The People of Xibalba

Immediately [the boys] told their names and they extolled themselves before all the people of Xibalba. They said:

“We are Hunahpú and Xbalanqué. Our fathers are those whom you killed – Hun-Hunahpú and Vucub-Hunahpú.

We are, then, the avengers of the torments and suffering of our fathers. That is why we resent all the evil you have done to them. Therefore, we shall put an end to all of you, we shall kill you, and not one of you shall escape”

Instantly, all the people of Xibalba fell to their knees, crying.

They said:

“Have mercy on us, Hunahpú and Xbalanqué! We sinned against your fathers as you said, and that they are buried in Puchbal-Chah”

“Very well. This is our sentence, all you of Xibalba”

“Since neither your great power nor your race any longer exist, and since neither do you deserve mercy, your rank shall be lowered. Not for you shall be the ball game.

You shall spend your time making earthen pots and tubs and stones to grind corn. Only the children of the thickets and desert shall speak with you.

The noble sons, the civilized vassals shall not consort with you, and they will forsake your presence. The sinners, the evil ones, the sad ones, the unfortunate ones, those who give themselves up to vice, these are the ones who will welcome you. No longer will you seize men suddenly [for sacrifice]; remember your rank has been lowered.”

In this way, their destruction and their lamentations began.

Their power in the olden days was not much. They only liked to do evil to men in those times. In truth, in those days, they did not have the category of gods.

Furthermore, their horrible faces frightened people. They were the enemies, the owls. They incited to evil, to sin and to discord.

They were also false in their hearts, black and white at the same time, envious and tyrannical according to what was said of them. Furthermore, they painted and greased their faces.

In this way, then, occurred the loss of their grandeur and the decadence of their empire.

And this was what Hunahpú and Xbalanqué did.

Meanwhile, the grandmother was crying and lamenting before the reeds which they had left planted.

The reeds sprouted, then they dried up when [the boys] were consumed in the bonfire. Afterwards, [the reeds] sprouted again.

Then the grandmother lit the fire and burned incense before the reeds in memory of her grandchildren. And the grandmother’s heart filled with joy when, for the second time, the reeds sprouted.

Then they were worshipped by the grandmother, and she called them the Center of the House, Nicah [the center] they were called.

“Green reeds growing in the plains” [Cazam Ah Chatam Uleu] was their name. And they were called the Center of the House and the Center, because in the middle of the house they planted the reeds. And the reeds, which were planted, were called the plains, Green Reeds growing on the plains.

They also were called Green Reeds because they had resprouted. This name was given them by Xmucané [given] to those [reeds] which Hunahpú and Xbalanqué left planted in order that they should be remembered by their grandmother.

Their fathers were:

• Hun-Hunahpú
• Vucub-Hunahpú

They died long ago. They also saw the faces of their fathers there in Xibalba and their fathers talked with their descendants, that is the ones who overthrew those of Xibalba.

Here is how their fathers were honored by them.

They honored Vucub-Hunahpú; they went to honor him at the place of sacrifice of the ball-court. And at the same time they wanted to make Vucub-Hunahpú’s face. They hunted there for his entire body, his mouth, his nose, his eyes. They found his body, but it could do very little. It could not pronounce his name, this Hunahpú. Neither could his mouth say it.

Here is how they extolled the memory of their fathers, whom they had left there in the place of sacrifice at the ball-court: “You shall be invoked,” their sons said to them, when they fortified their heart.

“You shall be the first to arise, and you shall be the first to be worshipped by the sons of the noblemen, by the civilized vassals. Your names shall not be lost. So it shall be!” they told their fathers and thus consoled themselves. “We are the avengers of your death, of the pains and sorrows which they caused you.”

Thus was their leave-taking, when they had already overcome all the people of Xibalba.

Then they rose up in the midst of the light, and instantly they were lifted into the sky. One was given the sun, the other, the moon. Then the arch of heaven and the face of the earth were lighted. And they dwelt in heaven.

Then the four hundred boys whom Zipacná had killed, also ascended, and so they again became the companions of [the boys] and were changed into stars in the sky.