Conclusion

After researching this Mexican folklore, I don't really know if it's true.  There's plenty of different versions depending on your geographic location, but the story still remains similar to one another. I guess since I grew up believing this sad tale my thoughts and feelings haven't really changed.  There has always been some doubt and that doubt will always remain.  Not until I see it with my own eyes I won't fully believe in it or think it's possibly true.  Funny thing is that I shared this story with my children when they were younger.  Everytime they misbehaved I would tell them if they wouldn't listen La Llorona would come get them late at night.  So, with that said I guess the story continues from generation to generation.

The Legend Still Remains

I'm not too sure if there is any real evidence on La Llorona. Based on my research, there were no conclusions or true evidence that were scientifically proven on this Mexican folklore.  However, I did find a couple of stories where people assume it's La Llorona.  One particular story is by TF from Texas.  TF grew up believing almost the same version as the one I have posted in this blog.  TF writes about how her mother shared this story with her when she was about 5 or 6 years old.  The story is about her mother and the experience she went through the day her paternal grandmother passed away.  This story takes place in the 60's.  It's early in the morning and everyone is up, and awake because of the sudden news of her death. All of a sudden they hear a loud cry coming from outside.  Her mother couldn't really explain what it sounded like, but said it sounded very loud.  Like a loud sob or wail lasting under one minute.  TF's mother claims that no one in the house was crying.  When they all heard the loud sob they all turned and looked at each other.  They even asked the neighbors, but everyone denied crying, and said it was not them. TF is not sure if this story could have been La Llorona looking for her children.

I believe this is just another story that has been told within the Mexican heritage. Again, I did not find any real scientific evidence on La Llorona.

TF. "La Llorona and My Mom." Feb. 2004. Web. Oct 25, 2010. http://www.castleofspirits.com/stories04/lalloronamom.html

Stories

I found a couple of different versions of this Mexican border folklore, but this particular one is similar to the one I grew up believing. This story takes place in a little village where this poor woman named Maria Gonzalez lived.  (Hayes). Maria started falling in love with this handsome nobleman, and she did everything possible to win his heart.  Not too long after that Maria conquered her plan, and he married her. Maria had two babies with her husband, but soon after the birth of their children their relationship became bitter. Her husband started going out, spending money on other women, and gambling.  Eventually, one day she had the courage to spy on her husband.  Lone behold she found her husband with another woman. She was full of rage and extreme anger! She went out for her children and took them to the Rio Grande river. Within an instant she threw her children off the cliff and drowned them. Then without realizing what she had done she snapped out of her unconsciousness and tried to rescue her children.  However, it was too late by then.  She cried, and cried, and cried. After this horrible tragedy her husband disowned her.  She was lonlier than ever which caused her to kill herself as well at the same location where she killed her children. (Lee)

 La Llorona has been known to take children that play out by the river late at night.  She wails and weeps late at night by the river each night desperately looking for her children.  (Lee)

Lee, Paul. "La Llorona." Web. Oct. 22, 2010. http://theoutlaws.com
Hayes, Joe. "La Llorona - A Hispanic Legend." Web. Oct. 20, 2010. http//literacy.net.org/lp/hperspectives/llorona.html

Background

This story originates back to 1550 in the Aztec city of Tenotchitlan which has been a part of history for over 500 years. (Hereijgers).  The popular legend of La Llorona is about an Aztec goddess formerly known as 'Cihuacoatl'.  (Santistevan).
However, there are many versions to this legend and growing up on a bordertown across from Juarez, Mexico the tale that was told different from my research.  Fortunately, I did find someone from El Paso, Tx (which is where I grew up) and she shared the same frightening tale that I grew up believing. (lostdestinations). All the stories range depending on where you grew up, but the entire story focuses on  a poor woman known as "La Llorona" who killed her children in the river. 

Sources: 
Santistevan, Bernadine.  "La Llorona." 2000-2007. Web. Oct. 19, 2010. http://www.lallorona.com
Hereijgers, Hans. “The Legend of La Llorona.” Feb. 1, 2001. Web. Oct. 20, 2010. http://suite101.com
"Lost Destinations: Tales of the Lost." 2003. Web. Oct. 19, 2010. http://www.lostdestinations.com

La Llorona

I grew up with both my parents, a younger sister, and brother.  I never really believed in any phenomenons other than La Llorona, and it's not that I believe in it, it's always been something that I've been curious about.  The reason why I chose this topic is because I've always wondered if this supernatural phenomenon is really true.  This is the only creepy thing that I remember as a a child and I will never forget.  My mother and grandmother would always talk about this crazy lady known as "La Llorona".  My grandmother would tell us scary stories that I truly believed them. She literally gave us horrifying details on La Llorona's mysterious image, her spine-chilling voice, and how she would not stop weeping for her children every night.  I never thought my grandmother would lie or make-up such stories, so I would ask her to tell me the story over and over again.  It must have been my curiousity, but once night time came around I was scared to even go to the restroom alone.  Being the older sister I was always able to manipulate my younger sister and brother.  So, I would make my sister do things for me that I was always too scared to do.  My mother on the other hand would always threaten my sister, brother, and myself.  She would tell us that if we didn't behave "La Llorona" was going to come and get us.  Just with my mother telling us that we had no choice but to shape up our behavior and do as we were told.  It's funny though, because not only were we scared but we were still willing to find out if it was true or not.  We would wait late at night by the window and pretend we would see a ghost or an image and we would try to scare one another. It's always been a question of curiousity. Even as I type this at 10:30pm with no one around is creepy.