From: "Connie Huante" (cmhuante@earthlink.net)
To: obiwan@ghosts.org
Subject: Here's another version of La Llorona...
Date: Thursday, October 09, 2003 10:49 PM
Here is a nother version of La Llorona, as told to me by my grandmother when I was a small child...
La Llorona was a beautiful and vain widow, whose husband died unexpectedly when he left old Mexico on business, leaving her with two very small children to care for. However, being left with virtually little to survive on, she ended up working nights at a local tavern. One eveninng, a black carriage led by several black horses drew up to the entrance of the Tavern. Everyone turned toward the door, waiting to see who would come into such a humble town in such a luxurious carriage. La Llorona, who had been talking to one of the locals felt her heart stop beating when in entered the most handsome man she had ever seen. He had piercing blue eyes, fair skin and black goatee. He removed his tall black hat and silk cape, revealing underneath an evening suit made of the finest cloth, and thick mane of jet black hair. He turned in her direction and their eyes locked. It was instant heated attraction. He smiled seductively, revealing glorious white teeth, and beckoned her over to his table. The music became thunderously hipnotic and the room spun as she felt herself float toward him.
He told her he was a nobleman on visit from Spain and would be returning within a few weeks. He asked that she come to him each night -- exclusively -- at the tavern. She agreed.
The continued to see each other each evening. She became completely seduced by his looks, manner and wealth.
One night he informed her that he would be returning to Spain in a couple of days. She was devastated. He took her face into his hands and said, "I want you to come with me and live like a queen, as should be." She instantly agreed, but then he raised his hand and said, "There is just one thing. Your children cannot come. Bringing a woman with children into my life would be a questionnable stain on my prominent position. I cannot afford to have people start gossip." She didn't know what to think. He rose to his feet and told her he would give her the night to think about it. If she agreed to come, then he would meet her at 9PM in the tavern the next night, and they would be married the following day.
La Llorona went home that night and lay in bed not knowing what to do. However, she knew in her heart she could not let him leave without her, thus denying herself the chance of living like a queen. A glorious dream she had longed after. After all, why else would God have made her the most beautiful woman in Town, if not to marry into nobility some day. She had thought of dropping off her children at the church, where they might be raised in the orphanage, but then it occurred to her that everyone in town knew her and her children well, and feared that word of her abandoning her children would find its way back to Spain and cause her and her love problems. She knew what she had to do. She took her two infant children in bundled blankets, walked out to a well a distance from her house, and there, mercilessly let their bodies fall into the well. She walked away at first as if nothing had happened. But then the wind began to blow quite strong and she thought she heard the loud wails of a baby. She covered her ears and ran back down to her house.
The next night, she met with the nobleman in the Tavern. She whispered to him what she had done, and seemed somewhat anquished, but the nobleman gently raised her from her chair and merely said, "You did what you had to do. Now let me keep my promise. You will come with me tonight and we will be wed in the morning." So La Llorona entered his beautiful carriage and they travelled to the mansion where he was staying. When she entered the huge palace like house, she was curious to see that there were no other people there to tend them. It was only dimply lit in some parts, but dark for the most part. He turned to her and said, let's go upstairs to my chamber. They climbed several flights of stairs, and once in the chamber he turned to her and asked her, "Before I marry you, will you promise me that you will give yourself to me completely? All of you... your mind, heart, and soul?"
"Why yes, of course -- anything for you" she replied." They embraced, and kissed, but as they kissed, she noticed he was starting to laugh. It got louder, and louder as he held her closer and tighter, and the room seemed to spin swiftly and go red... then she looked into his eyes -- and they too were as if lit by fire.
"You have given yourself to me completely and there is no turning back." He said with a menacing smirk. Then she heard clicking sounds on the floor, and when she pushed herself away, she saw that he had hoolves for feet, and a tail... and on his head horns. It was him. She had given herself completely to Satan himself. She began to lose her mind and screamed a horrifying scream, then turned to the nearest window and jumped out, shattering the glass and falling several stories below. She died instantly. Her soul was lost for all eternity.
...And it said that late at night in that part of old Mexico, you can still hear the loud screams and sobbing of a woman, followed by sinister laughter, and then the faint wailing of a small baby...
This page (http://www.ghosts.org/faq/mexicollorona.html) last updated April 13, 2005.