Legend of La Llorona

The legend of La Llorona (the Weeping One/Crying One) came to Texas from Mexico. This story was probably written in 1550 and has many versions. Here is one of them. 

A long time ago, a beautiful young widow named Maria had two children. She also had a wealthy lover whom she wanted to marry. The problem, however, was that the man refused to marry her because he did not accept the widow's children. 

One day, the lady went with her offspring for a picnic on the Rio Grande River. There, she unexpectedly came up with an idea - how to solve her marriage problem. She stabbed each of the children, then pushed them into the river so they drowned. Immediately after this event, the widow went to the house of her lover to tell him about what had happened. She was convinced that the man would appreciate her dedication, there were no longer any obstacles so they could get married. However, it happened otherwise. Horrified by the horrible action, the man rejected Maria. He no longer wanted to have anything to do with her. The distraught woman, screaming loudly, ran to the river - she wanted to save her children. Unfortunately, it was too late. 

All in all, Maria died a tragic death. Some say that an enraged crowd of her neighbors seized the murderer to punish her. According to others, the woman stabbed herself with a knife and then threw herself into the river. It is said that God will not let her into heaven until she finds the bones of the children she killed. So, doomed to eternal damnation, she wanders along the rivers of southwestern Texas, looking for her dead children. The lady's despair and crying are endless. There are folks who claim to have seen her - punished for her sins, she now has a horse's head instead of a human head. It is also well known that you should not go to the river at night, because La Llorona can drag the night wanderer into the abyss. Each time when the body of a drowned victim is found, it is said that the lonely La Llorona was looking for companionship.

 Picture: La Llorona - my own work, watercolor