escuerzo

I should be cursing you for keeping me from my needed sleep, but I finally tracked down the story in Spanish, “El escuerzo.”

Bring Me the Head of Leopoldo Lugones’ Bloat-Toad! 2010

When the escuerzo was beside himself with fury, the pupil would dip his stick into the oily residue of his pipe, and hold it out to the toad, who would fasten on to it like a mad creature, only to die in a few seconds of the nicotine.

Here, There and Everywhere Frederick Spencer Hamilton 1892

He is known in the vernacular as escuerzo, and is rather a handsome creature, wearing a green black-striped coat.

Here, There and Everywhere Frederick Spencer Hamilton 1892

There was a plentiful supply of these creatures at Espartillar, and the pupils, when they found an escuerzo, loved to tease him with a stick.

Here, There and Everywhere Frederick Spencer Hamilton 1892