"Lessons of the "Popol Vuh' pt. 2"

Like most creation stories, first there was darkness and only water. Then the mountains and valleys were created with there winding streams and oceans. Then the plants were brought fourth. Forrest of trees, grasses, flowers, scrubs and other living plants. There was one thing missing from the forest, sound. Now the Popol Vuh tells how the forests where inhabited with wild animals. The Creators were expecting the new creatures of the forest, to praise there works. Instead they just moaned, chattered and squawked at each other. Now here is how the animals were created for the forests.

Now they planned the animals of the mountains, all the guardians of the forests, creatures of the mountains: the deer, birds, jaguars, serpents, rattlesnakes, fer-de-lances, guardian of the bushes.
A Bearer, Begetter speaks: ("Gods" who made the Earth, plants, animals, humans)
'Why is this pointless humming? Why should there merely be rustling beneath the trees and brushes?'
'Indeed they had better have guardians', others replied. As soon as they thought it and said it, deer and birds came forth.
And they gave out homes to the deer and birds:
'You, the deer; sleep along the rivers, in the canyons. Be here in the meadows, in the thickets, in the forest, multiply yourselves. You will stand and walk on all fours,' they were told.
So then they established the nest of the birds, small and great.
'You precious birds: your nest, your houses are in the trees, in the bushes. Multiply there, scatter there, in the branches of the trees, the branches of bushes,' the deer and birds were told.
When this deed had been done, all of them had received a place to sleep and a place to stay. So it is that the nest of the animals are on the Earth, given by the Bearer, Begetter. Now the arrangement of the deers and birds was complete.

And then the deer and birds were told by the Maker, Molder (The "Gods" who give form to the materials of the Earth) Bearer, Begetter:
'Talk, speak out. Don't moan, don't cry out. Please talk, each to each, with in each kind, with in each group,' they were told-the deer, birds, pumas, jaguar, serpents.
'Name our names, praise us. We are your mother, we are your father. Speak now:

Hurricane
Newborn Thunderbolt, Sudden Thunderbolt
heart of Sky, Heart of Earth
Maker, Molder
Bearer, Begetter


speak, pray to us, keep our days,' they were told. But it didn't turn out that they spoke like people: they just squawked, they just chattered, they just howled. It wasn't apparent what language they spoke; each one gave a different cry. When the Maker, Molder heard this:
'It hasn't turned out well, they haven't spoken,' they said among themselves. 'It hasn't turned out that our names have been named. Since we are there masons and sculptors, this will not do,' the Bearer and Begetter said among themselves. So they told them:
'You will simply have to be transformed. Since it hasn't turned out well and you haven't spoken, we have changed our word:
What you feed on, what you eat, the places you sleep, the places where you stay, what ever is yours will remain in the canyons, the forest. Although it turned out that are days were not kept, nor did you pray to us, there may yet be strength in the keeper of days, the giver of praise whom we have yet to make. Just accept your services, just let your flesh be eaten. (aka your fate)
'So be it, this must be your service,' they were told when they were instructed-the animals, small and great, on the face of the earth.
And then they wanted to test there timing again, they wanted to experiment again, and they wanted to prepare for the keeper of days again. Then had not heard there speech among the animals; it did not come to fruition and was not complete.
And so there flesh was brought low: they were eaten, they were killed-the animals on the face of the Earth.

Again there comes an experiment with the human work, the human design, by the Maker, Molder, Bearer, Begetter:
'It must simply be tried again. The "Time" for the planting and drawing is nearing. For this we must make a provider and nurturer. How else can we be involved and remembered on the face of the Earth? We have already made our first try at our work and design, but it turned out that they didn't keep our days, nor did they glorify us.

So now let's try to make a giver of praise, giver of respect, provider, nurturer,' they said.
So then comes the building and working with Earth and mud. (Hopi and Mayan, Mud Man, Hopi Mud Man Kachina) They made a body, but it didn't look good to them. It was just separating, just crumbling, just loosening, just softening, just disintegrating, and just dissolving. It's head wouldn't turn either. It's face was just lopsided, it's face was just twisted. It couldn't look around. It talked at first, but senselessly. It was quickly dissolved in the water.
'It won't last,' the mason and sculptor said then. 'It seems to be dwindling away, so let it just dwindle. It can't walk and it can't multiply, so let it be merely a thought,' they said.
So then they dismantled, again the brought down there work and design. Again they talked.

'What is there for us to make that would turn out well, that would succeed in keeping our days and praying to us?' they said. Then they planned again:

'We'll just tell Xpiyacoc, Xmucane (divine grand parents) Hunahpu Possum, Hunahpu Coyote,(vagabond dancers, magicians) to try a counting of days, a counter of lots,' the masons and sculptor said to themselves. Then they invoked Xpiyacoc, Xmucane.

Here you see the efforts put forth to create first the animals. And from them came mankind. Just as most Native American tales say it happened. First came the animal who couldn't say there prayers nor praise there Creators. Then from them came the first attempt at mankind, Mud man. You can see the comparison between you as a parent or a gardener. If your children do not turn out as you wish. You will soon abandon them, in hopes of better luck the next "Time". Just the same way with your garden. If your garden doesn't give peasants sights and food for your body. You will also turn from your garden. It was no different with the first Creators. That's why your feeling are much the same way. You can see why that every so often the peoples of the Earth are destroyed. They forget there prayers and forget to give praise to those who created them. Next we'll learn how the next generation of humans were created.

Miwok Tribe
They were from northern California, near Fresno. They were decimated during the Gold Rush days of California. Today they are practically extinct.

"God" bless on this Sunday evening. May you have sweet dreams, with soft landings. bye