THE LOST BOOK


                    It was never really lost, nor could be completely forgotten, by those of the "House of Cavek." who were the keepers of the book. It had been orally transmitted from father to son, for millenniums, preceding the Spanish conquest.

                   At that time a Catholic Bishop asked to see all the written material their ancestors had produced. The Maya priests, who were in charge of the sacred books, willingly brought them, for they were convinced that the new conquerors were interested in knowing about their wisdom. It was a mistake, for the Bishop made a bonfire of them; throwing in some priests on top of it.

                  That was when the "House of Cavek" decided to put it down on paper, in the hieroglyphic language that they used.

                  Now, after more than five hundred years since then, an old man, descended from the "House of Cavek," was wont to bring it to light to modern man. The only problem was he did not believe the people would appreciate it, nor heed the advice that it contained. Nevertheless, he translated the ancient book into the modern language, for he was the last man to know it. This is the essence of same:

                 In the beginning there was nothing; only the sea extended. There were no people. It was made in silence. The silence was made in heaven...the old man wrote and then how the gods tried to make man. It took four trials, before it was done. This was the end of the first part.

                The second part concerned the trials of the twins sent by the gods in heaven, to the lords of the underworld. The twins lost their lives, by trickery, to the lords of death. They were the lords of the underworld. One of the boy's head was cut off and turned into a squash. He brought himself and his brother back to life, by impregnating Blood Woman, who was the daughter of Blood Gatherer. She was impregnated by merely spitting into her hand...the old man remembered, with some humor. Then the twins were revenged and defeated the lords of death. They were the rulers of the underworld. They did it by magic, given to them by the gods in heaven. This would show how the good wins out over evil, the old man considered, and evil is death.

              The next part relates to the four progenitors of his race. They were created by the gods in heaven. They were perfect in every way. They spoke and they wrote. they saw everything in the heaven and on the earth. They knew everything, and therein lay their defection...the old man reflected, for they should not know more than the gods that created them. Therefore the gods diminished their powers, least they should become too proud. That was sound advice, the old man knew.

              Next he traced their migration from where they came from, to where they would go to found their new kingdom. The journey was wrought with great suffering and then wars. The gods were testing their human development, because they feared their pride would destroy them. After all, they were created by the gods.

              So it was before the men came from the other side of the sea to make slaves of us; bringing with them their military power and vice. The Maya people could not withstand them, so they did their bidding. Thus, the old man finished the book.

              At the same time, his people maintained their ancient language and costumes. This had kept them alive for all these centuries, the old man knew.He also reasoned that the lessons on  how his people had survived, might be worthy intelligence for the foundering generation in which he now lived. They seemed to be lost in  darkness and this book could bring them light, if he would give it to them. At length, he realized that this would not work, for like the four progenitors, their power had to be diminished. No, this generation had to pass, until the lost book would once more be found.