A Myth

How Mouth Ashes, Barranquilla, Was Born

In not such a remote place, where everyone used to live in peacefully and harmonious ways, so much that even the sound was inaudible, lived a precious creature that everybody called the Ocean Queen, but she was so gracious that the River Queen was really envious and always tried to demonstrate that she was stronger than her.

Once, while walking through the forests, the River Queen thought of having a duel between her and the Ocean Queen to establish who the most powerful was.

Days after, the River Queen sent a message to the Ocean Queen in order to meet, but the wind was the Herald, so all the coastal area got to know it ahead of the time, till the point that when the Ocean Queen knew about the proposed fight to see who could succeed, this wasn't any more an official message, but a gossip.

The days went on, the date for the confrontation was settled and animals from all over the realm came to the shore and beach to witness the biggest war ever.

Finally, when the Ocean Queen was roaring, hide tides were

being provoked by the gossipy wind, and the atmosphere wasn't peaceful any longer, everyone knew that the war was about to burst. 

The River Queen never expected to have such an audience, but she was not afraid of her contender, opposite she saw the chance to gain more adepts instead.

Finally, the River Queen saw, face to face, the Ocean Queen, her opponent, and everything became a chaotic quarrel between both trying to defeat one another. 

From that day on, all we can remember is on how the Ocean Queen devoured the River Queen in a battle that is still being fought, since she is not  in agreement to be eaten by the salty waters of the ocean, she goes on flowing with her stream struggling to ruin the Ocean Queen's self-image by feeding her with lots of garbage and muddy waters that make her look messy grayer than she used to. 

This is how Ashes Mouth in Barranquilla was born and If you

want to see the sea struggling to swallow the Magdalena's river, you just need to take a train to that place where the horizon reminds us of the energy wasted in a war where nobody really wins, but the observers, us, can witness its brutality in a wetted landscape where the wind seems to remind the Ocean Queen of how much she has grown fatter, day by day, thanks to the River Queen.

By Miss Odilia Pérez.

E.L.A. Teacher