Popol Vuh by Ilan Stavans

Author:Ilan Stavans
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Popol Vuh;Ilan Stavans;Gabriela Larios;Americas;European conquest;oral tradition;Mayan civilization;Mayan myth;Mayan mythology;Mayan people;latin american literature;latin american mythology;sacred text;myth retelling;K’iche’;Quiche;Guatemala;Guatemalan literature;Guatemalan mythology;central american religion;central american literature;central american mythology;Xibalba;indigenous people;indigenous literature;mayan creation myth;creation myth;origin story;mayan origin story;Heart of Heaven;Heart of Earth;Ixtah;Ixpuch;Bartolomé de Las Casas;Defender of Indigenous People;Apologetica Historia Sumaria;conquistadors;Spanish conquest;Christian conquest;latin american conquest;Creator and Maker;Ixb’alanke;Xbalanque;Q'uq'umatz;tzite;Ixmukane;Kab’raqan;Ajaltoqt’ob;Quequma-ha;Xuxulim-ha;Chik’te’;Kah’al;Iskak’au;Ququb’;Tzotzil;Mixcu Viejo;Qumarkaj
Publisher: Restless Books
Published: 2020-11-10T19:37:01+00:00

The hero twins happily went to the court to play ball. They played for a long time. It was the same court where their father and uncle used to play.

The lords of Xibalba heard about them: “Who are those who once again play over our heads and bother us with the racket they make, just like Jun Junajpu and Wuqub’ Junajpu, who were eager to vanquish us?”

They told their ferocious hyenas, who served as messengers, “Go tell them to come, by order of the lords. We want to play ball with them in seven days.”

The hyenas took a winding road up and out of Xibalba and into the world. They followed rivers across mountains until they reached the twins’ house, where they found the grandmother.

She was taken aback. “Junajpu and Ixb’alanke are wanted by the lords,” the hyenas announced imperiously. “In seven days’ time.”

The grandmother felt a tremor inside her. She was anxious and without words. Her legs were about to collapse. Yet she quickly replied, “They shall be there.”

When the hyenas left, she didn’t know what to do. “Who shall I ask to call the twins? Wasn’t this exactly the way the owls of Xibalba came the last time and took away their father and uncle?”

She was alone and afflicted at home. While she was wandering around, a louse fell out of her head and into her lap. She lifted it and put the louse on her palm. It moved around and began to talk.

“What is it that concerns you?” the louse said.

“Go fetch my grandchildren from the court. Tell them that messengers of Xibalba have come before their grandmother. They are required to show up in seven days.”

On the road to the court, the louse came across a toad called Tamazul.

“Where are you going?” the toad said.

“I have a command to fulfill. I need to fetch Junajpu and Ixb’alanke,” the louse answered.

“I don’t see why you need to hurry,” Tamazul stated. “Do you want me to swallow you? You’ll see how I jump. We shall get there together to the court faster than you might on your own.”

“Fine,” the louse answered. The toad swallowed the louse, then leaped as far as possible without hurrying. He came across a snake called Sakikas.

“Where are you going, Tamazul?” Sakikas asked the toad.

“I’m an envoy. I have a message to deliver inside my belly.”

“I see you are in no hurry. Wouldn’t I arrive faster?” the snake said. “I can swallow you and arrive quickly.”

Sakikas devoured Tamazul.

The snake was going quickly when she was met by a sparrow hawk named Lotz’kik, which is closely related to the falcon Oactli. The sparrow hawk ate the snake.

The sparrow hawk landed on a cornice near the court where Junajpu and Ixb’alanke were playing. “Vak-ko, vak-ko,” it said, which means “Here is the hawk!”

“Why are you making such noise?” the twins said. “Let us get our blowguns.”

They immediately shot the sparrow hawk, hitting it in the eye. It fell and they ran to get it. “What are you doing here?” they wanted to know.

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