The legend of La Llorona is Spanish for “The Weeping Woman.”

This has been a part of Hispanic culture since the days of the conquistadors. The spirit of the mother is blessed with natural beauty and has long, black hair. She is always seen wearing a white gown by rivers, creeks, lakes, etc. She cries in the night to lure children and drag them into rivers to drown.

She wails,”Dónde están mis hijos.” This phrase means, “Where are my kids?” No one knows when this story began or where it originates from. The backstory, La Llorona is the spirit of a mother who sent her kids on a boat, but never saw them again. She now spends her eternity searching for them. It has been said that her children drowned in the lake. (This is one of the many versions)

Another version of this is about a woman named Maria, who lived in a humble village as a peasant. Her startling beauty attracted both the  rich and poor men of the village. She loved to wear her white night gown to excite the men in the evening and loved to go out. She had two sons whom she often left alone in the evening while she cavorted with the gentlemen. 

One night she left them alone and were found drowned the following morning. Some say they drowned because of her neglect, others say she drowned them herself. I could on and on, because there are so many different stories. But I’ll stop right here. Which version do you believe? Do you think she killed her own kids?