.

This time, he asked more cautiously, “Yuh have a light?”

“Mi only have one lef’,” the man replied. “But yuh can get it.”

That’s when everything clicked.

• First man: 5 matches, gave 2.

• Second man: 3 matches, gave 2.

• This one: Only 1 match left?

The pattern was clear. And something deep inside told him not to accept it.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest, but he kept calm.

Because Duppy love fear.

“No man, mi good. Respect same way,” he replied and hurried on.

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The Chilling Confirmation

When he reached Catadupa Square, he saw another man and told him:

“Yuh know mi been lookin’ a light, and mi pass a man weh seh him have one match an’ mi coulda get it… but mi lef it.”

Still shaken, he added:

“Before him mi see two more man, each time mi strike di match, mi see dem teeth a grow.”

The man stared at him, then leaned in slightly and said:

“Teeth longer than these?”

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The Chase

That was it.

The young man took off, ran all the way back home.

But the terror followed.

Behind him, in the wind, he heard a voice chasing him:

“Teeth longer than these?… Teeth longer than these?…”

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When He Reached Home

When he finally got home, he couldn’t even speak.

His mother saw something was wrong.

She rubbed him down instantly with oil and herbs, pushed salt into his mouth, and asked him what happened.

Shaking and breathless, he finally told her what happened. 

Encounters with this particular Duppy and its tactics are common all over the Island. Comment below if you or any of your loved ones ever encountered this Duppy.