Due to the many backgrounds and cultures of Mexico, it is unsurprising that the folktales of the country are reminiscent of legends and myths from other countries. One of the most known and the most reminiscent is the story of the weeping woman, or, as she is commonly referred, La Llorona.
The Mexican folktale of La Llorona is over five hundred years old, dating back to around the time the Spanish conquistadors invaded the Aztec empire. (#9—the citations are ordered in alphanumeric order) There are many versions of the story, but the most common account, from my research, is as follows:
A breathtakingly beautiful woman, sometimes called Maria, fell in love with a man who was just as beautiful as she, but he was not a commoner; he was a nobleman, and he was not a native of Maria’s land; he was a Spanish foreigner.
The man cared deeply for Maria and Maria cared deeply for him, yet there social status made it so that their relationship had to be kept secret. Over time, their love produced three children. Soon after, Maria no longer desired her relationship with the love of her life to be shrouded in shadows, she wanted their relationship to be public. Yet, the Spanish gentleman began to retreat from Maria, showing less and less affection and barely visiting her. The gentleman, when he did visit, did so only to speak with his children, not with Maria.
The heartbroken Maria was furious at him and extremely envious of the three offspring. Maria, utterly humiliated, went insane and drowned her children in the nearby lake and then killed herself. At the gates of Heaven, St. Peter questions Maria about the whereabouts of her children, but, unable to confess to her involvement in their murder, she tells St. Peter that she does not know. From then after, the ghost of Maria was banished back to Earth to search for the souls of her children, all while knowing she would never find them.
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This is why Maria cries and that is how she was named, “La Llorona”. And if a child resembles one of hers, or if they misbehave, La Llorona will capture him and try to present them to St.Peter.
Although this is the more popular version, there are many other ways the tale of La Llorona is told, in which, majority of the time, the beginning will differ from other versions, but the end will basically be the same.
La Llorona is a near replica of the Greek story of Lamia. The story of Lamia is as follows:
“Lamia was a Libyan queen loved by the god Zeus. When his jealous wife Hera learned of their affair she stole away her children. Lamia went mad with grief, and tore out her own eyes. Zeus then transformed her into a monster allowing her to exact her revenge by hunting and devouring the children of others. Lamia often appears as a bogey-monster, a night-haunting demon which preyed on children.” (#12)
Both the story of La Llorona and Lamia were used to prevent children from misbehaving. There are tales that are told to prevent a certain unwanted behavior–these tales are called “cautionary tales”. These stories, usually folklore, are created to warn the reader or hearer of a danger. “There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. First, a taboo or prohibition is stated: some act, location, or thing is said to be dangerous. Then, the narrative itself is told: someone disregarded the warning and performed the forbidden act. Finally, the violator comes to an unpleasant fate, which is frequently related in expansive and grisly detail.” (#1) Nowadays, La Llorona is still used as a scare tactic for Mexican parents.
Works Cited
1. “Cautionary Tale.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
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Ray Bradbury is one of the most well known science fiction writers of the twentieth century. His stories have been used on television, radio , theater, film, newspapers, and have been published in every major American magazine (Bradbury 205). His style of writing as seen in Th Martian Chronicals leaves many unanswered questions so the readers's imagination is left to wander at all the ...
2. “The Cry – La Llorona.” The Cry – La Llorona. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
3. Del Sol, Christine. “Mexico’s Legend of La Llorona Continues to Terrify.” SFGate. SF Gate, 09 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
4. Eckhardt, C. F. “The Many Legends of La Llorona.” The Many Legends of La Llorona. Texas Hill Country. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
5. Galicia, Angelica. “La Llorona.” Inside Mexico. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
6. Hayes, Joe. “The Weeping Woman (La Llorona).” Literacynet.org. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
7. “La Llorona – Weeping Ghost of the Southwest.” HubPages. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
8. “La Llorona: From Ghost Stories at Americanfolklore.net.” La Llorona: From Ghost Stories at Americanfolklore.net. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
9. “La Llorona.” La Llorona Legend. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
10. “La Llorona O La Desesperanza De Un Pueblo.” La Llorona O La Desesperanza De Un Pueblo. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
11. “La Llorona.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
12. “LAMIA : Demon & Sea-monster ; Greek Mythology.” LAMIA : Demon & Sea-monster ; Greek Mythology. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
13. “Lamia.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
14. “The Legend of La Llorona, the Crying Child Murderess.” Io9. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
15. “Llorona.” Llorona. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
16. “Scary Story – La Llorona~true Story.” Scary Story – La Llorona~true Story. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.
