Codex

My!ica

by Daniel Ler"x
 Introduction:

In today’s world myths and legends are not as important as they once were.

Myths were used to explain the unknown and mysterious. Today we have science
and tools to do this. Many people have heard of the Mesoamerican civilization
known as the Aztecs, Well know for their unique diversity of mythological figures
and stories, and this book will explains these incredible accounts of heroic figures
and savage beasts, as well as the truth behind them. Find the amazing stories all
here in the Aztec book of myths: Codex Mythica.
Marine Vet
Daniel Leroux

Ba$le Of %e Five Sons:

In the begining of time there was one god named Ometecihuatli, and one goddess named

Omiecihuati. They gave birth to four children, two pairs of twins. The first pair was named
Quetzocoatl and Tezcatlipoca, and the second was Tlaloc, who later became known as
Huitzipipochtli, and Xipe Totec. Each child was a different color and could control a different
element. Quetzocoatl was the white god of wind and lived in the west. Tezcatlipoca was black
and lived in the north where he controlled fire. Tlaloc was to the south and had control of water
which was no shock because he was the blue god. Xipe Totec was the red, earth god who could
be found in the east. At this time there was no light so Tezcatlipoca being the fire element created
a large ball of fire in the sky. Quetzocoatl was mad at Tezcatlipoca and decided to create
something of his own. He created Humans out of bones diped in his own blood. He ordered them
to craft a large wooden pole. Upon completion quetzocoatl knocked Tezcatlpoca’s glowing orb
out of the sky. This infuriated the god, who took the form of his spirit animal, an ocelot.
Tezcatlipoca came across a mysterious stone called obsidian and he started practicing magic with
it. He eventually crafted a magic mirror that led to another world. He decided to take revenge on
Quetzocoatl. He summoned Quetzocoatl by saraficing his foot to a sea monster that Quetzocoatl
had created. When Quezocoatl saw the scene he decided to take a closer look. Tezcatlipoca then
banished quetzocoatl to the world behind his mirror to be forever trapped inside. Tlaloc being a
peaceful god feared that now the sun was gone people would not survive. He created the new
third sun. His element was water and he was wakened by dealing with fire so he called on his
brother Xipe Totec to become the fourth sun. Tezcatlipoca seeing oppertunity to reclaim his spot
started a war among the three remaining brothers. The brothers fought when Tezcatlipoca
dropped his mirror, shattering it into four pieces. Each brother was trapped inside one shard. A
magic enchantment that tezcalipoca had put on the mirror caused it to fuze back togather. The
brothers being united decided on a new stratagy. They used the mirror as a sun and all brothers
were now equal.

Mo!er Moon:

Aztec’s believe that each god has a one power. There were many gods and they were decended

from humans according to legend. Two tribes people were chosen too create new gods after the
battle to create the sun. They became Viracocha the god of earth and Mama Cocha the goddess of
water. They had two children Mama Quilla and Inti. Mama Quilla became godess of the moon
and so Inti became the god of the sun. They married and had four children Mama Ocello, Manco
Capac, Pacha Capac, and Pacha Mama. Mama ocello became the god of knowledge, Manco
Capac became the god of war, and Pacha Mama became the godess of agriculture and war. Pacha
Capac was the youngest and last to choose he was unsure what he wanted to become so he
became the apprentice of his grandfather Viracocha.

%e %"sand Eyes Of Ahuizotl:

Many aztec legends deal with water because of it’s importence in aztec life. The Ahuizotl was

a story to show the dangers of the rivers in the area. As the aztec population was being eradicated
by the Spanish a Franciscan Missonary decided to record their legends and culture in a book
called the Florentine Codex. It detailed many creature of the aztecs including the only known
record of the fearsome Ahuizotl. It was a large spotted dog like animal that lurked in the water. It
attreacted fisherman to the shores by makeing the noise of a crying baby. As the person searched
for the source of the noise the ahuizotl used a log prehensile tail with a hand at the end to grab
and drown it’s pray. The body would be found three days later with eyes, teeth, and nails
missing. The ahuizotl was conributed to five hundred deaths in the area leading to the story being
called the beast that stole a thousand eyes. Since then other legends of cretures have sprug up
like the Nurufilu, of fox serpent of Chile reported by the Aracanian people. The shasta people
have another similer legend of a long tailed water dog. The aztecs also knew that it was not an
otter, as the only other species of similar creature was the Neotropcal River Otter and it has it’s
own entry in the florentine codex under the name Aitzcuintli.

Tree Spi't:

The aztecs were not the only tribe in the area and were often attacked by enemy tribes. This is

how the legend of the tree spirit came about. Anani was a young aztec girl who loved to walk in
the forest alone. One day she was captured by an enemy tribe. She was taken as a hostage and
was to be sacrificed. In an escape attempt she killed a soldier with a rock and ran. She was later
captured and sent for immediate death by burning. As the flames engulfed her body she began
singing and a brillent white light appeared around her. She was transfored into a tree known as
the Ciebo. In this part of the jungle, it is said that all the Ciebo trees have dark red flowers that
brighten the area as a reminder of the blood spilt that day.

Tr"bled Waters:

Almost all cultures have a flood myth and the aztecs are no different. Chalchiuhticue was the

godess of rivers and lakes. She was summoned to rid the world of evil. She created a vast storm
that flooded all rivers engulfing the land. Almost all people were distroyed but those who could
prove their innocence were turned to fish and were able to survive the food.
 %e O!er Eden:

Death and afterlife is a myth that all civilizations have some explaination for. The

azecs have a temple with a room called the Teotihlacan or wall of murals. One wall
tells the myth of death. The god Tlaloc is the judge of the dead those who he
believes died nobaly such as by disease of disaster are sent to the garden of
paradise. Those who were exceptional in life are sent to the sun and return four
years later as humming birds. Humming birds are a symbol of harmony like the
brothers in the end of the myth of five suns. This make us wonder if the myths are
connected for a reason. We may never know as most of the aztecs died and with
them most of their cuture dissapeared, a sad end to a magnificent civilization.
 A(en)x 1: Aztec Translations

Ahi: Water

Coatl: Snake or Twin

Que*o: Reference to the Quetzal bird or Precious

Sol: Sun

My!ica: Myth

Codex: Book

T+cat: Smoking

Lipoca: Mirror

Mama: Mother

Filu: Fox

Zotl: Opossum

Ocello: War

Capac: Knowledge

Pacha: Father
A(en)x 2: Guide to Gods, Goddesses, and Creatures

Ahuizotl: A mythical spotted water creature with a long tail with a hand at it’s base. It would drown it’s victims and steal their

eyes, nails, and teeth.

Quetzocoatl: The creator god that took the form of a feathered serpent and created humans from bones dipped in his blood. he

was also the god of wind in mayan mythology.

Tezcatlipoca: One of the creator gods who took the form of an ocelot or jaguar. His name means smoking mirror.

Chalchiuhticue: The godess of rivers and lakes who created the great flood.

Anani: A girl who was captured by an enemy tribe and sentenced to be burned to death.

Xipe Totec: The creator god that was created the fourth sun. He was the god of agriculture in mayan mythology.

Tlaloc: The crator god and also the god of the dead he determines who will be sent to the Garden of Paradise.

Nurufilu: The fox serpent in the myths of the chilean araucanians.

Omiecihuatl: The female who created the first gods.

Ometecihuatli: the male who created the first gods.

Mama Quilla: The moon godess who married Inti.

Inti: The sun god who married Mama Quilla.

Viracocha: The earth godess who married Mama Cocha.

Mama Cocha: The sea godess who married Viracocha.

Mama Ocello: The knowledge godess and daughter of Mama Quilla.

Manco Capac: The war god and son of Mama Quilla.

Pacha Mama: The agriculture and disaster godess and daughter of Mama Quilla

Pacha Camac:The apprentice to the earth god Viracocha and son of Mama Quilla.
 A(en)x 3: Glossery

Aztecs: The northern Mexican people known for obsidian and sacrifice.

Mesoamerica: The region from Mexico in Central America to Argentina in South America. People
from this area are called were grouped into several tribes.

Quetzal: A brightly colored, green bird with long tail feathers.

Obsidian: A black volcanic stone that was used for mirrors, blades, and other tools.

Araucanians: The people of southern Chile and Argentina most well known for silver working and
textiles

Mayans: The Mexican people who inhabited the Yucatan and were known for chocolate, calenders
and step pyramids.

Incans: The empire that streached from Equador to northen Peru known for mummies and mountain
side cities.

Muiscas: The people of Columbia who were well known for creating the legend of El Dorado and
rituals.

Olmecs: People of central Mexico known for trade and creating stone heads

Toltecs: Also called Mixtecs, these people were of mixed aztec, maya, and olmec descent known for
statues, pottery, and carvings.

Shastas: People of southern California who were known for living in tough environments.

Ceibo Tree: A tree that blooms in dark forest areas with bright red flowers.

Tupis: People of Brazil living in the Amazon area.

Orinoco: One of the two main rivers in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest.

Tourquoise: A blue stone often used in Mesoamerican and Native American jewelery.

Amazon River: One of the main rivers in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest and the second largest in the
world.

Amazon Rainforest: The rainforest located in brazil home to many tribes and animals.

Macuahuitl: A wooden sword with an obsidian blade used in combat.