The Popol Vuh, a book of myths belonging to the Quiche (pronounced kee-CHAY) Mayans of highland Guatemala, is divided into five parts. The first contains an account of the creation of the world and of the failed attempts to produce proper human beings. The second and third parts tell of the adventures of the Hero Twins, Hunahpu (pronounced WAH-nuh-pwuh) and Xbalanque (pronounced shi-BAY-lan-kay). The last two parts deal with the issue of creating humans from corn, and then tell the story of the Quiche people from the days before their history began to accounts of tribal wars and records of rulers up until 1550.
Creation of the World At the beginning of time, the gods Huracan (pronounced wah-ruh-KAHN) and Gukumatz (pronounced gwah-kwuh-MAHTS) shaped the earth and its features and raised the sky above it. The gods then placed animals on the earth, hoping that they would sing the praises of the gods.
When the gods discovered that the animals could not speak, they tried again to make a creature that could praise its creator. Huracan and Gukumatz called on the ancestral beings Xpiyacoc (pronounced shpee-YAH-kok) and Xmucane (pronounced SHMOH-kah-nay) to help, and
Together they created men of mud. But these creatures talked endlessly and dwindled away. Next the gods fashioned humans out of wood. These beings populated the earth but soon forgot about their creators. The angry gods sent floods and various objects to destroy them.
The Hero Twins In Part Two of the Popol Vuh, Hunahpu and Xbalanque appear and take on the self-important Vucub-Caquix (pronounced voh-KOHB kah-kwish), as well as his sons, Zipacna (pronounced sip-AK-nah) and Earthquake. Using blowpipes, the twins knocked out Vucub-Caquix’s jeweled teeth, which gave him his radiance. Vucub-Caquix accepted corn as a replacement for his teeth. But because he could not eat with his corn teeth and because they did not shine, he was defeated.
In Part Three of the Popol Vuh, the story goes back to an earlier time, to Hun-Hunahpu (pronounced wahn-WAHN-uh-pwah) and Vucub Hunahpu (pronounced voh-kohb WAHN-uh-pwah), the father and uncle of the Hero Twins. These two disturbed the lords of Xibalba (pronounced shi-BAHL-buh)—the underworld, or land of the dead— with their constant ball playing. The lords commanded the brothers to come to the underworld for a contest. Tricked by the lords, the brothers lost the contest and, as a result, were sacrificed and buried in the ball court. However, the head of Hun-Hunahpu remained unburied and was placed in a tree.
A young goddess heard of a strange fruit in a tree and went to see it. The fruit was actually the head of Hun-Hunahpu, which spat in her hand and made her pregnant. She later gave birth to the Hero Twins. Hun-Hunahpu already had another set of twins, Hun Batz and Hun Chuen, who resented their baby brothers. When the Hero Twins grew old enough, they outsmarted the older twins and turned them into monkeys.
The Hero Twins became great ball players, as their father and uncle had been, and one day the lords of Xibalba summoned them to the underworld for a contest. The twins saw this as an opportunity to avenge their father’s death. Challenged to a series of trials, they passed every one they were given. They survived a night in the House of Cold, escaped death in the House of Jaguars, and passed unharmed through the House of Fire. They almost met defeat in the House of Bats, when a bat cut off Hunahpu’s head. The lords of Xibalba took the head to the ball court as a trophy, but Xbalanque managed to return the head to his brother and restore him.
Knowing they were immortal, or able to live forever, the Hero Twins now allowed the lords of Xibalba to defeat and “kill” them. Five days later, the twins reappeared, disguised as wandering performers, and entertained the lords with amazing feats. In one of these feats, Xbalanque sacrificed Hunahpu and then brought him back to life. Astounded, the lords of Xibalba begged to be sacrificed themselves. The Hero Twins agreed to the request but did not restore the lords of Xibalba to life. The twins then dug up the bodies oftheir father and uncle and brought them back to life.
Creation of the Maya The final two parts of the Popol Vuh tell how the gods once again tried to make humans who would praise the gods. The four men they created from maize—their skin a mix of white and yellow corn, and their limbs shaped from corn meal—became the founders of the Quiche Maya. These people praised their creators and flourished. The generations that followed them are listed in the closing section of the Popol Vuh.
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