The brothers Jun Batz' and Jun Chowen
were great artists. Their father taught them how to paint, write,
play music and dance; they had a lot of knowledge and they liked to
entertain their grandmother with their arts. But, although they were
very wise, they had let their hearts darken with the hatred they felt
towards their younger brothers. Maybe out of jealousy or envy, so
much, that they always treated them badly.
Juanjpu and Xbalamke grew and became
great hunters. They walked through the woods with their blowguns and
always carried home the birds they caught. However, their older
brothers always took them off and did not leave them a single piece
of meat. That is just an example of how they treated them!
The day came when Juanjpu and Xbalamke
decided to punish their brothers for so much abuse. "We will
only change thir nature," they said. For that reason, they
arrived home one day with empty hands. "Why did not you bring
any birds?" Exclaimed the angry grandmother. Junajpu and
Xbalamque answered: "The birds are in a very tall tree and we
can not reach them with our blowpipes. We need the help of our
brothers.""Okay,"said the older brothers and
accompanied them.
As soon as Jun Batz' and Jun Chowen
climbed the tree, it began to grow thanks to the magic of Junajpu and
Xbalamke. The trunk swelled, the branches stretched and the tree grew
so large that their brothers became frightened and shouted, clinging
to the branches: "Help us! We can not go down anymore." Junajpu
and Xbalamke, holding back their laughter, replied: "Do not be
scared, brothers! Just undo your loincloths. Hang a large piece of
cloth and, with that, tie yourself to the tree."
Shaking with fear, Jun Batz' and Jun
Chowen did what their brothers told them but, in an instant, the
cloth became a tail and they became monkeys! They wanted to talk, but
they could only scream. With their long arms and tail, they swung
between the branches and disappeared into the forest. That is how Jun
Batz' and Jun Chowen were punished. They did not die... only their
nature was changed!
Junajpu and Xbalamke returned home to
their grandmother and mother. "We do not know what happened to
our brothers," they said, "they became monkeys and went to
the forest." "Can not be! What did you do to them?"
Exclaimed Ixmukane. "I want to see my grandchildren!" "Do
not worry, grandma," said the brothers, "they will return.
But please, do not laugh when you see them." And they started
calling them with songs and playing the flute and the drum.
The music attracted Jun Batz' and Jun
Chowen, who came quickly to the house. They approached, they started
dancing and jumping, and they moved so strangely and so funny, that
upon seeing their ugly faces, Ixmukane could not help it... and
laughed out loud! In an instant, the monkeys fled and disappeared
into the forest.
"Do not laugh, grandma," the
brothers said, "only four times can we do this test and now
there are only three left, let's try again." Junajpu and
Xbalamke played music again to attract the monkeys and it worked! The
monkeys returned, but seeing them gesticulating and doing tricks, the
grandmother laughed again and the monkeys left.
"Only two tries remain, grandma,
please, do not laugh," the brothers asked and played the drum
and the flute again. But once again, the grandmother could not
contain her laughter and again, the monkeys fled to the forest. "Now
there's only one try left, the last chance," the brothers said,
and they played again. But this time, Jun Batz' and Jun Chowen did
not return. They had gone to the forest forever!
Jun Batz' and Jun Chowen were great
sages and artists, but they were punished for their pride and
selfishness. Since then, the monkeys became the guardians and
protectors of the artists.
And you, have you ever seen the
monkeys? When you see them, you can admire how they swing between the
branches of the trees... they really look like they are dancing!
*The Popol Vuh is the National Book of Guatemala.
*The Popol Vuh is the National Book of Guatemala.
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