Federico Stories

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. Figure 1. Dieguito, the dwarf.  ¹ 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. 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. Some girls felt flattered, but others were really annoyed and confused him with the mischievous Irish dwarf living in Cabañas. Credits: ¹  Heroes of Might & Magic II...

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). Figure 1. Juan sleeping. 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. Every time her husband left her hammock to do anything outs...

For many years my family lived in front of San Esteban Park. I studied elementary school at the Padres Aguilares School. I would be around ten or eleven years old when I met “the Master” through other children in the neighborhood. I must clarify something before going further. I have never been a soccer fan. Not because it’s a good or bad sport, but since I was a child, I identified my passions and desires, I always found it useless to run desperately after a ball, reach it, kick it, and always run after it as after a crazy dog. One day, my friends took me to a soccer match. They told me: “Juan, you must score a goal,” and I was like: “What is a goal?” They were surprised I didn’t know the concept of a goal and tried to explain it to me. I should score at least one to beat the other team. I was still puzzled, and they told me: “This would help us win the MATCH!” I sarcastically said: “Sure, what an ingenious idea!” On the contrary to the majority of guys of my age, I always bel...

Many moons ago, the Cipitio ultimately encountered a girl who wasn’t frightened of him. Her name is Tenancín. This little girl became his girlfriend because she perceived something in the Cipitio that no one had ever seen. She discovered he wasn’t a bad guy. He was just mischievous and liked to crack jokes.  Plus, giving flowers to all the pretty girls in El Salvador, just to make them smile. People in the villages from San Vicente describe Tenancin as a very small and pretty girl with brown eyes and long hair, who is constantly smiling (figure 1). Figure 1. Tenancín.  ¹ One day, Tenáncin was cutting flowers for her grandmother’s birthday. She explored the forest, La Joya. However, she forgot how to come back and started to scream and run lousily, through the forest, when she reached the corolla where the Cipitio was sleeping. She noted it and was confused in the beginning because she always thought the Cipitio was only a legend. Legends used to discourage the gi...

Long ago, in Jayaque, its citizens were very humble, and their lives were around working and meditating without any worry. They mostly understood some basic things like the sun hides behind the clouds and always returns every morning, and its light gives them life allowing them to farm. Furthermore, the people gathered around a cave in a half-moon shape and wondered about everything related to nature like the rain, the wind, the volcanoes, mountains, everything around it. However, for them, nothing was more magnificent than the moon. It always changed its shape, and during the new moon, the cave majestically illuminated. They always wondered, how was it possible it illuminated when the beautiful moon vanished from the sky? Where was it going? This cave certainly raised more questions than answers, and its mystery remained unanswered for hundreds of years. Nevertheless, one night, a curious man undertook the quest to chase the beautiful moon, and with a herculean effort, he hoped he...

Long ago, many Salvadoran sorcerers loved a pretty young girl and wanted to marry her, but she did not like any of them and rather ignored their constant proposals. She didn’t want to be rude. The sorcerers tried all that they could to change her mind, offering gifts, flowers, cacao, everything! However, she didn’t change her position and never accepted anything. After many attempts, they got irritated and in an angry moment yelled at her: “As revenge that none of us can love you, we will cast a spell on you so only us, can see you!” She ignored those wicked words and carried on with her life. She hadn’t seen or heard from the sorcerers for a while. A few weeks later, the girl went to take a bath in a pond located near the corner of a millstone, now Nahulingo. She loved to swim naked in that pond when the sun rose. However, that morning, something was strange, the sun didn’t rise as always, it seemed a bad omen, but she still  took off her clothes and started swimming as always. ...

My grandpa lived in Chalatenango not so far from Potonico and told me different stories about a man called: “ The Partideño .” When this man wanted to make someone really rich, he said these words: “You WON!” and he invited them to visit him. In this way, he recruited them and transformed them into their new business partners. Some people say the Partideño lived 200 years ago in the 1800s. They equally say there is a hill with some rings and three gold bars. Those gold bars support his coffin and the few who have been able to perceive it before they got mad said the Partideño is sitting there and glaring at you with his cold gaze. Many villagers go up and down in the hills near Pital  to obtain those golden bars and steal them, but no one is sure where they are. As my grandpa says some people can find it some not, but something is inevitable if you discover them, and you try appropriating them you will become mad. The Partideño left a massive treasure valued at millions...

Many moons ago, in a place not so far from San Juan Canton. It used to live a girl of magnificent beauty and impressive smile. She lived with her parents, brothers, and other relatives in a small wooden cabin. Her name was Xiri, which means “Star.” She belonged to the Lenca tribe. The Lenca tribe was very calm and smart. They were never involved in any wars with their neighbors until the Tecolucas-Nonualcos attacked them by surprise to conquer and seize all their lands, women, and gold. It was a bloody war, which unfortunately they lost. Lamani led this war and was the most powerful shaman of those times. He was a ruthless and cruel ruler who kidnapped Xiri because he fell in love at first sight. He saved her from the war. However, it was not the same luck for her family, who died immediately after the archers had invaded her hometown. In addition, when the war was ongoing, the Tecapa Volcano erupted with great fury, as if the gods thought this was enough! The eruptions continued...

Many years ago, there were two kings in some faraway lands, a king and a vice king. They were married to extremely beautiful women. One day, they decided to go out for a short trip just to appreciate their treasures and lands. The king asked the vice king: “What are they going to do with all their treasures and money?” Firstly, they thought of their wives, but they agreed they wanted to have a family that could enjoy all their wealth. A couple of days later, they decided to visit the Sage Salomón. On a Monday, they packed and said goodbye to their wives. Both kings commenced their journey in the challenging forests where many people said the sage lived. On an extremely hot summer day, they saw a shadow near a seaport and followed it. They noted an old man entering a very small hut and asked him if he knew the Sage Salomón. The old man asked them: “Why do you want to speak with him?” They told him their story, and he answered them he was that Sage, but he didn’t understand the...

Many years ago, a pathetic story happened. This is not a story like any other, it is an unfortunate event that can happen at any time to anyone. This is a story someone shared with me. It is not my creation. It is rather a transcription, in my own way, in which you, dear reader, cooperate putting the approximate date according to your age. The place of events does not matter; the names of the characters do not matter either. Therefore, let’s see. It was then the year of … no, you better put the year, because if I do I sin of indiscreet and maybe you usually increase or decrease your age and then … Well, then it was two thousand … There was a family that lived in a nice town. The family was constituted of a young couple who had given the world their contribution to the person of a boy almost perfect. You could say that it was a happy home. The young head of the family, affectionate and faithful husband, as well as a loving father, had achieved a magnificent economic position...

Long ago, Mr. Money used to live alone in his gigantic Mansion in San Pedro Nonualco. One day, he decided it was the right time to propose marriage to Mrs. Fortune (figure 1), and she agreed. Figure 1. Mr. Money and Mrs. Fortune. ¹ After they got married, Mr. Money wanted to discover who was the most successful of them because he wanted to prove that the pants are more powerful than the skirts and proposed a game to his wife. His wife was intrigued and asked him: “How are we going to know it? Do you have anything in mind, honey?” “Look, let’s take two beasts from my barn and ride them to the countryside.” Answered Mr. Money. They rode their horses for a couple of hours until they saw a small cabin in the middle of nowhere. It looked so weak that it might collapse in the blink of an eye. “I’m going to ask for some water there; do you want some?” asked Mrs. Fortune. “It’s fine, let’s go.” Answered Mr. Money. However, the couple from the cabin was so poor that they ...

Long ago there was a powerful oligarch in the lands of the Barra de Santiago in Ahuachapan. This influential businessman called Pachacutec engaged his only daughter, Chasca, with the Zutuhil Prince. Chasca was a really beautiful girl with a magnificent smile, body, and hair. She was the star of the city, and everybody wanted to date her. However, Chasca never loved her future husband or any other men in the city. Chasca’s pure heart belonged only to a poor and young fisherman called Acayetl. He delivered the tastiest fish during her 15th birthday, and it was love at first sight. This fisherman lived on Zanate Island. Weeks later, Chasca visited Acayetl every night, and they sang and danced as if there was no end.  Acayetl loved her, and he enjoyed every minute they spent together as if it was the last one.  Plus, from time to time, Acayetl sang to  Chasca  while they were sailing on the coast, and she danced on the top of it. However, one cold night when Ch...