Page:The Annals of the Cakchiquels.djvu/204

198 is the Spanish cotorra, a small species of parrot. (Guzman, Compendio de Nombres, MS.)

On the word labalinic, see Introduction, p. 47.

14. The owl sat on the red tree, the caka chee, whence, as we learn later, the tribe derived its name, Cakchiquel — a doubtful derivation.

Chee abah, wood and stone; understood to refer to the idols of these substances.

Çaꜫih, for Cakꜫih, the spring. Father Coto has the following under the words: "Estio vel verano, Çakꜫih; pa çak ꜫih, en el estio vel verano. Y nota que los que nosotros decimos en saliendo el verano, o que quando para, estos lo entrinden al contrario; porque decin, mixel çak ꜫih, mani chic ru ꜫih hab, ya salió el verano, no ay mas aguero."

16. The cak chee, red tree, is translated by Father Guzman, "arbol de carreta." The legendary derivation of the name Cakchiquel from this is doubtful. Ꜭhamey may mean something more than staff; it is applied to the staff of office, the bâton de commandement carried by the alguacils, etc.

The whole paragraph is obscure, but seems to describe their leaving the sandy shore of the sea, passing out of sight of land, then coming in sight of it again, and going ashore.

17. The word ikan, burden, here as elsewhere, is usually translated by Brasseur, "tribute."

18. Ah chay, literally, "master of obsidian." As this stone was largely used for arrow heads and other weapons, the expression in this connection seems to mean "master of arms." Ah ꜭam, from ꜭam, to take, seize. Brasseur construes these words as in apposition to vach: " Whom shall we make our master of arms," etc.

Etamayom, from the root et, mark, sign; etamah, to know, to be skilled in an art; etamayom, he who knows (see Grammar, pp. 27, 56). Brasseur's rendering, "le Voyant," is less accurate. See his translation of this passage in the ''Hist. du Mexique,'' Tome II, p. 92.

Ꜭokikan; Brasseur gives to this the extraordinary rendering, "parfumés d'ambre." But Coto states that it was the term applied to the loads of roasted maize, which were the principal sustenance of the natives on their journeys.

19. The narration continues in the words of the ancestral heroes, who speak in the first person, plural.