The Legend of La LloronaThe folklore of Spanish America is full of exciting accounts of a wandering, shrieking, tormented spirit called La Llorona, the "Wailing Woman." Her eerie spine-chilling cry was said to be an omen of death. This is the first serious account of the frightening tale that has fascinated people for generations. Ray John de Arag n, an expert on Spanish folklore, traditions and myths, traveled throughout the villages and byways of New Mexico searching out the roots of this very popular Spanish phantom. What he found was that every person he listened to had a different version. They sometimes placed her in their own towns as having been a local girl who had lived, loved, and then died a tragic death. She then arose, according to hearsay, and now she searches throughout the countryside for the children she lost in a watery grave. Some villagers even took him to a nearby river or arroyo to show him where La Llorona and her children drowned, but they always cautioned, "Don't come here late at night because she will appear to you crying, and she will follow you as you try to get away." The author then took the threads of the stories he heard and has woven them in a full length study of this famous ghost. Noted folklorist Pedro Ribera Ortega called this book in a review, "The tragic mythic love/ghost story laid out to scare even the bravest of readers." Ray John de Arag n has a Masters in American Studies and has been a keynote speaker at public and historical conferences. He is the recipient of numerous awards and is the author of "Padre Mart nez and Bishop Lamy," "The Penitentes of New Mexico," and "Recollections of the Life of the Priest Don Antonio Jose Mart nez," all from Sunstone Press. |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient answer appeared arrived Athamas Aztec beautiful began burning Carlos Delgado church Colchis Cortez count curandera dark daughter death desperately devil's mark diary Doña Teresa door duenna elderly woman Eugene Delacroix Euripedes eyes father fear feel felt filled fire flames Fray Alonso Fray Carlos friar frightened Gertrudis de Panuelo girl hear heard horse Inquisition Jason Juan de Velasco Juan's knew La Llorona La Malinche lantern legend listen lives Llorona Luis de Velasco Luisa Gertrudis Luisa's home Malinche Maria Dolores marriage marry Medea Mendoza Mexico mind mother murders Nephele never night palace parents priest pulled quickly reached Reynosa Ricardo Valdez rode San Geronimo mission Santa Fe screamed Señorita soldiers soon sorrow soul Spain Spanish Spanish Empire story strange Suddenly Tenochtitlan thought Tia Elena uncon Velasco families vestry Viceroy de Velasco viceroy's village wailing woman walked wife witch yelled