"Hear our names. We shall also tell you the names of our fathers. We are Hunahpú and Xbalanqué;[227] those are our names. And our fathers are those whom you killed and who were called Hun-Hunahpú and Vucub-Hunahpú. We, those whom you see here, are, then, the avengers of the torments and suffering of our fathers.[228] That is the reason why we resent all the evil you have done to them. Therefore, we shall put an end to all of you, we shall kill you, and not one of you shall escape, "they said.
Instantly all the people of Xibalba fell to their knees, crying.
"Have mercy on us, Hunahpú and Xbalanqué! It is true that we sinned against your fathers as you said, and that they are buried in Puchbal-Chah," they said.
"Very well. This is our sentence, that we are going to tell you. Hear it, all you of Xibalba:
"Since neither your great power nor your race any longer exist, and since neither do you deserve mercy, your rank shall be lowered.[229] Not for you shall be the ball game.[230] You shall spend your time making earthen pots and tubs and stones to grind corn.[231] Only the children of the thickets and desert shall speak with you. The noble sons, the civilized vassals shall not consort with you, and they will foresake your presence.[232] The sinners, the evil ones, the sad ones, the unfortunate ones, those who give themselves up to vice, these are the ones who will welcome you. No longer will you seize men suddenly [for sacrifice]; remember your rank has been lowered."
Thus they spoke to all the people of Xibalba.
In this way their destruction and their lamentations began. Their power in the olden days was not much. They only liked to do evil to men in those times. In truth, in those days, they did not have the category of gods. Furthermore, their horrible faces frightened people. They were the enemies, the owls.[233] They incited to evil, to sin and to discord.
They were also false in their hearts, black and white at the same time,[234] envious and tyrannical,[235] according to what was said of them. Furthermore, they painted and greased their faces.
[227] Xhunapú, Xbalanqué, in the original. The initial X denotes the diminutive in Quiché. Here it serves to establish the relationship of father and son between Hun-Hunahpú and Xhunahpú.
[228] Oh cu pacol re vae qui rail, qui caxcol ri ca cahau, in the original.
[229] X-zaquin chic ch'y quic holomax. I believe I give an approximate interpretation of this expression. In another place I have explained that both quic and holomax have the meaning of "blood." Here, says Brasseur de Bourbourg, there is a mysterious play on words which escapes translation.
[230] Mavi chahom quic yve, in the original. It is to be remembered that the ball game was reserved for the important people.
[231] These were occupations of the common people.
[232] Xa noh chi tzaco rib ch'y vach. This sentence is very difficult to understand and has been translated in many different ways. The verb tzaca has, among other meanings, that of fleeing, frightening away, or chasing.
[233] Ah-Tza, "those of the war." Ah-Tucur, "the owls. "As Brasseur de Bourbourg indicates, there may be a relation between these names and those of the Itzá, a Maya tribe which lived in the northern part of Guatemala, in the region called Petén-Itzá, and the settlers of Tucurú, people of Verapaz. Undoubtedly the Quiché and Cakchiquel. emigrated from the north, fleeing from the tyranny of these tribes, in order to live in freedom in a new land.
[234] E quecail, zaquiil, with the appearance of blacks and whites, double appearance, symbol of their duplicity.
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