This A2 Elementary retelling of La montaña de las almas keeps the plot clear for learners while still giving the story some atmosphere and momentum. En un pequeño pueblo cerca de una montaña alta, vive Alonso. Él es un joven valiente y un poco bromista.
This version teaches Spanish through English and includes clickable word help inside the story, full story audio, and lesson notes after the reading. It is free to use on Yak Yacker and is designed to feel natural, readable, and manageable for learners.
En un pequeño pueblo cerca de una montaña alta, vive Alonso. Él es un joven y un poco . No cree en las . Su prima Beatriz es diferente. Ella ama las leyendas antiguas.
Una tarde, en el Día de Todos los Santos, Beatriz mira la montaña. «Alonso, ¿sabes qué dice la leyenda? Esta noche, las almas de la montaña despiertan y buscan ayuda. Si alguien sube y muestra compasión, las almas pueden descansar en paz.» Alonso se ríe. «¡No es verdad! Pero yo voy a subir. ¡Te lo demuestro!»
Beatriz le da una cinta azul. «Toma, pon esta cinta en la cima. Así sabré que fuiste.» Alonso toma la cinta y la montaña al . El viento sopla frío y las bailan entre los árboles.
Pronto, Alonso escucha . «Ayúdanos…» Las voces son suaves, no dan miedo. Alonso las palabras de Beatriz. ¿Es posible que las almas necesiten compasión? Él siente en lugar de miedo.
De repente, unas luces alrededor. Son las almas. Tienen formas y rostros tristes. Una luz se acerca. «Joven, ¿puedes ayudarnos? Estamos aquí. Necesitamos que alguien nos recuerde con amor.» Alonso se sorprende. «Yo… no sé cómo.»
El alma sonríe. «Solo piensa en nosotros con bondad. Pon la cinta en la cima como .» Alonso más rápido. Pone la cinta azul en la roca más alta. «Para todas las almas olvidadas», dice en voz alta.
Las luces fuerte. Las almas y bailan. «¡Gracias, Alonso! Ahora podemos ir .» Las luces suben al cielo como estrellas. Alonso se siente feliz. Baja la montaña con el corazón ligero.
Beatriz lo espera en el pueblo. «¿Qué pasó?» Alonso todo. Beatriz sonríe. «Entonces, ¿ahora crees en leyendas?» Alonso ríe. «Creo en la . Y esta noche, la montaña está llena de estrellas.»
In a small town near a high mountain, lives Alonso. He is a brave young man and a bit of a joker. He doesn't believe in ghost stories. His cousin Beatriz is different. She loves ancient legends.
One afternoon, on All Saints' Day, Beatriz looks at the mountain. 'Alonso, do you know what the legend says? Tonight, the souls of the mountain awaken and seek help. If someone climbs and shows compassion, the souls can rest in peace.' Alonso laughs. 'It's not true! But I'll climb. I'll prove it to you!'
Beatriz gives him a blue ribbon. 'Here, put this ribbon on the summit. That way I'll know you went.' Alonso takes the ribbon and climbs the mountain at dusk. The wind blows cold and the shadows dance among the trees.
Soon, Alonso hears whispers. 'Help us...' The voices are soft, not frightening. Alonso remembers Beatriz's words. Could it be that the souls need compassion? He feels curiosity instead of fear.
Suddenly, lights shine around him. They are the souls. They have luminous shapes and sad faces. One light approaches. 'Young man, can you help us? We are trapped here. We need someone to remember us with love.' Alonso is surprised. 'I... I don't know how.'
The soul smiles. 'Just think of us with kindness. Put the ribbon on the summit as an offering.' Alonso climbs faster. He puts the blue ribbon on the highest rock. 'For all the forgotten souls,' he says aloud.
The lights shine brightly. The souls laugh and dance. 'Thank you, Alonso! Now we can go in peace.' The lights rise to the sky like stars. Alonso feels happy. He goes down the mountain with a light heart.
Beatriz waits for him in the town. 'What happened?' Alonso tells her everything. Beatriz smiles. 'So, do you now believe in legends?' Alonso laughs. 'I believe in kindness. And tonight, the mountain is full of stars.'
The story of Alonso and the mountain is full of vivid Spanish words. Learning these will help you talk about legends, emotions, and nature. Here are some key nouns from the tale:
Try using them in simple sentences: La leyenda habla de almas. Alonso sube a la cima y pone una cinta azul. Notice how most of these nouns are feminine, so they pair with 'la' or 'una'.
- un alma (soul) – las almas (plural)
- una leyenda (legend)
- la cima (summit)
- una cinta (ribbon)
- la compasión (compassion)
- la bondad (kindness)
- un susurro (whisper)
In Spanish, reflexive verbs describe actions you do to yourself or changes in your state. The story is full of them: Alonso se ríe (he laughs), se sorprende (he is surprised), and se siente feliz (he feels happy). You‘ll notice the little word 'se' before the verb – that‘s the reflexive pronoun for he/she/you (formal). For other people, it changes: me, te, se, nos, os, se.
Some verbs like sentirse change meaning when reflexive: sentir means ‘to feel’ something external, while sentirse means ‘to feel’ an emotion or sensation. Compare: Siento el viento (I feel the wind) vs. Me siento alegre (I feel happy). Reflexives are used daily in Spanish, so let‘s practice!
- Me río – I laugh
- Te acercas – You approach
- Se sienten en paz – They feel at peace
- Nos sorprendemos – We are surprised
The story takes place on el Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints‘ Day), November 1st. In many Spanish-speaking countries, this is a day to honor and remember loved ones who have died. Families often visit cemeteries, bring flowers, and share memories. Unlike the lively Día de los Muertos in Mexico, this day is generally quieter and more reflective, but both share the idea that souls are close to us.
This tradition gives special meaning to Alonso‘s journey: offering kindness to forgotten souls so they can rest. It‘s a beautiful example of how language and culture are woven together.
- el cementerio – cemetery
- las flores – flowers
- recordar – to remember
You’ve journeyed with Alonso up the mountain – now let the Spanish stay with you! Retelling the story in your own words is a powerful way to lock in new vocabulary and grammar. Don’t worry about being perfect; just try.
Grab a notebook or a friend, and give these a go. Every bit of practice lights up your Spanish, just like those grateful souls lit up the night sky.
- Re-read the story and underline all the reflexive verbs you find.
- Write 3 sentences about Alonso‘s adventure using the new words.
- Share the legend with someone in Spanish, even if you simplify it.
La montaña de las almas comes from an older public-domain story tradition and is best known as a public_domain_legend_retelling. This Yak Yacker article is an original learner retelling based on public-domain source material, so the wording here is simplified for modern learners rather than copied from one old edition.
Older printings, translations, and retellings of this story can vary quite a bit. This version is adapted for A2 Elementary learners studying Spanish.
If you want to keep going, browse more in our Spanish section and review the A2 Spanish Vocabulary. After that, try Top Adjectives in Spanish for another useful next step.
