Análisis Comparativo de los Procesos de Transformación del Relato Santanas Mieles y el Diablo

Oral tradition represents a cultural heritage that conveys beliefs, values, and worldviews within communities. However, modernization and formal education have transformed these narratives, simplifying their structures and impoverishing their literary resources. This article presents a comparative analysis of six versions of the legend Santanas Mieles y el Diablo, collected in Cascajal (Bolívar, Colombia) between 1965 and 2003. Using a qualitative approach, the study applies a structural narrative analysis to identify constants and variations in narrative modes, characters, styles, cultural dimensions, and religious content. The results show that although the legend preserves its core the confrontation between the peasant and the Devil, it has undergone transformations in its formal structure, the characterization of the characters, and the expression of religious syncretism. These changes reflect the loss of poetic and humorous elements typical of traditional orality, as well as the adaptation of the legend to new social realities. It is concluded that the legend functions as a cultural thermometer that reveals the tension between continuity and change in the identity of the Colombian Caribbean.