In the ancient times of Matagalpa, nestled amidst the towering peaks and lush valleys, there stood the Apante mountain—a place of reverence and fear. Atop this mountain, a stone jutted out, casting its shadow over the landscape like a silent guardian. This stone, known as the Altar of Sacrifice, bore witness to rituals of old, where offerings were made to appease the gods and ensure the prosperity of the land.

It was said that on the darkest nights, when the moon hung low and the stars whispered secrets, the serpent woman would emerge from the depths of the earth. With eyes like emeralds and scales that shimmered like gold, she slithered across the land, demanding tribute from the people of Matagalpa.

But amidst the fear and uncertainty, there arose a beacon of hope—a humble priest named Fray Margil de Jesús. Guided by faith and armed with courage, he journeyed to Matagalpa to confront the serpent woman and banish her from the land. With prayers on his lips and determination in his heart, Fray Margil ascended the Apante mountain, where he found the stone altar stained with blood and offerings.

With the dawn of a new day, Fray Margil stood before the serpent woman, his hands clasped in prayer. With words of exorcism, he bound the serpent woman with the hair of the Holy Virgin Mary, casting her back into the depths from whence she came. And as the sun rose over the horizon, the people of Matagalpa rejoiced, for their land was free from the grip of darkness.

But the legend did not end there, for Fray Margil left behind a warning—a prophecy of doom and salvation intertwined. He spoke of three hairs of the Holy Virgin, binding the serpent woman to the land. Two hairs had already burst, bringing drought and despair to the land. And when the third hair would burst, the Apante mountain would collapse, unleashing the waters contained within, and washing away the city of Matagalpa.

Although many doubted the truth of Fray Margil's words, the legend persisted, passed down from generation to generation. For in the heart of Matagalpa, amidst the whispers of the wind and the rustle of leaves, there echoed the promise of peace—a peace brought forth by the divine intervention of the Holy Virgin Mary, whose hair bound the fate of the land to her eternal grace of her.