The Legend of the Sleeping Woman Iztaccihuatl is the third highest mountain in Mexico, about 40 miles south of Mexico City. Aztec legend tells us that the mountain peaks formed over the body of a girl who died from a broken heart. According to legend, an emperor promised a warrior, Popocatépetl, that he could marry his daughter if he went to battle and came back alive. The emperor's daughter, Iztaccíhuatl, loved Popocatépetl very much and waited for him to come home. This upset Iztaccíhuatl very much and she died; some say she died from sadness. When Popocatépetl finally came back from war, he found Iztaccihuatl dead. He carried her to a Over time, earth and snow covered their bodies and while Iztaccíhuatl became the mountain, Popocatépetl became the volcano. mountaintop and built a fire. Some people say that the mountain is in the shape of Iztaccíhuatl's body. The legend also says that the smoke that comes from the nearby volcano is actually from Popocatépetl's fire that still burns. People told the story many times, so now there are different versions of it. So next time you see the mountain, remember the legend of the sleeping woman.
