Latin American Folktales (5 page)

V. IS IT YOU?

When the Spaniards arrived at the edge of the city, things came to a head, and it reached the point where Montezuma fixed himself and got dressed up to meet them, along with the other high lords and princes who were his chiefs and nobles. And so they all went out to make the greeting.

Fine flowers were placed on a gourd tray, with popcorn-, yellow tobacco-, and cacao flowers surrounded by shield- and heartflowers in wreaths and garlands, and they brought gold necklaces, collars, and neck bands, so that when Montezuma met them there at Hummingbird Point he had gifts for the captains and warlords. Then he gave them the flowers, necklaced them with necklaces, with flower necklaces, adorned them with flowers, and wreathed their heads. Then he showed the Marquis all the necklaces made of gold, and as he necklaced him with a few of them, the greeting came to a close.

Then the Marquis said to Montezuma, “Is it you? Are you he? Are you Montezuma?”

“Yes, I am he,” said Montezuma, and he arose and went over to him and made a low bow. Then he pulled himself up to his full height, stood straight, and addressed him, saying, “My lord, you must be tired, you must be weary. You have arrived in this city of Mexico. You have reached this mat and throne of yours that I have held for you briefly. I have been taking care of things for you.

“Gone are those rulers of yours, Itzcoatl, Montezuma the elder, Axayacatl, Tizoc, and Ahuitzotl, who briefly stood guard for you, governing this city of Mexico. I, your servant, came after them. I wonder, can they look back and see over their shoulders? If only just one of them could see what I see, could marvel at what is happening to me now! For this is no dream. I am not sleepwalking, not seeing things in my sleep. I am not dreaming that I see you and look into your face. Indeed, I have been troubled for as many days as there are fingers on my two hands. I have gazed into the Unknown and have seen you coming out of the clouds, out of the mists.

“Those kings used to say that you would come back to your city and proceed to your mat and throne, that you would return. And this has come true. You are here, and you must be tired, you must be weary. Welcome to this land. Rest yourself. Go to your palace and rest your body. Our lords are welcome here.”

Nahua
(Mexico)

I. MAYTA CAPAC

The Inca Lloque Yupanqui had grown old without an heir. And now it was widely believed that he was too old, too weak, to father a child.

Yet one day as he sat grieving, deep in sorrow, the Sun appeared to him in human form and consoled him, saying, “Do not grieve, Lloque Yupanqui, for your descendants shall be great lords. You shall father a child.”

Upon hearing this, the Inca reported it to his kinsmen, who in turn made it known to the people. Then they set about to find him a wife. It was his own brother, being the one who knew best the Inca’s nature, who selected the bride. He found her in the town of Oma, asked permission of her relatives, obtained her, and brought her to Cuzco. This woman was called Mama Caua, and by her the Inca was to have a son, whose name would be Mayta Capac.

Mama Caua had been pregnant only three months when her son was born. He was born with teeth. He was lively. And so quickly did he grow that at the end of one year he was as large and as strong as an eight-year-old. By the time he was two he was fighting with young men and could beat them and injure them severely.

They say that he joined in games with certain youths of the Alcahuiza, the Culunchima tribe, who lived in the vicinity of Cuzco; and he hurt a great many of them, and some were even killed. One day, in a dispute over who might drink water from a particular fountain, he broke the leg of the son of the Alcahuizas’ chief lord, and he chased the other boys into their houses, where the Alcahuizas had been living in peace without troubling the Incas.

At last the Alcahuizas could no longer endure the attacks of Mayta Capac. And though they knew he was the Inca’s favorite and well guarded by his kinsmen, they were nonetheless prepared to kill him. They were ready to risk their lives. They selected ten among themselves, and these were sent to the House of the Sun, where Lloque Yupanqui and Mayta Capac lived.

As they entered, intending to kill them both, it happened that Mayta Capac was playing ball with some other boys in the palace court. When he saw his enemies arriving, bearing arms, he hurled a ball in their direction, and one of them was hit and killed. Then he attacked the others and made them flee; and although they escaped, they fled with many wounds. This then is how they returned to their chief lord.

When the Alcahuizas, the Culunchimas, were made aware of the injury that had been done to their people, they were filled with fear. Mayta Capac was only a child. What might he do when he became a man?

Now, truly, they were prepared to risk their lives. Gathering all their people together, they set out to make war against the Incas.

Then Lloque Yupanqui was troubled. He feared he would be destroyed, and he reprimanded his son, Mayta Capac, saying, “Child! Why have you injured these people? I am an old man. Would you have me die at the hands of our enemies?”

But the Inca’s own subjects, who loved to pillage, who preferred war over peace and lived by thievery, spoke up in favor of Mayta Capac and told the Inca to keep still and not to speak against his son. Then indeed Lloque Yupanqui no longer reprimanded his son.

The Alcahuizas, the Culunchimas, prepared their troops. Mayta Capac likewise took command of his subjects. Both sides gave battle, and though at first the contest was even, with neither side prevailing, then at last when each party had fought long, each hoping to win the victory, the Alcahuizas, the Culunchimas, were defeated by the subjects of Mayta Capac.

But the Alcahuizas were not disheartened. They came again and with greater spirit. They attacked the House of the Sun and pounded it on three sides. At first Mayta Capac, having retired to his quarters, was unaware of what had happened. But then he emerged. He came out from behind the walls. He struggled fiercely with his enemies, and at last he routed them, he defeated them. Then he danced, adorned with fine regalia.

Still the Alcahuizas would not desist. Again they called Mayta Capac to battle, and again he accepted. But they say that now a hail-storm fell on the Alcahuizas, so that all of them were finally defeated. Then Mayta Capac took their chief lord and kept him in prison until he died.

Indeed this Mayta Capac was bold. He was the first since the days of Manco Capac to take up arms and win victories.

And they say that Mayta Capac inherited the Sun bird that Manco Capac had brought with him when he founded Cuzco. Always the bird had been locked within a hamper of woven reeds, handed down from Inca to Inca, and no one had ventured to open it, for all were timid.

But Mayta Capac was more daring than they. He wished to see what his forebears had kept so carefully hidden. He opened the hamper. He took out the Sun bird and spoke to it. Truly, they say, it answered him in oracles. And because of it he grew wise. He knew what would happen: he could foretell the future.

II. THE STORM

When Topa Inca Yupanqui was lord and had conquered many provinces, then for a long time he rested in great contentment.

But finally and in different places there came a rebellion of the Allancu, the Callancu, and the Chaqui. These tribes would not be subjects of the Inca.

And so the Inca fought with them for twelve years, enlisting many thousands of his people, all of whom, however, were destroyed. Then the Inca mourned. He was deeply troubled, thinking, “What will become of us?”

Then one day he thought to himself, “Why do I offer the gods my gold and silver, my woven robes, my food, and everything else that I have? Now, this moment, I will send for them, and they can help me against these rebels.” Then he spoke aloud and summoned them with the words: “Wherever you are, come, you who receive gold and silver!”

Then the gods said yes and they came.

Pachacamac came in a litter, and so too, in litters, did the other gods from every part of Tahuantinsuyu, and they all came together in the great square at Cuzco.

Pariacaca, however, had not yet arrived. “Should I go? Or should I not go?” He was unable to make up his mind. Then at last he sent his son, Macahuisa, saying, “Go! And listen!”

When Macahuisa arrived, he sat down in the rear next to his litter.

Then the Inca began to speak: “O Fathers! Gods and Spirits! You know already how I have made you sacrificial offerings of gold and silver. My heart has been filled with devotion. And seeing that I have served you well, could you not come to my aid, now that I am losing so many thousands of my people? It is for this that I have called you.”

But when he had spoken, not a one gave him answer. They merely sat there saying nothing. Then the Inca spoke again: “Speak! You made and created these people. Will you let them die in battle? Help me! Or I will have you all burned on the spot. Why should I serve and adorn you with gold and silver, with food by the basketful and drink, with llamas of mine, and everything else that I have? You hear my sorrow, and if you will not aid me, or even speak, you must burn on the spot.” These were his words.

Then Pachacamac began to speak: “Inca, O Rising Sun, I who can violently shake all things, even you and the whole earth—I have not yet spoken, for were I to destroy these rebels, then you too and even the earth would likewise be destroyed. And so I sit here saying nothing.”

Then at last, though the remaining spirits kept their silence, the one who was called Macahuisa began to speak: “Inca, O Rising Sun, I will go forth! You will remain behind and watch over your subjects and protect them with your thoughts. I will go at once. For your sake I will conquer!”

As he spoke, metal poured from his mouth like an out-flowing vapor; and there before him were golden panpipes. He blew on the panpipes and made music. Also he had a flute, and it too was of gold. Upon his head he wore a headdress. His staff was gold. His tunic was black.

Then, so that Macahuisa could go, the Inca gave him one of his own litters and selected strong litter bearers from among the Collahuaya, who in but few days could cover many days’ distance.

And so they carried Macahuisa in a litter against the enemy.

When they had brought him to a little mountain, Macahuisa, being Pariacaca’s son, began to make it rain, at first gently. And the people living in the villages below thought, “What is this?” and prepared themselves for the worst.

Then Macahuisa flashed lightning and made more and more rain until all the villages were carried away in a flood; and where the villages had been, he made gullies. With lightning he destroyed their overlord and all their nobles. Only a few of the people were saved, but had he willed it, he could have destroyed them all. Having conquered them totally, he led the survivors back to Cuzco.

From that time on, the Inca revered Pariacaca even more than he had before and furnished him with fifty attendants to make him sacrificial offerings.

Then to Pariacaca’s son he said, “Father Macahuisa, what can I give you? Whatever you wish, demand it of me! Anything!” These were his words.

But the god answered, “I will have nothing at all, only that you worship me as our sons from Jauja do.”

Then the Inca said, “Very well, Father.” But he was filled with fear, thinking, “Perhaps he could destroy me too,” and therefore he wished to make him an offering of anything whatsoever. And so he said, “Eat, Father!” and gave him food.

But Macahuisa replied, “I am not accustomed to eating food. Bring me coral!” Then he gave him coral, and he ate it at once with a crunching sound,
cop-cop.

Though he asked for nothing else, the Inca presented him with sun maidens. But he did not take them.

And so Macahuisa set off for home to report to his father, Pariacaca. And after that, the Incas in later days would come to worship in Jauja and dance dances of veneration.

III. THE VANISHING BRIDE

Shortly before the arrival of the Spaniards, Coniraya Viracocha betook himself to Cuzco, where he met with the Inca Huayna Capac; and he said to him:

“My son, let us be off to Titicaca. There I will reveal to you who and what I am.”

When they got there, he spoke again, “Inca, summon your people, that we may send forth to the underworld all the magicians and all those who are wise.” He spoke, and at once the Inca gave out the command.

Then his people arrived, some saying, “I am created of the condor,” others saying, “I am created of the hawk,” still others, “I fly like the swallow.”

Then Coniraya gave them this order: “Go to the underworld! Say to my father, ‘Your son has sent me. Let me have one of his sisters.’ This, then is what you must say,” he commanded.

Then he who was created of the swallow, together with the other created beings, set out for the underworld, to return in five days.

Now it was he, the swallow man, who got there first; and when he had arrived and had delivered his message, he was given a small chest, together with the following command:

“Do not open this. The lord Huayna Capac himself must open it first,” he was ordered.

But while this man was carrying the chest and when he had nearly reached Cuzco, he thought to himself, “I will see what it really is.” Then he opened it, and there before him was a lady, very delicate and pretty. Her hair was wavy, it was like gold. She wore a splendid garment, and as she lay in the chest she was very small.

But the moment he saw her, she vanished. Then he arrived in Cuzco, very troubled; and Huayna Capac said to him, “Were you not created of the swallow, I would have you killed at once. Turn around, go back!”

Then he went back to the underworld and brought her forth again. Along the way, as he was bringing her, whenever he felt hungry and thirsty, he would merely speak the word and at once a table would be spread out before him and a place to sleep.

And so he delivered her in just five days. And when he arrived with her, Coniraya and the Inca received her with great joy.

But before the chest was opened, Coniraya spoke out, crying, “Inca! We will leave this world,” and he pointed, saying, “I will go to this land,” and he pointed again, saying, “You and my sister will go to that land. You and I will never see one another again.”

Then they opened the chest. The moment they opened it the earth was aglow.

Then the Inca Huayna Capac uttered these words: “Never will I return from this place. Only here will I live with my sun maiden, my queen.” Then to one of his vassals and kinsmen he gave this command: “You! Go in my place! And say, ‘I am Huayna Capac’! Now return to Cuzco!”

And in that moment he and his bride disappeared, and so too did Coniraya.

Then some time later, when the supposed Huayna Capac was dead, his successors began quarreling among themselves. They fought over who would be ruler, each saying, “I am first,” and it was then that the Spaniards arrived in Cajamarca.

IV. A MESSENGER IN BLACK

After a hard-fought campaign in the northern provinces, where certain rebel armies had at last been driven back, the Inca Huayna Capac withdrew to the town of Quito in order to rest and to issue new laws and new commands. At this time he received word of a pestilence raging in Cuzco. But again he pushed on, moving northward now against the tribesmen of Pasto and even beyond. As he continued his march, there were sudden bolts of lightning, striking close beside him, and convinced that these were an evil omen he turned back toward Quito.

Again he set out, marching westward toward the sea. But there, at the hour of midnight, he had a vision, in which he saw himself surrounded by millions upon millions of men. No one knows who they were. The Inca believed they were souls of the living, sent to warn him that a great many people would die of the pestilence. But the souls announced that they had come against the Inca himself and by this he understood that they were enemies and he saw that they were armed and hostile. He marched no more, but returned to Quito, and it was there that he celebrated the December feast called Capac Raymi.

Just at the dinner hour there came to him a messenger dressed in a black cloak. With great reverence he kissed the Inca and placed in his hands a small chest, its lid sealed. The Inca ordered him to open it, but the messenger excused himself, saying that it was the command of the Creator that the Inca himself must be the one to remove the cover. The Inca believed him, and as he opened the chest, out came a scattering swarm of moths and butterflies, and this was the pestilence. Within two days the chief of all the Inca’s armies and many of his captains were dead, their faces covered with scabs.

When the Inca saw what had happened, he ordered a sepulcher carved out of stone, and when it was finished he placed himself in it, and there he died. When eight days had passed, the Inca’s body, partly rotted, was taken out and mummified and carried home to Cuzco in a litter as though it were alive. This Inca left behind him in Quito a son named Atahualpa.