The legend of La Llorona - The Weeping Woman

The Weeping Woman by Picassso / źródło: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weeping_Woman

The word llorona in Spanish comes from llorar, meaning to cry. La Llorona is then translated as the crying woman or the weeping woman.

According to the legend, La Llorona was once a beautiful woman who drowned her children in a river out of jealousy or despair. After that, overcame with guilt, she took her own life. Condemned by fate, her spirit roams the earth. She cries out for her children and looks for them near the rivers and canals.

There are a lot of versions of the story. They have been passed down through oral tradition for centuries in Spain.

Then in 1866, a Spanish Jesuit priest, José Maria León y Domínguez, published a first-person narrative, “El Pozo de La Llorona.” Some scholars speculate this story reached Mexico and then was integrated also with Indigenous mythology that shaped the Llorona popularized today all over the South America.

La Llorona is both myth and morality tale, a reminder of betrayal, regret, and the consequences of one’s actions. For many, the legend is more than folklore; it is a cultural symbol of mourning and justice.

Look at the version below to understand how strong message it carries ...

Although countless variations of the legend exist, the story of La Llorona usually begins with a woman betrayed by her husband or lover. Some versions say she killed her children to punish him. Others claim it was an accident. In all versions, her endless wailing, “¡Ay, mis hijos!” (Oh, my children!), still echoes in the night.