Mojácar and the legend of Mariquita la Posá
The legend arose from an epidemic of plague suffered in the beautiful town of Mojácar, a tragic event that caused numerous deaths. In a cave, located in the centre of town and which can still be seen on the hill on the way up to the Plaza Nueva lookout point, there lived an old hermit who was considered by everyone to be a sorcerer or a magician and it was to him they turned whenever they needed a potion to cure them.
When the plague was at its most lethal and mercilessly decimated the population, the alchemist claimed to possess a magic formula that could cure all those who were sick and put an end to the epidemic. But he would only provide under one condition: a young and beautiful girl, named Maria and who was known as Mariquita, should agree to marry him.
The girl refused, and the plague spread. Her own family put so much pressure on her that she finally agreed to marry him. After the marriage, the sorcerer delayed delivering the magic potion fearing that the young woman, once they were all well again, would leave him. He was aware that Maria was revolted by him.
But Maria had a plan. She had seen a jar that he had carefully hidden and one night, while the sorcerer was sleeping, she stole it and gave out its contents to the people of the town. The people began to heal, so Maria decided to get rid of her husband before he woke up. She took another jar which contained a malignant potion and poured the contents into the sorcerer's mouth but unfortunately, as she shook the jar a drop fell onto her right hand, making her the victim of the same spell. They both disappeared without a trace.
The legend says that no one ever saw either of them again and that they lived in the cave for all eternity. And when you look inside the cave, if you use your imagination you might just be able to make out the face of that sorcerer, reminding you of that betrayal. In memory of Mariquita, when the people of the town pass by the cave they sing a song for her: "Come out, come out Mariquita la Posá, the one with a hole in her hand, if she didn't have it, the whole world would have perished".
A legend that will help you discover the beauty of Mojácar, without forgetting what they call the "Mojácar doll", or "indalo", which used to be painted using red clay on houses and farmhouses, as a protective symbol.
