Linton 1

Dylan Linton

Ms. McGinn

World Cultures

29 May 2017

Counting Suns

Ikal gazed at the great walls of the temple longingly. He remembered the day when his

father's body had been carried away into the depths of the great pyramid. His father, Ikatan, had

cbeen one of the most famous scribes in Chichen Itza before he had died of disease many days

ago. Ever since that day, Ikal had been living a lonely life with his mother.

Get back to work Ikal, or the spirits will get you! A voice shouted. Ikal turned and saw

his master Rakul shaking a fist at him jokingly. Rakul was a friend of Ikals mother. When Ikals

father had passed away, he had been given a job by farmer Rakul. Not many days after he had

started his job, his mother became very ill and was unable to work. Ikal was the only one in his

family capable of feed his family, so he was forced to find whatever jobs he could. He turned

back to the row of cotton he was supposed to pick before sunset.

After the sun had gone down, Ikal carried home the food he had been given. He wove

through the crowds of dwellings until he reached the new dwelling his family had moved into.

He stepped through the entrance and found his mother, Yatzil, sitting up in her hammock. Ikal

noticed that color was returning to her pale and bony face. Hello Ikal, she said. How was

work?

Rakul gave me an extra portion of corn for you when I was about to leave, Ikal sat

down beside his mother. He hopes you feel better soon.

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With his stomach full, Ikal laid down in his hammock and stared at the straw roof of his

hut. In only a few days, harvest season would be over, and he would once again have to look for

a new job. Worried and exhausted, his consciousness slipped away and he fell into a deep sleep.

Ikal woke up to the smell of something burning. He jumped out of his hammock and

rushed to the doorway of his hut. His eyes burned from the smoke in his eyes.

Mother! He ran inside again. Mother we must leave!

Yatzil opened her eyes. Whats wrong? she said, half asleep. Did I upset the gods?

Mother there is a fire! Ikal cried. We must hurry!

Ikal helped his mother out of bed and led her out of their hut. Once outside, they hurried

down the familiar path to the hut of Rakul. They peered inside but found the hammocks empty.

Rakul must be in the fields already. Ikal told his mother. He is usually picking the cotton by

now. Ikal found Rakul sitting where the cotton plants should have been.

Im sorry Ikal, Rakul sighed. The fields all burned in the night. There is no work for

you here today.

There has to be something left for me to do. I can sweep your hut. I can clean up the

debris. I could do anything! Please. Ikal was heartbroken. What would he do without a job? He

would not be able to support his family. He would give anything for his father to still be alive.

All of the despair he had suffered would not have happened. He looked at Rakul. Surely there

was something he could do. But his optimism was soon wiped away.

No work here, Rakul said. No work here.

Sad and unemployed, Ikal sat under the hot sun staring at the ground. He realized that his

search for a new job would come sooner than he thought. What would happen to his poor mother
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if he could not get food? What would happen to him? Would they both perish? Suddenly, a

shadow fell overhim. He looked up and saw a tall, bearded man standing over him. Hello Ikal,

said the man. What makes you so somber today?

Ikal looked up and saw the face of Zanos the scribe, his fathers friend. Ikal had not seen

him since his father had passed away. I have lost my job sir, said Ikal. I have no way of

feeding my sick mother.

Zanos sighed. I see. He turned around to walk away, but paused and turned back to

face Ikal. You know, he said. There is always room for another apprentice at my shop.

Without waiting for a response, he set off towards his workplace.

Ikal reached his dwelling, panting and out of breath. The fire from earlier that day had

turned out to be small, and had not affected any huts. Mother! Ikal exclaimed. I found work!

Zanos the scribe told me he had room for another apprentice in his shop.

His mother was lying in her hammock. Zanos you say? she stared at the ceiling. Dont

get your hopes up, Ikal. Zanos is one of the smartest living people in Chichen Itza. Getting a job

in his shop is nearly impossible. You might as well try to get a job as a god.

After sunset, Ikal and his mother had a small meal of leftover corn and beans. Ikal set

aside a portion that would be saved for the next morning. He knew they couldnt live like this

forever. He would have to get a job soon, or else they would starve.

That night, lay awake in his hammock with a lot on his mind. Maybe I could just get a

job for another farmer, or maybe a potter, Ikal thought, but he knew that no farmer would be as

caring as Rakul had been. His thoughts shifted back to Zanos shop. He would travel there in the

morning to speak with the wise scribe. Tired and stressed, he finally fell asleep.
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The next morning at first light, Ikal set out towards the shop. When he reached the

familiar courtyard where his father had once worked, he spotted Zanos speaking with a young

scribe.

Master Zanos, said the young scribe. We have started work on the calendar, but we

fear it will take longer than expected. Perhaps another few months. Ikal had heard tales of his

dad trying to create a calendar. It was supposed to be something to keep track of days, but Ikal

had no idea how it worked.

Zanos glared at the scribe. Very well. There is nothing we can do about it. As Zanos

was turning around to continue his work, he saw Ikal standing at the edge of the courtyard. Well

look who we have here! Zanos exclaimed. The son of the famed Ikatan! Every eye in the

courtyard turned to look at Ikal. Come here Ikal. Zanos waved him over.

Ikal crossed the courtyard to the old scribe. The rest of the scribes went back to their

work. Hello Zanos, Ikal said. I have come here to find work. My family is starving, and my

mother is still very ill.

Zanos looked at the ground. A long silence fell over them. Finally, Zanos spoke. Ikal,

he said. I always knew you would come to this courtyard looking for work sooner or later. I

have known you since you were very young. Youre father was one of my closest companions,

and I have known your mother since we were children. They have told how fast you learn, and

how smart you are. It would be an honor to have you working in my shop. However, if you do

decide to work for me, you will start out as an apprentice. If you do not work hard enough, you

will be asked to leave. If you work hard enough, you will be put to work as a scribe. Do you

understand?
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Ikals heart was racing. He could not believe what had just happened. Yes sir, he said.

I understand.

Ikals first few days at the scribe shop were exciting. He learned about the stars and the

sun. Zanos had explained to him the story of the gods and the way the universe was created.

After learning about astronomy, he was taught to write and read. Zanos was impressed by how

quickly Ikal was learning.

Ikal, Zanos walked over to Ikal after about a month of Ikals training.

Ikal looked up from his work. Yes master Zanos?

There is something I have to tell you. Zanos sat down beside Ikal. I have seen your

work. You are learning fast. Faster than most of my young scribes. Perhaps even faster than me

when I was your age.

Ikals spirits lifted. He knew that he was smart, but he did not know his work would

impress Zanos.

Anyways, Zanos continued. I think you are ready to begin work as a scribe.

Ikal almost fell off his stool. Thank you master Zanos! I will not let you down.

Follow me, Zanos said. You will work with a man named Shaqul to create a calendar.

Do you know what a calendar is?

Ikal nodded his head. Yes sir. My father told me about his creations before he got sick.

He said he was working to create a calendar. All I know is that they are used to count the days.

Zanos lead Ikal to a group of people huddled around something. Ikal looked over one

mans shoulder and saw a few scattered pieces of paper with intricate designs and shapes printed
 Linton 6

on them. The men looked confused and tired. Welcome to your new workplace, Ikal. Zanos

patted him on the back. Make yourself comfortable.

Over the next few weeks, Ikal helped to make the calendar. He found flaws that had been

made in the first prototypes and assisted the elder scribes in fixing them. The calendar started to

take shape. It contained three cycles that all moved together at the same time. They were: the

Haab, the 365 day cycle that had 18 months of 20 days and 1 month of 5 days, the Tzolkin, the

260 day divine cycle with 20 periods of 13 days which determines the time of religious events,

and the Long Count, the longest cycle that was 2,880,000 days long! Thinking of all of the

different elements of the calendar made Ikals brain hurt.

After another month, the calendar was finally finished. Ikal was so tired from work, he

almost collapsed every day on his walk home. As he was making his trip back to his hut, he

remembered that tomorrow he would present the calendar to Zanos. After eating a quick dinner,

he fell asleep in his hammock.

The next day was hot and humid. Ikal made his way to the scribe shop, his body

sweating just from walking. As he walked over to the table that the calendar rested on. He saw

Zanos sitting down, his back to Ikal. When he heard the boy approach, he turned around. Well,

he said. This calendar you have created is a true masterpiece. I have never seen anything so

sophisticated and intricate than this. Well done Ikal. You can tell the others I am truly impressed

by your hard work. Your father would have been very proud Ikal.

A few months later, Ikal sat in the doorway of his new hut. His family had been moved into a

new hut that was closer the the scribe shop. His mother had fully recovered from her sickness,

and they no longer had to worry about food. Ikal breathed in the fresh air of Chichen Itza. He
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was more relaxed than he had ever been. His mother came out of the hut and put her arm

around his neck. Ikal looked up at the sky. Thank you father, he said. I will never forget you.

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