60 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



This was a common form of prayer : 



" O all powerful god who givest light to men, whom we address by 

 the name of Titlacahuan, do me the favour of giving me all that is need- 

 ful for the support of my daj^s in meat and drink, to make me rejoice in 

 thy mercy and in thy goodness, and to alleviate my labours and my 

 pains. Have pity on me who lives a life of sorrow, of poverty, and 

 of neglect, since I labour in thy service, sweeping and cleansing thy 

 dwelling place. and making the fire that sustains th}' perfumes and 

 incense. Oi:)en, therefore, thy most merciful hands, and look down vipon 

 me with thy favour." 



Perhaps the oldest lyrical composition of an American people which 

 survives is that which illustrates almost dramatically the sin and repent- 

 ance of the good Quetzal-coatl, called the White God, the preacher of 

 peace and virtue, a western Buddha. The dark god Tezcatlipoca was 

 his great enem}^, and planned his fall through a woman who invented 

 the intoxicating drink called pulque and sent some to him. Then the 

 friends and allies of the dark god sang to Quetzal-coatl : 



" Lord well-beloved, permit us to sing : 

 Here is the song that you love. 

 O palace brilliant with quetzal plumes, 



palace of fair turquoise stones, 

 With emeralds like water streaming, 



1 shall not cease adorning you : 



An ya ! An ya ! " 



When the temptress came to join the wise monarch, the evil ones 

 sung : 



" O Quetzal-petlatl, 

 Dear sister rejoice ; 

 Let us be intoxicated with pleasure, 

 To the well-beloved of Quetzal-coatl 

 Let us sing, let us sing, 



Ay ya ! ya ay ! 

 Behold, behold ! " 



The king came to himself and repented : then he sang : 



" My mother, my worthy motlier, 

 Gazed on me in my drunkenness. 

 She said ' This is no son of mine : 

 That one there is not the holy lord.' 

 Miserable me, I weep, and cry alas !" 



His true friends took their instruments of music, and to their accom- 

 paniment sang his praises : 



" Our holy lord is come ; 

 It is himself; 



He fills our hearts with joy. 

 It is he, it is the Quetzal-coatl. 

 Scatter emeralds over his throne. 

 Let him shed no more tears in these regions." 



