Folktales of Mexico
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Mexico has a variety of cultures which came from European and Mesoamerican cultures. This mix of cultures
leads to the creation of traditional tales and narrations better known as legends and myths.
Contents
[hide]

1 Myths
o

1.1 Prehispanic Mexican Tales

1.1.1 The Creation of Humans

1.1.2 Two Gods become Moon and Sun

1.1.3 Two loving Volcanoes…
2 Legends
o
2.1 Colonial Mexico Tales…

2.1.1 La Calle de la Quemada (The Burnt Girl’s Street)

2.1.2 El Callejon Del Beso (The Alley of the Kiss)

2.1.3 The Powder of the Viceroy

2.1.4 Pregnant woman and the Eclipse

3 See also

4 References
Myths[edit source | editbeta]
Myths are narrations that tell us about the origin of gods, of the creation of our world and space. The
importance of both types of tales is that they are created inside the context of a group and as a result they can
be used to see the different characteristics of the group’s culture. They usually show us religion, beliefs or try to
explain natural phenomena.
Prehispanic Mexican Tales[edit source | editbeta]
An Aztec cosmological drawing that represents some of the most important gods. It shows us the importance of religion
during prehispanic era.
During this era, Mexico had a lot of cultures and indigenous groups. Each of them with their own narrations
related with their history, with their beliefs, traditions or religion. They illustrate the creation of the world, the
activities of gods, or histories about incredible heroes or phenomena.
The Creation of Humans[edit source | editbeta]
--At the beginning of time, there existed two gods who inhabited the sky. The god Citlalatonac and the
goddess Coatlicue were the first gods to exist in the universe. Coatlicue gave birth to a baby with form of a bull
(Tepecatl). The two gods were terrified and decided to banish Tecpcatl from the sky. Thousands of gods where
created from the blood of Tecpcatl when he fell to earth. Trapped in this world, these gods decided to ask
Citlalticue for the power to create humans. Coatlicue told them to see Mictlan Teculti(the god of the
underworld), who would give them bones and ash of ancient men. Xolotl, one of the gods born from the blood
of Tecpcatl, decided to go for the artifacts. Once he obtained them, he ran out of the terrible inferno. He
reached the temple where the other gods where and after a ceremony, they sacrificed themselves in order to
give birth to humans.
Two Gods become Moon and Sun[edit source | editbeta]
A view of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan.
It was told that in ancient times… the gods met in that place calledTeotihuacan. They said: “Who will light the
world?” Then a god named Tecuciztécatl (he of the marine shell) answered to those words and said: “I will light
the world”. Later all the gods talked again and said: “Who will be the other?” The gods saw each other's looking
for the other and none of them offered themselves to that job, as all of them were afraid. There was a god that
did not speak, only listening to the conversation, and all the gods told him: “Be the one who will light during
nights” and he obeyed.
Then these two started penning for 4 days and started a fire in home, this was made in a rock, now called
Teotexcalli. All the things offered by the god Tecuciztécatl were beautiful. Instead of branches he offered rich
quetzal quills, and instead of hay balls he offered gold balls. On the other hand, the other god, called
Nanahuatzin, instead of branches he offered green sugar canes tied three-by-three and all together they were
nine. He offered hay balls and maguey thorns. Instead of copal, he offered scabs. Two pyramids were built in
their honor and they continued making penance in there. These pyramids are actually located in San
Juan Teotihuacan.
After the 4 days, the penance was finished and they throw away all their stuff. A few moments before midnight,
they were given some gifts because of their activities. Tecuciztécatl was given a beautiful suit called Aztacómitl
and a jacket, while the timid Nanahuatzin was given a paper head called amatzontli and he was dressed with a
paper suit and a maxtli (a little trouser) made of poor paper. When midnight arrived, all the gods meet around at
Teotexcalli, this place had been burning for 4 days.
All of the other gods formed two lines around the fire, and then the Tecuciztecatl and Nanahuatzin were placed
in front of the fire. All the gods said to Tecuciztécatl: “Tecuciztécatl enter the fire”, he tried to enter, but he could
not. He tried 4 times but he did not succeed. It was established that he could not try more than four times. So
the gods said to Nanahuatzin: “Try” and, making a big effort and closing his eyes, he entered the fire.
When Tecuciztécatl saw that Nanahuatzin had entered the fire, he ran and entered the fire too... After both
gods entered the fire, all the other gods sat and waited to see how Nanahuatzin was going to get out. After a
while the sky started to change its color, it was red and the light of dawn appeared. It is said that after this, all
the gods knelt to wait Nanahuatzin as the sun form. Some of them thought that Nanahuatzin would rise from
the north part. Others said he would rise at the midday. The gods thought he could rise from everywhere
because there was light everywhere.
Some gods looked at the east and said: “Here, the sun will rise from this part”, this phrase was true. One of
these gods were Quetzalcoatl (also known as the god of the wind) and Tótec (lord of the coast lands or red
Tezcatlipoca).
When the sun rose it was red and nobody could see it because it was very bright. Then the moon appeared
from the same part, they rose in the same order they entered the fire. Those who narrate fables say that they
had the same intensity of light so the gods met again and said: “It is not possible that both have the same
intensity”. So the gods decided. A god ran and hit Tecuciztécatl's face with a rabbit, this action made
Tecuciztécatl lose his brilliance and his face transformed to what it is now.
After the gods got out of the fire, they stood immobile. So the gods had to die to make the sun move. It is said
that the sun did not move after the gods died, then the wind started to blow and he made the sun move. That is
why they work at different times: the sun lights during the day and the moon works during the night.
Two loving Volcanoes…[edit source | editbeta]
A princess whose beauty is ethernal.... Iztaccíhuatl volcano is located in the borders of Puebla and Mexico State... "She" is
near her brave lover Popocatepetl
A north view of Popocatepetl volcano (an inmortal and brave warrior...) which is not located in the frontiers of Puebla and
Mexico State.
Before leaving for war, Popocatépetl asked Iztaccíhuatl's father for permission to marry her. Shortly after, a
rival of Popocatépetl falsely told Iztaccíhuatl that her love been killed in battle. The princess died of grief from
this news. Popocatépetl returned victorious but was shocked by the princess's death. To honor her, he ordered
a tomb to be built close to the sun. Ten hills were united to create a mountain. Popocatépetl laid the princess's
body at the mountaintop, and the whole mountain took on the form of a sleeping woman. As the warrior
kneeled before his lost love, snow covered them, and they both transformed into volcanoes.
Legends[edit source | editbeta]
Legends are stories created by anonymous authors with some basis in history but with many embellishments.
They talk about facts that occurred in the near past and which characters can or cannot be human. Legends
show us the vision of the world and the life that people had with, historical, political, philosophical, and cultural
value.
Colonial Mexico Tales…[edit source | editbeta]
During Colonial era in Mexico, new narrations began to appear. Many of them created from the mix of religion
and past beliefs. They were accepted by the society and even they influenced in their lives. The knowledge of
narration began in 16th century with the help of missioners and religious people who tried to mix indigenous
and Christian-catholic beliefs.
La Calle de la Quemada (The Burnt Girl’s Street)[edit source | editbeta]
A view of Tetilla Guanajuato, where the “Burnt’s girl street” (La Quemada) is said to be located.
When Don Luis de Velasco I came to replace the Viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza, Don Gonzalo Espinosa de
Guevara and his daughter Beatriz lived on a big mansion, both being of Spanish blood (from La Villa de
Illescas specifically). They brought with them a big fortune which they grew here in Mexico through business,
mines and renting farmland. But the beauty of his daughter was greater. She was twenty years old and she had
a very good figure, a beautiful face, lovely eyes and her skin as white as lilies. Her lustrous, silky hair fell from
her shoulders and formed a waterfall to her fine back. She was also gentle: she used to care for the sick and
the injured and to help poor people.
With such a noble, generous soul, beauty, and a large fortune, it was easy to think that she had plenty of
handsome lovers. Many gentlemen and noblemen fought in front of Beatriz’s mansion, but she did not accept
anyone.
Finally a gentleman arrived to the mansion—a man whose destiny chose him to be Beatriz’s husband. His
name was Don Martín de Scópoli, Marquis of Piamonte and Franteschelo, a handsome Italian gentleman who
loved Beatriz since the first time he saw her, and his love for her grew with passion.
He fought bravely with every gentleman that wanted to marry Beatriz, showing his strong and eternal love for
her. For this reason many gentleman proved themselves fighting for Beatriz trying to defeat the impertinent
Italian man. Don Martín fought days and nights under the moonlight, and he always won.
When the sun rose, the police passing through Beatriz’s street would always find a dead or injured gentlemen,
caused by the sword of the Italian suitor.
Beatriz loved immensely Don Martin because of his presence and handsomeness and because of his lovely
words. She knew that much of the blood spilled was his fault and this greatly saddened her. One night, after
she had prayed to Santa Lucia, a martyr virgin who took out her eyes, she made a terrible decision that would
make Don Martin Scúpoli love her no more. The next day, after completing many tasks, like helping poor
people with medicines and food, she confirmed that her father was leaving and carried to her room a brazier, in
which she put charcoal and lit a fire. Suddenly the flames filled the room, and the heat became intense. She
prayed to Santa Lucía, and saying Don Martin’s name, she put on her knees and put her beautiful face over the
brazier.
A smell of burning flesh spread throughout the room, taking out the fresh smell of jasmine and almonds. After a
few minutes later, Beatriz screamed and fainted next the brazier. Fortunately Brother Marcos de Jesus and
Gracia, who was a confident of Beatriz, heard Beatriz’s scream and ran into the house. He found Beatriz on the
floor, he lifted her with care and tried to put on her injured face some herbs and vinegar. At the same time he
asked her why she had done that.
She explained to him that with this event, Don Martin would finish with the fights and he would stop loving her.
After she told him the reasons of that horrible decision the brother went to find Don Martin and he explained to
him what had happened. The Italian gentleman hurried to get where her lover was. He found her sitting on an
armchair with a black veil that covered her face. The veil was spotting with blood and burnt flesh.
Very carefully he took off the veil from his lover’s face, and he did not jump back terrified. He was worried,
looking her beautiful white face burnt by the cruel flames. Under the firmly arched eyebrows, there were two
holes with bunt eyelids. Her cheeks were open craters where blood drained and her lips which had been,
fleshy, worthy of a passionate kiss, were now a hole which formed a horrible grin. After he saw this, the
Marquis of Piamonte put on his knees and said with tenderness:
"Ah, Beatriz, I love you not for your beauty, but for your goodness. You are a noble, generous lady, and your
soul is pure."
Tears fell with these words, and both cried with love and tenderness.
The Marquis continued, "When your father comes back, I will ask for your hand in marriage."
The wedding of Beatriz and the Marquis de Piedmont was held at the temple “The Profesa” and was the most
sensational event of those times. Don Gonzalo Guevara Espinosa spent his fortune on the celebrations and the
Marquis of Piedmont gave the bride dresses, jewelry and furniture brought from Italy.
Beatriz arrived to the altar with a white veil on her face in order to avoid the insane curiosity of the people. She
went out the street, only to go to the nearby temple to hear mass, accompanied by her husband.
Since that day, the street where Beatriz house was once located is now called the Burnt Girl’s Street.
El Callejon Del Beso (The Alley of the Kiss)[edit source | editbeta]
This is a sad love story of two young people: Ana and Carlos. She was as beautiful and pure as an angel,
about 20, lovely and single. He was handsome, about 28, tan and tall with an arrogant demeanor, adorned with
the best moral qualities, hard-working, honest. With those conditions Carlos met Ana, and as soon as they saw
each other, they fell in love. From that moment Carlos, went frequently in the evening to Ana’s house after
work. And she, with the same feelings, stood on her balcony, beautiful as Dulcinea, white, with big and
expressive eyes, in a beautiful and unique manila dress that her father gave her, so when Carlos passed by her
house she gave him a beautiful smile.
So the weeks passed by, until Carlos dared to greet her and the young lady accepted his greeting with a gentle
smile. The next day he started a conversation, shy at the beginning, but polite, as any courtship, after that like
any couple of lovers with, love phrases and promises. They with quickly started to think of a big wedding,
blessed by her mother Madame Matilde, a virtuous and dignified mother that had accepted the relationship
between her daughter Ana and Carlos. But Ana’s father did not approve it, because he had already planned
marry Ana to a friend of his, which was rich and lived on backing Spain. So Madame Matilde thought that the
relationship between Ana and Carlos would probably end, and she decided to tell her husband about the
casual meetings that Ana and Carlos had on Ana’s balcony.
One day Ana’s father saw the two lovers talking, and he forbade Carlos from seeing his daughter, also
threatening to send Ana to a convent if she continued seeing Carlos.
Neither Ana nor Carlos accepted the attitude that Ana’s father took, so Carlos decided to reestablish their
relationship behind Ana’s father’s back. Carlos planned to rent a room in the house next door where there was
a balcony in front of her balcony in which they could talk without being seen, so they could plan a way to
escape and be happy.
So the weeks passed by, hiding their courtship from the sun. They only looked at each other in the moonlight
from their balconies while Ana’s father slept. Unfortunately the tragedy came. One night Ana’s father woke up
and took a knife from his bureau and in blind fury walked to the balcony of his daughter, he surprised his
daughter and he buried the knife into her chest. She died in her lover’s arms in the white moonlight. Carlos took
his lover’s white hand and two tears fell down. With a big kiss Carlos said good bye to his eternal love: Ana
who died on the Alley of the kiss.
The Powder of the Viceroy[edit source | editbeta]
In the offices of the Viceroy of New Spain was an officer named Don Bonifacio. He was a very lazy guy. His
payment was the necessary to sustain his wife, his sons and his house. He was always angry, bored, resting in
his armchair, and waiting for his meals.
There was no game of the Royal Lottery in which he wasn’t participating. However he never won anything. One
day he decided to send a letter to the Viceroy, but what was this letter about?
After sending that letter. Every Friday Don Bonifacio walked to the Central Palace and waited in a corner where
shadow covered him from the intense sun. The Viceroy, ridding in his white horse, approached every Saturday
to Don Bonifacio and gave him a box covered with a little of silver. Usually Marteseo. Wilkins took the box back
to the palace again…
The rumor growth all around the town… everybody thought that Don Bonifacio was a powerful friend of the
Virrey… people gave Don Bonifacio money and gifts to be his friend.
What they didn’t know is that Don Bonifacio was not friend of the Viceroy… he was a lazy worker with the great
idea of writing to the Viceroy what follows:
“Dear Viceroy… It would be a pleasure if you were able to give me a little of your soil that is inside your palace.
I have seen that in your soil everything is green and profitable. Would you give me the honor of having my
crops as beautiful as yours?”
The golden box contained only soil from the Viceroy's palace.
It’s said that Bonifacio became a very rich and powerful person just because of the magic powder of
theViceroy.
Pregnant woman and the Eclipse[edit source | editbeta]
In Mexico it is believed that exposure of a pregnant woman to an eclipse will cause her infant to have a cleft lip
or palate.
The belief originated with the Aztecs, who thought that an eclipse occurred because a bite had been taken out
of the moon. If the pregnant woman viewed the eclipse, her infant would have a bite taken out of its mouth.
An obsidian knife was placed on the woman's abdomen before going out at night to protect her.
This belief remains intact hundreds of years later, the only difference being that today a metal key or safety pin
is used for protection.
INTRODUCTION
The material following was written as an appendix to The Fire Within, Cloud
Serpents, and Crystal Spiders. The last two have not been published as yet, but
publication in e-book format is planned for this year (2013). To those reading this text
without having read The Fire Within and the other novels, the names (John Goss, for
example) will be meaningless; these are the names of the characters in the books, and
may be ignored if this material is being read purely for its informative content.
IMPORTANT: If you have not read the novels yet, you would do well to ignore the
names mentioned above, since the identities of these characters are at times "reveals"
in
the
stories.
Better yet, read the books first, then come back here.
APPENDIX A
The Gods of the Ancient Mexicans
At first glance, the religions of the Indians of Mexico-the ancient Aztecs,
Toltecs, Mayas, and so on-is so confusing as to appear incoherent, especially to those
of us used to thinking in terms of the well-defined Greek and Roman gods. There are
several reasons for this. First, we are seeing the religion of ancient Mexico not only
from a distance in time, but almost solely through the eyes of such suspect sources as
Catholic missionaries, Conquistadors, and early christianized Indians eager to impress
the friars with their advocacy of their new faith; it cannot be forgotten that backsliders
could face the Inquisition! Still, some of these constitute our best sources, particularly
the friars Sahagun and Duran. Nevertheless, many aspects of the religion-particularly
the erotic aspects-have been neglected or intentionally hidden.
The names as given here are in Nahuatl, which was the language spoken by the
Aztecs and Toltecs, and which is still spoken by more than a million Indians in
modern Mexico. It should be realized that some of these names are "date names"-that
is, the name and number of the day on which a specific person was born, just as if a
person in today's society was given a name such as, "12 August". These are noted in
the following charts with an asterisk (*). Additionally, many of the Teotl have
numerous names, only a few of which are mentioned; often there is a different name
for each aspect-Quetzalcoatl/Ehecatl/Tlahuizcalpantecuhlti (see below) is a good
example.
Here we shall not go into details of concept-these are scattered through the
stories. Rather, we will confine ourselves to a definition of the Teotl (the word usually
translated as "god") in relation to the characters. The reader should remember that the
Aztec gods were not static like those of Rome; they were very fluid, appearing in
many
guises
and
avatars,
changing
into
one
another.
The Gods
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1. Quetzalcoatl (The Plumed Serpent): John Goss. Patron of wisdom, patron of
the priesthood. As Ehecatl, god of the wind; as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, god of
Venus as the morning star. As Ce Acatl* (One Reed), a warrior. Special friend
and patron of mankind, inventor of writing and the calendar. Reputed to have
opposed human sacrifice, but this was likely an invention to please the Catholic
priests.
2. Tezcatlipoca (The Smoking Mirror): Herbert North, Jr. Patron of war and
warriors, sower of discord, rewarder of the valiant; highly capricious,
unpredictable. Often seen as a dual opposite of Quetzalcoatl. He had many
synonyms; Itzli (knife), Itzlacoliuhqui (curved flint knife), Yaotl (enemy),
Titlacuan (He Whose Slaves We Are) and many more.
3. Xipe Totec (Our Lord the Flayed?): David Hallsten. Perhaps the most
mysterious of the Teotl; usually assumed to be the patron of springtime and
planting, he also probably has sexual/fertility connotations. In the story he is
identified as synonymous with Cinteotl (the corn god).
4. Tlaloc (Land-lier): Frank Wasserman. The God of Rain, purely and simply.
The source of the name is obscure. Always pictured with fangs and eye-rings,
he has no common synonyms.
5. Huehueteotl (Old, old God): the Old Man, Old One of the Fire, Eduardo
Arias. Also known as Xiuhtecuhtli (Precious Lord), he is the ancient fire god,
sometimes identified with the creator-deity Ometeotl (Dual God).
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6. Xolotl (Dual Monster): the phantom. Sorcerer, dog-face (masked) god, twin
to Quetzalcoatl; he is identified with Venus as the evening star, and as
Quetzalcoatl's nagual. In the story, he is also considered a dualistic twin to
Tezcatlipoca.
7. Patecatl (He from the Medicine-Land): Patecatl. Patron of medicines, pulque
god.
8. Mixcoatl (Cloud Serpent): Sam Cloud. Patron of hunters, Quetzalcoatl's
father in his incarnation as Ce Acatl*.
9. Xiuhnel and Mimich (True Turquoise and Arrow Fish): Shownell (Ralph
Phillips) and Mims (Bill Goss). Mimixcoa (Cloud Serpents), sacrificial gods,
followers of Mixcoatl.
10. Tonatiuh (Heat-giver): Tonatiuh. The sun-god, originally the scabby god
Nanahuatzin, who sacrificed himself in fire to become the Fifth Sun. Many
authors identify Nanahuatzin with Xolotl, and a few old sources say he was
Quetzalcoatl's son, but these identifications are not used in the stories. His "date
name" is Nahui Ollin* (four movement).
11. Huitzilopochtli (Hummingbird From the Left?): Huitzilopochtli. God of
War and personal deity of the Mexica (the people commonly referred to as
Aztecs, although there were several more "Aztec" tribes besides them). He was
probably unknown before their dynasty began.
12. Mictlantecuhtli (Dead-Land Lord): Mictlantecuhtli. God of the dead, nearly
identical to the Roman Pluto/Greek Hades.
13. Yohualtecuhtli (Night-Lord): Yohualtecuhlti. Lord of Night, or of the
Temple of the Night; usually considered a personification of the night sun, that
is, the sun below the horizon. In the stories, he takes Mictlantecuhlti's place as
the possessor of the bones of mankind.
14. Tecciztecatl (He from the Innermost Twist of the Conch Shell):
Tecciztecatl. Lunar deity, personification of the moon; an upstart sun, his face
was darkened when a rabbit was thrown into it.
The Goddesses


1. Chalchihuitlicue (Jade Skirts): Evelyn Broughton Wasserman/Sheila Han.
Goddess of terrestrial water, rivers, lakes, oceans. In Tlaxcala, she was called
Matlalcueyeh (Green Skirt). Spence identifies her as Chimalma (Shield Hand),
the mother of Quetzalcoatl in his incarnation as Ce Acatl*.
2. Xochiquetzal (Flower Feather): Susan Goss Hallsten. Goddess of love,
beauty, and flowers. Patroness of marriages and perhaps surprisingly, of
prostitutes.
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3. Tlazolteotl (Lust-Goddess): Kathryn Phillips. Goddess of sex, with earth and
lunar attributes. She was the "eater of sins" to whom the Aztecs confessed their
transgressions. Also known as Toci (grandmother), Teteo Innan (mother of the
gods), Ixcuina (Four-Face, from the moon's phases), and many other names.
She was consistently seen as the mother of Cinteotl, the corn god.
4. Mayauel (translation ?): Mayauel. Goddess of the maguey (Agave
americana and A. tequilana), pulque, and all intoxicants thereby. Original
bringer of love to mankind (with Quetzalcoatl).
5. Xilonen (Young corn mother): Xilonen. Corn goddess, in her aspect as the
young and tender corn; as adult, she was known as Chicomecoatl* (Seven
serpent) or as Chalchiuhcihuatl (Precious Woman). In old age, as Ilamatecuhtli
(Old Princess). Female sacrifices in old Mexico were often called Xilonen.
6. Cihuacoatl (Snake Woman): Selinde Lorona. Earth mother, identified with
Tonantzin (Our Mother), and very possibly with the Virgin of Guadalupe,
whose shrine stands on the ancient ground sacred to Tonantzin. Some writers
say she is to be identified as Toci and Teteo Innan (see Tlazolteotl, above). She
is also Quilaztli, who with Quetzalcoatl formed the new men and women after
the birth of the Fifth Sun.
7. Itzpapalotl (Obsidian Butterfly): Liz (sister of Sam Cloud). Chichimec
goddess (the Chichimecs were the hunting tribes ancestral to the Aztecs and
probably to the Toltecs), with fire, celestial, and hunting aspects.
8. Mictlancihuatl (Dead-land Woman): Mictlancihuatl. Goddess of the dead,
wife of Mictlantecuhtli.
9. Tzitzimitl (Air Demon): Tzitzimitl. Celestial demon goddess, whose origin
was in the stars; a peculiar goddess of inertia, the only Aztec deity lacking a
beneficent aspect. She is either multiple in or has minions known as
Tzitzimeme, who are prevented by an ancient spell of Tlazolteotl's from
devouring mankind; they are still perceived as being dangerous during eclipses.
10. Coatlicue (Serpent Skirt): Eve Goss. In myth, Coatlicue was a virgin
impregnated by a ball of feathers, who gave birth to Huitzilopochtli (her virgin
status is suspect since she had already given birth to Coyolxauhqui, the moon
goddess). Nicholson and others suggest that originally this myth might have
been associated originally with the birth of Quetzalcoatl, and it is so treated in
the text. Coyolxauhqui is presumed to be an avatar of Tlazolteotl.
Other Names Mentioned:

1. Moctezuma-tlatoani (speaker) of the Mexica when Cortez arrived. His name
is sometimes spelled Motecuzoma or Montezuma.



2. Huemac-legendary king of the Toltecs who precipitated the collapse of
Tollan, their fabled city.
3. Ihuimecatl and Toltecatl-mentioned only as demons who assisted
Tezcatlipoca in arranging Quetzalcoatl's downfall. Some authors identify
Ihuimecatl as Huitzilopochtli, and Toltecatl (this name means "master artist")
as a god of pulque allied to Patecatl, but these identifications are not used in the
stories.
4. Ixtlilxochitl-Hereditary tlatoani of Texcoco when Cortez arrived-he joined
the Spanish cause. A descendent of his, Alva Ixtlilxochitl, wrote an important
history of the Valley of Mexico. His ancestors were the illustrious
Nezahualcoyotl and Nezahualpilli, who presided over a Texcoco often called
the "Athens of the New World."
APPENDIX B
Pronunciation of Nahuatl names
Nahuatl as written is pronounced exactly the same as Spanish, with one
exception-the "x" is sounded as "sh" in English. All Nahuatl words are accented on
the next-to-last syllable.
Examples:
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Quetzalcoatl-Kayt-zal-CO-atl
Tezcatlipoca-Tez-cat-li-PO-ca
Xipe Totec-SHEE-pay TO-tec
Tlaloc-TLAH-loc
Xolotl-SHO-lottle
Patecatl-Pah-te-CAH-tl
Xochiquetzal-Sho-shee-KAY-tzall
Tlazolteotl-Tlaz-ol-TE-otl
Chalchihuitlicue-Chal-chee-weetl-EE-kway
Mayauel-My-UH-well
Xilonen-Shee-LO-nin
...and so on.