The 10 most interesting and memorable Peruvian legends.

Stories about the past from different parts of Peru: Lima, Lambayeque, Pasco, Piura, etc.

Peruvian legends are characterized by a mystical and religious content, whose main characters are the elements of nature. whose main characters are the elements of nature. Taking as their setting lagoons, forests, jungles, beaches, rivers, hills and mountains, Peruvian legends explore natural and supernatural phenomena, as well as everyday experiences, religious events and historical accounts from colonial times.

In the following article we will look at some of the most popular Peruvian legends.

10 Peruvian legends

Legends and myths are part of the historical and cultural heritage of humanity.. They tell us about the origins of villages, cities, women, men, animals and ecosystems. They speak of love, secrets, enigmas and fantasies, in addition to explaining a multiplicity of religious and supernatural phenomena.

Precisely, Latin American legends have common themes such as enchanted forests, witches and ghostly women, mystical and protective animals, among others. In this line, we will see below 10 typical legends of Peru.

1. The enchanted bull (Ayacucho)

In the province of Huanta, Ayacucho Region, there is a lake called Razuhuillca. It is the largest of three lakes and is located at the entrance of the town, on a hill that has become a dam. Legend has it that in this lake there is a beautiful and corpulent black bull that an old woman with white hair has fastened with a gold chain. It is said that once the bull managed to overcome the old woman to get to the surface, but this resulted in the flooding of Huanta. The villagers had no choice but to put the bull back in chains and constantly watch for him to escape. and keep a constant watch to make sure it did not escape again.

2. La Huega (Ica)

The city of Ica is home to this legend that tells of a beautiful woman with long blonde hair, who always saw herself in the mirror. One day, a traveler strolling through the area got lost. Suddenly he found himself among hills and palm trees, where he met the beautiful woman. Guided by her beauty, he approached her to ask why she was alone in the forest. The woman was surprised and frightened, so he ran away, throwing his beloved mirror into the bushes. The villagers say that the Huega Lagoon was formed from this mirror..

3. The enchanted child (Lima)

Legend has it that one day, a 12-year-old boy lost his ration of meat and corn. Crying, he went to a lagoon, from which a young woman appeared and asked him why he was crying. The boy explained that he was hungry and she offered him food. She took his hand and led him into the depths of the lagoon, from where they never emerged. After searching for several days, the parents found the boy and the parents found the boy and the young woman in a cave in Huayanqui..

To remove the boy's spell, the father wrapped him in a woolen scarf and, after asking how he had gotten there, the boy explained that he had walked with the young woman across the lake to the cave in search of food.

4. The mysterious lagoon (Lima)

Close to the city of Cañete there is a river that has a lagoon-shaped part, which is called "the mysterious lagoon". They say that this lagoon has a divine blessing, since every time the river grows and increases its volume of water, the lagoon is the only part that remains in its original course, surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers. It is said that every year, during the festivities of San Juan, a beautiful paw appears in the lagoon followed by small ducklings, which represents a good omen.

5. The stone toad (Pasco)

Legend has it that many years ago there lived an old woman dressed in black near the hill of Pasco. Each harvest, the old woman had the largest potatoes, which aroused the envy and curiosity of the neighbors. One night, while the old woman slept, a huge toad that had snuck into her harvest, killed all her potatoes. When she woke up because of the toad's scandal, the enraged old woman cast a spell so strong that it blew off roofs and tree roots..

The toad flew through the air until it was pinned to a gigantic rock, where it remains to this day, turned to stone. In addition to ending the life of the potato-snatching toad, the neighbors proved the suspicion that the old woman was in fact a powerful sorceress.

6. The hill of the old and the old (Lambayeque)

In the center of the road that goes from Lambayeque to Motupe there is a big hill. It is said that there lived a couple of old men, to whom Jesus Christ appeared one day. He was thirsty and asked them for water, but the old men refused to offer it. As punishment, Jesus Christ turned them into a couple of hills, and They say that every time a stone falls, it is a sign of their lamentation..

7. The stone that cures lovesickness (Ancash)

This is the story of one of the many recipes to soothe wounded hearts. Many years ago there was a jealous father who decided to poison the suitor of his beautiful daughter, because he considered him ungraceful. He soon realized the enormous sadness he had caused his beloved daughter, who had taken refuge in the Cotacocha lagoon indefinitely.

So, repentant, the father went to the hills of Quito, Educator, to collect an enchanted and healing stone that had fallen from the heavens. He took it to the Cotacocha lagoon to heal his daughter's sorrows. He prepared the stone in a mate, and upon drinking it, the daughter was cured and forgave her father. They say that the stone is still thereIt is said that the stone is still there, and that it has been wearing out for each love sickness it cures.

8. The Lord of Chacos (Huanuco)

Legend has it that many years ago, in the town of Chacos, a shepherd woman heard a hammering coming from an old man carving a huge cross. The shepherdess asked the old man who he was and why he was doing that. He replies that he is a carpenter, and that he was building a cross for himself. The shepherdess offers him her basket of food and the carpenter refuses, but asks her to bring him a bouquet of flowers the next day.

So the shepherdess returns with flowers, and to her surprise finds the carpenter stuffed and crucified. The people of Chacos tried to move the carpenter and his cross to the village, but it was impossible: he always reappeared in the same place. Since then, the carpenter has been known as the Lord of Chacos and numerous miracles have been attributed to him. and numerous miracles and annual celebrations have been attributed to him. In other versions of this legend, it is not a shepherdess but a group of children who meet the carpenter.

9. The mysterious little boat (Piura)

Legend has it that, mysteriously, the people who dedicated themselves to night fishing in the cove of Cabo Blanco never returned from their work. What did return after several days was their boat, solitary under the current of the same waves.

They say that the disappearance of the fishermen is the result of an enchantment and that, during Easter week, a small luminous boat appears after midnight. It provokes fear and even paralyzes those who observe itwhile it slowly disappears as it enters the cove.

10. The town of Narihualá (Piura)

Near the city of Catacaos there is a town called Narihualá. It is a town that has been inhabited by different tribes. Upon learning of the arrival of the conquerors, the last inhabitants of Narihualá decided to bury themselves alive, along with all their riches, so that they could not be possessed.

Among their most precious objects was an enormous golden bell. It was hanging from a large temple, which the Spaniards soon found. In the attempt to capture it, the bell collapsed in its sleep and sank into the earth, and the conquistadors could not find it. They say that every Good Friday a little man of this ancient tribe appears..

He carries in his hands a lighted candle and a small bell that makes noise. He guides the villagers to the buried objects, who have found pearls and gold objects. They also say that there is a curse on any outsider who tries to possess these treasures.