“And what shall we do with this one,” said a nearby voice, in my native tongue.
“More like what they will do with him,” replied a second voice.
“He seems a stranger. He doesn’t wear a loincloth and what a strange robe. And look at his weapons. Should we help him?” asked First Voice.
“I don’t think so. We have our own concerns,” replied Second Voice. “Ko’one’ex.”
“Wait,” I shouted.
“Oh! He speaks our tongue,” they said, together.
“Where am I?” I asked.
“You mean you don’t know where you are?” asked First Voice. “Aren’t you a Xibalban?”
“Xibalban? No!”
“So, you are indeed a stranger,” concluded Second Voice.
“Yes!”
“How did you die?” asked First Voice.
I hesitated for a short while. “Am I dead?”
“I would think you’re dead. Why else would you be in Xibalba?” stated First Voice, sounding confused. “Or are you one of the brave Warriors who come to Xibalba in hopes of defeating the Lords of Death and, hopefully, in so doing return a friend, family member, or comrade Warrior to the surface?”
“Xibalba?”
“Yes. Xibalba,” replied Second Voice. “Are you not only dead, but dopey as well?”
“I’m not dead.”
“Then what are you doing here?” asked First Voice.
I hesitated again. “I’m hunting Sisimito. He stole my woman and I’m going to rescue her and kill him.”
“Why don’t you just get another woman; and who is Sisimito?” queried First Voice.
“There’re plenty of women,” added Second Voice.
“I love my woman.” They said nothing, but I could hear movements. There were more than two of them. “Sisimito is Mahanamatz,”298 I added.
They were silent then Second Voice spoke. “Mahanamtz is powerful and evil. Your task is dangerous. Mahanamtz has sent many great Warriors to Xibalba. Are you a Warrior?”
“Yes!”
“And what is your name? What kingdom are you from?” continued Second Voice.
I hesitated again, then replied in as strong a voice as I could, “I am from Pusilhá. I am Ke’kchi and I am the Warrior named Fuck.”
“Strange clothes. Strange name. Strange weapons. And he says he’s a Warrior, but he doesn’t know where he is. Has Naum299 dampened your mind?” asked First Voice.
“Who? … No!”
“Well, it seems so,” said First Voice, sympathetically. “And that cloth medallion you wear around your neck? The glyph is not from the customs of our people. Our people do not wear medallions of cloth with such an image.”
I suddenly realized that they could see. “How is it that you can see?” I questioned. “I cannot. It is too dark.”
Second Voice answered. “We are not the same like you. But who are you, anyway? Tell me more.”
“I am one of your people. I know the wonders of Ox Witz Ha. I have been a guest at the palace of Ajawinel K’an II. My woman gave a ch’ayom-puag300 of ya’ax-chich301 with this image to K’an II himself. The image is that of Mother of God. I fought against Ajawinel K’uxaj of Maxam as he attacked Ox Witz Ha. I have played the ballgame Pitz and lived. My woman
has dived into the Sacred Cenote, Ch’ajch’oj Tz’ono’ot, and lived. I am a Warrior and I need your help. Will you help me?”
They conversed quietly among themselves then Second Voice spoke. “There were recent stories, songs, and poems written by our scribes about the image you carry on cloth. Those stories, songs, and poems spoke of a Warrior named Fuck, and his woman called Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’.302 Our artisans have carved the image you wear on many Raax Ch’ayom Puags. It is said that the image is of Ix Na Li Kawa.303 Our people do not know of this Ix Na Li Kawa. Those things have brought much trouble among our people.”
“Trouble?” I queried.
“That’s what I said. Trouble! You must indeed be dopey.” I said nothing in reply. “But yes, Warrior. Trouble! And great danger as well.” They resumed talking quietly among themselves. I waited and sweated.
“You must, indeed, be a Warrior” said Second Voice. “You lie near the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans304 and you are torn and wet. You came through the passage to Xibalba and yet you live. You have been blessed by Ek Chuah,305 double blessed for he has brought you to this side of the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans and so you do not need to cross over to travel to the city of the Bolontiku.306 No one, even the greatest Warrior, has survived being in the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans twice.”
“Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans?” I had no idea what they were talking about, and I still couldn’t see anything. Furthermore, I had no recollection of anything after I blacked out as the Chiquibul Branch pulled me downwards into its raging darkness.
They both sighed loudly then First Voice continued, “We will help you, Warrior, but the burdens will be yours. What help do you need?”
“I need to leave Xibalba so that I can hunt Mahanamtz and rescue my woman.”
“You are indeed dopey,” said Second Voice. “It is very difficult to leave Xibalba. Even we had great difficulties. If it were not for our trickery, wit, and cunning, and the blessings of special powers given to us by the greater gods, we would never have defeated Xibalba. Now, we come and go as we wish.”
“If you defeated Xibalba, why are you not its rulers?”
“You ask many questions, Warrior, and you are indeed a stranger. But it is good to question for it is only then that a Warrior can plan proper strategy, ensure certain victory. A good Warrior always knows.” Second Voice paused a little. “We are not of the Underworld and have no wish to remain here. We come only to ensure that the Lords of Xibalba remain defeated and no longer conspire.”
“When you leave, can you take me with you?”
“No! You are a Warrior. You will need to do the trials to prove that you should leave,” answered Second Voice.
“Trials?”
“We will explain them to you,” continued Second Voice. “It is now obvious to my brother and I that you know nothing.”
“I came with six other Warriors. Are they here?”
“Yes! We are aware of the presence of six other strangers here, but, as you see, not with us. You do see that, don’t you? And oh, you are full of questions,” lamented First Voice. “Were you their Nacon?”307
“Yes! I am their Nacon. But I cannot see anything.”
“Ho-hum! So, why did you lose your Warriors? That is not the sign of a good Nacon. Ek Chuah may remove his blessings,” pointed out First Voice.
I was quiet. “We were separated at the entrance to Xibalba as we were pulled through a deep and swift underground river.”
“Your Warriors are here, but you will have to use trickery, wit, and cunning, to find them as you do not have the blessings or special powers given to my brother and me by the gods. We also have our own duties, Warrior,” said Second Voice. “Now, ko’one’ex. You will need to present yourself to the Xibalba Council Place of the Lords.”
“Xibalba Council Place of the Lords?”
“Yes,” answered First Voice. “The Council Place of the Lords is the main building in Xibalba. It is where the twelve powerful Lords of Xibalba sit in council. It is they who will decide what’s to become of you.”
“Do I have a say in what’s to become of me?’
“Have you so quickly forgotten where you are, Warrior?” asked First Voice.
“No, My Lord.” I paused. “How can I walk in this deep darkness? I can’t see. And why do you travel in the dark?”
“We see in the dark. It is a gift for our services to the god, U K’ux Kaj.308 We approach the city in the dark so that our presence is not noted. As a Nacon you should know that basic strategy, but then we have already established that you are not a good Nacon. You lost your Warriors.”
“I didn’t know you were w
alking covertly.”
“We are. In that way, we hear and see everything that is happening in Xibalba, and no one knows. We discern if the Lords of Xibalba remain defeated or if they plot new strategies to rule U Wach Ulew,” explained First Voice.
“U Wach Ulew?”
“The Surface World!309 Don’t you know anything?” I did not answer and he continued. “We no longer live on U Wach Ulew for, after the defeat of Xibalba, we ascended. I am the Moon and my brother is the Sun.”
“I thought that lx Chel was the moon goddess and Kinich Ahau the sun god.”
“Yes, they are, but as I said, I am the Moon and my brother is the Sun.”
“That’s confusing … but why am I discussing this?”
“You’re asking the questions,” responded First Voice.
I stood up. “I am ready. Should we get separated, how do I get to Xibalba?”
“You always travel towards where Kinich Ahau begins his night journey. But let’s go. I will make you see in the dark.” said Second Voice. They turned and started walking.
“And how will you do that?” I asked, still unable to see.
“More questions! I have the blessings of U K’ux Kaj. Did I not say that before?”
“I too have blessings. I have the Blessings of Mother of God, Ix Na Li Kawa,” I bragged, holding onto my Green Scapular. I wasn’t sure why I did that. Mentioning Mother Of God may not have been good strategy.
I was suddenly able to see and both men were looking at me, very seriously. “Then, perhaps, we should leave it to your Ix Na Li Kawa to let you see in the dark.” I did not answer. “You speak dangerously, Warrior. You speak of things that will crush our people, shatter our temples and bring them to the ground. You speak of things that threaten the very stability of Yaxché and sends tremors through all thirteen heavens of Oxlahuntikú and nine underworlds of Bolontikú. Your words threaten our gods themselves. Do not speak of those things while in Xibalba or you will never leave. And, if you leave, do not speak of those things in U Wach Ulew, the Surface World. Now, we will continue our journey to the City of Xibalba.”
I began walking beside them, but kept glancing to my right. Even though I was able to see, the land was almost obscured, covered with a grey darkness. The Nim-ja’ Ti’ Síina’ans or River of Scorpions was black, flowing slowly. The surface was placid, only occasional bubbles of air bursting the surface. It was at least half mile wide and the other bank was filled with black, sharp, and broken rocks amidst which dark gasses rose. In between the rocks were pools and tongues of red flaming magna.
Ahead of us were several men I assumed were servants and slaves. They carried large baskets and loaded cuxtals and were all dressed in loincloths and lej-xajäbs. All the cuxtals were the same, except for one. The Lords, I assumed they were Lords, were also dressed in loincloths and lej-xajäbs, and each wore a short dirty looking unadorned cloak.
“Why are you dressed like your servants?” I asked.
“So that we walk among the Xibalbans unknown,” answered Second Voice, sounding frustrated. “Did I not say that before? Also, we wear cloaks.”
“Dirty and ragged cloaks.” They turned and stared at me, darkly. “Sorry, My Lords.”
“Don’t call us that, Warrior. You will be overheard. We’ll stop so that you can take off those strange clothes and your weapons.” Second Voice looked towards one of the servants and he approached. “Hide his strange clothes and weapons. Dress him in your loincloth. Hurry.”
“A Warrior is never separated from his weapons. I keep my weapons,” I said as I took off my badly torn combats, boxers, and socks with some reluctance. They had served me well. The servant looked at Second Voice who nodded. The servant then removed his loincloth and two slaves came up and dressed me. They wanted to remove my Green Scapular, but I refused.
“Let’s go,” instructed Second Voice. “And stay on the sacbeob310 or your feet will be eaten and burnt by the sharp edges of the hot rocks as you wear no lej-xajäbs. Our slaves and servants can be without a loincloth, but not without their lej-xajäbs on the sacbeob to Xibalba.”
“I understand,” I replied. “Don’t you have an extra pair?”
“We do.”
“Then can I have it?”
“I thought you wouldn’t ask,” mumbled Second Voice, as he clapped his hands. A servant quickly brought the lej-xajäbs to me. I hurriedly put them on as the sacbeob was hot, but not hotter than an asphalted road on a hot and sunny day.
“Thank you.”
“Humph!”
Seemingly, they wanted to remain quiet, but I thought I should continue talking, learn as much as I could. “And what do your servants and slaves carry?’
“We disguise ourselves as merchants. How can we not carry wares to sell?” asked First Voice, sounding as if I were dopey indeed.
“Merchants? What is there to sell in Xibalba?’
“What is there to sell? He sighed with a sense of irritation. “Perhaps you should keep your mouth shut or everyone will know you are not a Xibalban. Even though the Underworld appears barren and desolate, it is not entirely so. How would its citizens survive?”
“But what do you sell?”
“We sell nothing, emphasized Second Voice. “This is only a ruse, but for you to know, the Xibalban merchants sell many things. At the sources of the Nim-ja’ Ti’ Puh311 and Nim-ja’ Ti’ K’i’ik312 are settlements for those being punished. They not only feed the rivers with pus and blood, but do many things. They mine obsidian, make weapons for the guards, tools for building and farming, and they shape stone blocks for buildings. The tools they make and use are chisels and scrapers of all sizes, hammer heads, ikajs,313 and xjos.314 They also make the pet-kot315 in which they plant abix,316 bu’ul,317 k’úum,318 páak’am319 and other fruit and vegetables. They grow trees to provide wood for weapons and for buildings, the iximche320 for its nuts to grind to make their bread, the balche’321 for its bark to get them drunk. They also grow me’t322 and k’uutz323 to inhale and smoke and use in their sacred ceremonies.”
“K’uutz?”
“Yes.”
“I could surely do with some of that now.”
“It is readily available in Xibalba, but I would advise against it as you will need a clear head for what is about to come. But let me continue. They make the iztāc-octli,324 the saksa’,325 and other drinks. They ferment the kakaw326 for the Lords of Xibalba. And there are other things that the gods have allowed the Lords of Xibalba to import from U Wach Ulew. After all, the Xibalbans must live. Some of them are being punished, but many of them are Warriors that have died in battle. The only thing that is scarce in Xibalba is meat. Offerings from U Wach Ulew initially supplied that. You should know those things in case a citizen speaks with you.”
“Thank you.” I looked at the cuxtals. “I see that one cuxtal is different. It’s larger. What does that one contain?”
“Questions and more questions.” Second voice shook his head. “That cuxtal carries the gaming equipment of our father, One Hunahpu, and his brother, our uncle, Seven Hunahpu. Pitz was the favorite pastime of our father. Our grandmother hid the equipment in the roof of our home, in her grief, for it was the ballgame that led to the deaths of her sons in Xibalba. We used our cleverness and had a ch’o’327 go up into the roof and gnaw the ropes that held the equipment and kept it hidden, and so we retrieved them. The equipment is not for sale.”
“Then why do you carry it?”
Second Voice raised his hands in annoyance. “Another time. Another time.”
I walked a few paces then spoke again. “What should I call you? Can I know your names?”
“You don’t know our names?” they asked together, sounding flabbergasted. “Everyone knows our names.”
I looked blankly at them. “But you are in disguise.” They stared at me, amused, and started laughing.
“We are the Hero Twins. I am Xbalanque,” said First Voice.
“And
I am Hunahpu,” said Second Voice. “Now let’s go. We are already delayed too long. Walk beside my brother and I, Warrior, but don’t use our names.”
“Are you gods?”
The Hero Twins looked at each other. “I suppose we are.”
“I will not use your names, but please use mine,” I said, a little sarcastically.
“We will use your name when we become friends and when you have proven yourself a true Warrior,” responded Xbalanque.
“So, we’ll become friends?”
“That depends on a lot of things. Now let’s walk quickly. It will soon be light and it is quite a way to go,” he fussed.
“When will I know what to do?”
“We talk as we walk,” answered Xbalanque. “Ha! I’m a poet.” Hunahpu chuckled in response then they were quiet for a while as we walked briskly towards Xibalba then Hunahpu spoke.
“I will tell you a story of one of our victories, Warrior. Telling a story is a good way to shorten the journey.” Hunahpu didn’t give me the opportunity to decline his offer not that I would have even if I didn’t want to hear a story at the time. He continued. “It was some time ago that we were approached by the god U K’ux Kaj regarding an arrogant god named Vucub Caquix.328 U K’ux Kaj wanted to get rid of him as that god had built up a following of worshipers among some of the inhabitants of U Wach Ulew, making false claims to be either the sun or the moon. He was also extremely vain, adorned himself with metal ornaments on his wings and around his eyes, and he had a set of false teeth made of gemstones. In our first attempt to dispose of him, we snuck upon him as he was eating his meal in a tree and shot at his jaw with a pub329 He was whacked from his tree, but wounded only, his teeth of gem-stones knocked lose. As we attempted to escape, my arm was grabbed by Vucub Caquix and torn off. Hunahpu lifted his right arm while looking at it, turned his hand back and forth, and sighed loudly.
“In spite of our initial failure, Xbalanque and I again demonstrated our clever nature in formulating a plan for Vucub Caquix’s defeat. We invoked a pair of gods disguised as grandparents and instructed them to approach Vucub Caquix and negotiate for the return of my arm. The grandparent gods told Vucub Caquix that they were but a poor family making a living as Healers of the body and teeth, and attempting to care for their orphaned grandchildren. Upon hearing this, Vucub Caquix requested that his teeth be fixed and his eyes cured. We did not know what was wrong with his eye, as we did not inflict that injury on him. The grandparent gods replaced his jeweled teeth with white corn and plucked the ornaments he had about his wings and eyes, leaving Vucub Caquix destitute of his former greatness. Having fallen, Vucub Caquix died of shame and I got back my arm.”
Sisimito II--Xibalba Page 27
