THE LEGEND OF CANTUÑA - Legend 2 - Juan Fernando Bermeo

Beneath the stones of San Francisco’s atrium, a very old deal still echoes.

“Cantuña” is a gripping short eBook that reimagines one of Quito’s most famous legends: the indigenous master craftsman who supposedly made a pact with the Devil to finish a monumental work of stone. In this version, the story goes deeper—revealing not only demons of fire and shadow, but also the very human demons of racism, envy, and power.

Cantuña is not a poor, anonymous worker. He is a respected indigenous locksmith and builder, with a workshop beneath the balconies of the Palacio de Carondelet. When the Franciscan friars commission him to build the grand atrium of the San Francisco church under an impossible deadline, he accepts—knowing this could secure his legacy and a place of honor for his family.

When the work seems destined to fail, the legend says he calls the Devil for help. But in this retelling, the real question becomes:

• Did Cantuña actually trick the Devil?
• Or did later generations invent the “pact” because they could not accept an indigenous craftsman resting in the same sacred mausoleum as the Spanish elite?

This PDF eBook includes:

• A complete, fully edited story of about 4,500 words
• 8 detailed illustrations plus the cover, recreating the workshop, the atrium, and the night of the supposed pact
• A modern reinterpretation that highlights discrimination, social inequality, and the power of rumor
• Author’s notes that connect the legend to real Quito locations you can still visit today

Perfect for readers who enjoy myths with a twist, Latin American folklore, and historical supernatural tales, “Cantuña” is the second legend in the Quito’s Urban Legends series, but can be read on its own without any previous context.

Download the PDF, step onto the cold stones of the atrium, and walk beside Cantuña as he races against time, superstition, and a society that would rather blame the Devil than accept his brilliance.