Federico Stories

The Ilopango elders always speak of a supernatural beast called the Mulus. They are afraid of it and its powers, and they refer to the General Cemetery as the Valley of the Crosses. Many of them assured they were near to being devoured by the Mulus when they walked close to the cemetery at night. The Mulus is a creature from the world of wrath, with a shape almost identical to a wolf but of a larger size. It is a very frightening and contemptuous beast that you can only see in cemeteries at night. Every midnight appears when a person is buried and checks their tombs to see if they were murdered or wicked people during their time on Earth. When it finds those tombs, digs them, and devours their corpses (figure 1). Also, while it’s eating, it makes the noise that is known as “MULUS!” Figure 1. The Mulus. Some gravediggers said a few people saw the Mulus, for the first time in a cemetery in Rosario, La Paz in the 1900s. For them, the Mulus represents a neutral being that is i...

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, a tall, white, and good-looking man appeared from nowhere on a cold night, along the cobbled streets of Zacatecoluca. He had a lonely and melancholic air and resided in a tiny cabin. He claimed to be Rafael María Guirola. Mr. Rafael was born in Spain and became a successful businessman in El Salvador, where his first businesses were related to trading. He got married to Gertrudis de la Cotera y González, of Spanish descent, and from their marriage in 1826 was born Ángel Guirola de la Cotera. Ángel was sent by his family to study for his bachelor’s degree in Guatemala City. After his graduation, he worked for a couple of years in one of the largest pharmacies there, owned by Mr. Pío Porta. In 1844, Ángel returned to El Salvador, where he spent his savings and acquired some loans to buy a few lands that he dedicated to the cultivation of indigo. He showed a great ability to export this product and extended his business throughout the Caribbean, Panama, and the Un...