Thank you, Virgin, for letting my buddy and me stay in the world of living.

Rodrigo Hernandez, 1965

I’m very happy with my rooster.

That beautiful spring day I went for a walk. Suddenly the swarm of bees flew over me. They were flying around and sitting on my body and face. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for giving me patience to stand still and do not move. I slowly walked to the river and calmly went into the water. Then I swam away from that place as fast as I could so the bees didn’t sting me.

The girl Luisa paints the animals. Thanks for she got rid of this habit.

I’m asking señor Malverde for luck. Thanks.

When my husband died I felt devastated. I prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe to let me see my husband one more time. On the Day of the Dead, I was making my husband’s altar and suddenly I saw a ghost. At first, I was terribly frightened but then I felt happy of seeing my husband. Although it lasted few seconds and his figure wasn’t very clear, I’m infinitely grateful.

When I was swimming, a mermaid began to call me to join her at the bottom of the sea. Before this danger, I entrusted myself to the Virgin of Guadalupe, and thanks to her could escape from the mermaid’s chant.

It was still night when I went fishing in my boat. Suddenly I was caught by a giant octopus who grabbed me in its deadly embrace and tried to pull me out of the boat. The Virgin of Guadalupe came to help me—she sent seagulls that began to peck the octopus. The octopus let me free trying to save himself from the seagulls and went to the bottom of the sea. I thank for saving my life.

My land became dry and infertile. I was in despair for not be able to harvest. One day the devil presented before myself and showed me how he can make a dry mound became green and flourishing. He said he could make it with all my lands in exchange for my soul. I was thinking about my family, and it was very tempting. But I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for I could resist the temptation. My resistance prevailed with the good rains coming to my land and making it green again. I give thanks.

Felipe and Rosa Morales thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe for saving us from dying being hit by a bus with no breaks at the Coyote Slope.

August 19, 1962

Help me, Virgin, to make the animals understand that they have to be eaten on your holiday.

We met in the wrestling and became a couple. We are very happy but we don’t take our masks off to keep the mystery. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for our big love.

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because she helped us to get a whale who ran aground on sandbank back to the sea. Thanks to the Virgin we managed to drag him back on our boat which is so small.

April 3, 1967