Texas Standard » Stories from Texas

How Moms Use The Legend Of La Llorona To Keep Their Kids In Line


Listen Later

By W. F. Strong

La LLorona (the crying woman) is a Mexican legend that is at least 500 years old. It no doubt arrived in Texas with the earliest Mexican settlers and La Llorona has haunted our rivers, lakes and streams ever since, particularly in the border regions. There are dozens of versions. Here is one.

La Llorona was a poor girl in a small village. She was extraordinarily beautiful with raven black hair and large almond eyes. One day when she was getting water from the town well, a handsome man on a fine horse rode up and asked her for a drink. She had never seen such a perfect man or felt so wonderfully nervous in the presence of one before. He felt the same way about her. They fell in love on the spot. He could not marry her, though, because she was a poor village girl and he was from a the richest, most prominent family in the region. But he could not live without her so he bought her a big home and showered with jewelry and gifts and gave her two children. He came to visit often and adored playing with their children. It was not perfect, but she was happy because she loved him so much.

After a few years a period of time came when he did not visit at all. She was worried about him and did something she had never done. She went to the big city to visit his mansion to see what was wrong. When she arrived she quietly asked a servant if he was there and she said, “Oh, no, today he is getting married to a famous princess from Spain.”

La Llorona was so angry that she wanted to do something to hurt him. In that jealous rage, she went straight home and took their two children to the river and drowned them. When she regained her sanity she was plunged into such despair over what she had done that she died of grief right there on the river bank. As she attempted to enter the afterlife, an angel asked her where her children were. She said she didn’t know. She was told she must find them before she could rest. So she was forced back to earth and condemned to wander rivers and lakes and streams looking for her children forever.

If you go out near water at night you will sometimes hear her crying, “Mis hijos, mis hijos.” My children. They say if she sounds near she is really far away, but if she sounds far away, she is very near you. Those who’ve seen her say that she wears a moldy shroud and has jet black hair, but no nose and no mouth, only luminous violet eyes that are horrifyingly red-streaked from her eternal crying. If you see her thrashing around the middle of a creek or river, don’t go in to try to save her because she will drown you.

You should also never let your children stay out late near a river or creek or lake – or even a backyard swimming pool because La Llorona may think they are her children and steal them away from you forever.

So La Llorona is a legend, a cautionary tale and the boogie man (coo-cooey) all in one. Particularly Hispanic mom’s have used her to enforce good behavior for centuries. “Come inside now or La Llorona will get you.” “You come straight home from David’s house. Don’t wander. La Llorona is always looking for lost children.” And some even say that La Llorona makes children respect their mothers. She has appeared to children who have left their homes angrily, saying bad things to their mothers as they’ve left. La Llorona finds them walking in the dark and says, “I’ll let you go this time, but go back to your mother and be good to her.”

Excellent advice for Halloween and all the other days of the year.

I’m W. F. Strong. These are stories from Texas, via Mexico. Some of them, are true.

The post How Moms Use The Legend Of La Llorona To Keep Their Kids In Line appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Texas Standard » Stories from TexasBy Texas Standard, W.F. Strong

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

207 ratings


More shows like Texas Standard » Stories from Texas

View all
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,757 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

91,080 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,278 Listeners

Stuff You Should Know by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Should Know

78,340 Listeners

The Rachel Maddow Show by Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

The Rachel Maddow Show

36,885 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,159 Listeners

The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

The Joe Rogan Experience

227,909 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

21,958 Listeners

Song of the Day by KUT & KUTX Studios

Song of the Day

95 Listeners

Austin Music Minute by KUT & KUTX Studios, Laurie Gallardo

Austin Music Minute

9 Listeners

KUT Weekend by KUT & KUTX Studios

KUT Weekend

40 Listeners

Two Guys on Your Head by KUT & KUTX Studios, Dr. Art Markman & Dr. Bob Duke

Two Guys on Your Head

233 Listeners

Liner Notes by KUT & KUTX Studios, Neil Blumofe

Liner Notes

8 Listeners

Views and Brews by KUT & KUTX Studios

Views and Brews

15 Listeners

In Black America by KUT & KUTX Studios, John L. Hanson

In Black America

291 Listeners

Texas Standard by Texas Standard

Texas Standard

246 Listeners

In Perspective by KUT & KUTX Studios

In Perspective

2 Listeners

1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast by Jon Hagadorn  Podcast Host

1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

1,678 Listeners

Higher Ed by KUT & KUTX Studios, Jennifer Stayton

Higher Ed

31 Listeners

The Secret Ingredient by KUT & KUTX Studios, Raj Patel, Tom Philpott & Rebecca McInroy

The Secret Ingredient

37 Listeners

KUT » Stuart Hall: In Conversations by KUT & KUTX Studios, Ben Carrington & Rebecca McInroy

KUT » Stuart Hall: In Conversations

10 Listeners

Texas Standard » Typewriter Rodeo by Texas Standard, Typewriter Rodeo

Texas Standard » Typewriter Rodeo

14 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

87,234 Listeners

History That Doesn't Suck by Prof. Greg Jackson

History That Doesn't Suck

6,020 Listeners

Fiction - Comedy Fiction by The Sunset Explorers

Fiction - Comedy Fiction

6,451 Listeners

SmartLess by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

SmartLess

58,286 Listeners

Pause/Play by KUT & KUTX Studios

Pause/Play

40 Listeners

Black Austin Matters by KUT & KUTX Studios, Richard J. Reddick, Lisa B. Thompson

Black Austin Matters

51 Listeners

The Tucker Carlson Show by Tucker Carlson Network

The Tucker Carlson Show

16,919 Listeners

(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen by KUT & KUTX Studios, Laurie Gallardo

(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen

5 Listeners

24 Hours in Austin by KUT & KUTX Studios, Matt Largey

24 Hours in Austin

9 Listeners

Take a Moment by Marnie Castor

Take a Moment

3 Listeners

Money Talk with Carl Stuart by Carl Stuart

Money Talk with Carl Stuart

3 Listeners