Photo by Volkan Olmez on Unsplash
My friend M. shares the legend of La Llorona, the crying woman. While M. never encountered La Llorona, her grandma used the tale to enforce good behavior.
M. says, “The story varies a little depending on who tells it, but the gist is simple. Basically,long ago, a woman named Maria, married a rich man, with whom she eventually had two children. Then their marriage hit a rough patch–her husband spent less and less time at home, and whenever he was home, he paid attention only to the children.
Eventually, she sees him with another woman. Enraged beyond reason, some versions claim Maria drowned her two children—but she immediately regretted it, crying out, “Ay, mis hijos!” (Translation: “Oh, my children!” or “Oh, my sons!”)
Maria is sometimes said to have drowned herself afterward. But when she arrived at heaven’s gates, she was denied entry, banished back to purgatory on Earth until she could find her lost children. She’s now known as La Llorona, which translates to “the weeping woman.”
My grandma would tell us if we went outside late or by water La Llorana would grab you and no one would ever see you again.
Grandma said that she was punished, because she choose a man over her children. That you could hear her at night calling for her kids.
I don’t know if you notice, but it’s very rare you hear about Latino kids drowning ! We were scared to go near the water !!
If you look up the movie or the story it gives you different versions.”
Your grandma was a tough cookie M.! I probably would never have learned to swim if I heard that story.
“My grandma would tell us if we went outside late or by water La Llorana would grab you and no one would ever see you again.”
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