A town in Quito held a gorgeous unfinished church surrounded by greenery. The birds chirped all morning long. The sound of the wind flowing through the branches filled one’s ear.  An atrium was needed for the church to be finalized. Cantuña, an Indian with much skill, was hired by the Franciscans to design and build it. 

Cantuña used his cleverness and skill to put together a beautiful design for the atrium of the church. He envisioned the church looking as if it was a castle. The stones were starting to be laid out and attached to one another. While building, Cantuña soon realized the load of work will be too much for him to finish by the deadline.

With the deadline approaching, Cantuña grew wary. In order to keep his word and avoid punishment, Cantuña searched for a solution. He could feel the nerves begin to kick in. His heart started to race as he gazed at the cloudy, gray sky. Cantuña called out to God for assistance, but no answer was given.

The pressure started to mount. Cantuña desperately seeked help from another source. He paced around in the grass, anxiously rubbing his clammy hands together. He felt conflicted on what he will do next. His new plan will go against his morals but it was the only solution he saw. Cantuña called out to the Devil and struck a deal, his soul in exchange for the full completion of the artium.

Once the deal was sealed, the Devil ordered the demons to take over and finish the construction. Cantuña had stated two conditions; no missing details and it must all be done by the next morning. The demons tirelessly worked through the night to uphold the Devil’s end of the deal. The clinging sound of the bricks echoed throughout the town. The demons were accompanied by the crickets that were heard every night. 

When the next morning came, Cantuña examined the final product. The sun perfectly shone upon the newly constructed church. The sunlight poured through the glass windows and brighten the interior. Although the church was an absolute beauty, Cantuña was able to point out that a stone was missing from one of the walls of the artium. Little did anyone know that while the demons were working, Cantuña had managed to steal a stone and hide it under his poncho. The Devil was filled with dismay. He had been tricked and Cantuña was able to keep his soul.

The Devil is known for its divinity. He is a higher power compared to humans. His power and status puts him in control of situations. One of the Devil’s tricks is deception. The fact that Cantuña was able to deceive the Devil is full of irony. A simple human being tricked the almighty Devil and got his way. The story of Cantuña and the Devil is a legend in Ecuador. I found it interesting due to the fact that it shows a human out-smarting the Devil. In addition, it is a story behind a real church in Quito called Church of San Francisco. 

Reflection

My writing process is not the most effective. Writing has always been a challenge for me. My concentration can become very poor when it comes to an essay. I have difficulty expanding a topic. I am the type of person to go straight to the point rather than sharing every detail of an idea or event. I tend to overthink every step I take. This leads to my writing process to be prolonged. I can never get myself to begin my essays.

This was my first time retelling a story in writing. Retelling the story was made easier with the DDC format. It simplified the process of writing this piece. I was able to begin writing with more ease and less confusion. The story caught my attention because of the irony that is demonstrated. It is a legend that does not contain the horror most legends in Ecuador have. I enjoyed re-writing the story. 

 The concept of details is my biggest struggle. It was hard finding the correct vocabulary to utilize. I had to close my eyes and picture the scene myself. This helped me figure out what details to add. I wanted the reader to be able to have an image in their head while reading the words. Writing is not something that is my strong suit. I will always find it stressful in a way; either minor or major.