YucaTales

     There is a famous legend from the Popol Vuh, that the creator gods planted in the four regions of the cosmos their respective ceiba trees: in the East, the red ceiba; in the West, the black ceiba; in the south, the yellow ceiba; and in the north, the whiteceiba. Finally, they planted a fifth ceiba in the center of the four directions, and in its roots, they located the Xibalbá or Mitnal, the dwelling of the dead; at its base, they placed the Kab, or the land where we humans live; and in its trunk and branches they established the dwelling of the gods; and at the top of the tree was located the origin of all the gods, in the form of a magnificent heavenly Quetzal bird.      The ceiba signifies life, perpetuity, grandeur, goodness, strength, and unity. There is no other plant which grows as tall, is as beautiful, provides as much shade, and receives as many offerings from its people, from flowers, honey, coins, to even an animal which it accepts with satisfaction, for it represents

This is the story of the brothers Hun-Hunahpú and Vucub Hunahpú, who enjoyed playing the ball game with the sons of Hun-Hunahpú. One day, they were playing on the way to Xilbalbá, the underground world or hell. The men who lived in this world were all evil, demons, misfortunes and death. That same day, the gentlemen of Xibalbá were very annoyed due to the fact that they had overheard the brothers playing with the ball. Enraged, they met all together as a council to decide how they would punish the brothers.They decided to send their four owls with the following message: -The gentlemen invite you to go to Xibalbá to play ball with them to kill some time.   But, what can we expect from evil, other than deception and traps? This is how they ended up killing the two brothers and before burying them, they cut off the head of Hun-Hunahpú and had ordered their servants to hang it between the foliage of the jicara tree. When the servants hung the head of Hun-Hunahpú from the tree, it immediate

The princess and the beetle This is the legend of a beautiful princess whose hair resembled the wings of  a swallow. She was called Cuzán, the Maya word for this bird. She was also  the favorite daughter of Ahnú Dtundtunxcaán, the Great Lord who was  submerged in the skies. As soon as Cuzán was old enough for marriage, her father arranged a union  with the son of Halach Uinic of the great city of Nan Chan. Her fiancé was the prince Ek Chapat, future lord of the kingdom. But one day, when the  princess went to thank her father for the treasures he had plundered in a  recent war which he had given to her, she found her father accompanied by  a  handsome  youth  named  Chalpol,  which  means  red  head,  so  named  because of his flaming red hair. From that moment on, their souls were trapped in a bond of fire. They  swore to never forget each other, and they passionately pledged their love  under the sacred ceiba tree, where the gods heard their mortal pleas. When  the king found out tha

There is a Mayan legend that tries to explain why if you look close enough at the moon you can see the shape of a rabbit. Legend says that Kukulkán was curious about the land that later became Mexico. So, despite being a god, he came to the world in the form of a man. Upon arrival, he marveled at everything he found. He walked for hours to discover the nature and beauty surrounding him. By nightfall, he was already exhausted. As the moon and the stars began glowing at their height, Kukulkán began to feel hungry. He began looking for something to eat; he found nothing until he tripped over a rabbit eating grass. -What are you eating? - Kukulkán asked the rabbit -I am eating grass, do you want some? - The rabbit  -Thanks, but I don ́t eat grass-What are you going to do then? -Die from starvation The rabbit looked at the man, and with a sad tone in his voice he gives him the solution to Kukulkán ́s problem - Well, I’m just a rabbit, but if you are hungry then you can eat me. Gra

The Mayan Legend of the Alux   There are some cryptologists that believe the Mayan little person or Alux was actually or perhaps still is a little person. Aluxob or Alux is the Mayan word given to mythological Mayan spirits found in the Yucatán Peninsula; they are believed to be small dwarf-like creatures, that average around 3 foot tall, and they are somewhat akin to goblins, elves or even perhaps poltergeists or golem due to their creation by the owner of the land they settle on. Created in the form of highly detailed clay figures. Shamans can cast ritual spells to bring the figures to life. The average farmer or villager leaves a small figure beneath the oldest tree on their land or in a house specially built for the Alux which is known as the Kahtal Alux. At this point, the farmer knows the Alux is alive and will now protect the farmer's land and the farmer for a full 7 years. After 7 years, the door to the Alux home must be sealed off during the day in order to trap the Alux i

The Mayan Legend of  the Chechén and the Chacá  good against evil K inich and Tizic were two brave warrior brothers, but with opposite personalities.   Kinich was a kind, generous and respected man. Instead, his older brother Tizic was a cold-hearted man with a ferocious temper. In the dualistic world of the Mayas, which starts from the principle of good and evil, Kinich represented the powers of nature for good and Tizic attracted pain and evil. One day they both met Nicté Há, a beautiful and pure-hearted young woman who conquered the warriors. The two brothers fell madly in love with the same woman. Therefore, Tizic challenged Kinich to a duel for the love of the beautiful girl.   The gods were so furious to see this situation that they covered the sky with black clouds; even the moon disappeared during the battle. Unfortunately, the combat had a tragic ending, and both brothers ended up dead in each other’s arms.  When they arrived to the other world, they begged for mercy to the go

  The Xcocolché  It was night in the mayab, when the xkokolche knocked on the door of a very rich house; That day he had flown from one place to another to ask for work, but no one wanted to give it to him, one of the chief servants went out to answer his call, and seeing the opaque plumage and the xkokolche’s sac-zo, was about to tell him to leave, when he remembered that he needed a servant for the tasks that no one could do, so he hired her.  From then on, the xkokolche worked in hiding in the kitchen, because she was told that if one day the owner’s daughter was with her, she would be taken for ugly. This daughter was the chacdzidzib, or cardinal, a very pampered bird, who was so proud of her beautiful red plumage and the forebow that adorned her forehead, that she believed herself worthy of all attention.  The xkokolche lived sad and lonely, because no one came to talk to her. So time passed, until one day, the chacdzidzib had a whim: it occurred to her to learn to sing.

       This is the case of a soldier, who is part of a family in the south of Quintana Roo and who told his story about the terrible being that everyone talks about throughout this peninsular region, but that nobody knows for sure what it is. What is it about? Is it a human? Will it be an animal, the combination of these two, a terrible monster, a calamity or a terrible evil?      A little more than 50 years ago, the city of Cancun began to be built, at first this city was thought only for tourists; however the people who cared for these tourists needed a place to stay, it is natural that later the city will begin to grow, but at first it was all jungle, and it was when a group of soldiers were sent to this. However, the night seized them and they had to improvise a camp, open some tents and others they formed around there, they lit a bonfire and one stayed awake to stand guard.      It was close to 1 a.m., when the soldier on guard named Armando, began to hear some strange noises in h

Sac-Nicte means white flower. She was born in Mayapan: the powerful alliance that lived in peace — Mayab, Uxmal, and Chichen Itza. Canek means black serpent, a brave prince with a kind heart. When he turned 21 years of age, he was chosen as king of Chichen Itza.  That same day he met princess Sac - Nacte. She was 15 years of age. Both quickly fell in love; however Sac - Nicte was destined to be married with young Ulil, prince of Uxmal. The legend says that a young advise r to the princess told Canek that Sac - Nicte would be waiting among green flowers and that it would be necessary to fight for her, before destiny fought against them. The day of the wedding, Canek arrived with 60 of his best warriors and climbed to the alt ar screaming Itzalan! Itzalan! As if he was in the battlefield and stole the princess from the altar. Ulil, enraged, launched a war: Mayapan and Uxmal against Izta.  The itzaes abandoned their homes and temples in Chichen Itza. Leading the way was King Cane k, hand

An enormous snake with the head and mane of a horse that lives in a cenote? Sounds impressive, right?  This is how we picture the Tsukán (“tsuk” means horse, and “kaan” is snake in Maya).  She is the guardian of cenotes, caves, and wells; and protects water sources in general as priceless resources which are essential to life. It is believed that she lives in the deepest of waters without any human contact, so you don’t have to worry about bumping into her. According to legend, she comes out from time to time and slithers around the grass only to return to her keep once again. When Tsukán gets older, she will grow wings and fly until she finds the ocean . Diego Monroy & Gustavo Montes

  There once was a young Mayan couple who were very much in love, and to give free rein to their love they took refuge in a cave. The young woman was a princess. One day the young man had to go away and the young maiden was left alone. Every day the young woman went to the grotto to remember him, he was far away, and she was melancholic with nostalgia. The days passed, the weeks, the months ... The young man did not return. In the grotto the young Mayan woman cried silently for the absence of her lover. Many years passed and one day the young man suddenly returned and the first thing he did was go to the grotto where he used to take refuge and love with the love of his life. But, oh surprise! In the grotto he only found a cenote and in the middle of which there was an islet, and in the middle of the islet a stone flower, which in

An ancient Mayan legend tells that a long time ago, deers had a different look because their skin was not the same as it is now. Their skin was pale, so they were easy prey for hunters. Since then, hunters could not easily spot deers anymore and they felt more protected against dangers. One day, a small deer was drinking from a stream of water when suddenly it heard multiple shots being fired by hunters that had just spotted it. Really scared, the deer ran as fast as it could until it found a small cave. The deer made it in with a hurt paw, but inside the deer was lucky enough to meet three good genies that cured it and decided to help. When the deer was completely healed, it said goodbye to the genies, very thankful to them but before it could leave, one of the genies said: – Wait! Don’t leave yet, we will grant you a wish, ask for anything you want. The small deer did not think about it twice: – I wish that everyone from my species has more protection in the face of dangers and

There are many Mayab legends that told and re-told many times by grandmothers to their children and grandchildren. One of the most popular is the legend of Nicte-Ha (water flower). As in all fairy stories, it tells of the prince and his love and of the bad guys too! Chacdziedzib was a prince in the land of the land of  the Mayab. He was known for his great aim and expertise with his bow, a just and brave warrior. He was deeply in love with the guardian of the sacred cenotes daughter, Nicte-ha. They would meet every night where they would express their love for each other. this where they would express their love for each other. This relationship did not resonate well with the priests and many of the townspeople. They thought because that Nicte-ha, no matter how beautiful she was, was not an adquate match for their prince because she was not a princess! For the good of the kingdom, Chacdziedzib should marry a princess from another city. The priests making their plans to sacrifice Nicte-

Mexican Witches Chain-smoking and near tears, Maria de Los Angeles Macedo told her sad story to the witch. After seven years of marriage and two children, her husband ran off with another woman, and she wanted him back for the New Year.  Doctor Aura, a self-proclaimed witch with large eyes and a necklace of little wooden skulls, nodded confidently. She wrapped 10 lemons in black silk, placed them in a plasticbag and doused them with an oil guaranteed to sap any sweetness out of the fruit. That night, she promised, she would visit a graveyard and bury the bitter bag near the tombstone of a woman named Maria, asking her spirit's help to drive a wedge between the wayward husband and the homewrecker.  "Soon they will be fighting nonstop; If they stay together, I won't let him rest," said Doctor Aura, collecting about $10 to cure Macedo in a cramped little booth deep in the labyrinth of Mexico City's Sonora Market.  Sonora Market covers a couple of city blocks. It buzz

The legend of the immortelle After one of those drizzles that come from the sky in the summer afternoon, at the foot of the Kinich Kakmó hill, a local was walking when he heard a little voice that said in a sweet way: "Are you Balám?" Stunned, he looked around thinking it was an illusion; but the question was repeated and to his amazement, the voice came from the wild grass flower called immortelle. Whether out of curiosity or suspension, he replied: "Who are you that calls me by a name that is not mine?" To which the voice replied: "So, you are not my Balam, nor do you know me, but if you listen to me I will tell you my story and who I am ...". The little voice told him: "I was a priestess of the Itzamaltul temple, daughter of a principal; I had taken the vow of chastity that my condition demanded, which meant that my love would be for my god and not for a mortal. During a ballgame ceremony I met a brave warrior named Balam ... we fell in love, but o

The legend of the Mani's Cenote Xunci-Mani was the name of the woman we are going to tell you about.  What was so interesting about her, you might ask? She had a talent to predict future! She was a loner and lived in the periphery of Mani.  She would only come out of her hut to tell people her prophecies.  And everyone would listen to her as everything she said tended to come true. One day she came out to share another of her prophecies and suddenly, the sky turned black and in a moment the woman disappeared!  That day she talked about some strangers who would come and destroy the race of Indians and the land will be covered with: -blood, -tears -grief She predicted that everything from the Pacific Ocean (or the Big Sea as they used to say) to the Gulf of Mexico (the Cyan Sea) will be wiped out. Xunci-Mani claimed that there will be new people with new beliefs. As you might already know the Spanish conquered Mexico and destroyed most of the Mayan culture several decades aft

 The  well-known  "Haunted  House  of  Cholul"  is  the  legend about  an  abandoned  former Hacienda  Henequenera  belonging  to  the  municipality  of  Merida,  in  the  state  of Yucatan, Mexico. It  is  located  just  3.4  kilometers  from  the  city  of  Merida,  taking  the  Merida-Motul highway  (federal  highway  178),  one  kilometer  on  the  access  road  to  the  Sitpach Commissary. Many tragic stories revolve around this place, as well as popular legends that have given it a spooky fame. The stories comes from the time when this hacienda was in its best time to the present day, adding to the countless traditional Yucatecan stories that are told in the region. This legend tells that a couple of workers dedicated to the production of henequen (Agave type plant native to Yucatán)  were very much in love and about to get married, but one night before the nuptial bond another worker raped the future wife. Juan, as the bride-to-be was called, found out what had happene

Two equally beautiful women, Xkeban and Utz-colel, lived in a village in the Yucatán Peninsula.The women were sisters. Xkeban was treated poorly by her community for her promiscuous behavior while Utz-colel was considered virtuous for remaining celibate. The people of the village planned to exile Xkeban, but they decided to allow her  to  remain  in  order  to  further  humiliate  her.  Despite  her  ill  treatment,  Xkeban tended to the poor, sick, and animals in need. In contrast to Xkeban, Utz-colel was cold-hearted and believed she was superior to those around her, especially those socially below her. The townspeople adored Utz-colel because of her celibacy and overlooked her cruelty. Several days after Xkeban's death, the townspeople discovered her body guarded by  animals  and  surrounded  by  fragrant  flowers. The homeless  and  poor,  whom Xkeban  had  helped  during  her  life,  held  a  funeral  for  her  and,  soon  afterward,  a mysterious, sweet-smelling  flower   gre