Night falls, the family is gathered at mamita's (grandma's) house, everyone sits in a circle to listen to daddy's (grandpa's) stories, wrapped in darkness lit only by candles and lanterns. Thus begin the best anecdotes, full of mystery and tradition.
We have compiled five legends that are part of the Nicaraguan imagination, passed down from generation to generation.
The cadejo
My grandmother tells us that... once a man came from the village, half drunk, and he began to feel that something was following him. Even when he turned around, he saw nothing, although he heard a strange whisper. He quickened his pace, but the presence was moving faster. A chill ran down his spine and he suddenly fainted. They found him at dawn, tangled in vines, unharmed, and from then on he never drank alcohol again.
It is said that there are two cadejos: a white one, which protects those who like intoxicating drinks; and a black one, with eyes like embers, which pursues those who dare to walk alone at night.
The nagua cart
Oh, the nagua cart! That story makes my hair stand on end every time I remember it, the chilling creaking of its dry wheels announces death. It appears on nights of the full moon, with no oxen to pull it or driver in sight. When you hear it near home, it is recommended to pray to God, because its passage is a sign of a bad omen.
The Mocuana
Legend has it that the Mocuana was a beautiful indigenous woman, daughter of a chief, who fell in love with a Spaniard who deceived and robbed her, leaving her heartbroken. Since then, she has wandered the hills and rivers, seeking revenge.
They say that a young man got lost and when he was found near a cave he was beside himself. He claimed to have followed a beautiful woman, but when he got closer he saw her true face and fainted from terror.
The blind man
Dad always remembers how one night, while riding alone, he felt a woman climb up behind him. Paralyzed, he watched as his horse ran away. Desperate, he began to insult her until the apparition disappeared.
The blind woman appears before womanizing men who travel alone at night, transforming from a beautiful woman into a hideous creature, with the face of a decomposing horse that chills the blood.
The Headless Horseman
I was 5 years old when, in my grandfather’s old adobe house, I heard the trot of a horse coming down the hill. I saw the dust rise and a silhouette appear. A deep fear invaded me, and the cattle in the yard began to bellow. “The devil just passed by,” my aunt said, increasing my fear. It is a memory that, even though years have passed, still makes my skin crawl.
These legends, told by grandparents, parents and uncles, keep alive the rich oral tradition of Nicaragua, deeply rooted in the collective memory. The Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism, Intur, frequently organizes festivals in various regions of the country, where these legendary figures come to life and walk the streets, preserving the cultural legacy of our ancestors.
