Stories

An Aztec Legend / by Gilberto de la Rosa

In the Mexican Valley, where the capitol city is located, there are several surrounding mountains. If you go east about forty-five miles, you arrive at a little town named Amecameca. If you look east you see a big mountain, but you have to bend your head over your back to see the peaks of this mountain named Iztlacihuatl, which in native language means: Sleeping woman. The road up to the mountain starts in the town of Amecameca and ends where the snow begins about fifteen miles away.

This mountain is about 13,000 feet above sea level and 5,000 feet from the terrain. The snow always covers the summit, and we can see from this place a beautiful view of the valley. Nearby is another peak, named Popocatepetl (Smoky Mountain) also with snow covering it all year long. There is a legend about these two mountains.

When the Aztecs, a Mexican kingdom, were in the valley, there was a king with a pretty daughter. She was very young, she had long black hair down her back, large black eyes, and beautiful eyebrows, like two triumphal arches. She had a swan-like neck, fine hands and a beautiful body covered with a fine skin like velvet.

She loved a warrior, a good-looking man. His head was covered with a beautiful tuft of feathers; his face serious and eyes were hard like an eagle. His neck was strong like a bull. He was muscular with a broad back, and was a courageous man.

When the king discovered his daughter's love, he sent the warrior to fight a far-off enemy tribe. The princess was sad and sick with love over his absence. She died just when her lover came back from the war.

When the warrior saw his lady dead, he took the body outside of the town. He leveled a space near a lot of flowers. He put a knee on the ground and sadly contemplated the body like a sleeping woman and he also died. Both lovers became two big mountains, the Iztlacihuatl and the Popocatepetl volcano with both silhouettes drawn again the sky. Legend says she lay down with her head, hair, lips breast and feet and he lies beside her watching his beloved princess.

If we learn the lessons of this legend, it is that when love is sincere and strong, it is an everlasting love.