The Weeping Woman

Juana was a proud mother of five children in La Palma, a well-known city in the northern part of El Salvador nearby Honduras, and she had a perfect life. She had a beautiful house near the Chiquito River and a good job. Furthermore, she was a practicing Catholic like most of her family and neighbors in those days. Plus, her husband was handsome and intelligent. She had everything that she wanted.

However, one night when she was returning from the church, and was frightened because her house was on fire, their neighbors were trying to put out the fire, but everything was in vain, and she lost all that she had.

For many months, she tried to overcome her misfortune, but nothing helped her. She became mad and obsessed with her lost kids. Some of her friends interned her in a psychiatric hospital, but one night she escaped and committed suicide in a ravine not so far from her old house.

The city was in complete sadness when they discovered it. They lost the most smiling and humble woman they had ever had. It was a huge tragedy that no one understood.

Two hundred years later …

A man was coming back from his work and stopped in the cemetery. He wanted to visit his ancestors. After 10 minutes of walking inside the cemetery, he saw a beautiful woman crying in a tomb that he had never paid attention to. He almost approached her when she turned back. She looked insane. She started to yell: “WHERE ARE MY KIDS? MY KIDS, WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? HELP ME FIND THEM!” She transformed into a ghost who couldn’t stop crying, and her face was disfigured and chased him until he left the cemetery.

When he arrived home, his wife asked him: “Pedro, what happened? Is everything all right?” Pedro told his wife: “I met the Weeping Woman (figure 1) in the cemetery. She chased me all around the place! I barely escaped from her hands.”

Figure 1. The Weeping Woman (“la Llorona in Spanish”) in the Lempa River. ¹

His wife covered her mouth and said that they needed to visit the priest as soon as possible. It could be dangerous if she continued walking in their town.

The priest from the town was a very old man around 90 years old. He was almost deaf but very smiley. They walked for 30 minutes until they reached the church. The couple requested to talk with the priest. He agreed to have a small talk with them. They explained to him that Pedro had met the Weeping Woman.

He told them they shouldn’t be afraid of her despite her appearance, she is just a tortured soul since she lost everything in the past and committed suicide, one of the worst sins.

The Weeping Woman walks every night in El Salvador and is looking for a cemetery where she could relieve herself of her duties. Every time she finds a path that helps her get to a cemetery, she starts crying inconsolably because she remembers her tragedy. Furthermore, she cries on the streets, and no one should approach her. What you did after you met her Pedro, is the least recommended. You shouldn’t have turned your back and run away. She enjoys chasing the people who are afraid of her. In addition, when she is next to you and sees you face-to-face, you could die of fright.

In all villages, she tries to enter and confesses her sin because she was a practicing Catholic. Nevertheless, she cannot go further because her sin was so terrible that an unknown force pushed her out. The next time you meet her, Pedro, don’t try to follow her or look at her. Just continue your journey because if you do it, she will not leave you alone till the end of your days.

“I hope I helped you understand,” said the priest.

“Thank you, Father, I’ll be more careful the next time,” said Pedro.

“Poor Juana. Hopefully, one day she will find peace in her life. She was a noblewoman.” Thought the priest.

Credits:
¹ Punt Magic 2011 - 2017.
Location: La Palma, El Salvador

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