EL TESORO DE UNA BRUJA EN LA CAÑADA DEL LOBO
Leyenda de San Luis Potosí
Esta leyenda fue publicada en el libro «Misterios, leyendas de San Luis Potosí«, de Homero Adame, por graphStyle Editores, en octubre de 2014.
THE IMAGE OF CHRIST THAT CAME BY MULE
(Legend of Saltillo, Coahuila)
There are some religious figures that are very highly venerated, due to the long centuries of preceding history surrounding them. In many cases, there is a long line of miracles associated with them, and these, over the years, have become legends. Such is the case of the image of Our Lord (The Holy Christ) at The Chapel, Saltillo. 
The events related here took place on August 6, 1607, according to some written testimonies of the time.
Legend has it that in the afternoon of that far-off day, a mule, bearing a heavy load on its back, suddenly arrived in town. The mule was quite alone, without a carrier, and it settled down to rest at a place not far from the church of Saint Esteban, exactly where the present-day Cathedral is located. Those who saw it arrive assumed that its owner would no doubt turn up a little later; but the rest of that day came and went, and, by the next morning, the mule was still resting, quietly and alone, at exactly the same spot.
Some people started to try to get the mule to move on; but try as they might, the animal stoutly refused to move. Then, the rumor started to spread throughout the village and, in just a few minutes, the entire population had gathered around the beast. No one had ever seen it before, and, therefore, they had no idea who its owner might be.
While they were deeply engaged in discussion about this phenomenon, the local priest appeared. After meditating a little on the situation, he finally ordered some of the men to unload the box from the beast’s back and to open it up, so they could find out what was inside. When the men had finished their task, the mule got up and ran away towards the South at top speed; it was never seen again and nobody ever found out where it had gone to.
When the villagers opened the box, they realized, to their utmost astonishment, that there, inside, was a beautiful image of Jesus Christ, apparently made of dried corn dough. At his feet, there was a small wooden box that contained a single splinter of wood. Because it was the rainy season, they tried to take the figure out of the box, intending to keep it safe in the temple of Saint Esteban, all the time expecting that, sooner or later, its unknown owner would appear to claim the statue.
However, not even the repeated efforts of several strong men, all hauling together, were enough to lift the image out of the box to take it inside the temple. After some serious thought, the priest ordered that a small shelter be built then and there, on that very spot; this was later replaced by a church – the future Saltillo 
Cathedral. Time passed by, and nobody ever came to claim the image as his own; the local people, however, took it to be a divine manifestation.
There was one other factor that conduced devotees to worship the image with so much fervor: the numerous miracles attributed to it by the sick and needy who make their pilgrimages to the figure, to beg for its aid. It is said that part of its divine and healing power comes from the wooden splinter inside the small wooden box, because, according to local beliefs, it was taken from the Holy Cross on the very day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Legend taken from the book by Homero Adame, “Myths and legends from all over Mexico” (Mitos y leyendas de todo México). Editorial Trillas. 2011, and translated by Pat Grounds.
The picture of Jesus Christ was taken from regmurcia web page. Let the link be a thanking note to its creator.
EL MAQUESH
Leyenda escuchada en Mérida, Yucatán
El maquesh (también escrito makech o maquech) es así como un bicho que se parece al escarabajo. Lo que yo sé es que los nativos mayas los encuentran en los troncos podridos porque ahí viven esos maquesh y luego le pintan el lomo, les amarran una cadenita en lo que es el cuello y así lo venden en los mercados. También otras gentes que no son mayas compran los maquesh y les pegan pedacitos de vidrios de colores con resistol para que parezcan que tienen como joyas y los venden porque dicen que son de buena suerte para cosas del amor. Lo malo es que los turistas los compran y esos bichos se mueren en tres o cuatro días por causa del resistol –dice el Sr. Rómulo Estrada.
Dicen que el maquesh se alimenta de aire y que puede vivir cien años. Yo no sé si esto sea verdad, pero el caso es que, vivo o muerto, siempre está inmóvil y con las patas tiesas. (Recopilación de Homero Adame.)
Lo que sí sabemos es que desde hace muchos siglos las mujeres mayas lo usan como amuleto. Es que, según las leyendas mayas, hace muchos siglos hubo una princesa maya que ya estaba comprometida en matrimonio con un príncipe, pero ella se enamoró de un muchacho muy pobre que no tenía tierras ni tampoco pertenecía a las clases sociales. 
Cuando el Rey se enteró de que su hija se reunía a escondidas con el muchacho, lo mandó sacrificar. Cuando ella se enteró de que lo habían atrapado y de que lo iban a sacrificar, le rogó a su padre que no lo mataran con la condición y la promesa de no volverlo a ver. El papá le dijo que estaba bien.
La princesa, todavía soltera, se quedaba llorando todas las noches porque ya no sabía dónde andaba su amado. Entonces resulta que un brujo se dio cuenta de la tristeza de ella y para ayudarla hizo un hechizo para que el muchacho se convirtiera en maquesh. Entonces le llevó ese escarabajo a la princesa y le dijo que era su amado y que lo cuidara, que lo decorara con joyas y que siempre lo llevara cerca de su corazón.
Así dice una leyenda y desde aquel entonces las mujeres mayas usan el maquesh como amuleto de amor y se lo cuelgan así como prendedor en la blusa cerca del corazón porque así es la tradición. Luego, como le digo, se hizo popular esta tradición y empezaron a vender esos bichos a los turistas.
Nota: las imágenes fueron tomadas de Internet, Joyería Makech y detodoymuchomas. Que los enlaces sirvan de agradecimiento a sus creadores.
Mitos y leyendas mexicanas de Homero Adame 