crunching sound,
cop-cop.
Though he asked for nothing else, the Inca presented him with sun maidens. But he did not take them.
And so Macahuisa set off for home to report to his father, Pariacaca. And after that, the Incas in later days would come to worship in Jauja and dance dances of veneration.
III. THE VANISHING BRIDE
Shortly before the arrival of the Spaniards, Coniraya Viracocha betook himself to Cuzco, where he met with the Inca Huayna Capac; and he said to him:
“My son, let us be off to Titicaca. There I will reveal to you who and what I am.”
When they got there, he spoke again, “Inca, summon your people, that we may send forth to the underworld all the magicians and all those who are wise.” He spoke, and at once the Inca gave out the command.
Then his people arrived, some saying, “I am created of the condor,” others saying, “I am created of the hawk,” still others, “I fly like the swallow.”
Then Coniraya gave them this order: “Go to the underworld! Say to my father, ‘Your son has sent me. Let me have one of his sisters.’ This, then is what you must say,” he commanded.
Then he who was created of the swallow, together with the other created beings, set out for the underworld, to return in five days.
Now it was he, the swallow man, who got there first; and when he had arrived and had delivered his message, he was given a small chest, together with the following command:
“Do not open this. The lord Huayna Capac himself must open it first,” he was ordered.
But while this man was carrying the chest and when he had nearly reached Cuzco, he thought to himself, “I will see what it really is.” Then he opened it, and there before him was a lady, very delicate and pretty. Her hair was wavy, it was like gold. She wore a splendid garment, and as she lay in the chest she was very small.
But the moment he saw her, she vanished. Then he arrived in Cuzco, very troubled; and Huayna Capac said to him, “Were you not created of the swallow, I would have you killed at once. Turn around, go back!”
Then he went back to the underworld and brought her forth again. Along the way, as he was bringing her, whenever he felt hungry and thirsty, he would merely speak the word and at once a table would be spread out before him and a place to sleep.
And so he delivered her in just five days. And when he arrived with her, Coniraya and the Inca received her with great joy.
But before the chest was opened, Coniraya spoke out, crying, “Inca! We will leave this world,” and he pointed, saying, “I will go to this land,” and he pointed again, saying, “You and my sister will go to that land. You and I will never see one another again.”
Then they opened the chest. The moment they opened it the earth was aglow.
Then the Inca Huayna Capac uttered these words: “Never will I return from this place. Only here will I live with my sun maiden, my queen.” Then to one of his vassals and kinsmen he gave this command: “You! Go in my place! And say, ‘I am Huayna Capac’! Now return to Cuzco!”
And in that moment he and his bride disappeared, and so too did Coniraya.
Then some time later, when the supposed Huayna Capac was dead, his successors began quarreling among themselves. They fought over who would be ruler, each saying, “I am first,” and it was then that the Spaniards arrived in Cajamarca.
IV. A MESSENGER IN BLACK
After a hard-fought campaign in the northern provinces, where certain rebel armies had at last been driven back, the Inca Huayna Capac withdrew to the town of Quito in order to rest and to issue new laws and new commands. At this time he received word of a pestilence raging in Cuzco. But again he pushed on, moving northward now against the tribesmen of Pasto and even beyond. As he continued his march, there were sudden bolts of lightning, striking close beside him, and convinced that these were an evil omen he turned back toward Quito.
Again he set out, marching westward
cop-cop.
Though he asked for nothing else, the Inca presented him with sun maidens. But he did not take them.
And so Macahuisa set off for home to report to his father, Pariacaca. And after that, the Incas in later days would come to worship in Jauja and dance dances of veneration.
III. THE VANISHING BRIDE
Shortly before the arrival of the Spaniards, Coniraya Viracocha betook himself to Cuzco, where he met with the Inca Huayna Capac; and he said to him:
“My son, let us be off to Titicaca. There I will reveal to you who and what I am.”
When they got there, he spoke again, “Inca, summon your people, that we may send forth to the underworld all the magicians and all those who are wise.” He spoke, and at once the Inca gave out the command.
Then his people arrived, some saying, “I am created of the condor,” others saying, “I am created of the hawk,” still others, “I fly like the swallow.”
Then Coniraya gave them this order: “Go to the underworld! Say to my father, ‘Your son has sent me. Let me have one of his sisters.’ This, then is what you must say,” he commanded.
Then he who was created of the swallow, together with the other created beings, set out for the underworld, to return in five days.
Now it was he, the swallow man, who got there first; and when he had arrived and had delivered his message, he was given a small chest, together with the following command:
“Do not open this. The lord Huayna Capac himself must open it first,” he was ordered.
But while this man was carrying the chest and when he had nearly reached Cuzco, he thought to himself, “I will see what it really is.” Then he opened it, and there before him was a lady, very delicate and pretty. Her hair was wavy, it was like gold. She wore a splendid garment, and as she lay in the chest she was very small.
But the moment he saw her, she vanished. Then he arrived in Cuzco, very troubled; and Huayna Capac said to him, “Were you not created of the swallow, I would have you killed at once. Turn around, go back!”
Then he went back to the underworld and brought her forth again. Along the way, as he was bringing her, whenever he felt hungry and thirsty, he would merely speak the word and at once a table would be spread out before him and a place to sleep.
And so he delivered her in just five days. And when he arrived with her, Coniraya and the Inca received her with great joy.
But before the chest was opened, Coniraya spoke out, crying, “Inca! We will leave this world,” and he pointed, saying, “I will go to this land,” and he pointed again, saying, “You and my sister will go to that land. You and I will never see one another again.”
Then they opened the chest. The moment they opened it the earth was aglow.
Then the Inca Huayna Capac uttered these words: “Never will I return from this place. Only here will I live with my sun maiden, my queen.” Then to one of his vassals and kinsmen he gave this command: “You! Go in my place! And say, ‘I am Huayna Capac’! Now return to Cuzco!”
And in that moment he and his bride disappeared, and so too did Coniraya.
Then some time later, when the supposed Huayna Capac was dead, his successors began quarreling among themselves. They fought over who would be ruler, each saying, “I am first,” and it was then that the Spaniards arrived in Cajamarca.
IV. A MESSENGER IN BLACK
After a hard-fought campaign in the northern provinces, where certain rebel armies had at last been driven back, the Inca Huayna Capac withdrew to the town of Quito in order to rest and to issue new laws and new commands. At this time he received word of a pestilence raging in Cuzco. But again he pushed on, moving northward now against the tribesmen of Pasto and even beyond. As he continued his march, there were sudden bolts of lightning, striking close beside him, and convinced that these were an evil omen he turned back toward Quito.
Again he set out, marching westward
Similar Books
