Storyteller Breaks Down the Terrifying Myth Behind 'The Curse of La Llorona'

Storyteller Joe Hayes grew up hearing stories of La Llorona in his small town in southern Arizona. She's the ghost that's said to wander the earth wailing for her drowned children-and trying to take living ones to replace them. The story dates back a very long time, Hayes said, and while the details vary, the themes are the same: vanity, jealousy, violence and regret. Her story has been told by generations of families in Mexico, Central America and the southwestern U.S., and some dress like her to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Here's the terrifying history behind the blockbuster film's plot.