In San mythology, Cagn is a traditional name for the trickster creator figure who most often appears as a praying mantis.
The name Cagn is an older or corrupted spelling of ǀKaggen, also written ǀKágge̥n or ǀKaggən. He is a demiurge and folk hero in traditions associated especially with San peoples of southern Africa. Although commonly identified with the praying mantis, he is a shapeshifter who can also take the forms of a bull eland, louse, snake, or caterpillar.
Cagn’s stories combine creation, comedy, danger, and moral testing. His actions can be clever and helpful, but his schemes often produce unintended consequences. The eland, an important animal in San belief and storytelling, features prominently in myths about his family and creative powers.
A common source of confusion is that “Mantis” is both a descriptive nickname and a translation-like label, whereas Cagn is a conventional English rendering of the figure’s name. Spellings vary because the original name contains sounds not represented neatly by ordinary English spelling.