Vucub-Caquix

It was cloudy and twilight then on the face of the earth. There was no sun yet. Nevertheless, there was a being called Vucub-Caquix who was very proud of himself.

The sky and the earth existed, but the faces of the sun and the moon were covered.

Truly, they are clear examples of those people who were drowned, and their nature is that of supernatural beings. I shall now be great above all the beings created and formed. I am the sun, the light, the moon. Great is my splendor.

Because of me men shall walk and conquer. For my eyes are of silver, bright, resplendent as precious stones, as emeralds; my teeth shine like perfect stones, like the face of the sky. My nose shines afar like the moon, my throne is of silver, and the face of the earth is lighted when I pass before my throne. So, then, I am the sun, I am the moon, for all mankind. So shall it be, because I can see very far.

Vucub-Caquix

But Vucub-Caquix was not really the sun. He was only vainglorious of his feathers and his riches.

He could see only as far as the horizon, and he could not see over all the world.

The face of the sun had not yet appeared, nor that of the moon, nor the stars, and it had not dawned.

Therefore, Vucub-Caquix became as vain as though he were the sun and the moon, because the light of the sun and the moon had not yet shown itself. His only ambition was to exalt himself and to dominate.

And all this happened when the flood came because of the wooden people.

Chapter 5

This is the beginning of the defeat and the ruin of the glory of Vucub-Caquix brought about by 2 youths:

1. Hunahpú
2. Xbalanqué

They were really gods.

When they saw the harm which the arrogant one had done, and wished to do, in the presence of the Heart of Heaven, the youths said:

Hunahpu-Xbalanque

It is not good that it be so, when man does not yet live here on earth. Therefore, we shall try to shoot him with our blowgun when he is eating. We shall shoot him and make him sicken, and then that will be the end of his riches, his green stones, his precious metals, his emeralds, his jewels of which he is so proud. And this shall be the lot of all men, for they must not become vain, because of power and riches.

Vucub-Caquix had 2 sons:

1. Zipacná
2. Cabracán

Their mother was Chimalmat, the wife of Vucub-Caquix.

Zipacná played ball with the large mountains with Chigag, Hunahpú, Pecul, Yaxcanul, Macamob, and Huliznab.

These are the names of the mountains which existed when it dawned and which were created in a single night by Zipacná.

In this way, then, Cabracán moved the mountains and made the large and small mountains tremble.

In this way the sons of Vucub-Caquix proclaimed their pride.

Vucub-Caquix

I am the sun!

Zipacna

I made the earth!

Cabracan

I shook the sky and made the earth tremble!

In this way the sons of Vucub-Caquix followed the example of their father’s assumed greatness.

This seemed very evil to Hunahpu and Xbalanque.