La Dama Tapada, the Veiled Lady of Guayaquil
In old Guayaquil, an elegant veiled woman would lead a man through the dark streets. When he finally lifted her veil, he saw what was underneath.
What was reported
La Dama Tapada, the Veiled Lady, is a legend of Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, and of parts of Colombia. Around midnight, a tall, elegant woman in a long dress, her face hidden by a veil, appears to men walking home, often after drinking. She smells of flowers, and they follow her through the streets.
She leads them on until they reach a lonely place, often near a cemetery. When the man begs her to show her face, she lifts her veil to reveal a skull or a rotting face, and a terrible stench fills the air. Men were said to have been found unconscious the next morning.
Explanations offered
The legend is a classic warning against drunkenness and chasing strangers at night. It shares features with other Latin American tales of women who lure men, such as La Siguanaba. It's still told in Ecuador today.
- When
- Told since colonial times
- Where
- Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
- Witnesses
- Ecuadorian folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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