September 20 Sunshine

COATLICUE SWEPT ON COATEPEC, the Serpent Mountain, when all of a sudden feathers floated down onto her. She placed one in her bosom and it disappeared.

Huitzilopochtli was born at the darkest hour. . . All of four-hundred brothers, the stars, and his sister Coyolxauhqui, the moon, had conceived to murder their mother Coatlicue for the disgrace incurred by her spontaneous pregnancy. Huitzilopochtli heard from her womb and vowed to defend his mother and birth. The siblings approached the top of Coatepec where it was Coatlicue's penance to sweep. Just as they were about to overtake their mother, Huitzilopochtli was born and showered his wrath upon them all.

He is the sun, who every morning conquers the moon and stars. But each fight against the night in the bowels of underworld weakens Huitzilopochtli, and so it is necessary to feed him human bloods and hearts to give him strength to re-emerge again at dawn, victorious, ablaze with the sustenance of sacrifice.

I'm familiar with this history: a brother (presuming their role in an abandoned family as fathers) sacrifices hundreds of siblings to keep mother's heart thumping.

pssst. . .sign the guestbook!