The Mythology Book

251

Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca lock

in combat in an image from the Codex

Borbonicus (ca. 16th century). Aztec

scribes painted with pigments derived

from plants, trees, rocks, and insects.

by avenging his earlier slight,

striking down Quetzalcoatl and

creating a great hurricane that

swept all the people away.

Drought and floods

As Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca

had selfishly brought disorder to

creation through their rivalry, the

other gods decided that someone

else should have the honor of being

the new sun. The Third Sun was

the rain god Tlaloc. He was married

to Xochiquetzal, goddess of beauty.

Their union ended when

Tezcatlipoca kidnapped and

seduced Xochiquetzal. Mourning

his beloved wife, the grief-stricken

god refused to send down rain to

nourish the earth and the world

became parched. The people

continuously beseeched him to end

the drought, but to no avail. Tired of

their appeals, Tlaloc instead sent

down torrents of fire that turned the world to ash. The Third Sun was

the shortest lived of all, existing

only for 312 years.

When Tlaloc remarried, taking

Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of

streams and still waters, as his

wife, Quetzalcoatl allied himself

with her, and she became the

Fourth Sun. Tezcatlipoca, however,

again helped to bring an end to

this world. He told Chalchiuhtlicue

she did not sincerely love the

people of this fourth world, but was

only benevolent because she

wanted their praise.

Chalchiuhtlicue cried so hard

that her tears created a great

deluge that flooded the world and

lasted for 52 years. All but two

people were turned to fish. The

couple who survived were called

Tata and Nene. They floated on a

hollow log and subsisted on just a

single ear of maize each, which

See also: The epic of Gilgamesh 190–97 ■ Cherokee creation 236–37 ■ Spider Woman 238–39

THE AMERICAS

Five Suns

Tezcatlipoca—676 years

Tonatiuh—Aztec era

Quetzalcoatl—364 years

Tlaloc—312 years

Chalchiuhtlicue—676 years

was supplied by Tezcatlipoca on

the condition that they eat nothing

else. As the flood waters subsided,

Tata and Nene caught a fish and

roasted it, defying Tezcatlipoca’s

instructions. When the god found

out, he turned them into dogs. The

Fourth Sun had lasted 676 years.

United against the enemy

Realizing now that their disputes

had caused only destruction,

Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca

began to work together. A vicious

sea monster called Tlaltecuhtli had

taken up residence in the oceans.

Its body was covered with multiple

mouths to satisfy its relentless ❯❯

US_248-255_Sun_in_Sky.indd 251 05/12/17 4:16 pm