Page:The Annals of the Cakchiquels.djvu/93

Rh and the Qobakil, as they were named, at the places called Chiyol and Chiabak, there they met them, the only survivors of the Bacah, by their magic power. When they met them, they asked and said, "Who art thou?" Qoxahil and Qobakil answered: "O thou our lord, do not kill us; I am thy brother, thy elder brother. We two alone remain from the Bacah Pok and the Bacah Xahil. I am the servant of your throne, your sovereignty, O thou our lord." So spoke they. Then spoke Gagavitz and Zactecauh: "Thou art not of our house; thou art not of our tribe." But later it was said by the tribes: "Truly thou art our brother, our elder." They are those called Telom and Cakibak. When they went forth from Chiyol and Chiabak, twice they turned their steps and passed between the mountain ranges to the fire, to Hunahpu; and they met face to face in the spirit of the forest, the fire called Zakiqoxol. Truly, this Zakiqoxol kills many men. Truly, he is fearful, a robber, they say.

22. Going on, they arrived in the middle of the woods at a fire built by one guarding the road, and it was made by Zakiqoxol. "Who are these boys whom we see?" said he. Then were sent forward the Qoxahil and the Qobakil, with their mysterious vision and magical power; they spoke when they arrived. One of them spoke, not many [at once], as it was truly terrible to look upon, and he said: "Let us see what kind of a hideous mole are you?" So said Gagavitz and Zactecauh. Thus they spoke when they saw him, and they said: "Who art thou? We shall kill thee. Why is it that thou guardest the road here?" So they said and spoke thus. Then he said: "Do not kill me; I, who am here, I am the heart of the forest." Thus he spoke, and then asked that he might clothe himself. "They shall give to thee wherewith to clothe thyself" [said they]. Then they gave him wherewith to clothe himself, a change of garment, his blood-red cuirass, his blood-red shoes, the dying raiment of Zakiqoxol. By this means he saved himself, descending into the forest. Then there was a disturbance