La leyenda de la llorona
There are several versions of the story which originates in Mexico but generally the story of la llorona is a tragic tale of a woman who drowned her children either to be with the man that she loved, or to punish him, or out of complete desperation. When she reached the gate to the afterlife, she was questioned about where her children were and sent away to find them. Here is a video that explains this and other versions of the story.
The legend is commonly used now by parents to warn children about misbehaving and the dangers of being out after dark. It is also used to warn women of the dangers of the promises of men because la llorona married a man that she did not know very well and then sacrificed her children because of a man who left her for another woman.
Does this legend remind you of any other stories? What do you think about using the legend as a ghost story with children?
The name La Llorona contains the verb llorar, which means to cry. This makes sense because La Llorona is always crying in search of her kids. This legend reminds me of one I read in middle school that I cannot recall the name of, but it was about a person that murdered and kidnapped people and if you were close to it, you would hear a whistle which means that you are next to die. Telling the legend of La Llorona to children has and will definitely keep them far from the river and overall ensure their safety.
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