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Published on
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
"Bad
Pedro" once attempted to enter the local
church with his oxen cart on the San Isidro
Labrador feast, a
particular day on
which animals are
revered. The
town's father condemned him for neglecting
to honor the church. The father cursed him
to ride endlessly on his oxen cart.
A
third version of the tale depicts a farmer
residing in San José's Escazú Canton. He was
able to steal
good timber shipped from Europe to build the
town's first church. The
farmer utilized wood to build his house and an
oxen cart. But
he had no idea that
Saint
Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, had
witnessed him taking the wood.
Saint
Joseph determined never to absolve the thief
of that crime. The
farmer died a few days later, condemned to
travel in his cart eternally.
There
are many variations in the narrative.
According to historians, the origins of the
gosh cart mythology may have been
influenced by
occurrences from the 1800s.
One
probable historical occurrence that might
explain the genesis of the tale is the usage
of carts to transport the corpses of victims
of the first cholera epidemic, which was
caused by
some strains of the bacterium Vibrio
cholerae and killed thousands of people
between 1817 and 1837.
Another
possible origin of the tale dates back to
1856 when the governor of San José City
devised a plan to clear the pipes
of contaminated water
during the cholera epidemic.
To
avoid a scandal over polluted water pouring
into the Virilla River, the
governor ordered that
the cleaning be
done at
night. Workers dressed in dark clothes and
covered their carts with black blankets to
blend in with the darkness.
Therefore,
in the middle of the night, residents could
only hear the cartwheel sound and not see
the carts, drivers, or even
the animals pulling the
wagons.
For
those interested in learning more about
Costa Rican folklore, Elías Zeledón-Cartín's
book is available for
purchase on the
National University editorial website for
around $6.
Have a
Pura Vida Halloween!
---------------- What spooky tales have you heard in Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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