La Llorona is a complex phenomenon that transcends time and space, it is a legend/ ghost story that incorporates both the woman in white and the weeping woman that can be seen in other cultures.
It's a story as Mexican as it can get the story is based in lake Xochimilco, but over time it has morphed to fit other regions of Latin America and southeast United States.
There are many versions of the legend but the most popular goes like this.
During the colonial period in Mexico, and indigenous woman fell deeply in love with a wealthy Spaniard man, she bore him two children, because they were not of the same race or caste system they could never marry. One day the Spaniard man decided to abandon her to marry a Spanish woman, enraged and full of jealousy she took her children to the shore of Lake Xochimilco and drowned them, when she realized the gravity of her actions, she tried to save them, but it was too late... in her grief she drowned herself as well but was not allowed for her soul to rest as her gods (Christian god in other regions) punished her to wonder the earth for all eternity as a punishment. She now haunts lakes and rivers looking for her children wailing "Ay mis hijos!" be aware she does take children to a watery grave.
The legend of La Llorona is just another woman in white or a weeping woman, these creatures or spirits have been reported since the dawn of time. In fact, the Llorona is similar to the Greek demigoddess Lamia, who's children were murdered by Hera and now she murders other womans children in revenge.
And we know the Llorona is an old legend when the first report of it was in the Florentine Codex in 1519, which is the year the conquest of Mexico started.
Making this story a prehispanic legend, its often associated with the goddess Tenpecutli, a monster that required the death of her children (Mexica) in a blood sacrifice.
Yet other scholars believe to be Cihuacoatl the goddess of childbirth and patron of women who died during childbirth.
We will never know the real story where the legend comes from but, I am convinced though that her story will be told for many years to come and strike fear in little children.
Now my dear reader I leave you, and if you happen to hear her wails I highly recommend not to go investigate and to hide your children.
Good night.