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Chuj (Mayan) Narratives: Chapter 6

Chuj (Mayan) Narratives

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Sorcerer

THIS STORY, TOLD BY Francisco Santizo Andrés, was recorded in Huehuetenango on November 28, 1964, in the house Francisco and I rented in the city of Huehuetenango. We had been working together since the end of August, and he had recorded a number of brief texts, some biographical and some procedural (agricultural work, salt extraction), some commentaries on life in general (sickness and death). These texts had established our routine of recording him in monologue, having him transcribe the tape and prepare a rough Spanish translation, and me checking the transcription, extracting lexicon, and learning grammar. We met regularly to discuss what I was learning and explore different domains of culture. Finally I asked him for a longer story, not a personal experience, but a story people told to one another. This tale of a famous warlock was the result.

This story is drawn from the native repertory, and it reports events believed to have happened in the lives of living people. People and places are named, although the time frame is left undefined. The story concerns the evil deeds and ultimate destiny of a famous sorcerer, an aj b’a’al, a man who causes physical harm to others through supernatural means, as opposed to the aj k’o’ol, who causes spiritual harm. These two specialists form the class of chuk winakil, evil men.

People consist of three principal parts. The human body (winak) harbors the soul. The soul is sometimes called guapo in local Spanish, chiapah in Chuj. It resides in one’s innards (k’o’ol, the contents of the body cavity, the center of the emotions, like the European heart). The heart itself is pixan, a term that also applies to a kind of spirit (Spanish espíritu) that comes to molest in the night, feeling like a heavy weight on the chest that keeps one from breathing for several minutes.

K’o’ol is sometimes used in the sense of “soul.” The soul is shared by the animal counterpart (snok’al k’o’ol, the “animal of the soul”), an actual physical animal that lives in this world and shares its fate with the human, including physical injury. These are real animals, but they are more than just animals. In the text that follows, the narrator refers to them once as heb’ winh nok’, “those [human-class] animals.” One’s personality comes from one’s companion animal; some people are flighty as squirrels, but powerful men are believed to have pumas, coyotes, or even lightning and whirlwind as their animal counterparts (and truly powerful men may have more than one). The three elements interact in distinct spheres: humans with humans, souls with souls, animals with animals, but the results of their interaction in one sphere may resound in the other domains. Sorcerers work either through the spirit world, as aj k’o’ol (master of the soul) or through the physical world, as aj b’a’al (master of witchcraft). Or, they take on animal form and act on other such animals.

The Chuj community of San Mateo Ixtatán (ko chonhab’, “our selling place, our market, our village”) is situated on the northern flanks of the Cuchumatán Mountains in the Department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Until recently, cloud forest covered the heights above the town (Breedlove and Hopkins 1970–71), and famous salt wells below the town gave it its name (from Nahuat “place of salt”). The town of San Mateo is divided into several neighborhoods (Spanish cantón, loaned to Chuj as kantonh). Outside the bounds of the town itself are subsidiary settlements (Spanish aldea, Chuj k’alu’um, literally, “old land”). These in turn have smaller dependencies (Spanish caserío). The events reported in this story took place in and around Yolaquitac (yola’ kitak “Kitak river,” meaning unknown), a caserío of the aldea Jolomtenam (jolom tenam, “head of the rock outcrop”), one of the five major aldeas of San Mateo. Every subdivision of the community—cantones, aldeas, caseríos—is said to have its own sorcerers, and these men are powerful politically and socially as well as being sorcerers. The three that are named in this story are Tunku Matal, a good man; Xan Malin, an evil man, both residents of Yolaquitac; and Maltix Ros, the chief sorcerer for all of San Mateo. These names are the equivalent of Spanish Domingo Magdalena, Juan María, and Baltazar Rosa (or perhaps Rosario). Curiously, all three combine male and female names, not the usual patronymic and first name of the father, as the narrator, Francisco Santizo Andrés, is the son of Andrés Santizo [Antonio].

Sorcerers take some of their powers from objects; in this story, Xan Malin carries a medallion (medaya, a loan from Spanish) that confers on him multiple “souls,” referred to as smoj animah, yet another term for the chiapah, combining moj “afterbirth” with animah “person,” literally “the person’s afterbirth.” These multiple souls allowed him to be able to take any form he chose, examples being a leaf, a woman, an animal, or just anything. He also carried a metal cane and a knife, referred to as “his two companions” (chab’ yet’b’eyum, “two that accompany him on his walks”). The medallion survived the sorcerer’s death, and its later conduct suggests that it may have been a motivating factor in his philandering, urging him to go out to drink and molest women.

After the necessary background, the narrator gives a detailed account of Xan Malin’s evil deeds. He goes out at night to enter houses, molest the women of the household and eat their food. He follows girls that attract his attention and goes into their houses at night. He does all this without being detected, even sleeping with women at the sides of their husbands. However, when drunk he brags about his deeds, and the community becomes aware of his acts. The other sorcerers confer and decide to attack him with sorcery (as aj b’a’al). But they could not cause physical harm to him because he was too powerful. Next they sent out their companion animals (snok’al sk’o’ol), with no better result. Finally, they lure him to a meeting by pretending to be the chief sorcerer, Maltix Ros, and give him bewitched alcohol to drink. When he is thoroughly drunk, they fall on him (his physical body, winak) and beat him, chop him with a machete, and hit him with clubs, but he fights back and wounds several of them. Then they stab him with a knife, and his spirit (sk’o’ol) departs his body.

The men are able to carry his body to a cliff and throw it off; body parts are strewn down the side of the rock face. But when they reach the bottom to check on their work, he is getting up. They beat him again, even gutting him and tearing out his heart, but his foot is still capable of kicking them. He is beat again until his testicles come off. Then they leave his remains there. A day later they return to hide his body, but he is too heavy to lift. Their animals are summoned, and pumas take turns carrying the weight to a wilderness named Catelac (k’atelak, named after a wildflower, k’ate’). Coyotes arrive to eat his flesh.

His wife is not worried about his disappearance, since he is accustomed to leave for days on end. But while she is asleep he begins to arrive at night and work spinning and weaving wool (a man’s job). When his son goes out to check on the family cornfield, Xan Malin speaks to him and says he is staying out there to watch the corn. Then one day a finger appears on the wife’s blanket. She takes this as a sign he is dead, and alerts the authorities. When his remains are discovered, there are only bones and his head, with a scarf and his wool jacket (Spanish capixay, Chuj lopil). Even after all is taken away, one of his spirits (jun spixan) remains, and he appears to people walking by, greeting them and chatting them up.

The authorities draw up a report of his death, and one of them finds the medallion and takes it home. At night it speaks to him, urging him to get up and go out and have some fun! He can’t sleep through it, and he throws the medallion away. Many men were arrested and jailed for the killing of Xan Malin, but they spent little time in jail, since no evidence could be brought to bear on the question of who was responsible for the death.

The narrator now goes back and reviews some of the powers of Xan Malin and relates that at the time of his death, black buzzards and red-headed vultures (hostok and xulem) arrived to fight with the men, along with many other animals and a whirlwind (chak xuxum ik’), tossing the men around. Finally, a large rock, another of his smoj animah, came crashing through the group, striking them, and then a great fire and a lot of other things. But he died. There were many witnesses to these acts.

The Sorcerer

Narrator: Francisco Santizo Andrés, of San Mateo Ixtatán, Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Recorded in Huehuetenango, November 28, 1964

Chuj Text 12 [CAC 002 R012]

[Opening]

Antonse swik’ti’ej winh anima chi’,

So, I will talk about a man

porke tob’ te aj b’al winh.

who was a great sorcerer.

Yuj chi’, ha syalan anima,

So, people say

tob’ hanhej wal winh te chuk.

only he was very powerfully evil.

Yuj chi’, masanil anima ts’alani,

So, everyone talks about him;

aykan yik’ti’al winh.

there is an enduring story about him.

Porke (te sobre te’) mas te aj b’al winh,

Because he was the greatest sorcerer

t’a yichanh jantak masanil heb’ winh

among all those other men who are

aj b’al t’a yol chonhab’.

sorcerers in San Mateo Ixtatán.

Ay heb’ winh yichamtak winakil

There are many elder men who are

aj b’al t’ay yol chonhab’.

sorcerers in the village center.

Porke ha smodo heb’ winh ta’,

Because the manner of those men is,

t’ay jun jun kantonh,

in each cantón,

ay jun jun heb’ winh ichamtak wínak

each has its elder men,

sat aj b’a’al.

the head men of sorcery.

Ha heb’ winh sb’ohan

Those men arrange things

yaj t’a yol chonhab’.

that go on in the village center.

Ay jun jun heb’ winh pax

There are also those men

t’ay jun jun k’alu’um.

in each aldea.

Yuj chi’, tato ay junh lolonel

So, if there is a meeting

sb’o heb’ winh, ts’el ab’is

those men make, the notice goes out

t’ay masanil jantak heb’ winh

to all the other men

ayel t’ay jun jun k’alu’um.

who are out in each aldea.

Smolchaj heb’ winh,

They gather, those men,

syalan junh slolonel heb’ winh.

and they have a discussion.

[Xan Malin’s evil deeds]

Yuj chi’, t’ay jun k’alum chi’,

So, in one aldea there,

t’ay yola kitak, ha ta’

in Yolaquitac, there

ay jun winh skuchan Tunhku Matal.

there is a man named Tunku Matal.

Ha winh skuchan Tunhku Matal chi’,

That man named Tunku Matal,

hab’ winh tik te aj b’al ta’ yalani.

they say he was a great sorcerer.

Pero ay junxo winh,

But there is another man,

skuchan Xan Malin.

named Xan Malín.

Yuj chi’, ha heb’ winh cha wanh chi’,

So, those two men,

ha heb’ winh sat aj b’al

they were the chief sorcerers

yaj t’a yol k’alum chi’.

there in the center of the aldea.

Pero ha winhaj Tunhku Matal chi’,

But that gentleman Tunku Matal,

ha wach’il syak’ winh,

he did good,

malaj puch winakil syak’ winh chi’.

he wasn’t a trouble-maker.

Wen omre syutej sb’a wính.

He acted as a good man.

Pero haxo winhaj Xan Malin chi jun,

But that other gentleman Xan Malín,

komo mas te chukab’ winh.

was more evil, they say.

Yuj chi’, ts’ek’ wal winh

So, he succeeded

yib’anh hab’ xchukal.

through his evil, they say.

Pero manhoklaj wach’il chi’ syak’ winh,

But it wasn’t good that he did,

ha puch winakil syak’ winh.

he made himself a trouble-maker.

Ix yilelta winh,

He saw

ke syempre mas te chuk winh,

that he was certainly more powerful

t’a yichanh masanil heb’ winh aj b’al

than all of the other sorcerers

t’ay chonhab’,

in the village,

t’ay jun jun k’alu’um.

and in each aldea.

Entonse, haxo winh puch winakil

So, that evil man

ix yak’k’e winh.

made trouble for them.

Yos, ayab’ jun k’en smedaya winh, xi.

Well, they say he had a medallion.

Yuj chi’,

So, they say,

ha hab’ k’en smedaya winh chi’ yet’i,

that medallion he had with him

itob’ te tsijtum smoj yanima winh.

gave him many companion spirits.

Yuj chi’, hab’ yilelta winh,

So, they say he saw

ke to max wal tsak’wanlaj

that they could not match him,

masanil heb’ winh syal sb’a

all those who called themselves

aj b’alil chi’ t’a winh.

sorcerers.

Entonse ix b’at winh t’ay jun jun k’alu’um,

So he went to each aldea,

t’a masanil yol chonhab’,

in the whole village,

ts’och winh pojoj pat.

and he broke into the houses.

Ix yilelta winh jun,

He saw, then,

malaj tas syak’ pasar t’a winh,

nothing would happen to him,

max ilchaj’eltalaj wính.

he would not be discovered.

I hasta heb’ winh te aj b’al chi yalani,

And even to those great sorcerers

ts’och winh t’a yol spat heb’ winh.

he entered into their houses.

I ha b’at k’ulok winh t’a yol spat chi’,

And what he went to do there,

ts’och winh t’a yol te pat,

he would enter into the house,

porke toton puch winak winh.

because he was a trouble-maker.

(ix och) Ix yilelta winh,

He saw

te wach’ yaj yoch winh yol te pat.

how easy it was to enter the house.

Malaj mach tas ts’alani,

Nobody said anything,

i malaj mach tsak’wan t’a winh.

and nobody was his equal.

Entonse ha xo heb’ ix ix,

So, the women,

haxob’ heb’ ix, b’at yixtej winh.

those women, he would molest them.

Tsab’ yil winh mach heb’ ix anima

He would see which of the women

te wach’ yilji.

were best looking.

Tonhej syilkan heb’ ix winh t’a jun k’u,

He would just see them one day,

ha xo t’ay t’ak’walil, sb’at winh.

and then at night, he would go.

Sk’och winh t’a te pat chi’,

He entered into the house,

yos, b’at pojan’och sb’a winh.

well, he broke into the house.

Komo te chuk winh jun,

Since he was really powerful,

tsab’ ochk’och winh yol pat chi’.

they say he would enter the house.

Tsab’ yak’ankan’em ts’ikan

They say he would leave lit

jun kantela winh,

a candle,

ts’em wokan winh, swa winh.

he would sit down, and eat.

Tato ay hab’ ixim wa’il,

If there were any tortillas, they say,

tato ay tas swach’ wa’el,

if there was anything good to eat

uk’el aykani, tsab’ say yil winh.

or to drink left, he would look for it.

Ana’ anima,

And those people,

waynak t’a yol spat.

asleep in their house.

Ts’och sk’ak’ winh,

He would make a fire,

swa winh, kontento.

he would eat, content.

Slajwi hab’ swa winh,

He would finish eating, they say,

ayuch ts’ikan jun kantela chi’

and leave a candle burning

yil yok winh.

so he could see.

Despwes, sk’och winh

Later, he would arrive

t’ay b’ajtil sway ix

at where the woman was sleeping

yet’ winh yichmil.

with her husband.

Pero ha winh chi jun,

But that man,

machekel tas xom syutej

who knows what he did

heb’ winh anima chi winh.

to those people.

Tsab’ te ochkan swayanh

They say they would stay asleep,

heb’ winh yichmil heb’ ix chi’.

those husbands of the women.

Yuj chi’, mab’ax yab’laj heb’ winh,

So, they didn’t hear anything

sk’och winh.

when he arrived.

Snitschajkan’el heb’ winh,

They would be moved away

t’ay sts’ey heb’ ix,

from the side of the women;

sway winh yet’ heb’ ix winh.

he slept with the women.

Kontento, syixtan heb’ ix winh.

Content, he molested the women.

——

I hanheja hab’ syutej sb’a winh chi’,

And just so, they say he would do,

wach’ chomab’ ha jun ix kob’es.

if he saw an unmarried girl.

Tato, toxo ix kanab’ snab’en winh, t’ay ix,

If he were attracted to her,

toxo ix yil ix winh ke tato wach’ yilji ix,

if he saw she was good looking,

ha xo t’a t’ak’walil sk’och winh,

then at night he would arrive,

b’at yixtan ix winh, b’at way winh yet’ ix.

go molest her, go sleep with her.

Ix ek’ nhej mul, yak’an winh ichachi’.

He just sinned like this.

Despwes, ix yilan winh jun,

Later, he saw, then,

malaj mach tas ts’alani.

nobody said anything.

Max spaklaj sb’a heb’ winh anima chi’,

The men didn’t defend themselves,

hasta max yileltalaj heb’ winh

they didn’t even see

tato ay mach tik ts’ixtan

if there was someone toying with

yajal yistsil heb’ winh t’ay sts’ey.

their wives at their sides.

——

Pero haxo winh jun,

But that man,

komo toton te chuk winh

since he was so powerful

sna’ani,

he thought to himself,

malaj mach stsak’wani.

there was nobody who equaled him.

Haxo winh ts’alan’elta t’a sti’.

He began to talk.

Haxo winh ts’alani, ke

That man would say that:

“Ha’in tik, jantak masanil heb’ winh

“As for me, all of those men

ay t’ay chonhab’ tik,

that are in the village,

jantak heb’ winh wet ajk’alumal tik,

so many of our aldea neighbors,

wan xo wek’chaj t’ay spatik

I am getting on the backs

yajal yistsil heb’ winh, smasanil.

of their wives, all of them.

Wojtak xo chajtil yaj yistsil heb’ winh.

I know how they are, their wives.

May ts’och heb’ winh,

They are worthless, those men,

may jab’ok swach’il heb’ winh,

they are no good, those men,

may icha unin,

they are like children,

ichachi’ yaj heb’ winh t’ayin.

that’s how they are to me.

Ina heb’ winh syal sb’a

Those men who call themselves

yajal chonhab’il

the lords of the village

t’a yol jun jun k’alu’um,

in every aldea,

te chuk heb’ winh yalani,

very powerful men, they say,

pero ha heb’ winh chi’,

but those men,

b’ab’el ix wak’ prowal

I first tried out

heb’ ix yajal yistsil,

the women that are their wives,

yal yisil heb’ winh.

the daughters of those men.

Te noy, te wach’.

Very nice. Very good.

Wik yaji.

They are mine.

(may) May winh mach tas ts’alani,

Nobody says anything,

ha’in swala’.

I say.

I pax heb’ winh ay t’a yol chonhab’,

And also those men in San Mateo,

heb’ winh yajal chonhab’,

those lords of the town,

heb’ winh yichamtak winakil,

those elder men,

yal yisil heb’ winh,

the daughters of those men,

yajal yistsil heb’ winh,

the wives of those men,

syempre wak’ prowar.

I certainly have tried them.

Wan xo hin nanh pojax ek’

Already I am half way

t’ay yol chonhab’ tik.

through the village.

Hin sayan wil yajal yistsil

I look for the wives

heb’ winh chonhab’ tik

of the men of the village

t’a yol chonhab’,”

in the center of the town,”

xchab’ winh, ichatik.

said the man, thus.

——

Syalan winh, syuk’an anh anh winh,

He talked, when he was drinking,

jantak sk’ak’b’ik’och winh yuj anh anh,

he got so heated up with alcohol,

yos, syalan’elta winh.

well, he would speak out.

Porke syil winh jun,

Because he saw

ke to malaj mach

that there was nobody who

sts’ak’wan t’a winh.

could equal him.

[People take notice]

Entonse, hanheja’ chi’,

So, just like that,

ix yab’an heb’ winh

they heard,

jantak heb’ winh chuk chi jun,

so many of the powerful men,

ke to ichachi’ syal winh.

that he talked like this.

Entonse ix sayan yil heb’ winh, b’i’an.

So they tried to see, then.

Ix smaklan heb’ winh,

They watched to see

ke ta to yel syal winh,

if it was true what he said,

to syak’ puch winakil winh.

if he was a trouble-maker.

Pero ix yilelta heb’ winh jun,

But they saw,

to yel syal winh.

what he said was true.

Sk’och nhej winh t’a te pat chi’,

He just arrived at a house,

t’ay jantak t’ay skyere,

as many as he wanted,

i mach ix anima chi’

and whatever woman

b’aj skan snab’en winh,

that he wanted,

b’at way nhej winh yet’ ix.

he just went and slept with her.

——

Yuj chi’, k’ojanh k’olal,

So, slowly,

ix yak’ wenta heb’ winh,

they realized,

jantak masanil aj b’al chi’,

all those sorcerers,

ke to hanhej wal winh ts’akan jun chi’

that he alone was making trouble

t’ay sch’okojil.

for the others.

Yos, ix sayan heb’ winh

Well, they looked

chajtil modo satel winh.

for a way to lose him.

Porke masanil nanam kistal,

Because all the tame dumb ones,

masanil jantak heb’ winh chonhab’,

all the many people of the village,

ha heb’ winh chi’,

those people,

chuk syab’i ke to ha heb’ ix

took it badly that the women

yajal yistsil heb’ winh, syixtej winh.

that were their wives, he molested.

I mismu t’a sts’ey heb’ winh tik,

And right there at their sides,

sway winh yet’ heb’ ix.

he slept with them.

[Sorcery fails]

Yuj chi’, ha smul winh chi’, k’ojanh k’olal,

So, his misbehavior, slowly,

ix te molchaj smul winh

his misbehavior built up

t’ay heb’ winh jantak masaníl.

against all those men.

Ix saychaj b’i’an,

They looked for something, then,

tas ix ik’an xcham winh.

that would bring about his death.

Pero komo malaj winh

But there was nobody

ts’och sk’ab’ t’a winh,

who would put his hand against him,

malaj winh (winh) sk’ochwal b’at

there was nobody to come

mak’an winh,

beat up on him,

malaj winh tas ol utan wal winh.

nobody to do anything to him.

I hasta ix yak’laj hab’ heb’ winh,

And the men even tried, they say,

primero t’ay b’a’al.

first with sorcery.

Ijan ix sb’alej winh heb’ winh,

When they worked sorcery on him,

pero komo te chuk winh,

since he was very powerful,

mas ts’ek’ winh

all the more he came out

t’a yib’anh heb’ winh.

on top of them.

Entonse,

So,

lwego syil hab’ heb’ winh, xi,

right away the men saw, they say,

ay manh syilelta winh,

as soon as the man saw

ke to ay jun winh aj b’a’al,

that it was a sorcerer,

entonse syaman winh heb’ winh, yos,

then he grabbed them, and

una wes (smak’) smak’ab’ heb’ winh winh.

once and for all he beat them.

Yuj chi’,

So,

xiw heb’ winh jantak anima chi’ t’a winh.

many people were afraid of him.

——

[Attack in the jungle]

Ay jun makanh xo heb’ winh –

There is another part of men—

nok’, xi.

an animal, they say.

Komo hanhej wala’ yek’ winh chi’.

So just like that he would go out.

Wach’ chom masanil hab’ t’ay t’ak’walil,

Even in the dead of night,

skot winh t’a b’aj ay,

he would go wherever,

skot winh t’ay kal chonhab’.

he would go through the town.

Snak’e winh

He would decide

b’ajtil ol k’och winh t’a junh ak’wal,

where all he would go that night,

t’a junh k’alu’um.

to an aldea.

Jantak chiman ak’wal,

Along about midnight,

sb’at winh, sk’och winh,

he would go out, arrive

t’a junh k’alu’um.

at some aldea.

Hanheja’ jun chukal chi’ b’at yak’ winh.

Like that, to do evil he would go out.

Ayab’ jun k’en sk’okoch k’en winh,

They say he had a metal cane,

yet’ jun skuchilub’ winh.

and a knife.

Ha hab’ wal

Those were

chab’ yetb’eyum winh chi’.

his two companions, they say.

Yuj chi’, tsab’ snak’e winh,

So, when he would decide to

sb’at winh jantak t’ak’walil.

he would go out many nights.

Sb’at nhej winh t’a yok,

He would just go out on foot,

i malaj syak’ pasar t’a winh.

and nothing would happen to him.

Wach’ chom ay winh aj k’olab’

Even if an enemy, they say,

smak’am winh t’a yol b’e,

attacked him on the road,

may ts’och heb’ winh.

they couldn’t do anything.

May malaj jab’ok b’aj

there was no place where

ts’och heb’ winh yuj winh,

they could get the better of him,

porke mas ts’ek’ winh

because he always came out

yib’anh heb’ winh.

on top of them.

Despwes, ix yilan winh

Later, he saw

ke to malaj ts’och heb’ winh chi’,

that they couldn’t deal with him,

yo, mas nhej ste’ak’ej puch winakil winh,

and he just went on making trouble,

mas nhej te kot yowal winh

he just got worse

yak’an stsuntsan heb’ ix ix.

at molesting the women

——

Pero ha heb’ winh masanil chi jun,

But all of those men,

komo toxo ix och t’ay xchikin heb’ winh,

since it already entered their ears,

toxo ix yaweb’ [yab’ heb’] winh,

they already had heard it,

chajtil to hajun chi syak’ winh,

how he was behaving,

entonse ix te molchaj smul winh.

and his evil deeds were piled up.

Hab’ yak’lan heb’ winh masanil chi’

They say all those men tried

t’ay b’a’al chi’.

sorcery.

Maj yallaj yuj heb’ winh.

it didn’t work on him.

Haxob’ “T’a heb’ winh nok’,”

So they say, “With the animals,”

ix yal heb’ winh,

said those men,

“mejor cht’on ts’ek’ winh t’ay t’ak’walil,

“better, as he goes out at night,

mejor smak’chaj winh t’a yol b’e,

better he be attacked on the road

i una wes hata’

and there, once and for all

slajwel winh,”

he’ll be finished,”

xchab’ heb’ winh.

they say those men said.

Ha xo heb’ winh

Then all those men

ay snok’al sk’o’ol,

who had spirit animals,

nok’ chój, nok’ (tas) okes,

lion, coyote,

(nok’) tastak nok’al,

whatever animal,

tsab’ makan winh

they say they attacked him

t’a yol b’e.

on the road.

Komo ay jun yaxlum

Since there is a jungle

t’ay yib’anhk’eta

up above

t’a b’aj ay sk’alum winh chi’,

where his aldea was,

hata’ skot sb’e winh,

there his path went

sja’ t’ay chonhab’.

when he came to town.

——

Yuj chi’, jantak ora

So, whenever

snak’e winh skoti,

he thought to get up,

skot nhej winh t’a t’ak’walil,

he would get up in the night,

sja winh t’a chonhab’.

he would come to town.

I masanil tyempo,

And all the time,

uk’uma’anh [uk’um anh anh] winh.

he would be drunk.

——

Yuj chi’,

So,

t’a jun nanhal yaxlum chi’,

in the middle of the jungle there,

ha hab’ ta’ smak’chaj winh

there, they say, he was attacked

yuj nok’ choj chi’.

by those pumas.

Ay jun lot’il tenam,

There is a narrow pass in the rock,

ha hab’ ta’ smak’chaj winh.

they say there he was attacked.

Pero tsab’ k’ehul winh ta’,

But when he got there, they say,

ayek’ nok’ choj chi’,

those pumas were there;

tsab’ yalan winh,

they say he said,

“Elanhek t’a yol hin b’e.

“Get out of my road.

Elanhek t’a yol hin b’e,

Get out of the middle of my road,

porke manhokexlaj

because it’s not you all

tsek’ex hin say wila’.

I’m out looking for.

Ha’in tik,

As for me,

to tsin b’eyek’ t’ay yol wiko’,

I’m passing through my own territory,

ini hex tik ne’ik,

and you all,

syempre

certainly

ay b’aj tsex b’eyek’i.

there is a place for you all to walk.

Tsena’ b’eyek’ he b’a,

Think about walking,

ichachi waji.

that’s the way I am.

Malaj mach tsex makani,

Nobody is attacking you,

malaj mach tas ts’alan t’ayex.

nobody is saying anything to you.

Ichachi’ waji.

That’s the way I am.

Ay hin derechu hin b’eyek’i,”

I have the right to walk around,”

xchab’ winh ichatik

they say the man spoke thus

t’a nok’ choj chi’.

to those pumas.

Pero ha nok’ jun,

But those animals,

tonhej hab’ stsewaj nok’,

they say they just laughed,

max ellaj nok’

the animals didn’t leave

t’a yol sb’e winh.

the middle of the road.

Komo nok’ nok’ jun

Since those animals, well,

tekan xiw winh

maybe he was afraid

t’ay nok’ sna’ani.

of the animals, they thought.

Pero ha xo winh jun,

But that man, well,

mab’ax xiwlaj winh.

he wasn’t afraid.

Tsab’ yalan winh,

They say he said,

“Tato maxex el t’a yol hin b’e

“If you all don’t get out of my path

t’a ak’an k’olal,

of your own accord,

entonse (olin) yala’ tas

then there is something

olin aj heyet’ok,”

I will do to you,”

xchab’ winh ichatik.

they say the man spoke thus.

Pero jantak syal hab’ winh

But for all that he said, they say,

t’ay nok’,

to the animals,

max ellaj nok’.

they didn’t leave.

Jun xo, stsaktsajk’e winh,

So, he got tired of this,

skot yowal winh, yos,

he got angry, then,

tsab’ och yub’naj winh

they say he grabbed one

t’ay sjaj nok’,

by the animal’s throat,

tsab’ syumanh nok’ winh,

they say he threw the animal,

syumanhkanb’at nok’ winh

he threw the animals off

t’ay kaltak yaxlu’um. (Skot winh t’ay . . .)

into the jungle.

Skot winh

He stayed there

t’ay yol b’e chi b’i’an.

in the middle of the road, then.

Syak’an segir winh sb’eyi.

He went on with his walk.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ix yilan’elta heb’ winh chi jun,

those men saw

ke te malaj ts’och heb’ winh,

that they couldn’t handle him,

max tsak’wanlaj heb’ winh (t’ay) t’ay winh.

they couldn’t bother him.

[A new plan emerges]

Yos,

So,

“Tas wal modo ol ik’an xcham winh,

“How can we make him die,

porke sko mak winh,

because we attack him,

i ijan sko b’alej winh,

and we use sorcery on him,

pero (max) max yallaj,

but it isn’t possible,

max techajlaj winh ku’uj.

we can’t defeat him.

Mas te chuk winh,”

He is more powerful,”

xchab’ heb’ winh ichatik.

they say the men spoke thus.

Pero ix te’ ak’an wal pensar heb’ winh

But they really thought about

tas modoal ol cham winh.

how he would die.

“Bweno,

“Okay,

entonse ha xo t’ay jun tyempo,” xi,

then sometime,” they said,

“ham k’och ijan pax swerte winh.”

“his destiny ought to arrive.”

Yos,

So,

t’a jun Pasku halab’ junel, xi,

one Christmas Eve, they say,

komo tom chekel jantak heb’ winh,

since many people were called,

yamigu pax winh jun,

even that man’s friends,

komo ha ta’ t’a hantes chi’,

since for a long time

masanil heb’ winh anima,

all the people,

heb’ winh chonhab’,

the people of the town,

xiw heb’ winh

were afraid

t’a heb’ winh aj b’a’al.

of those sorcerers.

Tos yak’uch . . .

So . . .

[tape ends; new tape begins]

Yuj chi’,

So,

tsab’ xiw heb’ winh

they say they were afraid

t’ay masanil heb’ winh aj b’a’al.

of all those sorcerers.

Yuj chi’,

So,

to syak’uch sb’a heb’ winh

they joined with

t’ay heb’ winh.

those men.

Te’ yikab’il heb’ winh aj b’al chi’

Very respected were sorcerers

yuj heb’ winh.

by those men.

Yuj chi’,

So,

malaj mach stsuntsan winh

nobody bothered him

t’ay ak’an k’olal,

voluntarily,

malaj mach tas ts’alan t’a winh.

nobody said anything to him.

Pero ha xo heb’ winh masanil chi jun,

But all of the people

ix yak’an’el lolonel heb’ winh.

called a meeting.

Masanil heb’ winh jantak kotak unin,

All the many children,

masanil ichamtak winak ix tak’wi,

all the elders answered,

masanil heb’ winh chonhab’.

all the villagers.

Ix tak’wi t’a spatik winh,

They met behind his back,

ke to syal xcham winh.

to see if his death was possible.

“Porke ini honh tik, kotak unin honh.

“Because we, we are the children.

B’ak’inh ol k’e ko k’ib’i,

When we grow up,

repenta ol ko say ix kajal kistsil,

then we will find wives,

repenta toxo ix ek’ winh

then he will go out

t’ay spatik heb’ ix,

on the backs of the women,

ol lik’an heb’ íx.

he will molest the women.

E mato ol kik’ ko b’a yet’ heb’ ix,

And if we marry the women,

ha xo winh, ol b’at ixtan

that man, he’ll go toy with

heb’ ix t’ayonh,

the women on us,

porke to ha jun chi syak’ winh,”

because that’s what he does,”

xchab’ heb’ winh masanil.

they say they all said.

Ix tak’wi heb’ winh

The people responded

t’a spatik winh to xcham winh.

behind his back, that he should die.

[The plan is executed]

Yuj chi’,

So,

ix k’ochab’ yempu t’ay Pasku chi’,

they say that Christmas came,

ix smolan sb’a heb’ winh b’i’an.

the men gathered, then.

Ayamab’ junh trenta homre, xi.

There were about thirty men, they say.

Heb’ winh aj b’al chi wal,

The sorcerers were there,

ix och sk’ab’ chi’ t’ay winh.

who put their hands against him.

Komo ayab’ jun te pat

Since there was a house

b’ajtil wal uk’wi’anh winh jun,

where that man would drink,

winh aj b’al chi’.

that sorcerer.

I ch’okab’ junxo te pat

And apart, they say, another house

t’a b’ajtil ix smolb’ej sb’a heb’ winh,

where the men gathered,

heb’ winh skontra winh chi’.

the men who were his enemies.

Yuj chi’,

So,

“Mejor tas wal skutej scham winh tik ne’ik

“Better what we do to kill him now

ko b’o’ek,

we do it,

hanhej wal ijan slajwel winh t’ay

however we resolve to finish him

t’a ak’wal tik,”

tonight,”

xchab’ heb’ winh.

they say the men said.

Hab’ smanan anh anh heb’ winh,

They say they bought alcohol,

hab’ yuk’an anh heb’ winh.

they say they were drinking.

Pero ha heb’ winh,

But those men,

heb’ winh ayuch snab’en

those men who wanted

smak’ancham winh chi’,

to beat him to death,

mab’ax yuk’laj anh heb’ winh.

they didn’t drink.

Ayab’ jun woteya

They say there was a bottle

anh anh chi’

of alcohol

ch’ok ix yik’el heb’ winh.

they set aside.

Hab’ sb’alej anh heb’ winh,

They say they bewitched the alcohol,

xchi.

they say.

Porke ichachi’ syutej heb’ winh yalani,

Because thus they did, they say,

hab’ sb’alej anh heb’ winh.

they say they bewitched the alcohol.

Tas xomab’ ix yutej anh heb’ winh, yos,

Who knows what they did to it, but

ch’okab’ ix yik’el anh heb’ winh.

they set the alcohol aside, they say.

Yik wal winh.

It was his.

Tato ol k’och winh t’a skal heb’ winh chi’,

When he arrived among them,

yos,

well,

ha hab’ anh chi’ ol yak’ winh.

that alcohol they would give to him.

Yuk’ winh,

He would drink it,

yik ol el yip winh, yos,

he would lose his strength, and

hab’ mak’ancham winh heb’ winh.

they would beat him to death.

Hab’ b’okan’el chi jun,

When that was prepared, well,

ix yak’ lista heb’ winh masanil, yos,

they all got ready, and,

ayab’ winh xchekab’ heb’ winh,

they say they had a messenger,

ix b’ati.

he went out.

Xit’ chekankot winh t’ay b’ajay ayek’ chi’.

He went out to summon him.

Hab’ t’a sb’ab’elal,

They say the first time,

ix yal hab’ winh chi’,

they say he said to him,

“To tsach b’ati.

“Come.

To ayek’ heb’ winh ichamtak winak

There are Elders

hach stanhwej t’ay tik,”

waiting for you now,”

xchab’ winh t’ay (heb’) winh.

they say he said to him (them).

Pero ha xo winh jun,

But that man, well,

maj kotlaj winh.

he didn’t come.

Pero hab’ winh,

But they say that he

wanab’ yuk’an anh winh.

was drinking.

I syempre ha winh chi’,

And certainly that man,

komo tob’ te’ toton hab’ te chuk winh,

since he was so powerful,

i syalab’ yoch winh (masanil)

and he could take on

masanil forma, xi.

all forms, they say.

Yuj chi’,

So,

pero yuj anh anh chi’,

but because of the alcohol,

maj xo yal sb’ohan’och sb’a winh,

he couldn’t do it,

maj so yalam sayan yil winh.

he couldn’t manage to do it.

Yuj chi’,

So,

hab’ t’a xcha’el t’a yox’el, yos,

they say the second or third time, well,

haxob’ ix k’ochix winh chekab’ chi’

they say that messenger arrived

junel xo,

once again;

hab’ yalan winh t’ay winh,

they say he said to him,

“To tik ha winhaj icham Maltix Ros,” xi.

“That elder gentleman Maltix Ros,” he said.

Porke ha winhaj Maltix Ros chi’,

Because that gentleman Maltix Ros

t’a yol chonhab’ ay winh,

he was from the town center,

i sat aj b’al winh

and he was the chief sorcerer

t’ay yol chonhab’.

in San Mateo.

Yuj chi’,

So,

haxob’ winh

that man,

ix yesej’el sti’ok heb’ winh molan chi’

the men who were gathered lied about him

ke to ha winh ix k’och t’a skal hab’ winh.

so that that man would come to them.

Yuj chi’,

So,

“Tsach b’ati,” xchi winh chekab’ chi’,

“Come,” said the messenger,

“Ix k’och winh t’a winh.”

“He came to them.”

Yuj chi’,

So,

“Ma’ay. Tato ha winh ix jawi jun,

“Well. If that man has come, then,

mejor totonam olin b’atok.

maybe it’s better if I go.

Ol b’at wab’i tas yal winh

I’ll go to hear what he says

tato ix jawi winh,”

if he has come,”

xchab’ winh (t’ay) t’a winh chekab’ chi’.

they say he said to the messenger.

Ixtota’ skotab’ winh b’i’an.

So they say he came, then.

Sk’ochab’ winh t’a te pat,

They say he arrived at that house

t’a b’ajtil molan heb’ winh chi jun.

where the men were gathered.

“B’aj a(y) winh icham chi’,

“Where is that Elder?

aj a(y) winh icham Maltix chi’,”

Where is that Elder Maltix?,”

xchab’ winh ichatik, sk’och winh.

so said the man, when he arrived.

“Tik ochanhkoti,

“Come in here,

malaj winh,

he’s not here,

ha’onh ton tik, xit’ach ko chek ik’naxok,

it was us, we sent our messenger to get you,

komo ina max wal honh a k’anab’ajej.

since you wouldn’t respond to us.

Yuj chi’, ha winh ix kesej’el sti’ok,

So, that man spoke falsely,

tsach jawi.

so you would come.

To t’a ko gana,

It’s our desire,

t’a ko nab’en skak’ junh a trago,

that we thought to give you a drink,

skuk’ junh anh t’a ak’an k’olal

to drink some alcohol if you will

yak b’a ayach’ek’pax kat’

now that you’re here with us

t’a yol ko k’alum jun.

in the middle of our aldea.

Porke ha’ach tik,

Because you,

ay b’aj t’ay ch’ok k’alumal,

there are times that to other aldeas,

t’a yol chonhab’

to the village center,

ay b’aj ha ta’ tsach b’ati.

there are times you go there.

Hok xo yakb’a ayach’ek’

Now that you’re here

t’a yol ko k’alu’um,

in the middle of our aldea,

kuk’ junh ko trago,

let’s have a drink,

t’ay wach’,

for the good,

t’ay ak’an k’olal.

voluntarily.

Yuj chi’, xit’ach ko chek ik’naxok,

So, we sent our messenger to bring you,

pero ini, pural ixach koti.

but look, it was hard to make you come.

Yuj chi’, ha to winh icham chi’

So, those elders

ix kesej’el sti’ok,

they spoke falsely,

yos tsach jawi.

so you would come.

Pero malaj tas kal t’ayach an,

But we don’t have anything to say to you,

to hanhej jun kanh skuk’ej.

we are just having a drink.

Slajwi.

That’s all.

Malaj tas’i yik jun nhej tsonh aji,”

There’s no reason we’re here,”

xchab’ heb’ winh t’a winh.

they say they said to him.

“Tato ichachi’,

“If that’s the way it is,

syal kuk’ani.”

it’s possible we can drink.”

“Tom ay syal jun,

“If it’s possible, then,

toton k’inh ayonh,”

we’re just having a party,”

xchab’ winh.

they say the men said.

“Entonse huk’ junh a trago an,”

“Then have a drink,”

xchaweb’ winh t’ay winh, yos.

they say the men said to him, then.

Pero ch’ok yaj anh yik winh

But set aside was the drink for him

(ix) ix sb’alaj hab’ heb’ winh chi’.

that they had bewitched, they say.

Haxob’ anh yak’ heb’ winh yuk’ winh,

So they gave him that drink to drink,

te chamk’och hab’ winh yuj anh jun, yos.

and he got very drunk with it, then.

Tik yalan hab’ heb’ winh b’i’an, yos,

Now they say they said, then,

“Una wes skak’ej t’a winh,

“Once and for all let’s give it to him,

porke xal ta ma’ay, (olonh)

because if not, (we will)

wan yek’ ak’wal.

the night is passing.

Olonh sakb’ok’ochi, yos,

We’ll be responsible, then;

ke tal manh ol cham winh ku’uj,”

what if he doesn’t die from us?,”

schab’ heb’ winh.

they say the men said.

[Xan Malin is set upon]

Entonse ay wal winh mas wiwu chi’, (ix)

So there was one man who was more able,

ix koti, yos,

and he arrived, and

ix b’ab’laj mak’an winh.

he was the first to hit him.

Ix k’e b’uynaj heb’ winh b’i’an,

The men got into the tangle, then,

ix sayan’elta howal chi heb’ winh.

they got angry.

Pero masanil hab’ heb’ winh

But all those men, they say,

ix och ijan smak’an winh.

began to beat him.

Tsab’ xikchaj winh t’a k’en machit,

They say he was chopped with a machete,

tsab’ mak’chaj winh (t’ay te’) t’a te te’,

they say he was beaten with clubs,

kuchilub’, k’e’en,

knives, stones,

masanil hab’ syak’ slatuch heb’ winh

everything, they say, they were hitting

t’ay winh.

him with.

Pero ha winh jun,

But that man, well,

komo te chuk winh,

since he was so powerful,

mab’ax telwilaj winh.

they say he didn’t fall down.

Tsab’ xikchaj winh t’a k’en machit,

They say he was cut with a machete,

pero (max) max chamlaj winh.

but he didn’t die.

I hanheja’ spak sb’a winh.

And all the same he defended himself.

Ana’ te uk’um xo anh winh,

Even though he drank so much,

te’ chamnak xo winh yuj anh,

he was really drunk from the alcohol,

hanheja’ spak sb’a winh

all the same he defended himself

t’ay heb’ winh.

from them.

Yuj chi’,

So,

pim tob’ heb’ winh anima chi’,

several of the men,

ay tomab’ junh ho wanh,

it would be about five men,

wak wanh heb’ winh ix lajwi,

six men, he wounded,

ix k’ichaj smak’an winh.

they were broken when he hit them.

Pero hab’ ek’ wal mul yak’an winh

But even as he was giving it, they say,

yet’ heb’ winh.

to those men,

jun xo b’i ix telwi winh.

a little later he fell down.

Tsab’ stekcham winh heb’ winh,

They say they stabbed him to death,

tsab’ smil heb’ winh winh,

they say they killed him

t’ay k’en kuchilub’.

with a knife.

Pero hanheja’ max chamlaj winh.

But all the same he didn’t die.

Hanheja’ yib’xi winh,

While he was still moving,

ix yilan heb’ winh jun,

the men saw

ix satam sk’ol winh,

that his spirit left him,

komo jantak ix te chok’,

since he was so cut up,

xikaj hab’ winh

chopped up, they say,

yuj heb’ winh.

by those men.

Ayab’ jun k’en tenam

There is a rock outcrop

t’a yalanh’em

down below

t’a b’a ay tik te pat

where that house was,

b’ajtil ayek’ heb’ winh chi’.

where those men were.

Te cha’anh, xi.

Very high, they say.

Haxob’ ta’ ix ik’naxb’at winh

There he was carried

yuj heb’ winh.

by those men.

Haxob’ ta’ ix yumnaxb’at winh

there he was thrown off

yuj heb’ winh,

by those men,

t’ay xchon k’e’en.

at the highest point of the rock.

Hab’ emka winh

They say he was thrown

t’a jun sat k’en chi

down the face of the rock

yuj heb’ winh.

by those men.

Haxob’ t’ay sat k’en

There on that face of rock

ha hab’ ta’ ay jun te te’, xi.

they say there, there is a tree, they say.

Ha hab’ ta’ hab’ kan

There, they say, stayed

nanhal b’ak’chil winh

half of the flesh of that man,

(t’ay) t’a te’,

in the tree,

t’a b’aj ay sat k’en chi’.

where the rock face is.

Ix emk’och winh t’ay yich k’e’en.

He fell to the base of the rock.

Ix b’at chi heb’ winh,

The men went there,

jantak wan smak’ancham winh chi’.

the many men who beat him.

Hab’ k’och heb’ winh

When the men arrived,

t’ay emk’och heb’ winh

where they came down

t’ay yich k’en chi jun,

to the base of that rock,

k’ojan xob’ pax k’e winh.

they say he was sitting up again.

Wan spitswixi winh,

He was waking up,

wan sk’ex wan winh,

he was changing,

toxo ix k’ex k’ojan winh,

he was even sitting up,

ana’ jantak ix utaj winh smak’naxi.

and with all they had done to beat him.

Hab’ emk’och heb’ winh ta jun,

They say those men went down,

ix yilan heb’ winh to

they saw that he still

wan sk’ex wan winh,

was changing.

Hab’ yamchajxikot winh smak’an,

They say they started beating him again,

smak’chaj yuj heb’ winh junel xo.

he was beaten by the men once again.

(Hab’) Tsab’ mak’chaj winh

They say he was beaten

yuj heb’ winh.

by those men.

Jantak te xik(k)aj winh,

So much was he chopped

hasta elab’ spixan winh yuj heb’ winh,

that his heart came out because of them,

pero hanhej wala’ yak’an winh.

but he was giving it out all the same.

Sat hab’ xi sk’ol winh,

He lost his innards again, they say,

smak’an heb’ winh (t’ay)

when they beat him

t’ay yich k’en chi’.

at the base of the rock.

Yalan hab’ jun xo winh,

One of the men said,

“Ini ix aj sat winhaj Xan Malin xchami,

“Look, big man Xan Malin died.

ana to te winak winh.

and he was a great man.

To hawal winh ts’alani,

And he said,

masanil heb’ winh chonhab’,

all the people of the village,

masanil mach syak’ mandar winh,

everyone who is in charge,

masanil yajal yistsil heb’ winh anima

all the wives of those men

syixtej winh,

he toyed with them,

xal tik neik ix cham winh.

and now he is dead.

Ini ix aj sat winh xchami,

Now the big man is dead,

ob’iltak winh,”

poor man,”

xchab’ winh chi’.

they say he said.

(Hab’) Yel hab’ xi yok winh,

They say his foot went out,

stek’an winh winh.

it kicked him.

Najat hab’ k’och winh stek’an winh.

A long way, it kicked him.

Syamchaj hab’ kot winh junel xo

He was grabbed again

yuj heb’ winh,

by the men,

te mak’naxxi winh.

he was beaten hard again.

Yuj chi’,

So,

elab’ spixan winh chi’,

the heart of that man came out,

yel snholob’ hab’ sk’en winh

his testicles were torn off

yuj heb’ winh.

by those man

Yo,

And,

ix tom ta’ hab’ xcham winh, b’i’an.

there, they say, he died, then.

Skan winh t’ay yich k’en chi

He was left at the base of that rock

yuj heb’ winh jun, yos,

by those men, then, and

skot heb’ winh

they came back

komo sakb’i hab’ och heb’ winh.

as dawn was breaking.

Kasi jun ak’wal yak’ heb’ winh

Almost all night they were

smak’ancham winh.

beating him to death.

[The aftermath of the beating]

Pero ayuch yilumal (wi) hab’ winh

But there was a guard left, they say,

yuj heb’ winh,

by those men,

tato max pitswixi winh,

in case he revived again,

komo te chuk winh, xi.

since he was so powerful, they say.

Ha xo (t’ay) t’a jun xo ak’wal, xi,

Then on the next night, they say,

“Tas ol kutok sb’at winh tik ne’ik?

“What will we do to move him now?

b’ajtil skak’ej winh?

Where will we leave him?

Xal ta may, olonh yamchajok,

If we don’t, we’ll be arrested,

olonh b’at peresu,”

we’ll be taken prisoner,”

xchab’ heb’ winh.

they say the men said.

Entonse,

Then,

yak’anab’ slolonelal heb’ winh.

they say they held a meeting.

Ke: “Ha heb’ winh mak’ancham winh chi’,

So: “Those men who beat him,

mejor b’at kak’ekkan winh t’a yol b’e tik,

better go take him from the road,

t’a nanhal yaxlu’um,

to the middle of the jungle,

t’a b’ajtil sb’at b’e t’a chonhab’ tik,”

where the road goes to the town,”

xchab’ heb’ winh.

they say the men said.

Yos,

So,

ijan xit’ skot winh,

they went back to him,

pero haxob’ sk’och heb’ winh

but they say when they arrived

t’a b’ajay winh chi jun,

where he was, well,

ijan hab’ yik’an chanh winh heb’ winh,

and went to pick him up,

maj k’elaj winh yuj heb’ winh,

they couldn’t lift him,

mab’aj k’elaj winh

he wouldn’t come up,

xchelan chanh heb’ winh.

when they tried to lift him.

Yuj chi’,

So,

“Tas ts’aj tik ne’ik?

“What do we do now?

Max b’atlaj winh,

He doesn’t move,

max k’elaj winh ku’uj, tas modo.

we can’t lift him, in any way.

Mejor kotok hab’

Better that come, they say,

heb’ winh ay snok’al sk’ol tik,

those men who have animals,

tekan ha heb’ winh

perhaps those men

ol ik’anb’at winh,”

will carry him off,”

xchab’ heb’ winh.

they say they said.

Yos, ha xo heb’ winh,

So, those men,

masanil choj, okes chi koti.

all the pumas, coyotes, came.

Haxob’ nok’ schoj heb’ winh chi’,

And they say those men’s pumas

k’och wal t’a b’aj ay skal

arrived among

heb’ winh mak’ancham winh chi’.

the men who had beaten him.

Yos, (haxob’) hatob’ nok’,

So, they say the animals

ik’an chanh winh.

raised him up.

Sk’e wanh winh, b’i’an.

He came up standing, then.

Skot winh t’ak’walil,

They came at night,

pero te pural, xi.

but it was hard, they say.

(te wal) Te al winh.

He was very heavy.

Yuj chi’,

So,

junab’ nok’ choj chi’ skuchani,

one of the pumas would carry him,

ayab’ nok’ syaman(n)i,

one, they say, would grab him,

ayab’ nok’ yamjinak k’e’

one, they say, would lift him up

t’a yich spatik nok’ chi’,

onto the back of that animal;

tsolal hab’ yoch nok’.

they took turns.

Jab’nhej skot jun nok’,

One animal would come a little way,

tsab’ k’unb’i nok’,

he would get tired, they say,

ts’och jun xo nok’.

another animal would take over.

(Yuj) Hab’ chi’,

That way, they say,

pural hab’ jawi kan winh

by force, they say, he was taken

yuj heb’ winh,

by those men,

t’a jun yaxlum chi’

to a jungle

t’a b’aj ay skot b’e t’ay chonhab’ chi’.

where the road comes to the town.

Ha jun yaxlum chi’,

That jungle,

K’atelak sb’i.

K’atelak is its name.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha hab’ ta’ kan winh

they say he stayed

yuj heb’ winh,

because of those men,

t’ay nanhal yaxlum chi’,

in the middle of the jungle,

t’a yol b’e.

on the road.

Kan nhej hab’ winh jun.

He just stayed there, they say.

Haxob’ nok’ okes,

Then the coyotes,

haxob’ nok’ k’ochi,

then they arrived,

haxob’ nok’ lajchianb’at winh.

then they ate him up,

Masanil sk’apak winh chi hab’,

All of the clothes of that man

snhikchitej’el nok’ t’a spatik,

were ripped off his back by them;

schinaxb’at winh, b’i’an.

the man was eaten, then.

[The wife learns his fate]

Haxob’ ix yistsil

That wife of

winh winhaj (hab’) Xan Malin chi jun,

the gentleman Xan Malin, well,

winh cham chi’,

the man who died,

komo yojtak xob’ ix,

she already knew, they say,

tsab’ kotkan winh jun semana,

he would go out a week,

chab’ semana uk’el anh

two weeks, drinking

(t’aj) t’ay chonhab’,

in town,

t’a jun jun k’alu’um,

in each aldea,

tsab’ b’atkan winh uk’el anh

they say he would stay out drinking

jun semana,

one week,

chab’ semana,

two weeks,

ma chekel b’aj ay winh.

who knew where he went.

Yuj chi’,

So,

mab’ax snalaj ix

she didn’t know

tato cham winh.

that he was dead.

“Ajam ay winh uk’el anh,

“He’s probably out drinking,

to xon ton ichatik winh.

that’s the way he is.

Ayam ay winh,

Maybe he is,

mato t’a chonhab’,

maybe in town,

mato ajtil k’alumal ay winh,”

maybe he’s in an aldea,”

xchab’ ix icha tik.

they say she said.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha hab’ skan winh t’a jun chi’

when he was left there

yuj heb’ winh,

by those men,

haxo t’a t’ak’walil,

that night

tsab’ k’och winh t’a spat chi’,

they say he would come to his house,

tsab’ tob’ b’at way winh

they say he would go to sleep

yet’ ix yistsil.

with his wife.

Hab’ t’a t’ak’walil chi’ sk’och winh,

He would come in the night

sway winh yet’ ix.

and sleep with her.

Jantakam lajwi chiman ak’wal, yos,

Along about midnight, then,

skotix winh,

he would come,

tonhej b’at way winh yet’ ix,

and just go to sleep with her,

ana chamnak xo winh.

even though he was already dead.

Tsab’ huji xch’alwi winh,

They say he would weave,

tsab’ hujo sb’owi lopil winh.

they say he would make capixays.

Tsab’ say yil tik sk’ael winh chi’,

They say he would look for his things

t’a b’ajtil sch’alwi chi’,

where he spun and weaved,

t’ay t’ak’walil chi’,

at night

tsab’ kotchi winh.

when, they say, he would come.

Ayab’ jun yawal winh, (t’a jun)

They say he had a cornfield,

t’a jun yalanh’em k’alum chi’.

down below the aldea.

Haxob’ sk’och winh yunin winh,

They say the man’s son would go out

t’ay b’aj ay iloj awal chi’.

to look at the milpa.

Ayab’ ek’ winh t’a skal yawal chi’,

They say he was there in the milpa,

yalan hab’ winh t’ay winh yunin chi’,

they say he would speak to his son,

“Ha tik ne’ik k’ik’an to tsin k’ochi,

“Now just before dawn I will arrive,

tik to ayinek’ t’ay skal kawal tik.

I am here in the field.

Manhach chiwlaj,

Don’t be afraid,

manh ak’ pensar yuj ixim,

don’t worry about the maize,

tik ayinek’ t’a skal ixim,

I am here to watch the corn.

Ayinek’ wil ixim,”

I am watching the maize,”

xchab’ winh ichatik,

they say he said,

ana chamnak xo winh.

even though he was already dead.

Yuj chi’,

So,

haxob’ sk’och winh yunin chi’

when his son would come

t’ay spat jun,

to his house,

yalan winh t’a ix snun,

he would speak to his mother,

“Ix wil winhin mam, ayek’ winh,

“I saw my father, he is there

t’ay b’aj ay ixim awal.

where the milpa is.

Ha ta’ ayek’ winh,

There he is,

lachan’ek’ winh.

lying face down.

‘To ch’a’an wal janik’ hin k’ol,

‘My stomach is a little distressed,

to uk’umin anh.

I’m still drunk.

Yuj chi’, k’ik’an to, k’ik’an to tsin k’ochi,’

So, tomorrow, early, I’ll arrive,’

xchi winh ichatik t’ay(in),”

he said to me,”

xchab’ winh yunin chi’.

said his son.

“He, totonam uk’umanh winh,”

“Yes, it’s likely he’s drunk,”

xchab’ ix,

they say she said,

komo yojtak xo ix jun

since she already knew

chajtil smodo winh.

what his behavior was.

Tik ni jun,

Then,

haxob’ t’a jun xo ak’wal chi’, yos,

the next night, well,

haxob’ jun snanhal sk’ab’ winh k’ochi.

they say one of his fingers arrived.

Yilan ix ha hab’ jun snanhal sk’ab’ winh,

She saw it was one of his fingers,

pitan k’e t’a yib’anh nok’ sk’u ix.

lying there on her blanket.

Komo yojtak tonam ix jun,

Since she probably knew

ke to ha’ sk’ab’ winh,

that it was his hand,

mato tas yutej ix sna’an’elta jun,

or maybe she figured it out,

“Ha tik ne’ik aj ix kot jun k’ab’ tik,”

“Now where did that come from?,”

schab’ ix.

they say she said.

Sayan hab’ yil ix

She looked and saw

to ha’ sk’ab’ winh.

that it was his hand, then.

Sna’an’elta ix, b’i’an,

She thought, then,

“Tekan to ha’ snanhal

“Perhaps that is the finger

sk’ab’ winh ha mam.

of the hand of your father.

Lak’an ha’ snanhal sk’ab’ (winh).

Surely that is the finger from his hand.

Tob’an ix cham winh.

It must be he died.

Tas ix sk’ulej winh?”

What happened to him?”

schab’ ix.

they say she said.

Yik’an hab’ jun k’ab’ chi ix b’ian, yos,

She took the finger then, and

skot ix yak’ parte t’a chonhab’.

she came to testify in town.

“Ha tik ne’ik to saychaj winh,

“Now, he should be looked for

b’ajtil ay winh.

wherever he is.

Tekan to ay heb’ winh

Perhaps there are those

ix mak’ancham winh.

who beat him to death.

Tekan to ix cham winh,

Perhaps he died,

porke ina jun snanhal

because, look, this finger

sk’ab’ winh tik ix k’ochi,

from his hand arrived,

t’a yib’anh nok’ hin k’u’.

on top of my blanket.

Ha ta’ ayek’i, ix el hin wayanh

It was there when I woke up

t’ay k’inhib’alil.”

this morning.”

[Xan Malin’s remains are found]

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha hab’ jun senhya chi’

they say a sign

yak’ winh,

he gave,

t’ay ix yistsil chi’,

to his wife,

yik saychaj ilchaj winh, yos,

so he would be looked for, and

yelta jantak masanil (heb’ winh)

all the many people,

heb’ winh mar’alsel (heb’)

the mayordomos,

jantak heb’ winh opisyal

how many of the officials

say winh.

looked for him.

Haxob’ yilchaj’elta winh jun,

So he was found,

haxob’ t’a nanhal yaxlum chi’

in the middle of the jungle

ayek’ winh.

he was.

Pero maj xo ilchaj’eltalaj

But not found

wal sniwanil winh chi’,

was much of him,

haxo nhej hab’ sb’akil winh,

just his bones, they say,

komo masanil hab’ nok’ nok’ chi’

since all of those animals

lajchianb’at sb’ak’chil winh.

had eaten his flesh.

Yuj chi’,

So,

haxo nhej hab’ sb’akil winh,

they say that just his bones,

yet’ hab’ sjolom winh ilchaji.

and his head, they say, were found.

Ayab’ jun xchala winh,

They say there was a scarf of his,

ay(y)ab’ slopil winh,

there was his capixay,

masanil lajtob’ ilchaj chi’.

they say that was all that was seen.

Yuj chi’,

So,

yilchaj jun, yos,

when he was found, and

b’at jantak heb’ winh alkal,

out went some of the alcaldes,

jantak heb’ winh entendente

many of the intendentes,

t’a pekataxo.

from long ago.

Ha hab’ heb’ winh, (xit’)

They say those men

xit’ ik’ank’e wan hakta

went out to make an acta

t’a b’ajtil cham winh chi’.

there where he died.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha hab’ ta’ aykan jun spixan winh,

they say that one of his spirits

t’a b’ajay nanhal yaxlum chi’.

stayed there in the jungle.

Ha hab’ ta’ tsijtum tob’

They say that many

heb’ winh anima chi’ iljinak winh.

people have seen him.

Tsab’ awajkot winh t’ay heb’ winh.

They say he cries out to them,

ayab’ b’aj linhanek’ winh

they say he’s just standing there

t’a yol b’e chi’.

in the middle of the road.

Sjawi heb’ winh anima,

When people come by,

hanheja wa yaj winh.

he’s just standing there.

Sk’anb’an winh t’ay heb’ winh,

He asks them

b’ajtil sk’och winh,

where they are going,

b’ajtil ay heb’ winh.

where they are from.

Tsab’ lolon winh yet’ heb’ winh.

They say he chats with them.

Hanejab’ wa’kan

So they say that there remains

jun spixan winh chi ta’.

one of his spirits there.

Yuj chi’,

So,

haxob’ saychaj ilchaj

when there were found

masanil sk’ael

all of his things

winh chi’ jun,

of that man, well,

ha tob’ jun winh sekristario

one of the secretarios

t’ay chonhab’ chi’,

from town,

ha tob’ winh ilan’elta

he found

k’en smedaya winh chi’.

that man’s medallion.

Yuj chi’,

So,

yik’an hab’ kot k’en

he took it with him,

winh sekristario chi’,

that secretary,

haxob’ t’a b’ajay sway winh.

to where he slept.

Haxob’ ta’ yak’kan winh,

He left it there

t’a b’a’ay smexa.

where there was a table.

Pero haxob’ t’a t’ak’walil,

But they say that at night

tsab’ awaj’och t’ay schikin winh.

it would talk into his ear.

“K’eanh wa’an, kon!

“Get up! Let’s go!

Pekatax kan ko b’eyek’i!

It’s been a long time since we went out!

Kon!” xchab’ t’a winh ichatik

Let’s go!,” they say it said to him.

T’ay jun jun ak’wal

Every night

tsab’ b’uychaj chanh winh yu’uj.

they say he was awakened by it.

Ek’ mul jun, maj techaj yuj winh chi’,

He couldn’t stand it,

jantak ts’awaj t’ay winh, yos,

so much it cried out to him,

jun xo syuman’el hab’ winh, yos,

they say he threw it away,

(sb’at) slajwel, b’i’an.

and it ended, then.

[Xan Malin’s legacy]

Yuj chi’,

So,

ichachi’ hab’ ik’an

that, they say, is the story

xcham winh.

of the death of that man.

i jantak hab’ winh anima chi’,

And so many people

yamchaj tob’ heb’ winh.

were arrested.

Jay wanh xo heb’ winh

There were so many men

t’ay yol sk’alum chi’,

from that aldea,

ay to heb’ winh b’at peresu yuj winh.

were taken prisoner because of him.

Ay to heb’ winh och peresu.

There are still men who were prisoners.

Pero komo maj wal ilchajok

But since it was not seen

mach wal mak’an winh,

who had struck him,

ichnhej ta’ lajwel winh,

he just died,

yuj chi’,

so,

jaye nhej k’ual yak’ heb’ winh chi’,

just a few days they spent

t’a te presu, yos,

in jail, then,

yelix heb’ winh liwre, b’i’an.

they got out free, then.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha winh chi’,

that man,

aykan yik’ti’al winh.

this is his story.

Te chuk hab’ winh.

They say he was really powerful.

Tsab’ och winh xite’al,

They say he could be a leaf,

tsab’ och winh ixal,

they say he could be a woman,

tsab’och winh nok’al,

they say he could be an animal,

tsab’ och winh

they say he could be

masanil hab’ tas syutej sb’a winh.

anything he could make himself.

Tsab’ b’at winh sat cha’anh,

They say he could go into the sky,

tsab’ jenhwi winh yet’ sniwanil.

they say he could fly with his body.

Yuj chi’, te masanil hab’ syal yuj winh.

So, everything was possible for him.

Yuj chi’, ts’ik’an te chuk winh.

So, it happens he was very powerful.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha hab’ slajwi xcham winh chi jun,

they say when he died,

skuchchajkot winh chi’,

he was carried off,

tsab’ k’och nok’ much,

they say birds arrived,

tsab’ k’och nok’ hostok,

they say buzzards arrived,

tsab’ k’och nok’ xulem.

they say vultures arrived.

Tsab’ sb’ok’uch sb’a t’ay heb’ winh.

They say they fought against

jantak mak’ancham winh chi’.

the many men who beat him.

Masanil hab’ nok’ tastak nok’al,

All kinds of animals, they say,

koman k’ochi,

arrived,

tsab’ slatuch sb’a t’ay heb’ winh.

they say they hit on those men.

Chak xuxum ik’,

A whirlwind,

totonab’ manh jantak yek’

so many came

t’a skal heb’ winh.

among them.

Tsab’ yumji b’eyek’

They say they were thrown

hab’ winh yu’uj.

against those men by him.

Hultimo wal k’och jun

Last came one of

smoj yanima winh chi’, xi.

his spirits, they say.

Jun k’en k’e’en, xi.

A stone, they say.

Ay hab’ jun k’en k’en

They say there was a stone

niwan k’och sulsonok,

a big stone came rolling,

k’ochab’ latnaj k’en t’a skal winh, yo,

they say it bounced into them, and

smak’an poj k’en hab’ heb’ winh.

they say it struck those men.

Haxonhej wal hab’ jun chi’,

Just so they say

xal jun masanil hab’ k’ak’,

there came a great fire,

masanil tas k’ochi, xi.

everything came, they say.

Pero ixo cham winh.

But still he died.

Yuj chi’,

So,

totonam ha chi’

surely

ts’ik’an te ay (ay) wal spoder winh,

he had his power,

ts’ik’an te chuk winh,

he was really powerful,

porke masanil tik ix laj jawi.

because all these things came.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ha heb’ winh mak’ancham winh chi’

those men who beat him

laj aljinak paxi,

were all witnesses,

ke to masanil juntsan chi’,

that all this,

yil heb’ winh sk’ochi.

they saw it come.

Yuj chi’,

So,

ichachi’

thus

chamnak winh anima chi’

died that man

b’ajay jun k’alum skuchan

in the aldea called

yola kitak chi’,

Yolaquitac,

ke tob’ te’ aj b’al winh.

who was a great sorcerer.

[Closing]

Weno, ix lajwi.

Okay, that’s finished.

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Chapter 7
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