Marcial Villarroel Siles

Myths and Legends...in Bolivian Literature Marcial Villarroel Siles

The anthology of myths and legends that forms this book brings together a total of 66 works selected from different periods and literary styles, with the historical and geographical reference of Bolivia as a common link. Of which 25 belong to the Andean region, 16 correspond to the valleys and 25 are from the eastern Amazon. All respond to narrative texts of historical chronicles or literary works of writers preferably Bolivian. The current anthology, like any work of this nature, is based on the work of collecting, selecting and translating texts already produced by other literary researchers. These works began with the first Spanish chroniclers and doctriners, mestizes and natives. They have been pursued by national and foreign researchers. At present, with computer and electronic intercommunication, a greater degree of precision is achieved in the work of anthropologists, linguists and folklorists. The compilation of the considered works was defined in three areas of selection: A first area in which we include most of the legends, which refer to the ancient chronicles of which the authors of the first histories of the cities were nourished. A second area, which corresponds to strictly literary texts and a romantic cup, inspired by myths and legends. We can consider it as the forerunner of the historical novel. And a third area, which stems from the purest traditional oral tradition, although, for the most part, rooted in the cultural bust of peoples and regions, where fantasy and imagination prevail above all else. With this, the end result is a heterogeneous display of narrative styles, in which the variety predominates predominantly. Variety in the subject approached, because in the selection, we tried to cover all kinds of mythical legends, from those in which the historical plot prevails, to those in which the idols of love prevail, passing by others focused on miraculous events, or in mysterious events. Variety also in relation to the different historical stages in which the legendary stories are located, as well as in the different cultural zones, in which they are inscribed. And the variety, also, with regard to the chosen authors, as indicated previously.