Thou They Conceived Again Guardians of Forest Popul Voh

Popol Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life

Translated by Dennis Tedlock,
Touchstone, 1996

Popol Vuh
Part One

This is the beginning of the Ancient Discussion, hither in this identify called Quiché. Hither we shall inscribe, we shall implant the Aboriginal Discussion, the potential and source for everything done in the citadel of Quiché, in the nation of Quiché people.

Bird deity being shot by twins with blowguns, redrawn from an Early Classic Mayan Plate.
Courtesy Allen Christenson

And hither we shall take upwards the demonstration, revelation, and business relationship of how things were put in shadow and brought to light past

The Maker, Modeler,
Named Bearer, Father,
Hunahpú Possum, Hunahpú Coyote,
Nifty White Peccary, Coati,
Sovereign Plumed Snake,
Heart of the Lake, Heart of the Sea,
plate shaper, basin shaper, as they are chosen,
as well named, also described as
the midwife, matchmaker
named Xpiyacoc, Xmucane,
defender, protector,
twice a midwife, twice a matchmaker,

as is said in the words of Quiché. They deemed for everything—and did information technology, too—as enlightened beings, in enlightened words. We shall write nearly this now among the preaching of God, in Christendom now. We shall bring it out because there is no longer

a identify to run into it, a Council Book,
a place to see "The Calorie-free That Came from
Beside the Bounding main,"
the account of "Our Identify in the Shadows.
a place to see "The Dawn of Life,"

as it is called. There is the original book and ancient writing, but the ane who reads and assesses information technology has a hidden identity. It takes a long operation and business relationship to consummate the lighting of all the heaven-earth:

the fourfold siding, fourfold cornering,
measuring, fourfold staking,
halving the cord, stretching the cord
in the sky, on the earth,
the four sides, the four corners, as information technology is said,
by the Maker, Modeler,
mother-father of life, of humankind,
giver of breath, giver of heart,
bearer, upbringer in the calorie-free, begotten in
the light;
worrier, knower of everything, whatsoever
there is:
sky-earth, lake-sea.

This is the account, here it is:

Now it still ripples, now information technology still murmurs, ripples, it still sighs, still hums, and it is empty nether the sky.

Here follow the commencement words, the first eloquence:

There is not yet one person, 1 animal, bird, fish, crab, tree, stone, hollow, canyon, meadow, forest. Just the sky lone is there; the face of the earth is not articulate. But the sea alone is pooled under all the heaven; in that location is naught whatever gathered together. It is at rest; not a single affair stirs. It is black, kept at residual under the sky.

Whatever might be is simply not in that location: just murmurs, ripples, in the dark, in the night. Only the Maker, Modeler alone, Sovereign Plumed Serpent, the Bearers, Begetters are in the h2o, a glittering light. They are there, they are enclosed in quetzal feathers, in blue-green.

Thus the proper name, "Plumed Serpent." They are great knowers, corking thinkers in their very beingness.

And of course there is the sky, and there is too the Heart of Heaven. This is the proper name of the god, as it is spoken.

And then came his discussion, he came hither to the Sovereign Plumed Serpent, here in the black, in the early dawn. He spoke with the Sovereign Plumed Serpent, and they talked, so they thought, then they worried. They agreed with each other, they joined their words, their thoughts. Then it was clear, then they reached accord in the light, and so humanity was clear, when they conceived the growth, the generation of trees, of bushes, and the growth of life, of humankind, in the blackness, in the early dawn, all because of the Middle of the Sky, named Hurricane. Thunderbolt Hurricane comes first, the second is Newborn Thunderbolt, and the tertiary is Sudden Thunderbolt.

And then at that place were three of them, as Heart of the Sky, who came to the Sovereign Plumed Serpent, when the dawn of life was conceived:

"How should the sowing exist, and the dawning? Who is to be the provider, nurturer?"

"Allow it be this manner, call back about it: this water should be removed, emptied out for the formation of the earth's own plate and platform, so should come the sowing, the dawning of the sky-globe. But there will be no high days and no bright praise for our piece of work, our design, until the rising of the human work, the human being design," they said.

And and then the earth arose because of them, it was simply their word that brought it forth. For the forming of the earth they said "Earth." It arose suddenly, just like a cloud, similar a mist, now forming, unfolding. Then the mountains were separated from the h2o, all at in one case the great mountains came along. By their genius alone, past their cutting edge solitary they carried out the conception of the mountain-plain, whose confront grew instant groves of cypress and pine.

And the Plumed Serpent was pleased with this:

"It was good that you came, Center of the Heaven, Hurricane, and New Built-in Thunderbolt, Sudden Thunderbolt. Our work, our design will turn out well," they said.

And the earth was formed kickoff, the mountain-airplane. The channels of h2o were separated; their branches wound their way amidst the mountains. The waters were divided when the smashing mountains appeared.

Such was the formation of the earth when it was brought forth by the Heart of the Sky, Heart of Earth, equally they are called, since they were the outset to think of it. The sky was prepare apart, and the world was set apart in the midst of the waters.

Such was their plan when they thought, when they worried about the completion of their piece of work.

Now they planned the animals of the mountains, all the guardians of the forests, creatures of the mountains: the deer, the birds, pumas, jaguars, serpents, rattlesnakes, fer-de-lances, guardians of the bushes.

A Bearer, Male parent speaks:

"Why this pointless humming? Why should in that location simply exist rustling below the copse and bushes?"

"Indeed—they had amend take guardians," the others replied. As presently as they thought it and said it, deer and birds came forth.

And so they gave out homes to the deer and birds:

"You, the deer: slumber along the rivers, in canyons. Be here in the meadows, in the thickets, in the forests, multiply yourselves. You lot will stand and walk on all fours," they were told.

So then they established the nests of the birds, minor and great:

"You, precious birds: your nests, your houses are in copse, in the bushes. Multiply there, besprinkle there, in the branches of copse, the bushes," the deer and birds were told.

And then the deer and birds were told by the Maker, Modeler, Bearer, Begetter:

"Talk, speak out. Don't moan, don't cry out. Delight talk, each to each, within each kind within each group," they were told—the deer, birds, puma, jaguar, serpent.

"Name at present our names, praise united states of america. Nosotros are your mother, nosotros are your begetter. Speak now:

'Hurricane,
Newborn Thunderbolt, Sudden
Thunderbolt,
Eye of Sky, Center of Globe,
Maker, Modeler,
Bearer, Begetter,'

speak, pray to u.s.a., go along our days," they were told. But information technology didn't turn out that they spoke similar people: they only squawked, they just chattered, they just howled. Information technology wasn't apparent what language they spoke; each one gave a different cry. When Maker, Modeler heard this:

"It hasn't turned out well, they haven't spoken," they said among themselves. "Information technology hasn't turned out that our names have been named. Since we are their mason and sculptor, this volition non do," the Bearers and Begetters said among themselves. And so they told them:

"Y'all will merely accept to exist transformed. Since information technology hasn't turned out well and yous haven't spoken, we have changed our discussion:

"What y'all feed on, what you swallow, the places where you sleep, the places where you lot stay, whatever is yours will remain in the canyons, the forests. Although it turned out that our days were nor kept, nor did you pray to united states of america, there may still be forcefulness in the keeper of days, the giver of praise whom we have yet to make. Just accept your service, simply let your mankind be eaten.

"So be it, this must be your service," they were told when they were instructed—the animals, small and great, on the confront of the earth.

And then they wanted to examination their timing again, they wanted to experiment once more, and they wanted to ready for the keeping of days again. They had not heard their speech among the animals; information technology did not come up to fruition and information technology was non complete.

Death Gods, from the Dresden Codex.
Courtesy Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc., www.famsi.org

Again in that location comes an experiment with the human work, the human blueprint, by the Maker, Modeler, Bearer, Begetter:

"It must simply be tried over again. The time for the planting and dawning is nearing. For this we must make a provider and nurturer. How else tin can nosotros be invoked and remembered on the face up of the earth? Nosotros have already made our first try at our work and blueprint, but it turned out that they didn't keep our days, nor did they glorify united states."

And so so comes the building and working with globe and mud. They fabricated a body, but it didn't wait good to them. Information technology was only separating, just aging, just loosening, just softening, merely disintegrating, and simply dissolving. Its head wouldn't turn, either. Its face was just lopsided, its face was but twisted. It couldn't await effectually. Information technology talked at first, but senselessly. It was rapidly dissolving in the h2o.

"Information technology won't last," the mason and sculptor said and so. "It seems to exist dwindling away, and then permit it just dwindle. It can't walk and it can't multiply, and then allow it be merely a thought," they said.

Then and then they dismantled, again they brought down their work and blueprint. Over again they talked:

"What is there for united states to brand that would turn out well, that would succeed in keeping our days and praying to united states of america?" they said. And so they planned again:

"We'll but tell Xpiyacoc, Xmucane, Hunahpú Possum, Hunahpú Coyote, to try a counting of days, a counting of lots," the bricklayer and sculptor said to themselves. And so they invoked Xpiyacoc, Xmucane.

Then comes the naming of those who are the midmost seers: the "Grandmother of Day, Grandmother of Light," every bit the Maker, Modeler called them. These are names of Xpiyacoc and Xmucane.

When Hurricane had spoken with the Sovereign Plumed Serpent, they invoked the daykeepers, diviners, the midmost seers:

"At that place is nevertheless to find, withal to notice how we are to model a person, construct a person over again, a provider, nurturer, so that we are called upon and we are recognized: our recompense is in words.

Midwife, matchmaker,
our grandmother, our granddad,
Xpiyacoc, Xmucane,
let there exist planting, let there be the dawning
of our invocation, our sustenance, our
recognition
past human work, the man design,
the homo figure, the human being form.
And then be information technology, fulfill your names:
Hunahpú Possum, Hunahpú Coyote,
Bearer twice over, Male parent twice over,
Great Peccary, Nifty Coati,
lapidary, jeweler,
sawyer, carpenter,
plate shaper, bowl shaper,
incense maker, master craftsman,
Grandmother of Twenty-four hours, Grandmother of Light.

You have been chosen upon because of our piece of work, our design. Run your hands over kernels of corn, over seeds of the coral tree, just get information technology done, just let it come out whether nosotros should carve and gouge a mouth, a face up in wood," they told the daykeepers.

And and so comes the borrowing, the counting of days; the hand is moved over the corn kernels, over the coral seeds, the days, the lots.

Then they spoke to them, i of them a grandmother, the other a granddaddy.

This is the granddaddy, this is the master of the coral seeds: Xpiyacoc is his name.

And this is the grandmother, the daykeeper, diviner who stands backside others: Xmucane is her proper name.

And they said, as they set out the days:

"Just let it exist found, but let it be discovered,
say it, our ear is listening,
may you lot talk, may y'all speak,
just discover the wood for the etching
and sculpting
by the builder, sculptor.
Is this to be the provider, the nurturer
when it comes to the planting, the dawning?
You lot corn kernels, you coral seeds,
you days, y'all lots:
may you lot succeed, may you be authentic,"

they said to the corn kernels, coral seeds, days, lots. "Have shame, y'all upward in that location, Heart of Sky: effort no deception before the rima oris and confront of Sovereign Plumed Serpent," they said. Then they spoke straight to the point:

"It is well that there exist your manikins, woodcarvings, talking, speaking, there on the face of the world."

"So be it," they replied. The moment they spoke it was washed: the manikins, woodcarvings, human being in looks and man in voice communication.

This was the peopling of the face of the globe:

They came into being, they multiplied, they had daughters, they had sons, these manikins, woodcarvings. But in that location was naught in their hearts and nothing in their minds, no memory of their mason and builder. They just went and walked wherever they wanted. Now they did not remember the Heart of the Sky.

And so they savage, simply an experiment and just a cutout for humankind. They were talking at first but their faces were dry. They were not even so adult in the legs and arms. They had no claret, no lymph. They had no sweat, no fat. Their complexions were dry, their faces were crusty. They flailed their legs and arms, their bodies were deformed.

And and then they accomplished goose egg before the Maker, Modeler who gave them birth, gave them middle. They became the kickoff numerous people here on the confront of the earth.

Again there comes a humiliation, devastation, and demolition. The manikins, woodcarvings were killed when the Heart of the Sky devised a flood for them. A cracking flood was made; it came downwards on the heads of the manikins, woodcarvings.

The human'due south body was carved from the wood of the coral tree by the Maker, Modeler. And the as for the woman, the Maker, Modeler needed the hearts of bulrushes for the women'south body. They were not competent, nor did they speak before the builder and sculptor who made them, and brought them forth, and so they were killed, done in by a flood:

At that place came a rain of resin from the heaven.

In that location came the one named Gouger of Faces: he gouged out their eyeballs.

There came Crunching Jaguar: he ate their mankind.

There came Tearing Jaguar: he tore them open up.

They were pounded down to the bones and tendons, smashed and pulverized even to the bones. Their faces were smashed because they were incompetent before their female parent and their father, the Eye of the Sky, named Hurricane. The earth was blackened because of this; the black rainstorm began, rain all twenty-four hours and rain all night. Into their houses came the animals, small and great. Their faces were crushed past things of wood and rock. Everything spoke: their water jars, their tortilla griddles, their plates, their cooking pots, their dogs, their grinding stones, each and every thing crushed their faces. Their dogs and turkeys told them:

"You caused us pain, you ate us, only now it isy'all whomwe shall consume."

And this is the grinding stone:

"Nosotros were undone because of you.

Every twenty-four hours, every day,
in the night, in the dawn, forever,
r-r-rip, r-r-rip.
r-r-rub, r-r-rub,
correct in our faces, considering of you.

This was the service nosotros gave you at commencement, when you were still people, but today yous volition learn of our power. We shall pound and we shall grind your flesh," the grinding stones told them.

And this is what their dogs said, when they spoke in their turn:

"Why is information technology you can't seem to give us our food? We only watch you and y'all just keep us down, and you throw u.s. around. You keep a stick ready when yous consume, just so you tin can hitting us. We don't talk, so nosotros've received nothing from you. How could you non have known? Youdid know that we were wasting abroad there, behind y'all.

"So, this very 24-hour interval you will taste the teeth in our mouths. We shall eat you lot," their dogs told them, and their faces were crushed.

And and so their tortilla griddles and cooking pots spoke to them in plough:

"Pain! That's all you've washed for u.s.. Our mouths are sooty, our faces are sooty. By setting u.s.a. on the fire all the time, you burn u.s.a.. Sincenosotros felt no pain,y'all endeavor it. We shall burn down yous," all their cooking pots said, crushing their faces.

The stones, their hearthstones were shooting out, coming right out of the burn down, going for their heads, causing them pain. Now they run for it, helter-skelter.

They climb up on the houses, but they autumn as the houses collapse.

They desire to climb the trees; they're thrown from the trees.

They desire to get within caves, but the caves slam close in their faces.

Such was the handful of the human work, the man pattern. The people were ground down, overthrown. The mouths and faces of all of them were destroyed and crushed. And information technology used to be said that the monkeys in the forest today are a sign of this. They were left as a sign because wood alone was used for their mankind past the builder and sculptor.

And then this is why monkeys await like people: they are a sign of a previous human work, human design—mere manikins, mere woodcarvings.

This was when there was only a trace of early dawn on the confront of the earth, in that location was no sunday. Simply in that location was i who magnified himself; 7 Macaw is his name. The heaven-earth was already at that place, but the face of the sun-moon was clouded over. Yet, it is said that his light provided a sign for the people who were flooded. He was like a person of genius in his being.

"I am great. My place is now higher than that of the homo piece of work, the man pattern. I am their lord's day and I am their light, and I am also their months.

"So exist it: my light is not bad. I am the walkway and I am the foothold of the people, considering my optics are of metallic. My teeth only glitter with jewels, and turquoise as well; they stand out blueish with stones like the face of the sky.

"And this nose of mine shines white into the distance like the moon. Since my nest is metallic, it lights up the face of the globe. When I come forth earlier my nest, I am like the sun and moon for those who are born in the light, begotten in the lite. It must be so, because my face up reaches into the distance," says Seven Macaw.

It is not true that he is the sun, this Vii Macaw, however he magnifies himself, his wings, his metal. Merely the scope of his face lies right around his own perch; his face does not attain everywhere beneath the sky. The faces of the lord's day, moon and stars are not yet visible, it has non still dawned.

And so Vii Macaw puffs himself up as the days and the months, though the calorie-free of the sun and moon has not nevertheless clarified. He but wished for surpassing greatness. This was when the flood was worked upon the manikins, woodcarvings.

And now we shall explain how Vii Macaw died, when people were vanquished, done in by the bricklayer and sculptor.

Underworld Jaguar surrounded by waterlilies, redrawn from an Early Classic Maya vase.
Courtesy Allen Christenson

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Source: https://www.learner.org/series/invitation-to-world-literature/popol-vuh/popol-vuh-read-the-text/

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