Author Archives: Adrian Hernandez

Proverb – El Salvadorean

Perro que ladra no muerde

Dog that barks doesn’t bite.

Cesar says he heard this proverb in El Salvador. He says that it is talking about when people like to talk a lot of mess yet they never actually do anything. Like those type of people like to start drama but when it comes down to a confrontation they always back down or simply shy away from it. They just like to make noise.

I think Cesar is right on with his explanation. Some people have the biggest mouth you can imagine yet they never have actually done anything to back up their words. This proverb reminds me of the saying ‘all talk no walk’. They both basically say the exact same thing in that someone runs their mouth but don’t support their words with action.

In essence, this proverb kind of compares a person with a loud mouth to a Chihuahua. All they do is bark and yap and when it comes down to it, they don’t do anything. So if someone constantly tries to abuse another verbally, they really aren’t going to do anything because if they did want to start something, they would use some sort of force instead of just talking.

Legend – El Salvadorean

Legend – Cadejo

Over there in El Salvador… well my mom told too that they have the story of the cadejo. I even read it in Spanish class in high school. There’s a black one and a white one. The black one is evil like has like red eyes and the white one is good and it protects women and I dunno what… umm like its said that the white one also protects people who are walking at night and like you shouldn’t turn away from them cause its bad and like you’ll go crazy.

Silvia says that this is one of the many stories that she has heard that come from El Salvador. She says that her family always talks about them and that they have even experienced witnessing some of the legends. She says that her aunt one time had to use the restroom outside since they didn’t have any restrooms at her house. It was dark when she went and while she was out there, she saw a huge black dog with red eyes. For fear of going crazy, she kept looking at it while walking back to the house and when she arrived at the front door, the dog left. She says that the story may sound crazy but that she believes it is true.

To start, the word cadejo sounds like the Spanish word cadena, which means chain. The way that the cadejo is described, it seems like they are hanging behind you and possibly protecting you or haunting you. Regardless, then hang around you like a chain.

Also the cadejo consists of a black one and a white one. That is a typical dichotomy for good and evil, light and dark, etc.

The protection of women by the white ones comes as no surprise either. Females are usually the ones that need protection since the male usually is stronger and they carry a machete with them.

Furthermore the notion of going crazy arises a lot in Salvadorean folklore. It also shows up in the legend of la Siguanaba. It may be that there is an abundance of mentally ill or insane people in El Salvador and they people wanted to come up with a reason as to why they are that way.

See:

Reed Johnson (2007, October 7). EL SALVADOR; Latin revelation; El Pital, once a rebel lair in El Salvador’s highlands, is now an unexpected haven of natural beauty and outdoors pursuits :[HOME EDITION]. . Los Angeles Times,p. L.1.  Retrieved May 1, 2008, from Los Angeles Times database. (Document ID: 1358940731).

Legend – El Salvadorean

Legend – Siguanaba

La Siguanaba always comes near a river because she drowned her kids in the river. So that like everytime… like its always near the river and that if it appears… like it always appears mainly to men and that sometimes it has the face of a horse or something… like that appears to be a beautiful woman from far away and that if she touches you, you go crazy.

Silvia first heard this story as a little girl, maybe 5 years old, from her father. says that the Siguanaba is El Salvador’s la Llorona. She goes on to say that they are the same concept except that the Siguanaba’s face is that of a horse. She also mentioned that many legends from El Salvador are for some reason always near the water.

La Siguanaba literally means the hideous woman. After doing some research, she is suppose to appear beautiful from far to men and then when they get close and she has them in an isolated place.

She is said to always be near the water most likely because El Salvador is covered by water on one entire side. And since it is a very small country, it makes sense that the legend takes place near the water.

See:

Reed Johnson (2007, October 7). EL SALVADOR; Latin revelation; El Pital, once a rebel lair in El Salvador’s highlands, is now an unexpected haven of natural beauty and outdoors pursuits :[HOME EDITION]. . Los Angeles Times,p. L.1.  Retrieved May 1, 2008, from Los Angeles Times database. (Document ID: 1358940731).

Riddle – Mexican

Primer acto: una botella de agua

Segundo acto: un pato

Tercer acto: un mar

Conclusión? Agua pa tomar!

Act 1: a bottle of water

Act 2: a duck

Act 3: a sea

Conclusion? Water to drink!

Victoria said that she learned about this riddle when she was young, about 12 years old. It was presented to her by one of her sisters in Mexico. She said that it is simply a clever way to convey a message.

Although the riddle makes no sense when it is translated to English, it is a mind bender in Spanish. This is one of those riddles where you are shown pictures and you are supposed to figure out how each picture makes sense in the context and creates a phrase. In this one, the bottle of water is obviously water. But it gets tricky with the duck and sea. You are supposed to split up the word ‘pato’, thus having ‘pa’ (to) and ‘to’. But then you have to combine ‘to’ and mar’ to create ‘tomar’ (drink). Pretty basic, yet entertaining.

Riddle – Mexican

En Navidad, siempre nos juntamos y empezamos hacer intercambios. Y depende de la persona que me toca le empiezo hacer bromas. Aveces es ropa vieja, zapatos o cosas ya hechadas a perder. Y al tiempo que abre su regalo va mirando que no es lo el esperaba y son puras bromas que le estamos haciendo.

On Christmas, we always get together and have gift exchanges. Depending on the person that I get, I pull pranks on them. Sometimes they get old clothes, shoes, or things that have gone to waste. And when they open their gift they see that it’s not what they were expecting and it was just a prank that was being pulled on them.

This represents the very fun loving attitude that my family has. Victoria isn’t the only one pulling pranks on Christmas to other family members, they all do it as well. I’ve seen some give others blow up female dolls, a slice of bread, etc. Everybody does it for a laugh and since we don’t get together as a family like this that often, everyone wants to make it memorable. Also, when someone brings someone brings their new boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse, they are the primary targets. It not to be mean, it’s just to reassure them that the family welcomes them to join in the festivities and possibly so that they can pull pranks on other the next year. To them it’s sort of like a rite of passage, while it is just a tradition to everyone else.