The Maya Legend of the Jaguar

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Many years ago, in the rainforest of the lowlands of the Mayan World, all animals were great friends; The deer, the pajuil, the peccary, the crocodile and the monkey were treated with respect and did not eat among themselves, but fed on herbs, fruits and seeds.

One of the most admired animals was the jaguar, which at that time had no spots.

Everyone admired the jaguar. Her yellow skin glowed dazzlingly as she wiped it with her tongue every so often; Then he approached the gouache to revel in his beautiful reflection in the water. Actually it was a very beautiful animal, but also very presumed: "Nobody has a skin as perfect as mine," he murmured as he passed the other animals.

On one occasion, monkeys found a large avocado tree and, happily, began to eat the ripe fruits on the ground.

They were so happy that they started to play throwing the avocados between them. The noise they made attracted the other animals that came curious to see what was happening.

The jaguar got too close to the monkeys and then one of them jokingly tossed an avocado that stained the whole spine. The animals began to laugh, but the jaguar, feeling humiliated, became enraged, captured the monkey that had ridiculed him and took him to his cave to eat it. The monkeys and the other animals fled in fear.

Nearby, in the middle of the rainforest, lived Yum Kaax, the Lord of the Mount, who was the protector of animals and plants. The monkeys ran to look for him to tell him what had happened and to ask for his help.

Yum Kaax calmed them by saying: We will give a lesson to that presumed one who was bothered by a simple game and even ate one of you.

He then sent for the peccaries to be ordered to help the monkeys to punish the jaguar.

The next morning, the strongest peccaries came to the jaguar cave and forced him out of there; Threatening, chased him to a black sapphire tree, where the monkeys were clambering for him.

When they had the jaguar under the tree, the monkeys threw the fruit, staining all the skin. The feline escaped to the gouache to bathe and remove the stains, but when he came out he realized that these were not removed, because they were magical stains of Yum Kaax.

The jaguar roared as it had never before and threatened the monkeys and the peccary with eating them every time he met them on their way.

From now on you will be my enemies and I will never leave you alone! -scream.

This was how the jaguar got the spots that characterize it, and from then on the animals began to live hiding from it. While the tree of black sapote was known as ta'uch, which in maya means "monkey poop."

For some time the monkeys and peccaries were captured by the jaguar very easily. Yum Kaax, realizing the problem, called them to offer help.

"I see things have changed since the jaguar got its spots," he told them. I agree that all animals fight to get their food to survive, but I also understand that you are at a disadvantage, because he is much stronger and dangerous.

"That is why," he continued, "they must always act with caution and intelligence so as not to be caught. To you the monkeys I will put long lines so that they can be hung of the branches of the trees and move with agility in them.

To you pecans I will give you thicker, more resistant skin and sharp fangs so that they can defend themselves properly. Thus the jaguar will think twice before attacking them as it does now.

Immediately, the monkeys and peccaries got the gifts that Yum Kaax offered them. They said goodbye to him very gratefully and went into the rainforest.

Now the monkeys do not come down so much from the trees, because they learned to live almost completely above them. When the jaguar begins to climb the trunk of a tree, the monkeys scream and throw themselves at another tree with the help of their tail and thus avoid being trapped.

The peccaries continued to live on earth, but now when they see the jaguar they clump and defend themselves with great courage thanks to their thick skin and dangerous fangs.

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For its part, the jaguar needs to work harder to get its food. He learned not to be so vain and to always live hidden among plants. This is the only way you can surprise your prey when you least expect it.

However, the jaguar remained feared and admired, not only by the animals, but also by the ancient Mayas, for whom it symbolized power and ferocity.

They had it in mind when they built their temples and made their garments, for they all sought to be as majestic as he, with their lustrous skin and their spots representing the stars.

Therefore, when you are in this land, do not forget to eat a rich black sapote with honey when you visit the zoo the jaguar, the sacred animal of the Mayan World.