Page:The Annals of the Cakchiquels.djvu/209

Rh Chee tzulu, "the interlaced trees."

Uchum, the fifth month of the Cakchiquel calendar. See Introduction, p. 29.

38. Ri tzam tzakbal Tolꜭom, "throwing the extremities of Tolgom." The reference to this festival is too slight to enable us to understand it.

Chi tulul, "at the zapote trees."

Qabouil Abah, "the Stone God," possibly the Chay Abah before referred to.

Çuꜯu cumatz; the latter is the generic term for snake, but the meaning of the prefix is uncertain. Perhaps it should read çuxçu, to move in spiral lines, as is described in the text. This miraculous form was one of Gagavitz's metamorphoses.

Nak ruma tiqui ꜭam, etc. These words of the hero Gagavitz are not easy to translate. They seem to chide the Cakchiquels for their weakness in seeking women, and to announce his intention to remain among the Tzutuhils.

ru ꜭhac pe ri neꜭāh coon; perhaps this should be translated, "the organs of the women have conquered."

39. Çakeribal, civilization, their becoming civilized. On the meaning of this word see note to Sec. 20.

abah ꜭuval; the precious stone offered by Baꜭahol as the price of royalty, indicates that such carved gems were in high esteem. Ꜭuval is translated by Guzman and others, "diamond;" but it was probably native jade.

Chuluc balam, literally "tiger piss," the name of a common medicinal plant, used in Guatemala as a diuretic (Guzman). In this connection it either means the totem of a gens, or refers to a magic rite. The former seems to be indicated by the term chicop (see Introd. p. 39).

xahun chi raxon ru halebal, a punning allusion to the name of the hill Paraxone. Brasseur translates it "qui possédent l'un et l'autre ces oiseaux bleus enchanteurs."

40. The sun had risen, etc. All these expressions are to be understood metaphorically, with reference to the growing civilization of the tribes.

41. The description of the installation of Baꜭahol as head chief, is an interesting passage. Unfortunately, several of the terms used are not found in the dictionaries, at least with any appropriate meaning. Thus, paz is now applied to the swathing bands of infants; cuçul is the cradle or bundle in which infants