It's no secret that I am a horror FANATIC. Horror movies and horror stories are thrilling to me. They give me a jolt of energy that I can't get elsewhere. They scare me, of course, but not in a way that keeps me up all night. I've seen enough movies in which that's probably dangerous, but maybe I don't process fear like most people I've met.
There's one particular rural legend that I love: La Llorona. You've probably seen the movie trailers everywhere, and it seems like people are making recreations left and right. But have you ever heard the original tale? The story takes place in colonial Mexico and is about a mother mourning the loss of her children. The basic plot goes as follows:
Maria was a very beautiful young woman. She came from a poor family and was known throughout her village for her immense beauty, sharp wit, and unescapable charm. All the women from her village wanted to be her. However, her father feared that she would not get a husband because of how poor they were.
One day, Maria was taking a walk through the street. A carriage driven by two white horses—symbols of immense wealth—halted before her. A young man stepped out of the carriage. He was dressed in many ornaments and was wearing a fine suit made of expensive fabric. He approached Maria and complemented her beauty. Then, he got back in the carriage and left.
Maria had already fallen in love with the man. The next day, she went for a walk on the same street and found the man buying a very expensive handicraft from the market. She went up to him and they talked for some time.
After a few weeks, Maria mustered up the courage to tell the man how she felt. She confessed her feelings and the man told her he was in love with her, too. They decided to get married. Maria told her mother and father and they were thrilled that she'd be marrying such a wealthy man. The village was so happy for Maria.
However, the man's father wasn't very happy. He told his son that a peasant woman wouldn't be good for the family. The man met with Maria in secret and told her this. He said that it would be best if the two got married in secret, so his father wouldn't try to stop the marriage. They agreed and fled to the forest. They got married and built a house in the woods.
Time passed, and Maria had twin sons. She and her husband were extremely happy. With a growing family, her husband needed to go away frequently for work. Each time he came back home, he came with many gifts for his sons and wife. However, as he kept going away, he began to be less and less affectionate to Maria. She, too, was growing old and her beauty began to fade. It came to a point where her husband only came with gifts for his sons and hardly even looked at Maria. Eventually, he stopped coming home altogether.
Maria was heartbroken, and with no other choice, she took her sons and left her house. She was walking near a river when she heard the rolling of a carriage and galloping of horses' feet. The sounds came to a halt and Maria turned to see who sat inside. It was her husband! Next to him in the carriage was a young woman. She wore an expensive gown and was adorned with beautiful jewels. She was a woman that her husband's father would have been proud of.
The man got down, holding toys for his sons. The young boys accepted them giddily. He didn't even acknowledge Maria's presence. After embracing the boys, he got back in his carriage and left with his new wife.
Maria was furious. Blinded by her rage, grief, and broken heart, she flung her sons into the river. They thrashed and screamed for their mother's help, but Maria was overcome by her negative emotions. She didn't realize what she'd done until she saw their lifeless bodies floating in the water. Unable to forgive herself, she leaped into the river, hoping to beg for their forgiveness in the afterlife. But she would never be able to reach Heaven after committing the two ultimate sins of suicide and murder. Now, it is said that her spirit roams the Earth as La Llorona—The Weeping Woman.
It is said that if you are walking near a body of water at night, she will approach you wearing a white bridal gown with a veil covering her disfigured, mournful face. She will ask you "¿Dónde están mis hijos?" which translates to "Where are my children?" If you are a child, beware. She will approach you thinking you are one of her children. After realizing you are not, she will drown you in the water. Therefore, children in Mexico are constantly warned by their parents not to play near lakes or rivers at nighttime, in fears that they will hear her cries.
So yes, the story has pretty dark beginnings, and an even darker ending, but a lot of skeptics believe that it's just a tale made up by paranoid parents that told their kids this so they wouldn't stay out too late. And maybe that's what the story really is. Maybe it isn't real.
But are you willing to go to a river at night, listening for her cries? If you aren't ready to answer that question, maybe it's best to stay in the safety of your own home and watch the movie, where... La Llorona haunts the main characters' house? Geez, it really isn't safe anywhere.
Sleep well!
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