Myths of Costa Rica

The Story of María

Long ago, in a small village by the Tarcoles River, there lived a beautiful young woman named María. She was poor, but her beauty outshone even the brightest flowers in the tropical forest. One day, a wealthy Spanish nobleman arrived in the village — handsome, arrogant, with cold eyes. Upon seeing María, he became enchanted by her and promised to marry her if she gave him heirs.

Passionate love blinded María, and soon they had two children — a boy and a girl. But as the children grew older, the nobleman grew cold toward their mother. He announced that he would marry a noblewoman from the city, and María and her children were cast out of his home.

The Fateful Night

In despair, María wandered the riverbank, clutching a handkerchief soaked with her tears. Her heart broke with pain: how could she, a poor peasant woman, raise her children alone? What if they starved? Better death than disgrace…

Madness overtook her. In the darkness, with the sound of the river's waters, she grabbed her children and... threw them into the black abyss. The children vanished into the whirlpool, and when María came to her senses, she realized what she had done. With a wild scream, she threw herself into the river, but death did not claim her.

The Eternal Curse

Since then, her spirit has never known peace. Every night, she roams the riverbanks in white clothes, soaked with her eternal tears, crying:

"¡Ay, mis hijos! ¿Dónde están mis hijos?" ("Oh, my children! Where are my children?")

They say that if you hear her cry, you should run without looking back. Anyone who succumbs to pity and approaches her will see her face — sometimes beautiful, sometimes distorted in horror. Some even say she can drag a person into the water, mistaking them for her lost child…

A Warning

Elderly people in Costa Rica still say:

"Don't go near the river at night, or La Llorona will take you."

They especially warn children not to play by the water at dusk.

But sometimes, on particularly quiet nights, when even the cicadas fall silent, her sobs echo through the forest…

Would you dare to go near the river at night?

In the dark alleys of Costa Rica's old towns, where streetlights flicker like owl's eyes, a mysterious beautiful stranger sometimes appears.

The Deadly Deception

She emerges from the mist — tall, slender, wearing a white dress with thick dark hair. Her face remains shadowed, but her voice is sweet as honey.

"Walk me home, handsome..." she whispers, and enchanted men always agree.

But as they come closer, La Segua turns her head — revealing not a beautiful face but the horrifying visage of a horse: bloodshot eyes, sharp fangs, and a grotesque snout!

The Proud Girl's Curse

Legend says La Segua was once an ordinary girl — beautiful but cruel. She mocked men, broke hearts, and swore no one deserved her love.

One night, a stranger in black appeared to her and asked:

"So confident in your beauty? Then look in this mirror..."

The girl looked — and saw her true face. From that moment, she was cursed to roam Costa Rica's roads, luring arrogant men to show them their own sins.

How to Protect Yourself

If a beautiful stranger approaches you at night:

• Don't look into her eyes — her power comes from eye contact
• Whisper a prayer — La Segua fears holy words
• Throw salt at her feet — this may briefly stop her

But the best protection? Never walk alone at night.

"The prettiest flowers often hide the sharpest thorns..." — Costa Rican proverb