Tag Archives: footsteps

The Vanishing Footsteps

Age: 19

Context: I interviewed my best friend who is currently attending school in Ohio. When we were catching up she told me about a strange incident that happened a month before when she was walking home at night. 

The story:

It was late at night, around 12 when I was walking back to my dorm after a long chemistry lab. I had headphones on. While walking down this street I could’ve sworn I heard someone walking behind me. I quickly took them off and checked to see if someone was there. Maybe it was my own feet I’m hearing. The footsteps I had heard immediately stopped. I was like okay cool just me. I go back to walking this time without my headphones on and I hear them again, this time sounding louder and louder. So I stop again, just to confirm to myself, really that I’m just hearing things. This time when I stop I still hear them. And they’re getting closer. I look all over the place, and I can still hear them, but I can’t see anyone. I get a bit freaked out, so I start walking faster. I still hear them walking behind me and it’s like they’re gaining on me. Eventually I stop and I wonder if I can let whatever this is pass so I stop. When I stop I can physically hear them next to me then go in front of me. I looked across the street and all over the place wondering if maybe that was an echo of some kind. I walked down the street many times before, but maybe this time for whatever reason it had just echoed strangely. But no, I didn’t see anyone anywhere near me. After that it seemed to promptly vanish. 

Informant’s view: She thinks that it might have been a ghost or some sort of spirit. All the obvious explanations didn’t explain away the footsteps she heard so she’s open to the possibility of other worldly things.  

My view: I think this might have been a case of serious sleep deprivation. I know around that time period she was going through midterms and not getting enough sleep. She’s never had an incident like this but I feel like this was her brain having a freakout after having to work so hard with no rest.

La Siguanaba

Nationality: American/Salvadoran
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego, CA
Language: English/Spanish

TEXT: “I have cousins in Sonsonate, El Salvador, and last summer, we stayed at my aunt’s place on the edge of town. One night, our power went out, and we sat outside to cool off, since the fans and air conditioning needed power to function. My cousin pointed toward this dark trail in the backyard, and he said, “That’s where La Siguanaba lives.” I asked him what a “Siguanaba” was, and he explained that it was a woman who looks majestic from behind, but has a horse’s face when you see her up close. He said she tricks men who are out late, especially if they’re drunk or cheating. I looked at him and laughed, but when I woke up the next morning, I looked over at the path and saw footsteps on the same trail, but everyone was still in the house. I told my cousin about it later in the day, and he said, “She only shows herself when she wants to.”

CONTEXT: This story refers to the Salvadoran legend of La Siguanaba, a folkloric myth of Central America, particularly in rural spaces such as Sonsonate. In the classic readings of the tale, La Siguanaba is a beautiful woman from behind, who seduces unfaithful or reckless men, then turning to show a terrible face, and is often described as having a horse’s head. The legend is most frequently used as a moral cautionary tale, with the intent of being shared between generations as a lesson in morals or tradition. In this adaptation, the narrator shares an experience from when he was visiting family in El Salvador. E explained how the myth was told to him in a casual conversation during a blackout, an event where myths, especially scary stories, can leave a longer lasting impact.

ANALYSIS: This memorate is an example of how folklore is kept alive through personal stories and family conversations. E mentions that the legend was shared during a power outage, which makes the legend feel more natural and believable. The cousin doesn’t try to prove that the legend is real, but instead just explains the story the way it was told to him. The footprints add a mystery element to the legend, making the listener wonder if the legend could be true. Even though no one saw her, the cousin’s final comment talking about how she only shows herself when she wants to, helps keep the story going, providing a continuation of the tale.