The legend of the Devil's Canyon is part of the innumerable number of myths and popular tales that originated in the state of Michoacán, Mexico.
Legends are narratives of supernatural events that are generated in a certain region and that are transmitted from generation to generation, either in written or oral form.
In the particular case of the legend of the Devil's Canyon, an attempt is made to explain the reason for the high temperatures and the number of car accidents on the road that connects the towns of Uruapan and Apatzingán.
What does the legend of the devil's canyon tell?
The background of the legend is the struggle between the forces of good and evil, personified by the devil and Saint Peter.
The legend tells how Saint Peter locked the devil deep in the ravine to prevent it from hurting people, and how the devil managed to disturb human beings even from the depths.
Legend of the Devil's Canyon
Tired of the evils that the devil did to the people who traveled the highway from Uruapan to Apatzingán, San Pedro decided to give him an example.
For this, he searched for it day and night until he found it in the ravines of Lombardy, a region that is as hot as Avernus itself. So definitely the fight between good and evil began.
In this long persecution, in which Saint Peter was ahead of the devil, the demon was cornering himself until he fell to the bottom of the ravine.
When Saint Peter realized the devil's hiding place, he jumped over the ravine. As he jumped, the footprints of his sandals were etched into a kind of natural fence.
Since then, everyone who passes the road can see the footprints of his sandals on the side of the Lombardy bridge.
The demon does not stop trying to escape from the bottom of the ravine. With each attempt his fury increases considerably, for which he launches huge flares of fire that produce almost unbearable heat throughout the region.
Some say that this air is so hot that even the cars that travel on the road near the ravine get hot and catch fire.
The residents try not to circulate through this area at night, since they assure that the flares are so powerful that they take the shape of the devil's face, transforming into a creepy spectacle.
They say that the devil is heard screaming while he threatens San Pedro, telling him that he will spare no effort until he reaches every corner of the region with his fetid breath.
From the moment that San Pedro managed to lock up the devil, the high temperatures are unbearable in Puruarán, Carácuaro, Huacana, Huetamo, Churumaco and many other Michoacan places.
References
- Myths and legends of Michoacán. Retrieved on December 14, 2017 from paratodomexico.com
- Sonia Iglesias and Cabrera, “El diablo de tierra caliente”, 2015. Retrieved on December 14, 2017 from.mitos-mexicanos.com
- Lopez Guillén, ”La barranca del Diablo”, 2005. Retrieved on December 14, 2017 from the cuentos.net