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The Cegua

A peasant was walking with me. He had a healthy soul that he had being able to maintain, with ail its purity and simplicity. I love virgin souls and I take the pleasure in penetrating them, and listened closely to his conversation and only interrupted to ask questions. There was no breeze through the trees, and nobody was on the road and the majestic silence ruled the starry night. All of a sudden we heard the galloping of a horse.

"Someone is coming" I told my partner he put in practice his country man ear, safely and convincing he said:

"Not in this road, it's going up the road"

I haven't finished the words in my mouth, and then suddenly the galloping stopped, A few moments later the galloping started again, but tt wasn't rhythmical like last time, there was something strange about tt.

In a quiet tone of voice, almost superstitiously respectful the man whispered to me:

"That rider has encountered "La Cegua", but do not fear my friend, because there are two of us and she won't come near, because we are walking"

"La Cegua?" - I asked with interest. "What kind of animal is that"?

It seemed to me as if a smiie appeared on the lips of the man as if my ignorance amuse him:

-But, Sir! How is it possible that you, who read lots, do not know about "La Cegua"? It is the devil itself, and God help you if run into her.

"I assure you that I do not know, explain it to me:

We were very near our destination and the dogs could smell us started barking, not menacingly, but in friendly welcome way. The stars lit up the night and it seemed like one of those fantastical landscapes you only see in books.

No soul has become the same after seeing "La Cegua". Strong men. healthy, happy, joyous, hard working men, had change completely. "Some even die out of fright-", then he began to name a list of a few people he knew that has lost their life of this terrible apparition

"It's not easy to see her" it goes everywhere, in particular places mostly. Around here appears a lot, this is why you will never see a rider by himself, there is almost always two riding together."

Is it possible that she can be seemed by two? - I asked! "When we are by ourselves she approaches us. He replied happily, because he knows he has been listening with a lot of interest.

In some places out of the town's limits, where there are a lot of bushes and trees on along road, is the usual spot where she likes to surprise the passing riders. She appears in the middle of the road, and with a very sweet and weak voice she says: -"Kind Sir, Tin very tired, and I'm in my way to see my sick mother, would you be kind enough to give me a lift to..0 And she gives the name of the nearest town, (because she is the devil itself and knows everything).

"Then, it is a person, or has a person characteristic9 -I dared to ask again.

"She is a very pretty young girl, with big black eyes, curly hair and a beautiful mouth. Everyone who looks at her falls under her charms and felt very sorry for her because they can see the tiredness on her and her little voice."

At that moment a gentle breeze started to make the leaves move that created shadows all around and then brushed the path ahead us, as if some invisible mischief force was moving ahead of us. Mother Nature was helping the narrator the effect he wanted.

-"Not even the most cold-hearted men and no one can resist to her charm. Some take her on the back of the saddle, but most prefer to take her on their laps. To her is the same thing, When they started to move, if she in front, she turns their face, if she in the back, she makes the rider turn back And comes the very scary thing, and the beautiful woman disappears, her face looks like the skull of a horse, fire comes out her eyes. Se opens her mouth and shows her huge yellow horse like teeth and lets out a horrible putrid breath. At the same time her arms like iron. hang on the rider. The horde seems to know what is happening, it take off in a crazy gallop trying to get rid of the monster."

-"And then what happens?"

-"Then the men who have picked up the girl, and of course with wrong intentions on their minds, are later found dead with their eyes wide open in fear and with a horrible look on their faces. The others, as I told you before, live but, serve out to remain there uselessly.

We arrived to the gate and I could hear the dogs barking louder. Meanwhile, I was in a deep meditation. Is there no other healthy way to teaching this fantasy0 Who has not encountered "La Cegua" Who has not surrendered to the seduction of a beauty and its physical charms and nothing more? Who hasn't surrender to the misunderstanding mercy?

And then, the weakness of the body, the soul, and perhaps death? And "La Cegua" is a stow used to scare young men into doing the right thing and keeping their minds pure.

Story written by: Melitón Araya Marín