Tradition: Mexican Mythology
Alternative Names: The Weeping Woman, Maria
Category: Ghost
The Myth
La Llorona is the ghost of a woman named Maria who drowned her own children in a river in an act of revenge against her lover. When she realized that her children were dead, she was overcome with grief and drowned herself as well. After her death, Maria reached the gates of Heaven, where she was asked where her children were. Unable to find them, she was denied entry until she could locate them.
Since then, La Llorona has wandered along riverbanks at night, weeping for her lost children and crying out for their forgiveness. Her sorrowful cries carry through the darkness as she searches endlessly for the children she murdered. In some versions of the legend, she attempts to replace them by abducting living children and drowning them in the river.
La Llorona is a feared figure throughout Latin America, and her story is often told to warn children against wandering outside after dark. Her ghostly cries serve as a warning to those who venture too close to rivers at night, where they may encounter the grieving spirit searching for the children she can never recover.
Sources
“La Llorona § Regional versions.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Llorona#Regional_versions