Some spells, such as Voodoo Queen (Water Magic), give you a chance to Curse a monster. 
When a monster is Cursed, it turns purple. A voodoo doll and a turn counter appear in front of it. The counter shows how many times you can draw a card before the Cursing effect ends.
Smaller monsters like the Pufferfish or Water Jelly are more susceptible to being cursed. 

Tip: Water Magic is most effective on Fire Mountain.
Learn more about: Challenge - Defeat X Cursed Monsters