Timeless Stories of El Salvador: The Beginning

Timeless Stories of El Salvador #1

by Federico Navarrete, Marcos Soriano (Illustrator), Elizabeth Toole (Editor)

Every country has its unique stories, and El Salvador is no different. For the first time, the magic of the Salvadoran nights is coming to you in English.

For hundreds of years, parents have shared unique stories with their children, like the twins whom a Shaman transformed into the Cadejos because of their antics, or the vain and beautiful woman who scares bad men in the rivers at night, the Siguanaba.

It's time that you discover more about the unique Salvadoran folklore and transport yourself to a new land.

Are you ready to travel in time and discover El Salvador?

Since its publication, Timeless Stories of El Salvador has been presented internationally through cultural and literary events, including collaborations with Salvadoran diplomatic missions and the Instituto Cervantes across several countries.

This volume includes:

- The good and the bad Cadejo
- The Siguanaba
- Cipitio
- The Headless Priest
- The Black Knight
- The Guirola Family
- The Partideño
- The Squeaky Wagon
- The Owls- The Lady of the Rings
- The Cuyancua
- The Fair Judge of the Night
- The Managuas
- Chasca “The virgin of the water”
- The Fleshless Woman
- The Enchanted Ulupa Lagoon
- Our Lady Saint Anne
- The Midnight Yeller
- The Lempa River
- Devil’s Door
- Comizahual “The white woman”
- Izalco Volcano
- The Moon’s Cave
- The Amate Tree
- The Pig Witch
- The Tabudo
- Mr. Money and Mrs. Fortune
- Princess Naba and the Balsam Tree
- The Tamales Woman of Cuzcachapa Lagoon
- The Living Rock of Nahuizalco
- The Alegria Lagoon Siren

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2020

About the author

Federico Navarrete is a Salvadoran-Spanish technovator and author dedicated to building cultural bridges across nations. With a professional background spanning the European Commission and global tech giants, he uses his "Technovator" mindset to preserve and share the world’s "human code"—our shared folklore and heritage.

His work has grown into a grassroots global phenomenon, reaching over 1,000 readers across five continents through purely organic growth. A frequent collaborator with the Instituto Cervantes, Federico has presented his research on folklore and cultural mirroring across five countries and three continents, including India, China, Austria, Turkey, and Morocco.

This international track record led to the Official Global Launch of his third book at the SIEL 2026 International Book Fair in Rabat, during its landmark year as the UNESCO World Book Capital.

Driven by a desire to shift the global narrative about his homeland, Federico created Timeless Stories of El Salvador—the first series of Salvadoran folkloric books published in English. His research is now officially preserved in National Archives, ensuring these legends survive for future generations.

An award-winning innovator and seasoned public speaker, Federico has lived in five countries and traveled to over 20. He believes that by discovering the "shared DNA" in our stories, we can find the strength to be our own heroes and build a more connected world.

Reviews

[Taylor Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because my family is from El Salvador and I am woefully ignorant to the folktales from that country. So to teach myself more, I picked this up.

It was an an absolute delight, because every story was full of flavor and the supernatural, which I love so much.

Definitely a must read.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written showing history of El Salvador rich folklore history including modern and ancient ones. The characters are very memorable and intriguing. There are a lot of lessons to learn and great horror stories here.

[Rodrigo Navarrete · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing, all the stories become real, its pure magic!. When start reading you can't stop, it involves you into all the Salvadoran history and knowledge pass generation to generation.

[Federico Navarrete · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the result of many years of researching about my country El Salvador. It's unique since I included several stories from well-known ones like the Guirola Family to unknown ones like the Enchanted Ulupa Lagoon.

My main goal in writing this book was to change the perspective that the world has about El Salvador. Showing to the world that we are more than just wars, drugs, and violence.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this. I appreciate the author turning many stories into a book, several of the stories seemed very similar. I'm not sure if it was written in Spanish then translated into English but it could use a bit of editing. I would recommend this to those familiar with Salvadoran culture that want to learn about some of their legends.

[Carrey 🍓 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hermosa recopilación de historias y leyendas de El Salvador. Algunos los conocía, otros eran nuevos para mí. Me encanta aprender más sobre mi pueblo salvadoreño a través de libros como este.

Este libro tenía una buena cantidad de cuentos, cada uno de ellos único e interesante por derecho propio. Recomiendo altamente este libro.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 ¡Cinco de cinco estrellas!

[Rike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant collection of short stories from El Salvador, that offers a fascinating glimpse into the country’s legends and myths. I found each story to be well-written, engaging, and rich with cultural depth, which made it such an enjoyable and accessible read.

10/10 recommend :)

[Zsa Zsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting folktales from El Salvador
The writing is simple but the stories are not