by Heather Arnott
"This story is about the Maya culture of South America," began Gladys.
"I know where the Maya are from, Gladys. Unlike some people I know, I have actually read a book or two in my time," said Eileen snidely.
"I know you have read books, dear, but not everyone knows about South American pre-colonial civilizations. Anyway, I am going to tell you about the hero twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque. They are very popular characters in Mayan culture; they appear several times in the Popul Vuh. I suppose you know all about the Popul Vuh, as you are so well read, so I might as well not bother telling you this story."
"Of course I've read the Popul Vuh, don't be ridiculous. But just to be sure I am thinking of the same story as you, why don't you tell me the story of Hun..., um of the hero twins again," stammered Eileen.
"Okay, just to refresh your memory," replied Gladys. "Since you have read the Popul Vuh, you must know how important ballgames were to the Maya. Well, very early in Maya civilization lived a set of twins: Hun-Hunahpu and Vucub-Hunahpu. They were the best ball players in the world, but the constant noise from their ball bouncing around really bugged the Lords of Death who lived in the underworld, Xibalba."
"I know how that feels! Remember when I had that tap dancer living upstairs? You cannot imagine the racket. So do you know what I did?" asked Eileen.
"Who could forget? I am just amazed that the smell actually came out of your apartment, I thought you were going to have to move too for awhile there. Anyway, so these twins really irritated the Lords of Death..." began Gladys.
"I would be annoyed by rowdy twins stomping on my ceiling too," replied Eileen.
"Okay," said Gladys. "One day they called the boys down and challenged them to a ballgame, but first they had to complete several tasks. The boys failed the third task and were thus executed in the ballcourt. Hun-Hunahpu's head hung in a barren tree that then began to bear fruit that looked like skulls and Hun-Hunahpu's head developed magical properties that allowed it to talk. No one went near the tree for a long time. Then, one Blood Woman's curiousity could not be quenched and she felt she just must taste the fruit. Upon getting close to the tree, Hun-Hunahpu's head spoke to her and begged her to come near and to try the fruit," said Gladys.
"Stupid girl should have learned from Eve's mistake," stated Eileen.
"I don't imagine Blood Woman knew about Eve. Blood Women walked right up to the tree and suddenly Hun-Hunahpu had spit in her hand (mind you, in the ancient Mayan language the words for "spit" and "semen" are the same). This caused Blood Woman to become pregnant. When her family in Xibalba found out that she was with child, they wanted to have her killed, so she ran away to the Earth plane. She eventually found shelter with Hun-Hunahpu's ancestors who could tell right away that the children in her womb were magical. So, obviously, she gives birth and, lo and behold, she has twin boys. She names them Hunahpu and Xbalanque and the twins grow up to become brilliant ballplayers, like their father. Of course, their incessant noise again irritates the Lords of Death, and again they invite the boys to Xibalba to play ball. This time the boys pass several challenges, but then are told they have to spend the night in the House of Bats before the game. To avoid being attacked, the twins shrink themselves and crawl inside their weapons. But, Hunahpu gets curious and sticks his head out to see if they are safe before the sun has risen and down swoops a bat and bites his head right off."
"I knew something bad would happen to him, he just sounded like a trouble maker," stated Eileen.
"Well of course you knew, Eileen, you have read the story before, right?" questioned Gladys.
"Oh yeah, I have."
"Then just to refresh your memory, I'll finish. Xbalanque called several of his animal friends together and they fashioned a head out of a squash. They placed this new head upon Hunahpu's shoulders and it magically looked just like the original. A little later in the afternoon, Xbalanque went to the ballcourt and suggested that his brother sit the game out. Now, the Lords of the Dead knew why Xbalanque had made this suggestion, because the bat who bit off Hunahpu's head had delivered it to them. The Lords of the Dead agreed to letting Hunahpu sit the game out. So the game began, and what were they using as a ball? Hunahpu's head! Well, Xbalanque had expected this kind of disrespect from the Lords of the Dead, so he had asked a favor of Rabbit. Before the game Xbalanque told Rabbit that he would kick the ball in his direction, and Rabbit was to pick the ball up and run away into the forest and hide. Hunahpu then claimed his head from Rabbit and the twins tied the rest of the ballgames with the Lords of the Dead."
"That story doesn't have a happy ending."
"That's not the end. The Lords of the Dead decided that, even though the twins had not lost the game, they would be sacrificed. I suppose you knew that Mayans sacrificed the losers after every ballgame."
"Of course," declared Eileen.
"Of course. After the twins were sacrificed, they magically brought themselves back to life in a different form, so as not to be recognized. Then they set about making a name for themselves by killing things and bringing them back to life magically. They started out with bugs and animals and then moved up to humans. The Lords of the Dead heard about these wonderous magicians and sent for them to be brought to Xibalba. Down come the twins and begin their show. Animal after animal, person after person they kill and bring back to life. The Lords of the Dead are so amazed by this trick that they ask it to be performed on themselves. The twins happily oblige by killing them, but they do not bring these evil tyrants back from the dead. This is how the twins became heroes and how they rid the world of the evil Lords of the Dead. So you see, Hunahpu and Xbalanque did something good for themselves, their family, and the rest of the Mayan people."
"Only because they were magic, otherwise they would have just been dead. Plus, they were irritating, and probably spawned a whole line of irritating boys," remarked Eileen.
"I don't think it is fair for you to discount this story because it involves magic, the stories you told involved magic too," countered Gladys.
"Well, is that the best you can do? I'm still not looking forward to the little patter of two pairs of feet."
"Well, give me a minute to think of another, I'm sure I know more," sighed Gladys.
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Author's Note: Eileen and Gladys are original characters. The story is based mostly on the Mayan stories on the create.org website, though I read some other stories and websites about Mayan culture that informed my writing.
Bibliography:
"The Classic Maya Civilization of Central America"
by Dr. Mary E. Gutierrez
Website: create.com
http://www.create.org/myth/mayanmyths.htm
Image Information:
"Tiquisate Ballgame"
Detail Photo of Mayan Vase
http://maya-archaeology.org/ancient_sports_hunting_games/Mayan_Tiquisate_ballgame.html