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La Pascualita, the Mexican Corpse Bride
Status: Urban Legend
This has already been posted in the hoax forum, but it's too good to ignore. Reuters has reported on a Mexican urban legend concerning a mannequin in the window of a bridal gown store in the city of Chihuahua. Local rumor has it that the mannequin is really the embalmed body of the former store owner's daughter. The former store owner was called Pascuala Esparza. La Pascualita means 'Little Pascuala' (i.e. her daughter). According to the legend her daughter died from the bite of a Black Widow spider on her wedding day, so Pascuala embalmed her and stood her up in the window of the store. It definitely is an urban legend because it would be impossible to embalm someone and have their flesh be preserved that perfectly. For some reason, people tend to think that it's easier to preserve a body than it actually is. For instance, there's also the urban legend about a dead wife used as a coffee table, in which a guy seals his dead wife inside an airtight glass coffin which he uses as a coffee table. In real life, it's not that easy to preserve a corpse.
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Categories: Death, Urban Legends Posted by Alex on Wed Dec 21, 2005 |
Comments (44) |
| More from the Hoax Museum Archives: | |||
Yeah, bodies really go bad pretty darned fast unless you take some rather heroic measures to keep them from doing so. Both Lenin and Mao have basically been renedered to a state much like rubber, and are kept under extrodinarily monitored conditions. Most of the stuff that undertakers and whatall do is with the aim of making the corpse look good until burial. Anything over a couple weeks, and things start going very, very bad. A taxidermist might manage something, but it ain't gonna be pretty.
I can see how such a rumor might get started, especially if the store has only one high-quality mannequin.
Posted by Robin Bobcat in Californian Wierdo on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 01:53 AM
I can see how such a rumor might get started, especially if the store has only one high-quality mannequin.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, that sealing someone in an *airtight* container can actually lead to the body putrifying even faster. The body can dry out under 'normal' conditions, making it hard for bacteria to grow. With airtight conditions, you basically wind up with sluge, very fast.
Posted by Robin Bobcat in Californian Wierdo on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 01:57 AM
I'm sure "she" is unique and detailed, but I doubt this is an 75 year old embalmed corpse. Perhaps an old timey Real Doll?
The proportions look off, but it's hard to tell from the small photo. Anyone have a link to a larger one? Also the hairline is too even to be real, it's a wig.
Posted by katey on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 09:10 AM
The proportions look off, but it's hard to tell from the small photo. Anyone have a link to a larger one? Also the hairline is too even to be real, it's a wig.
It IS a wax dummy.
This article says so: http://www.pascualita.com/leyenda.htm
Apparently the store owner had to come out about it relatively soon after the dummy was installed, because people were coming in and pressing their fingernails into it's face to see what it was made out of.
Posted by katey on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 09:20 AM
This article says so: http://www.pascualita.com/leyenda.htm
Apparently the store owner had to come out about it relatively soon after the dummy was installed, because people were coming in and pressing their fingernails into it's face to see what it was made out of.
Hmmm, Alex sure seems to know a lot about the difficulties of preserving dead bodies...
Posted by AqueousBoy on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 09:26 AM
Thanks, Katey, that was quite interesting.
There are several photos there of "La Pascualita," and also one of the real Pascualita, who doesn't look all that much like the dummy.
That's not really the point, though. The point is the legend is a wonderful tale.
Posted by Big Gary in Fairbanks, Alaska in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 12:37 PM
There are several photos there of "La Pascualita," and also one of the real Pascualita, who doesn't look all that much like the dummy.
That's not really the point, though. The point is the legend is a wonderful tale.
For those of use that don't read spanish, the translated version:
http://fets3.freetranslation.com/?url=http://www.pascualita.com/leyenda.htm&sequence=core&language=Spanish/English
Posted by Craig on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 02:46 PM
http://fets3.freetranslation.com/?url=http://www.pascualita.com/leyenda.htm&sequence=core&language=Spanish/English
us us us us us us us us us us
Posted by Craig on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 03:39 PM
I don't know, Craig, I like "for those of use". Although it makes me wonder what you have planned for those of us who are of no use. . .
Posted by Accipiter on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 11:13 PM
US US US US
DMAN DUDE, GIEV ME A BRAEK ALDREAY!
Posted by Craig on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 11:34 PM
DMAN DUDE, GIEV ME A BRAEK ALDREAY!
Well...If that isn't ignorant.
Posted by Madison Marbury on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 11:13 AM
Holy brutal translation batman!
"It was so much the admiration that caused among the public, that the positive fibers and the magic of a powerful guru that arrived from distant lands, who passed for the cupboard and fell in love with immediate of Chonita , they gave life al model."
Yikes.
So did the magical guru from a distant land fall into the cupboard? Become a cupboard? Look like a cupboard? Pass by the cupboard? Get it on with Conchita in the cupboard??
Posted by Ariell in Toronto on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 10:48 PM
"It was so much the admiration that caused among the public, that the positive fibers and the magic of a powerful guru that arrived from distant lands, who passed for the cupboard and fell in love with immediate of Chonita , they gave life al model."
Yikes.
So did the magical guru from a distant land fall into the cupboard? Become a cupboard? Look like a cupboard? Pass by the cupboard? Get it on with Conchita in the cupboard??lol Ariell, brutal translation indeed. I wonder exacty what language that is supposed to be translated into? 
Posted by Cynthia in Maryland on Tue Jan 03, 2006 at 10:44 PM
yo soy de chihuahua,chihuahua i lo creo de pascualita yo la vi cuando estaba es chihuahua y si es real su histori y todo chihuahua sabe la histori quisa mexico
Posted by ivan in Arkansas on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 01:57 PM
I'm living in Chihuahua right now, and was taken by the bridal shop downtown to see it for my first time. The friends that took me there to show me claimed its absolutely real, not wax. All day today I've been checking with various people ( I'm actually at this site now on my quest for verification ), and it turns out they all believe it's truly a preserved corpse. I'm far too cynical for that, but, how incredible there exists such a strong local legend.
Posted by J.R. in Chihuahua on Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 05:16 AM
Ive been to that store, im from Chihuahua, and she looks hot.
There is rumors that she changes her wedding dress avery once in a while, by herself.
Posted by Toy in Chihuahua on Sat Nov 17, 2007 at 05:48 PM
There is rumors that she changes her wedding dress avery once in a while, by herself.
I saw her she scary. My cousins and me are going back to see her. 
Posted by jazmin in Lovington on Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 12:20 PM
Very interesting, but I still think it
Posted by Marriage Counseling on Thu Jan 17, 2008 at 05:58 PM
First of all if you're not from Chihuahua...why don't you just mind your own business? This is a nice leyend that we CHIHUAHUENSES like to keep. It's part of our histroy and culture, now there's no reason for you all to argue about wheather it's true or not. I'm not trying to sound rude...but please just let the story be, nobody cares what you think anyway. It's nice to have something to think about everyonce in a while, not everything has to have a scientific reason or whatever. And yes I am from Chihuahua I grew up with this story going around my house and all my friends. This story actually means something to us.
Y EN OTRAS PALABRAS: QUE VIVA CHIHUAHUA Y TODA LA GENTE TAN BONITA Y TIERNA QUE TANTO EXTRANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YA DEJEN DE ESTAR DE METICHES, ESTO DE LA PASCUALITA NO LES DEVE DE INTERESAR SI NO CREEN EN ELLA.
Posted by Mirna Borunda in Marfa, Texas on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:27 PM
Y EN OTRAS PALABRAS: QUE VIVA CHIHUAHUA Y TODA LA GENTE TAN BONITA Y TIERNA QUE TANTO EXTRANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YA DEJEN DE ESTAR DE METICHES, ESTO DE LA PASCUALITA NO LES DEVE DE INTERESAR SI NO CREEN EN ELLA.
sorry tried to spell leyenda!!!!!! 
Posted by Mirna Borunda in Marfa, Texas on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 09:30 PM
For all of you out there, this is true and she didn't die of a spider bite, she was shot by a Judicial, (swat) who was in love with her and if he couldn't have her no one else could, he shot her coming out of the church, I have been there and it is a corpse it's kind of freaky looking they take care of the corpse every single day and have a Doctor who gives it shots and stuff, you should try going there to visit.
Posted by Margarita in Utah on Tue May 27, 2008 at 11:39 AM
hello this is a great storie of course it is factively fake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by anahi in san diego on Wed May 28, 2008 at 07:37 PM
ok...this is what my mom told me ....the oly thing real on la pascualita is the head and the hands....and also thats not the way she died....its just the nice way to put it but there's a darker side to the story.....
Posted by mimita... in chihuahua mexico on Wed Jul 16, 2008 at 11:32 PM
ok the head and the hands are real. one story i heard about her is that on the day of her wedding a black widow got in her crown and bit her. the other story is that her mom had her fiance killed the day of the wedding she found oukt and killed herself by jumping off a cliff they could only save her hands and head to be embomed
Posted by jaz in lovington on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 03:27 PM
That reminds me of this (true) story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Tanzler
Posted by Lea on Tue Jul 29, 2008 at 11:16 PM
we've always loved to hear wierd & mysterious stuffs no matter how untrue & (very often) stupid it is.Who cares what the scientific theories say anyway and why should we always be skeptical?
For me these stories are quite interesting & sometimes fascinating.In this case of the corpse bride,I think the legend is a good one.I've heard some of the worst ones.Keep these stories coming in.Love to read them
Posted by niharika in India on Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 11:54 PM
For me these stories are quite interesting & sometimes fascinating.In this case of the corpse bride,I think the legend is a good one.I've heard some of the worst ones.Keep these stories coming in.Love to read them
Hi.....I have just returned home from Chihuahua Mexico. I went there to visit family. It was my first time there and my family took me to the store to see La Pascualita...and indeed...she seems to be real. Her hands are so humanlike. I saw her with my own eyes and if the legend is not true...then someone did a GREAT job of making the mannequin look like a real corpse. I guess we will never know if she is real or not....but come on....does it really matter??? This is a legend that the people there have carried on for a long time, so just let them be!!! I do recommend for you to go see her if you can. Chihuahua is a beautiful city. Don't forget your camera!!!!
Posted by Cheri in Virginia...USA on Sat Oct 04, 2008 at 07:47 PM
This story is definately true,about 15 yrs.ago
I went to this store and i seen for myself. I remember just staring at her and thinking oh my gosh she must have been so beautiful and how sad that she died on her wedding day. I was looking at her for the longest time and it seemed that she was staring at me. I was talking with my family members and looked away for a minute and when I turned to look at her again her head was tilted a different direction. We were so freaked out that we all decided to return at 3:00 am because that is when she gets down and changes her wedding gown. Well we decided not to because we were all afraid.
Posted by donna zamarrron in phoenix az. on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 03:30 PM
I went to this store and i seen for myself. I remember just staring at her and thinking oh my gosh she must have been so beautiful and how sad that she died on her wedding day. I was looking at her for the longest time and it seemed that she was staring at me. I was talking with my family members and looked away for a minute and when I turned to look at her again her head was tilted a different direction. We were so freaked out that we all decided to return at 3:00 am because that is when she gets down and changes her wedding gown. Well we decided not to because we were all afraid.
omg!!That picture is fake! i have a real one with me right now, that my aunt took at the store! so ya'll shut up.
Posted by Abel in Ontaro, Canada on Mon Jul 20, 2009 at 04:13 PM