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Read the following paragraph and respond the questions that follow. What do stories say about cultures? Does your country have stories, myths or legends of its own?
Match the words in the left with their definitions. a very old story or set of stories from ancient timesthat are not always true, that people tell about a famous event or person Myths Story the traditional stories, beliefs, and customs of a group of people Legends A storyoriginating in popular culture,typicallypassedonword of mouth. Folklore A fictionalnarrativeshorter tan a novel. Folktales Stories that give people a relationship with the universe, the passing of time and with their environment.
EL SALVADOR LEGENDS AND MYTHS El Salvador is one of the Central American countries that has become known in the world, through the promotion of its incredible stories or legends, characterized by being mysterious, this being the main ingredient for the attraction of the viewer. These Myths of El Salvador, have remained over time because they have been passed from generation to generation, as a kind of legacy within Salvadoran families. Many of the stories, although religious or horror, were created with the purpose of leaving a moral aimed at both children and adults.
The siguanaba The siguanaba The Siguanaba, was the nickname given to a woman, classified as a bad mother, because according to what they say, she went after her numerous lovers, while leaving her small children completely alone and in a state of abandonment. This story dates back to ancient times, as this woman is referred to as the consort of the god Tlaloc. According to tradition, the day came when the god Tláloc, discovered the adventures of his unfaithful and careless wife, he launched a terrible curse on her which would last all eternity. From that day on, the soul of that woman would walk forever in pain and without being able to obtain forgiveness, or any kind of consolation.
In the native language, the nickname placed means "horrible woman". She usually goes out late at night and early in the morning, wandering the streets, appearing to unfaithful drunks. She appears at first as a beautiful woman with a slender figure and when she has the unwary in her power, she transforms into a ghost, leaving the men speechless.
TheCipitio TheCipitio One of the most popular without a doubt is The Cipitio o Cipit, which is its name within the language Nawat, whose meaning is child. And it is precisely that its main characteristic is that it has the appearance of a child of about 10 years of age. He was considered a mystical being, who showed his great abilities and supernatural powers, but he was harmless since, as a child at last, he only wanted to have fun, without causing harm to anyone. The story tells that The Cipitio, was the son of Sihuet, who within the mythology of El Salvador, was the lunar goddess.
It is said that the goddess conceived her son, the product of deception, of infidelity. Such a fact, she required the intervention of the god Tláloc, the leader of the gods, who convertedSihuetin death as an exemplary punishment, forcing her to walk the world as a simple vagabond. But, that god was not satisfied with that and also punished the poor creature, condemning him to never grow up and remain forever as a 10-year-old boy. His myth has characterized him as a happy boy, with noisy laughter, who wanders around corners, with a big belly, wearing a white blanket and tied sandals as clothes, plus a hat made of palm material, with a pointed and winged shape.
The Cadejo The Cadejo The cadejo, is a huge dog with a gloomy appearance and shining eyes, which is part of the Myths of El Salvador. The story of him tells that there are two versions of his appearance, a white cadejo and a black one. The first represents good and the second evil, so its symbology is linked to the eternal struggle that has always existed between God and Diablo.
They say that he only comes out at night, making his presence felt, because he carries with him some chains, which he drags through the lonely streets, where he comes to fulfill the mission of caring for or tormenting men who are out of night and drunk, which makes him in a guard dog that protects passers-by from the dangers of the night. He is a character known in different Central American countries as a guardian spectrum of the roads. However, he is not always a protector, only in the version of the white cadejo, which manifests itself to protect people from evil spirits. When it comes to black cadejo, reference is made precisely to that type of evil specter, which leads the person to his death.
TheSqueakyWagon According to the stories, this particular cart always goes backwards, and it is usually seen at night and early in the morning, in the lonely streets of El Salvador They call it a squeaky cart because when it is walking, it emits a gloomy screech, which is produced by the impact of its wooden wheels with the asphalt, a fact that gave rise to its name. In addition to the shocking shriek, there are those who indicate that it can also be heard as a kind of chain dragging along the road, elements through which it announces its approach.
TheSqueakyWagon However, this should only prevent you from seeing it, as tradition says that anyone who sees it may wake up dead the next day. This cart has no driver, which makes it more sinister and its sides are adorned with sticks with human skulls. The locals say that the squeaky wagon it is driven by a kind of ghost or specter, which goes along the roads and paths, collecting all the souls that are wandering around the world and suffering, fulfilling the task of taking them to the afterlife.
MYTHS OF EL SALVADOR Myths of El Salvador, more than telling stories, what they do is describe certain beliefs that are part of the culture of the inhabitants of this country and that come from the time of the grandmother, passing from generation to generation.
1. THE EVIL EYE In El Salvador, the inhabitants are convinced that there are people charged with negative energies, which are capable of being transferred to other people, especially children, a fact that they have baptized as "cast the evil eye" They say that the way to do it is through the gaze, or in the case of newborns, when they are carried.
Immediately, the boy or girl begins to feel unwell when he or she was in good health before. Among the symptoms that people with times of eye are: permanent tiredness, vomiting and stomach illnesses, body pain, among others. There are extremists who consider that a the evil eye It can lead you to death. This evil is only healed by a "healer", using herbs, tobacco and alcohol, making several "baths" that the person must apply to the body. To protect children, a "against" or amulet can be placed on the ankle or wrist, made with black and red ribbons.
2. THE SCAMPI the pispelo, It is an infection that appears on the edge of the eyelid similar to the shape of a ball that causes the entire area to become inflamed and irritated. It is a popular belief in the region, where this is believed to occur when the person stares at two dogs as they mate. In order to cure it, the person must pass the tail of a black cat through the affected area. Another method that they describe as effective is rubbing a gold ring on top of the eyelid.
3. THE OWL Around the character of the owl, numerous myths, tales and stories have been formed. The most traditional belief indicates that when this animal is heard singing in the vicinity of a house, this means that a family member or someone close will die soon.
5. THE BROKEN MIRROR This myth from El Salvador says that when a person breaks a mirror, even accidentally, it is a sign of the arrival of bad luck, having a lapse of seven years.
LEGEND FILM (30% LAB GRADE) In groups of 6, make a short film basedon a Salvadoranurbanlegend. You can chooseany of theselegends: -The siguanaba -Thecipitio -The cadejo -Thesqueakywagon -La llorona -Theheadlessfather -Oranyotheryouknow! Requirements: -5 minutes video lenght .
