tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59433349278876974822024-03-23T11:15:05.353+01:00Federico StoriesA unique blog full of stories, legends, fables, and fairy tales from El Salvador and Central America. From the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MQFZNM5">Timeless Stories of El Salvador</a>.Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-81194319275494209832024-02-02T00:00:00.035+01:002024-02-02T00:00:00.398+01:00The Virgin of Candelaria<p style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, three fishermen woke up and decided to hunt some fish on the shores of El Espino Beach. Everyone was happy and seemed like it would be a good day. After a while, one of them started to yell, “Come here! I found a portrait.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The other two men came to see it and were shocked by the portrait. They were sure it was the Virgin Mary. All of them kneeled on the sand and thanked her for her visit. Especially because they were humble men.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The men picked up the portrait carefully and brought it to the closes Catholic Church where the local priest deduced that it was the Virgin of Candelaria. The priest spoke with some local people, and everyone agreed to bring the portrait to a tiny old hermitage in the Old Town. Also, they agreed to create a statue that resembled her to her perfection (figure 1).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">From that day, the Virgin of Candelaria became their Patron and yearly Pilgrimage Festivities are organized on February 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> as a memory of her visit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDqy-zQROTC0EdsJbjUVSHUygTBZUiu9hL3norHdagk4JViacjUiBgc46PZJ9i-UWwktFgFdhQ_jdxWjsvHRBI-p3KHjsyRpt0hgO9akHMnl29KLnDE2m8yzxJs3zIQrkWXt2nfjI1FLnQGzUYMY2hlZ6jcQaU7onAbBW_cHVB6_EHCCphU9xKivScjQ=s622" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="481" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDqy-zQROTC0EdsJbjUVSHUygTBZUiu9hL3norHdagk4JViacjUiBgc46PZJ9i-UWwktFgFdhQ_jdxWjsvHRBI-p3KHjsyRpt0hgO9akHMnl29KLnDE2m8yzxJs3zIQrkWXt2nfjI1FLnQGzUYMY2hlZ6jcQaU7onAbBW_cHVB6_EHCCphU9xKivScjQ=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Virgin of Candelaria.</span></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Jucuarán, El Salvador13.2531494 -88.2473352-15.057084436178846 -123.4035852 41.563383236178844 -53.091085199999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-22422717643301898192023-12-15T00:00:00.005+01:002023-12-15T00:00:00.328+01:00The Rock of The Conquest<div style="text-align: justify;">Hundreds of years ago, in the Canyon of the Olotes <i>(Barranca de Los Olotes in Spanish)</i> near Izalco, cruel combat happened between the Spaniards and the Indians.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a terrible afternoon, thousands of arrows darkened the sun, trying to stop the Spanish invaders who had come with Pedro de Alvarado, one of their best captains. However, the Spaniards were able to protect themselves with their shields and laugh about their useless weapons. After a while, the Spaniards started to move their forces, and little by little, using their sophisticated <span style="text-align: left;">weaponry</span>, they defeated the Indians.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the fight was over, Pedro de Alvarado decided to take a rest because it was insanely hot. However, the heat was so extreme that the rock softened and imprinted his right foot as a sign of their evil precise.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, everyone living in the Canyon<span style="text-align: justify;"> of the Olotes can appreciate the engraved foot (figure 1) as a memory of the old times and the Spanish Conquest.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhx_dGDGRnCEg1Fa8O_0AbkDHHVmQRS3GxkYgDSmmBPGAoigedDDtZb5BMDUHETWGAGb47ZdDgGeI4mZoX9vRThED00MnhpmxRvuL6XHyBIBXKzfBBcccc9MaTO3QL3BHsFOelttqZubMm3etPi72v8eDjZ9-9ofQaiLxQphkTcmcgtbhM9Y4EBi1PrLA=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhx_dGDGRnCEg1Fa8O_0AbkDHHVmQRS3GxkYgDSmmBPGAoigedDDtZb5BMDUHETWGAGb47ZdDgGeI4mZoX9vRThED00MnhpmxRvuL6XHyBIBXKzfBBcccc9MaTO3QL3BHsFOelttqZubMm3etPi72v8eDjZ9-9ofQaiLxQphkTcmcgtbhM9Y4EBi1PrLA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Rock of The Conquest. ¹</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Inspired by </i><i><a href="http://leyendasdeelsalvador.com/la-piedra-de-la-conquista">Leyendas de El Salvador</a></i><i>’s version.<br /></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Credits:</span><br style="font-style: italic;" /><span style="font-style: italic;">¹ </span><i><a href="http://leyendasdeelsalvador.com/la-piedra-de-la-conquista">Leyendas de El Salvador</a></i></p></div></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-85914671402231467712023-10-31T00:00:00.082+01:002023-10-31T00:00:00.298+01:00Devil’s Cave<div style="text-align: justify;">In Guaymango, there is a mysterious cave (figure 1), which the locals believe is the Devil’s House, an entry to hell.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohMrFacsS7dgUZWFRF-MxFGoapsfA7m2rzc-tiM5b78XkpEcFtveEnSP98JxjPD3M36L31FeXtUv_AhF_RUQlMKjpHQdwSAM7T6jmWjEka1GmFyJI4Hu-iADnPCcqpuGmKVBDtRAGpgMZL6-AjYDcfI81Cj2wRTi5XEQBX3esxgV3v9KZekncgJd67g/s1199/20170118_145910_1200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="1199" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohMrFacsS7dgUZWFRF-MxFGoapsfA7m2rzc-tiM5b78XkpEcFtveEnSP98JxjPD3M36L31FeXtUv_AhF_RUQlMKjpHQdwSAM7T6jmWjEka1GmFyJI4Hu-iADnPCcqpuGmKVBDtRAGpgMZL6-AjYDcfI81Cj2wRTi5XEQBX3esxgV3v9KZekncgJd67g/w640-h236/20170118_145910_1200.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. Devil’s Cave. ¹</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Many people assure you that if you walk around the San Martín Canton, you will find a narrow path that is surrounded by deep vegetation and cornfields. After a while, you will find two huge stones that guard the entrance to the cave. If you reach this place on the wrong day, a massive golden snake is going to devour you. Only a few had escaped and said it came from the deepest part of the cave.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some drunk people walked around the cave at midnight, and they walked in circles for hours because they lost their way. This is dangerous and they assure that even during their hangover, they still couldn’t know their path for hours. They are sure anyone, even sober people, can lose their path.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People who regularly walk around the cave start listening to some creepy laughs like coming from hell. On one occasion a man tried to see what was happening and the man could not get out until he allowed himself to be guided by one cow that walked nearby.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another time, a 2-year-old girl got lost while her nanny was taking care of her. Her nanny went for a glass of water and left the girl alone in the yard, feeding some pigs. It took two days before she found her "mysteriously" in the middle of a cornfield near the cave.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some brave (or dumb) men have ventured into the cave over the years. They come with several lamps and ribbons. However, none of them have reached the end of the cave. Everyone agrees the cave has no end. And suddenly, after a few meters they cannot breathe anymore. They had to leave it as soon as this happened. They only remember that they saw some uncommon hieroglyphs on the interior walls on their return. Some tried to return and erase them, but they failed. All of them seemed to be protected by an evil force.</div><br /><i>Inspired by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Leyendas de El Salvador</a>’s version.<br /></i><br /><i>Credits:<br />¹ <a href="https://www.batcon.org/cueva-del-diablo/">Ana Ibarra / Bat Conservation International</a></i>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Guaymango, El Salvador13.748419 -89.8452348-14.561814836178845 -125.0014848 42.058652836178844 -54.6889848tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-45759965836517535092023-06-16T00:00:00.020+02:002023-06-16T00:00:00.270+02:00The Haunted House of Santa Ana<div style="text-align: justify;">The house is located on the 2<sup>nd</sup> South Avenue and 13<sup>th</sup> West Street next to Narcisa Castillo’s nursing home and is full of mysterious stories (figure 1). Many people believe it was once a school and a bank, but no one is sure about its past since it’s extremely old.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1aPifL3VGb8g2a1-QuKwzErEW8WGei6oD9YZqX9d2RHk-JDUOldOE8b0UdvW2ZgGkAF0TzRN2sRqlDvB2mxjHc5h79EDBKL9iI-sMqhKgKfE1YjG_vnHIe33vJze6z2VcaMbMr7YnAnRkL75Lsd5x0gcTdf49O9OYiXl7ADpzCPTe9bBM3fdKGzYv4A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="810" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1aPifL3VGb8g2a1-QuKwzErEW8WGei6oD9YZqX9d2RHk-JDUOldOE8b0UdvW2ZgGkAF0TzRN2sRqlDvB2mxjHc5h79EDBKL9iI-sMqhKgKfE1YjG_vnHIe33vJze6z2VcaMbMr7YnAnRkL75Lsd5x0gcTdf49O9OYiXl7ADpzCPTe9bBM3fdKGzYv4A=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The haunted house.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">¹</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recently, several people assured you that the city hall recently closed all its doors with bricks because some uncommon visitors were performing satanic rituals inside bringing evils from hell.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before the satanic arrived, several people had seen uncountable abnormal shadows rooming around the windows on some specific nights. Some crazy people even tried to spend a night inside until they started to hear crazy frightening screaming coming from nowhere! Everyone ran away for their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everyone who has seen or heard strange things in this house does not recommend anyone to pass after 12 o<span style="text-align: justify;">’</span>clock at night since it could be terrifying, and you don’t know who you will meet. Avoid it at any cost!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by <a href="http://leyendasdeelsalvador.com/la-casa-embrujada-de-santa-ana" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leyendas de El Salvador</a>’s version.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div><i>Credits:<br /></i><div><i><span style="text-align: justify;">¹ </span><a href="https://m.facebook.com/Prensasantaana/photos/pcb.2826029027427632/2826016677428867/?type=3&source=48&locale2=de_DE&__tn__=EH-R" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Prensa Santa Ana SV</a></i></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Santa Ana, El Salvador13.9778279 -89.563911900000008-14.332405936178846 -124.72016190000001 42.288061736178847 -54.407661900000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-57342103424280823172023-04-14T00:00:00.012+02:002023-10-27T10:36:39.137+02:00Mrs. Death “The Godmother”<p style="text-align: justify;">Once upon a time, there was a woman who wanted to have a godmother. However, she did not want every godmother, she wanted Mrs. Death (figure 1). This woman wanted to know her destiny and was sure Mrs. Death could help her.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSlZxNh0cHq8yRuT_UfkRCm1VfCWXM5epJnQ_fFAxGL46bCDQTYUZhruuv1Is-gbNjdmccFzjXo9PGq-2tUCrVO33LPZ4IDmN6d-FZUEldt8MAf680YtqHZO5v8ozRsgNRLDFsFFHL_z-8ocVnAo3TDYGYagUY835ZiXeB7GeHue6ONf-t4D_bRVYLhud/s1024/_0decad13-d494-4964-8837-723f24d06b72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSlZxNh0cHq8yRuT_UfkRCm1VfCWXM5epJnQ_fFAxGL46bCDQTYUZhruuv1Is-gbNjdmccFzjXo9PGq-2tUCrVO33LPZ4IDmN6d-FZUEldt8MAf680YtqHZO5v8ozRsgNRLDFsFFHL_z-8ocVnAo3TDYGYagUY835ZiXeB7GeHue6ONf-t4D_bRVYLhud/s320/_0decad13-d494-4964-8837-723f24d06b72.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. Mrs. Death.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">One day the woman went to visit Mrs. Death’s cabin. She was not there that day, but the woman still entered her cabin. She would wait inside.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Several minutes later, she started roaming around and noticed thousands of black candles. Each of them had an imprinted theme. A tiny one had her name imprinted, María Flores. After she read her name, she had a premonition: "She would die of a rare disease soon."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">She was shocked because she did not have any notable disease. She was a healthy woman!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly, Mrs. Death appeared silently from behind and gave her an ointment. She also gave her precise orders on how to use it, "Use this ointment on your feet but be careful you should not smear on it your head. This can cure you of that rare disease, and you can also use it to cure other ill people."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The woman could not believe what she heard, but she just asked, "Why are there so many black candles in your cabin? And the tiny ones I felt are related that someone is going to die like me!"</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mrs. Death answered, "Everything has a beginning and an ending, my dear. If you light a candle too fast, it can burn you or blow out extremely fast. Always be careful with what you do or wish. Take care of your back and be careful with your actions."</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Serbelio Vásquez’s version collected by Ennis Arely Arevalo Girón, Lissette Amelia Gutierrez Paz, and Karen Liseth Mancia Bonilla in their <a href="http://ri.ues.edu.sv/id/eprint/3978/1/50100209.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thesis</a> Cultura Popular de Guatajiagua.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Guatajiagua, El Salvador13.6631265 -88.2083778-63.443221039029225 131.16662220000003 90 52.416622199999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-56936697265580437482023-01-31T07:00:00.052+01:002023-01-31T07:00:00.173+01:00Timeless Stories of El Salvador, Children's Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6t9HzxOWy-zI1CrNNLi6W1L54jAkcDcCq1SF-mf3OBS1AhOrDquuSDPz66lBB4fKKopq-_z1KaMw4vg42JQSVZuNFox-QYBQ8BWHO54qRULrkaI4wcm2SXR_JN3vvSbuJGYOlyzEgWWRsiFt-LvPu2TZYmLPYoIpeKP8UnR1uhLP8BcmZ7aDKQuY3A/s790/1673813950.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6t9HzxOWy-zI1CrNNLi6W1L54jAkcDcCq1SF-mf3OBS1AhOrDquuSDPz66lBB4fKKopq-_z1KaMw4vg42JQSVZuNFox-QYBQ8BWHO54qRULrkaI4wcm2SXR_JN3vvSbuJGYOlyzEgWWRsiFt-LvPu2TZYmLPYoIpeKP8UnR1uhLP8BcmZ7aDKQuY3A/s320/1673813950.png" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Have you ever wondered how to share the magic of Salvadoran Fairytales and Legends with your children, but you don't know how? What if you could do it all at once in English and Spanish? 🤔</span></div><p>Today, I'm bringing you a <b>Virtual Book</b> that you can share with your beloved ones and show them the magic of El Salvador 🪄.</p><p>You can explore a piece of the Salvadoran traditions, landscapes, locations, and four beautiful stories:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Tangaloa, "The Guardian of the Sea,"</li><li>Cipitio,</li><li>Tenancin,</li><li>and the Dwarf.</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" id="iframe_container" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://prezi.com/p/embed/3OA2BbhRZgysnB22bzdX/" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: left;">Feel free to share them with your beloved ones. And if you read more and enjoy quality time with your children, feel free to read the extended editions:</p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/3GO7QIH"><b>Timeless Stories of El Salvador</b></a></h2>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0El Salvador13.794185 -88.89653-14.516048836178845 -124.05278 42.104418836178844 -53.74028tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-52877722586088004042023-01-13T12:27:00.013+01:002023-01-13T12:27:00.191+01:00The Ugly Baby<p style="text-align: justify;">On January 13, 2001, an earthquake hit Santa Tecla badly. The following days were full of terror. The strong aftershocks that followed the first earthquake led thousands of families to sleep with clothes, and shoes very close to the exit of their homes. No one knew what could happen next.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The fear was so massive since hundreds of people had died because of a landslide in the Las Colinas neighborhood. This situation brought new rumors to the Salvadoran minds. They discovered that just hours after the first earthquake, a horrendous boy was born in Zacatecoluca. Plus, he had predicted a new tragedy was coming on February 13.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The newborn had scared the entire medical staff because of his ugliness. Some believed it was the same Antichrist because he had horns and a tail. One of the nurses was so shocked that she exclaimed, "What an ugly child!"</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUfp_RCJk_bSpCNYL2x6iGWnxIvhGhDeOkJaadroEo6mRB__eu13zSOkjxGjK4FgIgRE0DVobSFCFX274jfDeG5opi1aLCvLycF-xfE9g-MPvkAk5GaXODLuveGPxu8LO7DzrZz8ZBVZNaik3VcHu6_tUx8ImuuxGE3q8Vo_mXRcQIWN-zpyA9F0efQ/s615/evil-baby-face-zombie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUfp_RCJk_bSpCNYL2x6iGWnxIvhGhDeOkJaadroEo6mRB__eu13zSOkjxGjK4FgIgRE0DVobSFCFX274jfDeG5opi1aLCvLycF-xfE9g-MPvkAk5GaXODLuveGPxu8LO7DzrZz8ZBVZNaik3VcHu6_tUx8ImuuxGE3q8Vo_mXRcQIWN-zpyA9F0efQ/s320/evil-baby-face-zombie.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The ugly baby.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Immediately after the nurse’s words, a frightening voice coming from the newborn answered: "The ugliest event will happen on February 13! You will remember my words."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some people assured you similar incidents happened at the National Maternity Hospital. Others said a cabbage had spoken and shared with them the same words just before it was sold in the Central Market of San Salvador. Something was certain the prediction was true because, on February 13, a new earthquake hit El Salvador again. More and more people became true believers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The incidents spread like wildfire all over El Salvador, scaring thousands of people in a blink of an eye. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Word of mouth was responsible for spreading this story without any evidence.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The skeptic said this is just the reactivation of old history that sprouted in Latin America in times of catastrophes from the 19th century. They said the legend is not El Salvador exclusive. There are similar ones in Mexico and Colombia.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Leyendas de <a href="https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/El-mito-de-el-Nino-feo-cumple-15-anos-20160212-0083.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">La Prensa Grafica</a>’s version.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Calle a Cantón El Guaje, San Salvador, El Salvador13.6797125 -89.14898869999999-14.630521336178845 -124.30523869999999 41.989946336178846 -53.99273869999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-7103128958628268672022-10-31T00:00:00.139+01:002022-10-31T00:00:00.170+01:00The Chupacabra<p style="text-align: justify;">Everything started in 1995 in Puerto Rico. A new beast arrived from nowhere on that island and started to suck the blood of all farm animals leaving their bloodless corpses only. The beast looked like a heavy creature, the size of a small bear, with a row of spines running from the neck to the base of the tail (figure 1). It was a scary beast that the locals called the Chupacabra.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqQrKJsFxSOy9gUJHDpzFuzuFebTkCaZWxvtpyRfE6My0EXLk1XhsFo4gBV93Tg7GuWjKLmqLcIx2iLVHqYApSu2lnP-5e629svNP9gtHl1-K5UCFk2UNQd7D0RwX8s34h0FnASaKR-SnFnVtriq0JVvSXXD-JWTlPyjFBaihZH3vrJfNbmG6QrSlmQw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="400" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqQrKJsFxSOy9gUJHDpzFuzuFebTkCaZWxvtpyRfE6My0EXLk1XhsFo4gBV93Tg7GuWjKLmqLcIx2iLVHqYApSu2lnP-5e629svNP9gtHl1-K5UCFk2UNQd7D0RwX8s34h0FnASaKR-SnFnVtriq0JVvSXXD-JWTlPyjFBaihZH3vrJfNbmG6QrSlmQw" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Chupacabra.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">¹</span></span></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;">The beast or beasts (because it seemed it had siblings) started to teleport and move across Latin America and the US, reaching one terrible night in 1996, the Elias Village in San Vicente, El Salvador. On that night, a goat around 6 months old appeared dead with serious wounds caused by unknown fangs around its neck and forelimbs. What’s more, its third leg was broken savagely leaving it without bloodlessness.</p></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The goat was discovered by its owner (the Granados Family) after he heard uncommon noises that sound from a faraway land. Also, he noticed that the rest of his goats were running crazily as if they had seen something from another galaxy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mr. Granados called his sons, and they came with a couple of machetes and guns. They also asked the women in the house to add some palms to protect their houses from any being from the beyond.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Everyone started to walk around the cornfield until they reached a very noisy place, and they started to smash with some with everything they had. One of them even took his pistol and shot it mercilessly, but after everything, there was nothing! They left the cursed place and reported the event to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock the next morning.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over the following years, more and more goats and cattle started to die sporadically across El Salvador, until 2010 when in a stable in the village of El Cafetal, canton Las Tablas, Sonsonate, four calves appeared torn from their bodies.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, some people believe the Chucapabra has vanished for good, but who knows, maybe it’s just waiting for its return!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by <a href="https://www.elsalvador.com/entretenimiento/viral-entretenimiento/las-veces-que-el-chupacabres-atemorizo-salvador/845333/2021/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">El Diario de Hoy’s version</a>.</i></p><div>Credits:</div><div><i style="text-align: justify;">¹ <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cartercomics/141058618/in/photostream/">Jeff Carter</a></i><i></i></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0San Vicente, El Salvador13.4792922 -88.1779182-14.830941636178846 -123.3341682 41.789526036178842 -53.021668199999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-40941128548858841422022-08-04T00:00:00.013+02:002022-08-04T00:00:00.159+02:00The S.S. Douglas<div><div style="text-align: justify;">Around 20 years ago at the beginning of the 2000s, some fishermen started to hear some uncommon voices from the sea, to be precise Los Cóbanos Beach. The fishermen were frightened by its voices. One of them recalled that his grandfather had told him that a ship had sunk on their coasts in 1890. The ship was called S.S. Douglas. This was a beautiful and imponent English ship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His grandfather had also told him that the S.S. Douglas had sunk while carrying a shipment of 10,000 bags of golden coffee to Hamburg, Germany.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That day was quite windy, and the storms were stronger than forcing the S.S. Douglas to collide off with Punta Remedios twelve miles from the Port of Acajutla. A place that since pre-Hispanic times has been important for trade and fishing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the tragedy, the crew members were directly taken to a Los Cóbanos clinic in an emergency, and due to the collision with the stones located on the beach, the ship stayed at that point and dived 24 feet deep.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The people around the town started to believe that the voices were coming from some crew members that were not so lucky to be saved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2000, the architect Roberto Suárez dived together with Ramírez to find out more about this story anchored under the water. Roberto, using his own resources, undertook the task of investigating and documenting through photographs and architectural drawings what he could discover about this mythical ship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was able to verify most of the story, and he made an architectural drawing in which he details the parts that he currently presents. During the process, he estimated that the metal hull weighs 1,372 gross tons. He also determined that it is 239.8 feet (72.8 meters) long by 32.4 wide.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The architect highlights that the ship was built in 1872 by the English company Denton for the shipping company G. Pymam and Co.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three years later the English sold it to the German Cosmos Line, and she is renamed "Sakkarah".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many people have tried to create an underwater museum but until today, this is just a dream that perhaps, one day, we would have the opportunity to see.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://st4.depositphotos.com/8477352/37937/i/600/depositphotos_379373310-stock-photo-mermaid-surrounds-sunken-ship-bottom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="600" height="281" src="https://st4.depositphotos.com/8477352/37937/i/600/depositphotos_379373310-stock-photo-mermaid-surrounds-sunken-ship-bottom.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The S.S. Douglas. </span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;">¹</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by <a href="http://archivo.elsalvador.com/noticias/2006/09/04/escenarios/esc8.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">El Diario de Hoy</a>.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div><i>Credits:</i></div><div><i><span style="text-align: center;">¹</span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photos/sunken-ship.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Depositphotos</a></span></i></div></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Los Cobanos, El Salvador13.5349441 -89.8106928-14.775289736178845 -124.9669428 41.845177936178843 -54.6544428tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-57368193690842865422022-06-16T00:27:00.011+02:002022-06-29T09:42:49.300+02:00The Dirty Woman<p style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, a dirty and scary woman (figure 1) started to visit Guatajiagua’s rivers every midnight. Every citizen believes she came from the Honduran virgin jungles.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lCMRl8mMw1ZnV_YBYj0Mv1xaFkYLYNd74lmxH1JcWUjG4fXgnYCnGI2PNjUBJHOU2ECqxr0ZcbD5MXfYYqUOOVz0LtX7E-0aS4gavQIKkvr-Dew-73RUT18d4ClR8XD3INq7EY1qZ6pNqfCwBFJD7eui2o64EnXrq9XSQjTF8ZvWF-WknZR32Q7LQg/s1280/96b04881-f25e-473c-94d2-24f4a0e67da0_waifu2x_art_noise1_scale_tta_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="876" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lCMRl8mMw1ZnV_YBYj0Mv1xaFkYLYNd74lmxH1JcWUjG4fXgnYCnGI2PNjUBJHOU2ECqxr0ZcbD5MXfYYqUOOVz0LtX7E-0aS4gavQIKkvr-Dew-73RUT18d4ClR8XD3INq7EY1qZ6pNqfCwBFJD7eui2o64EnXrq9XSQjTF8ZvWF-WknZR32Q7LQg/s320/96b04881-f25e-473c-94d2-24f4a0e67da0_waifu2x_art_noise1_scale_tta_1.png" width="219" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The dirty woman.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">The men described her as an evil spirit. She presents herself mainly when they are drunk, returning to their homes as a beautiful woman washing her clothes on the banks of the closest river. She later calls the men asking them for their support. The men tend to fall in love and approached her.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After they speak for a while, she presents her true face! Most men tried running, but only a few have escaped. The lucky ones returned to their homes and for the unlucky ones, no one knows their destiny.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Valdemar Bolainez’s version collected by Ennis Arely Arevalo Girón, Lissette Amelia Gutierrez Paz, and Karen Liseth Mancia Bonilla in their <a href="http://ri.ues.edu.sv/id/eprint/3978/1/50100209.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thesis</a> Cultura Popular de Guatajiagua.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-66721582646161670592022-05-04T10:00:00.029+02:002022-10-29T00:55:11.648+02:00Timeless Stories of El Salvador v2 is available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4BIQbLR3LrB8mfqTLQHVlzNncSerb55SmmKkCMYJASNCSO20nf5UFGsW7d23X2W4YRYC63GzNEQmNFIqG6i8AZa8lvSmq6stZNk4oIFdyGQ0-7QjWmSKlwLT0T0JsARQLNW-wZDToVBfauFRS9G820kCDBaWi3y8sU5PxxdwcKCginn6-dtYWWxZnA/s1788/1666997256-min%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1788" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4BIQbLR3LrB8mfqTLQHVlzNncSerb55SmmKkCMYJASNCSO20nf5UFGsW7d23X2W4YRYC63GzNEQmNFIqG6i8AZa8lvSmq6stZNk4oIFdyGQ0-7QjWmSKlwLT0T0JsARQLNW-wZDToVBfauFRS9G820kCDBaWi3y8sU5PxxdwcKCginn6-dtYWWxZnA/s320/1666997256-min%20(1).png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span>The </span><b style="text-align: justify;">2<sup>nd</sup> volume</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> of 31 of the most memorable legends and fairy tales from El Salvador is ready for all of YOU, </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Timeless Stories of El Salvador V2, Epiphany</b><span style="text-align: justify;">!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups" src="https://leer.amazon.es/kp/card?asin=B09Z33ZPTV&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_MGWEVRFZ3TAK6GK5T8A3" style="max-width: 100%;" type="text/html" width="336"></iframe></div><br /><span style="text-align: justify;">It is available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover formats from:</span><p></p><p></p><ul><li><a href="https://amzn.to/3nnbn4e" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a></li><li><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=9798765566022" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></li><li><a href="https://www.lulu.com/shop/federico-navarrete-and-marcos-soriano-and-samantha-bahn-williams/timeless-stories-of-el-salvador-v2/paperback/product-7mp8dd.html?q=Timeless+Stories+of+El+Salvador&page=1&pageSize=4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lulu</a></li></ul><div><p style="text-align: justify;">It is time you enjoy the best stories of the Salvadoran nights with your friends, family, and the world 🌎. <b style="text-align: center;">Share some small bites of the Thumb of the Americas with everyone you know.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN1VzTTHLvgYPbl8ner7AAh7lRhrQoLAVq0ubL-9FFX_H5g811nnTnd0XKjySkeiH45BE_7O5hNxgheQLq6PupfsZp27RYJXc0js3-1yHGbunTAGBECc1ZfbDfbA9p-Bmx9_SXvKivosUwo_oQ4MK53zeczbtTBu_Ga7MqQmt1MMWdt5Tb8f6zLt9wA/s1236/imageedit_1_3324983010.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="1236" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN1VzTTHLvgYPbl8ner7AAh7lRhrQoLAVq0ubL-9FFX_H5g811nnTnd0XKjySkeiH45BE_7O5hNxgheQLq6PupfsZp27RYJXc0js3-1yHGbunTAGBECc1ZfbDfbA9p-Bmx9_SXvKivosUwo_oQ4MK53zeczbtTBu_Ga7MqQmt1MMWdt5Tb8f6zLt9wA/w640-h192/imageedit_1_3324983010.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><b style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-weight: 400;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Be part of the change that you want to see.</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The 2<sup>nd</sup> volume includes:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><ul><li>Sir Francis Drake, The First Pirate of The Pacific</li><li>The Death of The Sorcerer of La Nahuaterique</li><li>The Mulus</li><li>The Almighty Tlaloc</li><li>The Mysterious Woman of The Toad River</li><li>Lake Ilopango</li><li>The Bewitched Wagon</li><li>The Dwarf</li><li>The Bandari Witch</li><li>The Weeping Woman</li><li>The Virgin of Izalco</li><li>The Headless Horseman</li><li>Tenancin, Cipitio’s girlfriend</li><li>Prince Atonal</li><li>The Pirate Treasures of Meanguera Island</li><li>The Black Horse</li><li>Tangaloa “The Guardian of The Sea”</li><li>The Cocoa</li><li>Lake Coatepeque Snake</li><li>The Woman of The Chinchontepec</li><li>The Amate Flower</li><li>Titilcíhuat “The Fire Woman”</li><li>The Arbolarios</li><li>Devil’s Pool and its twin</li><li>The Frogfish</li><li>The Eruption of The San Salvador Volcano</li><li>The Giantess of Jocoro</li><li>The Bewitched Rock</li><li>The Old Church of San Dionisio</li><li>The Cukinca Cave</li><li>Cuicuizcatl and The Chinchontepec Underworlds</li></ul></div></div></div></b></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Berlin, Germany52.520006599999988 13.40495424.209772763821142 -21.751296 80.830240436178826 48.561204000000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-70100445430984647462022-04-14T00:00:00.030+02:002022-05-21T09:41:46.299+02:00Bye Bye Uncle Coyote!<p style="text-align: justify;">Once upon a time, there was a town full of humble people. Everyone was people with great hearts and enjoyed their simple lives. Even the local priest was so lucky because he owned a small hunt.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the outskirts of the city, there used to live a coyote and a rabbit. Everyone knew them as Uncle Coyote and Uncle Rabbit (figure 1).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3aa_Ux6LEjnoeMW0BXTI18WE6s48oblFRaTqk6Rf3Ql90pwds5xUHS9epJ9Ji4IjWDHtQOKa2aHWxoPTHaRbV8_0Eq4n0IuweHV_aK5G0QlOL0TERxiezTFUrIihlqJBEOxOb3AztnX/s800/U001_W005_004A_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="800" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3aa_Ux6LEjnoeMW0BXTI18WE6s48oblFRaTqk6Rf3Ql90pwds5xUHS9epJ9Ji4IjWDHtQOKa2aHWxoPTHaRbV8_0Eq4n0IuweHV_aK5G0QlOL0TERxiezTFUrIihlqJBEOxOb3AztnX/w400-h340/U001_W005_004A_sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. Uncle Coyote and Uncle Rabbit. ¹</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">From time to time, they were friends, and at other times, they were the greatest foes ever. No one could predict what their next prank was. They loved to play dark and dangerous pranks all the time. Uncle Rabbit was very astute and often outsmart Uncle Coyote. Uncle Coyote tended to fail in the rabbit’s traps often. Unfortunately, he never learned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Uncle Coyote was very stubborn and rude. He always tried to deceive the rabbit into his traps, but they rarely ever worked. The rabbit was very astute.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In a nearby town lived a hard-worker countryman called Mr. Alberto. He enjoyed planting new chili peppers and unique plants all the time. However, the lands sooner or later got tired of too many experiments, and they stopped being so effective. The long dry season even slowed down his yearly crops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Two years after the last dry season, Mr. Alberto was happy because he was sure this would be a good year. He had planted some unique yellow watermelons. A friend had brought him some seeds from Salamanca and told him they were unique. The watermelons looked gigantic. He had never seen such a massive fruit in his life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Every day Mr. Alberto went to his lands to check when they were ready. He felt gratified because of the results. However, he did not know Uncle Rabbit was also checking daily when the watermelons would be ready. He wanted a part of the prize also.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The day that Mr. Alberto thought they were ready. He thought today, “Today night, I’m going to collect my yellow watermelons. I am going to gift one to the local priest, I am going to take one for me, and the rest I am going to sell them.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mr. Alberto had a very busy day, and at 7 PM, he said: “Forget it, I’m going to collect them tomorrow. It’s too late and dark.” However, he never expected that Uncle Rabbit had the same idea to check Mr. Alberto’s lands.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rabbit arrived at the land and saw the biggest watermelon. He fell in love and opened a small hole in it. It started to eat the tasty watermelon. After a while, all the watermelon juice had covered it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After the rabbit had finished the watermelon, it filled it with some sand from his burrow. He even reused the watermelon part where he had made the hole. No one could notice it was empty already and full of sand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rabbit started to jump and returned to his burrow. He was extremely happy and full.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The next morning Mr. Alberto went to collect the watermelon for the local priest. He was glad because it seemed extremely heavy, and probably, it would be extremely sweet. He was sure the local priest would be really happy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After the mass, Mr. Alberto called the priest and told him: “Good morning, Mr. Priest. I hope you are having a great week. How was your night?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The priest told answered him, “my son, maybe better than you. It seems you woke up very early today.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mr. Alberto told him, "indeed, I had brought you the best of my yellow watermelons. It’s in my car.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The priest jumped and said, “come to my cabin! I’ll store it there. This is a great day. Good bless you!”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mr. Alberto left the watermelon in the priest’s cabin and returned to his home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The priest was so delighted that called his assistant and requested her, “Luisa bring me the sharpest knife we have. Mr. Alberto brought us a nice watermelon.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Luisa brought him the knife, and the priest opened the watermelon, and to his unlucky surprise, it was full of sand!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The priest was furious and called the mayor. He complained that Mr. Alberto had played him a terrible prank in the early morning after mass. He had given him a fake watermelon full of sand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The mayor could not believe it and requested Mr. Alberto’s presence immediately in the City Hall. Two policemen arrived at Mr. Alberto’s house and took him to the City Hall.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mr. Alberto did not understand what was going on. He was shocked. When they arrived at the City Hall, Mr. Alberto asked what was happening. He did not understand why the police had arrived at his home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The mayor told him that the priest had come to complain that he had gifted him a watermelon full of sand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mr. Alberto was shocked because he had not gifted him any watermelon full of sand. The priest entered the office and said: “Yes, you did! I had the proof at my cabin.”</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The priest picked both of them up to his cabin and showed him the watermelon full of sand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mr. Alberto was completely shocked and apologized thousands of times. He even kneeled on the floor, begging for his forgiveness.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After a while, Mr. Alberto said that this was a prank from Uncle Rabbit. He was sure he had eaten the watermelon and filled it with sand. He offered him another watermelon in compensation so that he could pick it up straight away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The priest agreed and picked up his new watermelon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">On the way back home, Mr. Alberto was disappointed. He met Uncle Coyote on his way and shared with him the bad prank played by Uncle Rabbit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Uncle Coyote told him that he knew where he could find the rabbit today. He knew his burrow and there he could trap him. He just needed to think about a good trap.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Mr. Alberto and Uncle Coyote arrived at the rabbit’s burrow, and Mr. Alberto set his trap. He had made a beeswax doll that looked like a nice female rabbit next to a carrot and a tasty watermelon. He was sure because the rabbit was very mischievous, he would go for them. Later, it would be stuck there forever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Sadly, Mr. Alberto had forgotten the rabbit was extremely smart. He had been chasing them since he had left the priest’s cabin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After they had set everything, Uncle Coyote and Mr. Alberto returned to their places.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rabbit just said, “this time the coyote is going to pay for everything he has done. I never thought he could sell my burrow. I feel ashamed for Mr. Alberto, but not for the coyote. I’m not going to play these kinds of pranks with Mr. Alberto anymore.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rabbit went to his burrow, brought a stick, and released the carrot. Also, he dressed the doll and added some sunglasses. So, no one would notice it was not the same.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Hours later, the coyote returned to see if the rabbit had fallen into their trap. To his surprise, he thought so.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">He told him, “so, how are you doing Uncle Rabbit?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The coyote asked him three times and no answer. He got mad and complained, “so, did a cat eat your tongue or what? I’m going to slap you because you act like a spoiled child.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The coyote gave his first slap, and his paw got caught in the doll. He tried to release it with his second paw, and it didn’t work. He later used his other two paws and got completely trapped in the doll. He started yelling for help, but it seemed like no one could hear him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After a while, the rabbit left his burrow and said, “it seems someone never learns. Did you forget who is the smartest one?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The coyote yelled angrily, “fool! Release me!”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The rabbit laughed and said, “fool me? Looked at who is trapped.” The rabbit took his stick and hit him so badly that the coyote lost some teeth when he smashed his face in the watermelon.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The coyote kept requesting him to release him. He was desperate and promised him that he would never bother him again.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The rabbit agreed and told him he would bring some flowers that he would use to release him. He went to collect some flowers that the bees were eating.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When he returned, he used the flowers, and hundreds of bees attacked the coyote. The coyote did not understand what was happening!</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The coyote kept yelling, requesting more help. The bees were stinging badly on his paws.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rabbit came this time with a stick-on fire and threw it to the coyote’s tail.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The coyote’s tail got on fire, and somehow, he got released from the watermelon and ran like never in his life.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rabbit just laughed and said, “Bye-bye Uncle Coyote, broken teeth and burned tail. Be smarter if there is a next time!”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After the coyote was not visible anymore, he started to eat his carrot and the watermelon. No one ever saw the coyote again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><p><i>Inspired by the book “Leyendas Cuentos y Adivinanzas de El Salvador, Bancasa, Banco de Construcción y Ahorro, S.A.</i><i style="text-align: center;">”</i><i> © All rights reserved 1995.</i></p><p><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Credits:</i></span><br /><i>¹ </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="http://slumberlandbyday.blogspot.com/2013/03/rabbit-coyote.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Courtney Autumn Martin</a></i></span></p></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0San Miguel, El Salvador13.4792922 -88.1779182-18.895307581882829 -123.3341682 45.853891981882825 -53.021668199999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-37872894487638806712022-02-17T00:00:00.360+01:002022-05-20T15:49:03.376+02:00Hawk Hill<p style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, a dwarf called Dieguito arrived at Hawk Hill from some faraway lands. He decided to build his small cabin (figure 1) on its summit and planted some of the most beautiful flowers and lilies any person had ever seen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwWXFwoKXCQaYMtdSWewXVFD97H9z-mp1i9gr06ACdLmZi6zrcSeQulGAUVLyFmWfmcfPkoNGCINI32o3ecQwxqiN1fm6ZQ22-WEzTiKjqIC4IaeafDBqS6oVTBwUZ_YCUv2pupB_31T7/s225/355848810.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="186" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwWXFwoKXCQaYMtdSWewXVFD97H9z-mp1i9gr06ACdLmZi6zrcSeQulGAUVLyFmWfmcfPkoNGCINI32o3ecQwxqiN1fm6ZQ22-WEzTiKjqIC4IaeafDBqS6oVTBwUZ_YCUv2pupB_31T7/w331-h400/355848810.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. Dieguito, the dwarf. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">¹</span></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Every person who walked around Dieguito’s lands was always impressed by the beauty of his flowers. They looked like something really exotic. They often asked him for their price and if he could sell them some. However, he always refused and never revealed where he had brought them from.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On some occasions when Dieguito climbs down the hill with some flowers. If he met on that day an honest, young, and well well-behaved girl, he would give them a bunch of flowers and wild lilies, placing them at his feet. He immediately left after this without saying a word.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some girls felt flattered, but others were really annoyed and confused him with the mischievous Irish dwarf living in Cabañas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Credits:</i></span><br><i>¹ </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Heroes of Might & Magic III: HD Edition</i></span></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Cerro El Gavilan, El Salvador13.35 -87.96666669999999-14.960233836178846 -123.12291669999999 41.660233836178847 -52.81041669999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-72803117253998969022021-12-16T00:27:00.006+01:002022-05-21T09:33:27.700+02:00The Strong Eye<p style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, a shaman cursed a man for no clear reason. The shaman was just in a bad mood and decided to make his eyes extremely strong (figure 1). They even reached a terrible point that if any weak child exchanged glances with him, the child would get sick immediately. The child would suffer for weeks from uncommon diseases that are hard to treat. Some of those unlucky children died if they were not treated fast enough.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/4074/4922869085_355e563db9_b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="800" height="268" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/4074/4922869085_355e563db9_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The strong eye.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, almost every surviving child inherited the strong eye cursed also and shared it with the newest generations, creating a vicious cycle forever! That’s why over the years more and more children across El Salvador started to suffer from unexpected illnesses that no doctor could treat and just hope for the best. Be careful if you ever meet one of these cursed men!</div><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Dinora Flores’ version collected by Ennis Arely Arevalo Girón, Lissette Amelia Gutierrez Paz, and Karen Liseth Mancia Bonilla in their <a href="http://ri.ues.edu.sv/id/eprint/3978/1/50100209.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thesis</a> Cultura Popular de Guatajiagua.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Guatajiagua, El Salvador13.6631265 -88.2083778-14.647107336178845 -123.3646278 41.973360336178843 -53.052127799999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-21139996828047635812021-10-31T00:00:00.021+02:002022-05-21T09:42:05.715+02:00The Guatajiagua Ghost<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When passing by the path that goes around the hill in Guatajiagua, a ghost (<i>El Espanto in Spanish</i>) appears from nowhere (figure 1).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e45d8c_30c8ed4d8bcd4de8ab4e0166ca0e70ef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_625,h_350,al_c,q_90/e45d8c_30c8ed4d8bcd4de8ab4e0166ca0e70ef~mv2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="625" height="224" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e45d8c_30c8ed4d8bcd4de8ab4e0166ca0e70ef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_625,h_350,al_c,q_90/e45d8c_30c8ed4d8bcd4de8ab4e0166ca0e70ef~mv2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Guatajiagua ghost.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Everyone is afraid to pass near the hill because the ghost loves to scare all men. The ghost searches for new ways to be always in front of all men and throws their hats. Most men try finding another way to avoid the ghost. However, the ghost will keep chasing until around 11 or 12 PM. At this time, the men will be able to reach their homes. Generally, their women will be waiting for them angrily, demanding to know why they are so late at home.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly, the ghost appears in the courtyard, and the women ask, “who is that bundle that is passing by?” Then the men always answer: "He is the one who would not let me pass, I was afraid of that one, and so I came late."</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Hipólito Cruz’s version collected by Ennis Arely Arevalo Girón, Lissette Amelia Gutierrez Paz, and Karen Liseth Mancia Bonilla in their <a href="http://ri.ues.edu.sv/id/eprint/3978/1/50100209.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thesis</a> Cultura Popular de Guatajiagua.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Guatajiagua, El Salvador13.6631265 -88.2083778-14.647107336178845 -123.3646278 41.973360336178843 -53.052127799999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-11139770060515786542021-09-16T00:00:00.062+02:002022-05-21T09:56:49.419+02:00The Mansion of The Sea<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the 1990s, an elegant and imponent hotel was constructed on one of the best beaches of El Salvador, Costa del Sol. A place recognized for its golden sand. The hotel was called Puerto Ventura and the locals called its location Las Isletas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The hotel was relatively hidden and mainly visited by wealthy visitors. Its hidden nature allowed them to escape from their daily routines and enjoy a peaceful stay outside the public eye. The magnificent beaches, proximity to the Lempa River, some small forests, and the powerful Pacific Ocean were the ideal combination for a short or long-deserved vacation. Everyone who visited this hotel enjoyed their experience and shared it with their close ones.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, everything changed drastically in 1998 when the tail of Hurricane Mitch hit El Salvador. Its fierce winds and storms were an extremely destructive force that caused billions of dollars of destruction all over Central America and the Caribbean, just in El Salvador perished 240 people and the damages were over $400+ million. No one ever expected that a deadlier hurricane would ever hit Central America and the Caribbean after the Great Hurricane of 1780.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The damage to Costa del Sol was unexpected. The beach is in the Pacific Ocean and the Hurricane came from the Atlantic. An ocean that El Salvador has no access to.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Days after the fierce storms and winds of Hurricane Mitch were over, the former owners abandoned the hotel. It was a miserable experience. For them, nothing could be done, and it was better to start from scratch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sometime later, the former hotel served as the headquarters of a Christian Church and decided to add a Star of David in one room, the one for their cults; therefore, God would protect them from any other event.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">However, the hotel had moved closer to the beach and the tropical storms and waves affected their cults. Ultimately, the community decided to leave it for good. No one knows precisely when this happened, but it’s guessed that at the beginning of the 2000s.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over the years, the people living in the surroundings created new rumors like:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>“The mansion belonged to Luis Vidaurre; may he rest in peace.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>He made it enjoy his weekends or vacations there. The Star of David is at the base of the mansion. On the ceiling there was a light trap, for when the sun was in full flight, it would illuminate the star and thus observe the fish crossing over that star. In itself, that was his idea, for the water to cross that star”</i> shared by Elizabeth Rico in 2021.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Coralia another resident says a tall black man comes every night. Many boys have encountered him when they come to play and catch turtles close by.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Years passed and the structure started to deteriorate. Today what remains of the hotel appear as the ruins of what was once a two floors house. The front part has Roman-type pillars, and the side and second-floor windows are large. There are still the iron structures and a bit of cement from what was the access to the second floor. At the top some steps are currently used by tourists who arrive, they climb the mass of cement and iron to browse, take photos, selfies, a joke even though one of the walls of the former hotel can be read as “danger.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The former hotel is so hidden that no one can see it from the boulevard in its surroundings. It was until this year that Cholopanza was rediscovered in 2021 and shared on his social media networks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Many people started coming to visit it and taking pictures of its surroundings. They heard that some neighbors want to demolish it like Berta who urged the local authorities for it. “We thought it would be in vain, I don’t think they would listen to us, but it would be good if they dumped it, there are people who get on there and that is not good.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Indeed, the hotel has a reputation for being dangerous in a way because some boys have drowned in the pools created inside or others died from eating poisonous snails that live inside.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Indeed, this place is surrounded by many mysteries. Many of them might be never uncovered but until today, this hotel is still stuck in the past just as a memory of the mighty power of Mother Nature (Figure 1).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcetJnNFXAwkrZZ3Ep2wJquUNEkHKZ4YAcpLwGJyCTyYRSoJQ7A_VxvJHTDQNe2gTsRlG6cJWF7qZhfQh32pRecCL5pn6PzjvNSOvyaMzIHBMl8V5WTlWH3liIrpAWFh2jKHjnXP_eJhyphenhyphenc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="688" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcetJnNFXAwkrZZ3Ep2wJquUNEkHKZ4YAcpLwGJyCTyYRSoJQ7A_VxvJHTDQNe2gTsRlG6cJWF7qZhfQh32pRecCL5pn6PzjvNSOvyaMzIHBMl8V5WTlWH3liIrpAWFh2jKHjnXP_eJhyphenhyphenc/w640-h317/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Mansion of the Sea. ¹</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi9tY-lgqbmvUI1O0Gt7E-Q" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cholopanza</a>, <a href="https://www.20minutos.es/gonzoo/noticia/4765943/0/la-historia-detras-de-la-tenebrosa-casa-abandonada-en-una-playa-de-el-salvador/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">20minutos.es</a>, <a href="https://www.republicainmobiliaria.com/editorial/misteriosa-casa-abandonada-playa-el-salvador/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Repúblic Inmobiliaria</a>, <a href="https://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/397507-video-mansion-abandonada-playa-salvador" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RT</a>, <a href="https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/La-historia-que-esconde-la-tenebrosa-casa-que-el-mar-se-esta-tragando-en-La-Puntilla-20210708-0073.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">La Prensa Gráfica</a>, <a href="https://www.elsalvador.com/fotogalerias/entretenimiento-fotogalerias/misteriosa-mansion-mar-playa-la-puntilla/855717/2021/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">El Diario de Hoy</a> and <a href="https://laopinion.com/2021/07/13/misteriosa-mansion-abandonada-se-viraliza-al-estar-cerca-de-ser-tragada-por-el-mar/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">La Opinión</a>.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div><i>Credits:</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="text-align: center;">¹</span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/La-historia-que-esconde-la-tenebrosa-casa-que-el-mar-se-esta-tragando-en-La-Puntilla-20210708-0073.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">La Prensa Gráfica</a></span></i></div></div><p></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Playa Costa del Sol, El Salvador13.3436111 -89.00638889999999-14.966622736178845 -124.16263889999999 41.653844936178842 -53.85013889999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-22354311892866525622021-08-19T00:00:00.038+02:002022-05-21T10:02:34.267+02:00Juan and The Thousand Black Men<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, a countryman called Juan was married to a woman called Paciencia (patience in English). However, his wife was the lesser patient woman ever, and with every day that passed, she was less and less patient. Her husband could be described as a real-life sloth. He was the laziest man you would ever meet. He only loved to stay in his hammock listening to the radio all day long (figure 1).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/4057/4380839639_045740c256_b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/4057/4380839639_045740c256_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. Juan sleeping.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Paciencia woke up very early every day to do all the housework, and because her husband was a sloth, she was in a terrible mood all the time. She complained about it constantly. However, as is well-known, it’s easy to see the mote in your brother’s eye and not the rafter in your own. Paciencia was not the perfect wife at all. She had several small defects. She was over-jealous. She could not see her husband speaking with any women, not even his mom. She would start screaming hysterically in front of everyone.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Every time her husband left her hammock to do anything outside their lands, she was waiting for him furiously. Immediately on his return, she started yelling, “where did you go? Which woman did you meet today? Why are you so late? Didn’t you see it’s 7:45 PM!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan loved his wife, and to avoid confrontations with her, he preferred to stay in his hammock sleeping all day long.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One day, around May after the first rains, Paciencia told her husband: “Go to the hill and prepare some land for our yearly corn plantation. If you don’t go, we won’t have corn for this year!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan just replied, “Fine, I’m going to prepare it. However, you should bring my lunch around noon because I’ll be tired and hungry.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan walked for several minutes until he reached his land on the hill. He was tired and decided to take a nap next to a rock. However, he was so unlucky because as soon as he sat down by the rock, his machete hit the rock badly.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan just complained and said, “damn! My machete might be broken and was new!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly, Juan heard a strong voice that asked him, “what do you want, my lord king?”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan turned back and was shocked. A tall black man was in front of him!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He was frightened and quietly said, “I just came to prepare my lands. I have nothing! Don’t do anything to me!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man clapped his hands and said aloud, “thousand black men come here and prepare my lord’s lands.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thousand black men appeared from nowhere and prepared the lands. Around noon all was ready. After their work, they vanished in front of Juan’s eyes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Several minutes later, Juan’s wife arrived with his lunch. She was surprised because her husband had been really efficient. However, Juan didn’t say anything because he was sure she wouldn’t believe him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan went daily to his piece of land to check if the corn was ready. One day, he noticed that some corn was already ready. He wanted to drink some tasty atole and to eat some fried corn. He picked up his machete and hit the rock again.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man reappeared and asked again, “what do you want, my lord king?”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan replied, “I would like to drink some atole and eat some friend corns.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man said aloud, “thousand black men come here and cook some friend corns and some atole for my lord.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A couple of minutes later, Juan was drinking his atole, when suddenly his wife arrived with his lunch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">She complained angrily, “where did you get his atole? Where did you get the corn? I’m sure a woman has come and brought you these gifts!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan just stayed quiet. He just tolerated what she was saying until she calmed down.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan kept coming to his piece of land, but he was more careful to avoid more shows with his wife. One day, he wanted to double his cornfields, and again, he hit the rock using his machete. Thousand black men came and supported him with his wish.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Several weeks passed, and it was time to collect his corn. Juan told his wife that he was going to collect the corn that morning.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Paciencia said in her mind, “today, I’m going to prepare some coffee for my husband and spy on him about how he is so fast doing his work! I’m sure I’m going to find other women helping him!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan walked to his cornfield and found that it was ready. He hit the rock again with his machete, and the black man asked him again, “what do you want, my lord king?”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan replied, “I came to collect my corn.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man clapped his hands three times and said aloud, “Thousand black men come here and collect my lord’s corn.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thousand black men appeared from nowhere and collected all corn in a blink of an eye.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly, a few minutes after the black men had finished, Paciencia found her husband sleeping next to the magic rock.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Paciencia started to shout out very loudly that it was impossible that her lazy husband had finished so fast! She started to ask him angrily, “who are the women who are helping you?”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">She was very angry, and suddenly Juan hit the rock with his machete by chance when Paciencia pushed him down.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man reappeared and asked Juan again, “what do you want, my lord king?”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan replied, “I am trying to shut down my wife. She is angry and doesn’t allow me to speak!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man said aloud: “Thousand black men come here and shut down this woman.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thousand black men started to chase the woman who didn’t stop yelling, “Juan, who are these black men? Why are they chasing me?”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Paciencia was out of control, running all over their lands.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan requested the black man to stop chasing his wife.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The black man said, “I would stop them, but you should never hit the rock again. You must leave us in peace.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan agreed to his terms, and all black men vanished.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan and Paciencia returned to their home and on their way back, Juan explained everything to his wife.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Paciencia felt ashamed because she was over-jealous. She agreed to try to be more understanding and Juan to be a hard worker from that day.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Juan and Paciencia started to have a more peaceful life. Hopefully, Juan will keep his words and will never come to hit our stone again as we expect you will never do it either.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by the book “Leyendas Cuentos y Adivinanzas de El Salvador, Bancasa, Banco de Construcción y Ahorro, S.A.</i><i style="text-align: center;">”</i><i> © All rights reserved 1995.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0El Salvador13.9738201 -88.6809925-14.336413736178846 -123.8372425 42.284053936178843 -53.5247425tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-42839086873331321742021-07-15T00:00:00.022+02:002022-05-21T10:06:00.851+02:00The Corncob<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<p style="text-align: justify;">At the end of the last century, the corncob of corn (figure 1) was not burned in El Salvador. Salvadorans believed that the corncob of corn was the skeleton of corn and the elders said that the devil stored corn and sorghum so that our Lord’s children would die.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/4096/4911583610_e5634e4203_b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="561" height="320" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/4096/4911583610_e5634e4203_b.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Corncob.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Our Lord was disappointed by the devil’s actions and tried to think of a strategy on how to fight him, but he couldn’t find a good one. After a couple of days, he spoke with a yellow ant and a mouse. He asked them if they had any idea how to handle it. They told him this was easy, they would make a tunnel under the earth and in this way, the yellow ant took out the sorghum and the mouse the corn.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After this event, sorghum became the favorite grain of yellow for ants and corn for the mice. In this way, the Salvadoran ancestors discovered corn and sorghum.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Salvador Hernández’s version collected by Ennis Arely Arevalo Girón, Lissette Amelia Gutierrez Paz, and Karen Liseth Mancia Bonilla in their <a href="http://ri.ues.edu.sv/id/eprint/3978/1/50100209.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thesis</a> Cultura Popular de Guatajiagua.</i></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Guatajiagua, El Salvador13.6631265 -88.2083778-14.647107336178845 -123.3646278 41.973360336178843 -53.052127799999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-30211825685643913402021-06-07T00:00:00.205+02:002024-03-15T06:45:45.531+01:00The Eruption of The San Salvador Volcano<script>window.onload=function(){loadPaywall(1)};</script>
<div style="text-align: justify;">It was a normal day on 7 June 1917. Everything seemed fine in the surroundings of the San Salvador volcano. A regular day with people walking or riding their horses to jobs. In those days, cars did not exist in El Salvador, and people needed to wake up really early if they wanted to reach any particular destination.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, at 6:55 PM a powerful earthquake took El Salvador by surprise. It was so powerful that it was felt in several cities including Armenia, Ateos, Sacacoyo, and San Julián all of them in the south of the volcano. People started to panic and run for their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Half an hour later, at 7:30 PM, a new earthquake in a new section shook El Salvador again. This one affected Apopa, Nejapa, Quezaltepeque, San Juan Opico, Santa Tecla, and San Salvador.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No one knew what was happening, some people believed it was the end of time. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ or maybe a punishment from the Almighty!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People all around these cities were trying to save their lives. The lucky ones had horses, but the majority could only run for their lives. The most catastrophic event happened just 41 minutes after the second earthquake, at 8:11 PM, the San Salvador volcano erupted with great force (figure 1). No one ever saw this coming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsyhiZCFoh5xbTS0a83a179KlKa3tKgxTcCz9oACUjC0LX7DfTKVSSoHFdu6A5ngkBjvLUdwGaoxO-0LI9NQNclbMzWufPxHhTKmFdCaqs6nMX4qht1tji5KGYGPhsfTN78tak-KUo8DuVq6pU-ZUF9S234ebX9iHjj4lqlYVNI_uAF7dv1JDJ0a9zAIV/s1200/volcan-san-salvador.jpg_554688467.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1200" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsyhiZCFoh5xbTS0a83a179KlKa3tKgxTcCz9oACUjC0LX7DfTKVSSoHFdu6A5ngkBjvLUdwGaoxO-0LI9NQNclbMzWufPxHhTKmFdCaqs6nMX4qht1tji5KGYGPhsfTN78tak-KUo8DuVq6pU-ZUF9S234ebX9iHjj4lqlYVNI_uAF7dv1JDJ0a9zAIV/w400-h223/volcan-san-salvador.jpg_554688467.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. San Salvador volcano.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The strong tremors, the smell of sulfur, the ash, and the loud rumbles became a nightmare for the thousands of residents of San Salvador, who, due to the darkness did not observe the magnitude of the tragedy. The north slope opened after a great blaze, throwing a shower of stones and reddened lava.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At 8:45 PM volcano mouths Los Chintos and El Tronador were opened and erupted incandescent lavas accompanied by loud rumbles and the emanation of gases.</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some people who lived next to the volcano tried fleeing toward Quezaltepeque. They were descending from the slopes of the volcano as fast as they could since they did not have a car or horses.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly, in the middle of their route, they were surprised by a man warning them that the lava was heading from the lower area to the top, so they turned back on their way.</div><div><div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few minutes later the confusion returned when the same man yelled, “Here comes the lava!” So, they headed back to the lower area. However, a few minutes later, the same man warned them that the lava was coming from the bottom up.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then one of the people questioned that man, who turned out to be a drunken man. That’s why he was giving misleading instructions. People decided to pick him up since he was drunk, but he was not a bad person.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On their way, they met a Chinese man. They were uncommon in those days. He <span style="text-align: left;">owned a very uncommon store. The people tried to persuade him to leave because the lava was coming and there was no time. He refused to evacuate, and they left him there with his store. No one knows what happened to him, maybe he survived maybe he died.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Finally, the survivors reached </span>Quezaltepeque with the drunk man who kept yelling,<span style="text-align: left;"> “Here comes the lava!” Later, they even nicknamed him that way.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Days later, one of the survivors remembered that the Catholic Church celebrated Corpus Christ, the previous day. He was sad because he could not attend but wanted to see if he could recover some leftovers from the church where he used to attend. To his surprise, the church was still standing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everything happened miraculously because the lava that came down would have been divided before a cross that that church had in front and would have been rejoined later, leaving the construction only with the walls burned due to the extreme heat of the masses that passed at his sides. This was a symbol that revived the faith in many of these men.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, no one is sure where this church or the cross was located because they no longer exist. Also, historical records indicate that of the nine thousand houses that were standing in the capital city, only 200 were left intact.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by <a href="https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/El-chino-quemado-y-otros-mitos-sobre-la-erupcion-del-volcan-de-San-Salvador-20181019-0050.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">La Prensa Grafica</a>’s version.</i></div></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0San Salvador Volcano, El Salvador13.7365824 -89.2870993-11.355059734729544 -124.4433493 38.828224534729543 -54.130849299999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-51216434090461647602021-05-15T00:24:00.004+02:002022-05-21T10:08:09.923+02:00Guatajiagua<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A long time ago, a statue of San Sebastián was brought from Morroñoso Hill in Morazán. It was a nice statue, and the citizens decided to make a tiny chapel for him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning, the citizens visited the tiny chapel, but they were shocked because the statue was not there. The statue had moved by itself to another place where there were some rocks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">No one understood how this had happened, but they brought back the statue to the tiny chapel. However, again, the next morning, the statue had moved back to the rocks. And the same phenomenon repeated for several weeks. No one had any idea what was happening or who was moving the statue. Some people believe a joker was playing with the statue.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After several weeks, some priests agreed that this was a clear sign that Saint Sebastian wanted to stay in that rocky place. There was no joker behind. Therefore, they decided to build a new temple there. The people were glad, and the statue never moved again.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, the statue and the church are located in the Calvary neighborhood at the exit of Chapeltique and San Miguel. This church was the beginning of a new town called Guatajiagua (figure 1) in Morazan.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://miniondas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/A5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="530" height="300" src="https://miniondas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/A5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. Guatajiagua.</span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by Miguel Ángel Portillo’s version collected by Ennis Arely Arevalo Girón, Lissette Amelia Gutierrez Paz, and Karen Liseth Mancia Bonilla in their <a href="http://ri.ues.edu.sv/id/eprint/3978/1/50100209.pdf">thesis</a> Cultura Popular de Guatajiagua.</i></div><p></p>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Guatajiagua, El Salvador13.6631265 -88.2083778-14.647107336178845 -123.3646278 41.973360336178843 -53.052127799999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-33683440191657514662021-04-15T00:00:00.001+02:002021-11-06T17:01:22.391+01:00Olomega Lagoon Siren<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, a siren from some faraway lands mysteriously reached the Olomega Lagoon. In those days, the lagoon was inhabited mainly by hard-working fishermen from the Lenca tribe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The siren started to swim in the lagoon until it reached the largest island called Olomegón. She decided that this would become her new kingdom (figure 1). A place that she would rule with her melodic voice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR3bEuwz2mJwMFQ3zOPd-Ovpzn7n-zhJc4_p6EI-O3FoMjxzW1CA1y92OwTdHN9JXWmO2k0TFkmc7igOKLKpfSqpb3F2CtFN2EAxCSNyCa2L_Fd3Ca40pJwbOKONnp9WTZxx_3TwcPjl3/s2048/piqsels.com-id-fokoq.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="2048" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR3bEuwz2mJwMFQ3zOPd-Ovpzn7n-zhJc4_p6EI-O3FoMjxzW1CA1y92OwTdHN9JXWmO2k0TFkmc7igOKLKpfSqpb3F2CtFN2EAxCSNyCa2L_Fd3Ca40pJwbOKONnp9WTZxx_3TwcPjl3/w400-h335/piqsels.com-id-fokoq.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Siren.</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the years, the inhabitants started to listen to a lovely voice singing inside the lake. One that captivated everyone and could be heard at night mainly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One night, a very brave fisherman decided to chase that song. He could not believe what he was listening to. He fell in love. He started to paddle his canoe, trying to find that melodic voice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several minutes later, he discovered the voice was coming from Olomegón Island. He started to walk around it, and on its summit, he discovered who was singing. He saw the most alluring woman he had ever seen. Her beauty and voice were extremely hypnotic. He wanted to go closer to her, but the closer he was, the crazier and desperate he was getting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Somehow, the fisherman recovered his sanity for a brief moment and decided to escape.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On his return to the town, he shared with everyone his discovery and warned them about the siren.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, the siren still lives in the lagoon, and her songs attract everyone who comes to fish at midnight or early in the morning. The siren keeps singing until they go mad and lose their marbles.</div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Laguna de Olomega, El Salvador13.3109847 -88.065644499999991-14.999249136178845 -123.22189449999999 41.621218536178844 -52.909394499999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-14823229900498158462021-03-17T00:00:00.068+01:002022-05-21T10:08:47.520+02:00The Coral Snake Pond<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Long ago, a red-headed coral snake (figure 1) appeared in a pond in the canton of El Cajón de Huizúcar in La Libertad. No Indian had ever seen a snake like this one in their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The snake was very skilled. It lived between rocks and a small waterfall not so far from the pond. Its eyes could paralyze anyone who saw it directly. It constantly chased anyone who dared to bathe in its pond, paralyzing it. Then, the snake left the person paralyzed among some rocks as if nothing had happened. Perhaps someone could save this human by luck, or other animals would enjoy it. No one should date to enter its domains.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu3iuWDZXexnLTp48VBhGJ7ReL6ngpYt39LQNv7YZGq0dK6mwpo68ZHH0RCEbDD_PpC3gq-ytgZFa8yDrxXm7gqWj0xd4Avqc6cjkg_Tp-8SQ-77YKh7gcD50Cr53cL7MUkG1CgB5TbwK/s1000/coral-reef-snakes-reptile-yellow-bellied-sea-snake-clip-art-snake-ff95d88f28aa3d62b9a2dde69bdd08a2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu3iuWDZXexnLTp48VBhGJ7ReL6ngpYt39LQNv7YZGq0dK6mwpo68ZHH0RCEbDD_PpC3gq-ytgZFa8yDrxXm7gqWj0xd4Avqc6cjkg_Tp-8SQ-77YKh7gcD50Cr53cL7MUkG1CgB5TbwK/w400-h200/coral-reef-snakes-reptile-yellow-bellied-sea-snake-clip-art-snake-ff95d88f28aa3d62b9a2dde69bdd08a2.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The coral snake.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, strong storms have transformed the snake’s pond into a creek. This created new abundant small caves in the surroundings where the snake hides, waiting for its next prey. Be careful if you ever visit its pond.</div></div></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Final 29 Avenida Norte, San Salvador, El Salvador13.7367659 -89.2032279-14.573467936178846 -124.3594779 42.046999736178847 -54.0469779tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-5564961651009054572021-02-18T00:00:00.130+01:002022-05-21T10:09:36.155+02:00The Death of The Sorcerer of La Nahuaterique<script>window.onload=function(){loadPaywall(1)};</script>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Many years ago, when La Nahuaterique (a small village in Honduras) was part of El Salvador, there used to live an old and peculiar sorcerer. This village was well known for its Lenca population.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The sorcerer was grumpy and unfriendly; barely anyone had ever spoken with him over his long time living there. His face was a complete mystery because he always wore a mask in the shape of an owl (figure 1). He used to live in a tiny cave where barely any light entered. From time to time, the people could see a campfire, but no one was sure if it was real.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://hhallows.weebly.com/uploads/9/6/8/4/96848450/shapeshifter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="323" src="https://hhallows.weebly.com/uploads/9/6/8/4/96848450/shapeshifter.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figure 1. The Sorcerer.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">¹</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some people believe he was a shapeshifter who transformed himself into other animals, mainly owls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Others had the impression he was one of the few sorcerers who were not fully cursed by the shaman centuries ago. One of those who could revert to his human form at his own will, but to retain his secret identity, he always wore that mask.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While a few people believed he had an odd business of selling ointments all over El Salvador and Honduras. They swore those ointments could cure any pain for a small price. However, the mystery behind them was a total secret.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From time to time, a retail shop owner swore, that the sorcerer came once a month to buy a pound of salt, and that was all. He never bought anything else, just salt. He never understood how he could survive by just eating salt.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For several weeks, the sorcerer vanished. No one saw the campfire anymore. Some people thought maybe he had relocated to a new place. La Nahuaterique was a peaceful and remote place where nothing ever happened. However, everything changed drastically in one night. Everyone went into panic mode because a strange and large bearded owl appeared from nowhere. The countrymen were shocked because it seemed like a kind of vampire. The owl, instead of eating meat, drank mainly chickens’ blood.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The mysterious owl started to come every night, and everyone’s chickens were dying. The citizens had heard of Dracula, but they didn’t believe there was a similar being in Central America. Especially an owl that sucked the blood of all animals in the yards.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For several weeks, the citizens tried everything they could to scare or stop the owl, but nothing they did could stop it!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, one night after several months of chaos, a man came with a rifle from San Salvador. He waited until the owl came to his yard. <span style="text-align: justify;">When it was midnight, something flew into his yard. He was scared because of its massive size. He was sure it was a massive owl, but without thinking twice, he shot twice in its head.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The owl somehow escaped in the middle of the night. Definitely, it was deadly injured. He only saw a lot of feathers in the sky some fell on his yard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next morning, the man went to the location where the owl had been in his yard. He wanted to get some of those gigantic feathers. Perhaps he could make some clothes with them or sell them for considerable prices. However, when he arrived, there was nothing. Not even a single drop of blood or a feather. It was like nothing had ever happened.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few days later, the owl had vanished from the town. The man thought he had killed it. He felt like a hero.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following weekend, the man was walking near the sorcerer’s cave when he felt an extremely stinky smell. It seemed like a dead person was lying there. He came back to the village and returned with some policemen and a doctor. To their surprise, the sorcerer was lying dead with two shots precisely on his head.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The men took his body out of the cave and buried it in a common grave. The knowledge of those magical and cheap ointments was gone because he never shared it with anyone. Maybe, there was some connection with the chickens’ blood, but no one would ever know it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Additionally, the man concluded that the owl that had terrorized them for all those weeks was the same sorcerer. This was the end of the Sorcerer of La Nahuaterique and maybe one of the last shapeshifters in El Salvador.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div>Credits:</div><div><i style="text-align: justify;">¹ </i><i><a href="http://hhallows.weebly.com/shapeshifter-lore.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Hallows</a></i></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Honduras14.0515362 -88.1494859-14.258697636178846 -123.3057359 42.361770036178847 -52.9932359tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-75641685751822603402021-01-14T00:00:00.278+01:002023-10-26T10:32:37.034+02:00Dwarf’s Cave<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<div style="text-align: justify;">In the 1900s, in the San Pablo canton in Cuscatlan, many women made amazing hand-made comals (kinds of large pans made from clay). They were the best in entire El Salvador, and everyone wanted to know their secrets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These women used to sell their comals in some unique baskets every Sunday at noon around the municipality. Many people, especially the pupusa makers <i>(las pupuseras in Spanish)</i>, jumped to them when they heard those women saying: "Comals! Comals! 2 for 0.15 cents! Comals of all sizes! Do you want a comal?" Everyone ran and approached them because they wanted one. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the years, in the 1920s, a man decided that he deserved to know these women’s secrets. He went to spy on them. He found that the women were making the comals in an odd cave next to a forest (figure 1) every Saturday. He had never seen that cave in his life. He descended around 120 stairs until he reached the secret place where the women made their mystical comals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozL5l6VfUZMIlWdjmK1zu_nomZMe3JUg3bMrSC5DK0-Mj0BDoLOiAsrtEGIraDKWMYtOG5qxkByGf2wZ8mhH_NNrkCysGJsKKDXPaQ8738zJpw0LvbQNzc5Z1-GvKl6dxquvLAKliaGs8OH5ewp_Qg24u0H7JzrJNTeXEjFCWkA-1I58atvlRDjleGtPb/s1280/entry_to_the_dwarf_cave_by_dallidallsen_d8tpogb-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozL5l6VfUZMIlWdjmK1zu_nomZMe3JUg3bMrSC5DK0-Mj0BDoLOiAsrtEGIraDKWMYtOG5qxkByGf2wZ8mhH_NNrkCysGJsKKDXPaQ8738zJpw0LvbQNzc5Z1-GvKl6dxquvLAKliaGs8OH5ewp_Qg24u0H7JzrJNTeXEjFCWkA-1I58atvlRDjleGtPb/s320/entry_to_the_dwarf_cave_by_dallidallsen_d8tpogb-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Figure 1. Dwarf’s Cave. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">¹</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He hid silently in a corner to see and take note of all the steps in detail. Nothing looked so special. However, after a few hours, when the women had finished, they put their comals in a specific location near the center of the cave. At that moment, some turkeys appeared from nowhere jumping, over the new comals. The women ran and tried to catch them, but they just flew over them. Suddenly, a pair of small hands appeared from nowhere and started to play with their breasts. After that, the turkeys vanished. Also, for a brief moment, the man saw the shadow of a small reflection on a wall.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The women seemed quite annoyed, but the comals seemed ready for selling. They picked them up and left the cave.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Definitely, these women had some support from beyond." The man thought.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The man had revealed the women’s secret, and it was time to profit from it. He returned to his house and spoke with his employees. He shared with them his new plan and how to produce on-demand the comals. He asked them to bring their wives since it seemed the dwarf loved to play with the women’s breasts. This was the only way to find him and capture him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not all men agreed. They felt annoyed to think about the antics of this dwarf. The few that agreed requested equity if they captured it and not less than 10% of the annual revenue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next Saturday in the early morning, he came with his employees and wives to the cave. The man gave precise instructions on how to make the comals to the women. However, after they had finished and set the comals in the precise location, nothing happened. Oddly, not even the women came on that day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everyone started to roam around the cave until one of them found a small piece of paper that said: "It seems that someone is not as smart as he thought."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Somehow, the dwarf had predicted the man’s intentions or had tracked him somehow. Also, it seemed that he had a peculiar taste or agreement with those women. What’s more, the women vanished from that day. No one saw them again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nowadays, some people swear they have heard the same women in other towns in the eastern part of El Salvador, but no one can confirm it. Also, this cave is a mysterious place where many people believe you can reach Guatemala through it. However, there is a massive rock that makes it nearly impossible to reach Guatemala. Everyone is afraid to go through it because you might never leave since you could reach unknown paths without an end, or the dwarf can capture you.</div><div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Inspired by <a href="http://leyendasdeelsalvador.com/la-cueva-del-duende" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leyendas de El Salvador</a>’s version.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i>Credits:</i></div><div><i>¹ </i><i><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>dallidallsen</u></span></i></div></div>Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Cuscatlán Department, El Salvador13.8661957 -89.0561532-14.444038136178845 -124.2124032 42.176429536178844 -53.8999032tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943334927887697482.post-84185308971767218422020-12-16T00:00:00.151+01:002022-05-10T08:24:18.052+02:00Serapio<script>window.onload=function(){showToast();}</script>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Long ago, a young man called Serapio used to live next to a borehole in Santa Elena, Honduras. He was the richest man there and possessed uncountable goods that graved everyone’s attention. Everyone said that one day he appeared with a table, the next one with a bed, later with a new mattress, and many more things every day. Who knew what the next thing on his list would be!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Serapio was a very peculiar person. Every night he came to the town with his black mule (figure 1), and they did some unusual business with chosen people. Only a few people were aware of what these businesses were, but as soon as they concluded, they vanished, and, suddenly, they were in El Salvador. No one could understand how it was possible to move from Honduras to El Salvador in less than 5 minutes!</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDoY9-Gitc6fpHl5le2uN9BPBdkfVCyTnyGjEO_VmYeAm9UDmtQXeFamtodIRwiyzHtObPTujTfuRXCKgSgYcyYRxqgRjHJrtqKZzU9cvWUC_Kc4nJNDNYRdv8iguuJBpbKu9Z5G3NUU7/s501/leyenda-de-serapio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDoY9-Gitc6fpHl5le2uN9BPBdkfVCyTnyGjEO_VmYeAm9UDmtQXeFamtodIRwiyzHtObPTujTfuRXCKgSgYcyYRxqgRjHJrtqKZzU9cvWUC_Kc4nJNDNYRdv8iguuJBpbKu9Z5G3NUU7/s501/leyenda-de-serapio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXyZp5ZXwpR4pLCMMAJKDKGPufRetLqYtfMMhpaqobtpjR9VIkwhmJkqIru8N0iAHI4VZlRpCAnndDBEJaV2bmFrL2MaEEQkWGbY8plCKa3Zjl19fry5X3omDUZQ3jXE0JoAb4wdEi-IV9MvhJu64yDx-nGqFRsZ8tj_1UmjtK_yu90lFKpCvmR52ucQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXyZp5ZXwpR4pLCMMAJKDKGPufRetLqYtfMMhpaqobtpjR9VIkwhmJkqIru8N0iAHI4VZlRpCAnndDBEJaV2bmFrL2MaEEQkWGbY8plCKa3Zjl19fry5X3omDUZQ3jXE0JoAb4wdEi-IV9MvhJu64yDx-nGqFRsZ8tj_1UmjtK_yu90lFKpCvmR52ucQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Figure 1. The young and the black mule.</span><span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></span><span style="text-align: justify;">¹</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div>
Over the years, everyone was more and more concerned; his wealth and goods were unmeasurable! Hence, a couple of them investigated his trick and they discovered that Serapio had made a deal with the devil many years ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>The unique deal gave him his black mule, the one that carried all his earnings in some special bags after his nightly business; therefore, no one would notice them. Plus, it allowed him to walk faster than anything alive in this world, that’s how he traveled to El Salvador from Honduras in a couple of minutes. When he was in El Salvador, he acquired all the goods he was known by.</div><div><br /></div><div>The people were shocked after this discovery! No one could believe he had made a deal with the devil! Hence, they sent a priest to his house who asked him to tie his witchcraft books and throw them at the bottom of the borehole next to his home; therefore, he could save his soul, and gain his place next to Jesus in heaven after his death.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Serapio was reluctant and couldn’t believe what he was listening to! They had discovered his secret! But he obeyed and got rid of his witchcraft books in the borehole.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly, in a blink of an eye, he lost everything! His life became extremely miserable, and he couldn’t stop thinking about his previous life. He missed all that he had so much that he decided to return to the borehole to try to recover the books and make a new deal with the devil.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When he arrived at the borehole, something unexpected happened, an incredibly powerful and unknown force propelled him to the bottom, and died drowned. No one ever found Serapio’s body or books. Now, the borehole serves as a reminder that you should never make deals with the devil. Also, the community renamed the borehole, Serapio; therefore, everyone would keep this in mind.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Inspired by <a href="http://leyendasdeelsalvador.com/la-leyenda-de-serapio" target="_blank">Leyendas de El Salvador</a>’s version.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Credits:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>¹ </i><i><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18161337" target="_blank">BBC</a></i></div>
</div>
Federico Navarretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543558170871329898noreply@blogger.com0Santa Elena, Honduras14.0698463 -88.14865700000001413.936244752687191 -88.285986101562514 14.203447847312809 -88.011327898437514