Mexican Folktales for Kids: Legends and Myths for Bedtime
Mexican and Latin American folktales are full of gods, animals and ghosts, which makes them tricky for bedtime. We retell them gently, keeping what each legend is really about: courage, generosity, kindness and respect for the very old.
Short on time? Start tonight with a free story →
Four legends, retold for bedtime
Quetzalcoatl and the Gift of the Sun
After four suns have fallen the world is dark, and the story asks who will step forward when everyone else steps back. Listen free →
The oldest Mexica (Aztec) stories say the world was made and destroyed four times before the fifth sun rose. Our retelling stays calm and keeps the point: the gift belongs to the one who steps forward when everyone else steps back.
The Rabbit on the Moon
A hungry traveller sits down with a fox, a monkey and a rabbit, and shows what the most valuable gift really is. Listen free →
Look at the moon and many Mexican families will tell you there is a rabbit on it. The story of how it got there is about the kind of gift that has nothing to do with money.
The Girl Who Sang to La Llorona
The older boys say La Llorona is a ghost, but one child sits down by the river and sings, and finds that the things that scare us are often just things that are hurting. Listen free →
La Llorona is usually told as a ghost story. Ours is the opposite: a child sits down by the river and sings, and learns that the things that scare us most are often things that are hurting.
The Elder and the Ceiba Tree
In the Petén jungle stands a ceiba so old that no one remembers who planted it, and the story shows why old things have the deepest roots. Listen free →
In the old Maya stories the ceiba tree is the axis of the world. A village in the Petén jungle has one so old that no one remembers who planted it.
Hear a legend tonight
Free to listen, about five minutes, and calm enough for the last story of the day.
Listen freeHow to tell a legend without scaring a child
- Start with the feeling, not the monster. "This is a story about being brave when you are not sure."
- Keep a warm pause in the middle. A hug, a cup of chocolate, a friend arriving.
- End on kindness. Everyone gets home safe.
More from our Latino stories series:
- Hispanic & Mexican Bedtime Stories for Kids: 25 Free Latino Tales
- Mexican Bedtime Stories for Kids: A 7-Night Plan
- Bedtime Stories in Spanish for Kids: A Bilingual Bedtime Guide
- Day of the Dead Stories for Kids: Gentle Tales for Día de los Muertos
- Abuela Stories for Kids: Tamales, Dichos and Three Kings Day
Frequently asked questions
Are Mexican folktales too scary for young children?
The originals can be. Our retellings keep the meaning and drop the fear, so they are suitable for bedtime.
Where do these stories come from?
From Aztec (Mexica) mythology, Mexican folklore and Maya tradition. Each is adapted for young children.
Are they free?
Yes, all four are free to listen to on My Sleepy Tale.
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