K'iche' Maya Oral History Project

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  About the Project

  Latin American and Iberian Institute

  Collection Process

  The stories and rituals included in this collection were collected between 1968 and 1973. All of them are narrated in the K'iche' Maya language of Guatemala. Almost all of the narrators speak the Nahualá-Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán dialect of that language. Almost all of the stories were tape-recorded by James Mondloch, PhD He lived and worked in the caserio of Pasaq, aldea Xejuyub', municipio of Nahualá, departamento de Sololá during the period 1966 - 1975. During that period Dr. Mondloch worked as a Catholic missionary in the area. Most ... Read More

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  Acerca del proyecto

  Latin American and Iberian Institute

  Proceso de recolección

  Los cuentos y ritos incluidos en esta colección fueron recogidos entre los años 1968 y 1973. Todos fueron contados en lengua K'iche'- Maya de Guatemala. Casi todos los narradores de este material hablan el dialecto Nahualá-Sta. Catarina Ixtahuacán del K'iche'.

  La mayoría de estos narrativos fueron grabados por James (Diego) Mondloch, Ph.D. Él vivió y trabajó en el caserío Pasaq, aldea Xejuyub', municipio de Nahualá, departamento de Sololá, desde 1966 hasta 1975. Durante ese período Dr. Mondloch trabajaba como misionero católico en el área costeño de Nahualá ... Read More

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  Oral History #001: Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the tumultuous history of his town of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Solalá. He then recounts the Spanish conquest of the K'ichees. This story is similar to another story (#68) in this collection.

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  Oral History #002: Marriage Ceremony

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A traditional K'iche' marriage ceremony is conducted by a marriage broker (k'amal b'e)

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  Oral History #003: Prayers in the Cemetery

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Several K'iche' prayer ceremonies for the dead in the cemetery conducted in Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Sololán in about 1968.

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  Oral History #004: Marriage Advice

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story that warns of the shame that married couples bring to their community when they marry too young. This story is similar to another story (#25) in this collection.

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  Oral History #005: The Life of Jesus

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story of the crucifixion of Jesus following a series of teachings and adventures. This story is similar to another story (#28) in this collection.

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  Oral History #006: A Boy Won Against the Thieves With His Mask

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story about a young man wearing a devil's mask who gets rewarded by police for inadvertently scaring off a group of horse thieves.

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  Oral History #007: Juan Cruz, Thief

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story about a famous thief in Nahualá who used magic to put police to sleep when he robbed. He died without ever being apprehended for his crimes, but his disciples were sent to the penitentiary in Guatemala City. This story is similar to another story (#124) in this collection.

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  Oral History #008: A Boy Defeats a Spook

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the story about a young man living with his wife and in-laws who encounters a "spook" and defeats it. The spook is actually a man who later confesses to the boy and asks him to never tell others that he used to change into a spook at night.

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  Oral History #009: The Lacandón (A Man Was Swallowed by a Sea Monster)

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story about a man swallowed by a sea monster who later escapes and finds himself in a strange land with corn owners who could not eat and digest the corn, for they had no anuses. The man lied telling them that he could make anuses for them if they would give him their magic deer. He flew away on the deer and never went back to help the people.

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  Oral History #010: The Prisoner

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story about a prisoner from Nahualá who survives his prison sentence by eating animal hide. When he is released, he rescues the people of Nahualá from a monster then arrives home to discover that his wife had re-married in his absence.

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  Oral History #011: The Rabbit and the Coyote

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a tale about a lazy rabbit and an industrious coyote who were neighbors. One day the coyote makes a trap to catch the thief stealing vegetables from his garden and discovers that it was the rabbit who was stealing from his garden. This story is similar to another one (#49) in this collection.

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  Oral History #012: A Woman from Pasín Shares Her Problems

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A woman from Pasín (a small coastal hamlet of Nahualá) shares stories of how her husband and son used to go to Esquintla (a large city near the Pacific coast) to beg for money and her oldest son works to earn money for food. This narrator continues in another story (#14) in this collection.

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  Oral History #013: A Boy from Pasín Speaks his Beliefs

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A boy talks about his father who was a diviner (day keeper) who used to help his neighbors with his prayers and divinations. Enemies of his father were witches and used to send owls to his family's house at night to frighten them.

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  Oral History #014: A Woman from Pasín Shares her Problems

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The woman from Pasín continues talking about her family and their problems. This story continues with the narrator from another story (#12) in this collection.

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  Oral History #015: A Boy from Pasín Shares his Stories

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A boy from Pasín tells some short stories. More complete versions of most of these stories can be found in this collection.

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  Oral History #016: An Ex-Diviner Shares his Experiences

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Juán tells about the dreams he had that convinced him to abandon the traditional Mayan religion and accept the Catholic religion. This story is similar to another one (#107) in this collection.

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  Oral History #017: The Adventures of a Young Man

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the story of three young men who share many adventures. Finally, two of them deceives the third and tried to kill him.

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  Oral History #018: A Man Married to a Spook

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a seller of clay pots who discovers that his wife is a spook (she transformed into an animal at night). She offers to sacrifice her husband so that her companion spooks could eat him. But in the end, the spooks kill and eat the woman instead of her husband. This story is similar to other stories (#97, #106, and #147) in this collection.

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  Oral History #019: Juan's Dreams

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Juán tells about the dreams he had that convinced him to abandon the traditional Mayan religion and accept the Catholic religion. This story is similar to another one (#107) in this collection.

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  Oral History #020: Yegua Achi

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator talks about Yegua Achí, a man with supernatural powers. His mother was a mayor (female horse). He courted various saints, but before they would marry him, they tested him. But he failed the tests and did not manage to marry a saint. However, durring his tests he created some mountains and valleys. This story is similar to another one (#108) in this collection.

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  Oral History #021: Pedro de Malo

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of Pedro de Malo, a great trickster. He deceived a lot of people with his ingenious tricks, and robbed them of their possessions. This story is similar to another one (#109) in this collection.

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  Oral History #022: The Thief's Magic Stone

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the tale of a chile seller who had his horse stolen by a thief. When he is captured the thief tells the chile seller that he was leaving him a magic rock inside the saddle bag on the horse. This magic rock, which turns into a horse, turns the chile seller into a thief.

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  Oral History #023: The Origin of Lightning over the Sea

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story about two brothers who travel to the mountains to turn into angels and provide lightning storms and sunshine to the people.

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  Oral History #024: The Girl Who Married the Devil

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the story of a girl who wanted to marry a rich boy instead of the young man her parents had chosen for her. This story warns what happens when women do not accept the the husbands that their parents choose for them.

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  Oral History #025: Marriage Advice

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the story of a young man who wants to divocre his wife and search for another, more attractive woman to marry. After many trials the young man discovers that the ideal woman for him is the woman with whom he is already married. This story is almost identical to another one in this collection (#4), but they have different narrators.

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  Oral History #026: The Lazy Man

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells a story about a lazy young man who kills his mother because she tried to force him to work. He runs away to join a gang of thieves. When he discovers that they planned to kill him, he puts on the costume of a Mora dancer and begins to dance. When the thieves awake, they think the boy is a monster and throw themselves into a deep canyon and die. The lazy youth finds all the treasures that the dead thieves had robbed, and takes possession of them. ... Read More

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  Oral History #027: A Boy Receives his Luck From a Rat

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

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  Oral History #028: The Life of Jesus

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells the story of Jesus handing himself over to the Jews. This story is almost identical to another story (#5) in this collection, but they have different narrators.

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  Oral History #029: The Origin of the Monkeys and the Gophers

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a flood that happened a long time ago. It covered all the earth and so people looked for ways to save themselves. Some who rapped themselves in straw mats became armadillos; Others went underground and also became animals. This story is an abbreviated version of another story (#42) in this collection.

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  Oral History #030: The Owner of the Lake

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story as told is very complicated. The narrator talks of a man who lives in the depths of a lake. There were homes there, just like on earth.

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  Oral History #031: The Origin of Adam and Eve

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is very similar to the biblical version of Adam and Eve. However, the narrator adds how Adam and Eve had to suffer and work as peasants after eating the forbidden fruit.

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  Oral History #032: How the Nahualeños Got Their Land

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator talks about Manuel Tzo'k, the famous mayor of Nahualá who a long time ago gathered together the people of Nahualá to convince them to buy lots of nearby land on the boca costa.

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  Oral History #033: When They Built the Road Nahualá-Sija

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A young man from Nahualá tells how the Pan-American Highway that was constructed through Nahualá left the majority of the people of Nahualá in poverty today.

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  Oral History #034: The Origin of San Antonio on Sija

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator talks about how diviners/day keepers who found a saint in a mountain near the town of San Antonio Sija built a church for the saint. People from all over used to arrive at the church in San Antonio to ask favors from the miraculous saint.

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  Oral History #035: When the People of San Miguel Were Going to Separate from Ixtahuacán

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of when the people of the hamlet of San Miguel found the statue of Saint Michael the Archangel in the mountains. They said the statue was miraculous and so wanted to separate from Ixtahuacán to form their own municipality with a church to house the saint.

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  Oral History #036: The Saint in Chajul

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of how a saint became happy with the presence of the soldiers keeping watch over him, so he changed the soldiers into statues and they remained permanently in the church with the saint.

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  Oral History #037: The Saint in San Lorenzo, Suchítepequez

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a man from San Lorenzo Suchítepeqez who, one day, a long time ago, arrived to a river near the town he saw a woman bathing there. When he wanted to approach her, she suddenly disappeared. When she appeared again she wasn't a woman; she had become the statue of a saint. The people of the town put the saint in the town church. There she grants favors to the faithful who arrive to ask her for them.

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  Oral History #038: A Sacred Mountain Near Nahualá

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator relates what some people from Nahualá say about a saint (statue) named Esquipulas that lives in a mountain near a place called Siete Cruces (Seven Crosses). Almost no one has seen the saint because it is in an inaccessible place.

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  Oral History #039: The Saint in Esquipulas

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A man from Nahualá tells how the statue of the Black Christ in the church in the town of Esquipulas became famous.

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  Oral History #040: The Origin of the Three Kinds of Corn

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator says that a long time ago an angel sent a lightning bolt that broke a cliff and made corn pour out. The kernels of corn that were burned by the lightning bolt became the blue corn. The corn that was partially burned became the yellow corn. The corn that was not burned by the lightning became the white corn. Note: This story is similar to other stories (#61 and #143) in this collection.

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  Oral History #041: The Punishments that a Man Who Killed His Wife Received

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a killer who went on many adventures as he wandered looking for a new life. He killed a man-eating jaguar that had terrorized a large town. The people of the town made the man their king.

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  Oral History #042: The Origin of the Monkeys and Gophers

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator talks of a great flood which came and covered the entire earth. Those who had climbed the trees were saved, but they were turned into monkeys. Those who buried themselves underground became gophers. Note: This story is similar to another one (#29) in this collection.

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  Oral History #043: A Pretentious Couple Was Punished

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells story of a married couple would criticize others for drinking alcohol. But one day got very drunk themselves and were arrested and sent to jail. The moral of the story is that we should not judge others because we don't know what errors we may commit.

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  Oral History #044: The Man Who Tried to Buy the Sky

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a rich man who believed that if he continually put money in a box he would be able to buy his and his children's places in heaven. He continued to put money in the box until he grew old. One day he opened the box and was amazed to see there was only a little money in the bottom of the box. The church guardian told him that he had wasted his life and money trying to buy a place in heaven. Only our good works can get us into heaven.

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  Oral History #045: Estéban Shows the People How to Ask for the Rain

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is of a man named Estéban would go to the mountains to pray, and ask God for rain. Then he saw that when he prayed the clouds would gather over the mountain tops but it didn't rain. So Esteban taught the people of the town how to ask God for rain together.

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  Oral History #046: A Man Learned From a Snake How to Understand the Animals

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is of a man used to go to the Pacific coast of Guatemala to work. There a snake spoke to the man, and gave him the ability to understand the languages of the animals. The snake warned the man that if he told other people about his ability, he would die. The man didn't heed the snake's warning began to tell the people that he had that power, and for that reason he died.

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  Oral History #047: The Poor Education of One Boy Caused His Death and the Death of His Parents

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Narrator tells story about the spoiled child of a young couple. They tried to take excellent care of him. The boy was very spoiled, and continually wanted more; so he became a big thief. Finally he was caught and was apprehended by the authorities. They put him in prison and sentenced him and his parents to death.

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  Oral History #048: The Owl

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells how an owl arrived near the house of a family for several nights. The man of the house was annoyed so he took out his gun and shot the owl. A short time later the man's wife died. He later discovered through a sequence of events that the owl was the messenger of the lord of the cemetery, and that his wife died because he had wounded the lord's messenger.

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  Oral History #049: The Rabbit and the Coyote

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A clever rabbit played many tricks on his gullible uncle, the coyote. At the end of the story the rabbit ends up killing his uncle the coyote. This story is similar to another one (#11) in this collection.

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  Oral History #050: The Man Who Found His Fortune in the Mountain

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A poor young man received a magic wire from a sacred mountain. With the help of this magic wire and the intervention of some animals that befriended him, he was able to overcome all of his obstacles.

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  Oral History #051: A Lazy young Man Killed Thirteen Killer Thieves

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A lazy young man lived with his mother. She would send him to the hills to cut firewood, but when he arrived in the woods, he would just sit down without working. One day as the boy was sitting idly he tricked a peddler out of his merchandise, and he dressed himself up with the clothing he had stolen.

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  Oral History #052: A Lion With His Son

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This narrator tells the story of a mountain lion who was the king of all the animals. The lion had a son, and as he grew old he told his son that he would become king when his father died. However, the father warned his son that people were smart, and were able to kill him. When the son began exploring his world he didn't heed his father's advice and was captured by a human.

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  Oral History #053: A Poor Man Invited Jesus to Dine With Him

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A rich man went to the church and invited Jesus to eat with him. He made a great fiesta for Jesus. While he was waiting for Jesus to arrive, a crippled man arrived to beg for food and drink. The rich man sent his dogs to chase the poor beggar away. Jesus never arrived at the fiesta. The rich man lost all of his riches because he didn't take care of Jesus who arrived in the person of a poor beggar.

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  Oral History #054: Juan Haragán

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A young man named Juan was very slow mentally as well as being lazy. One day Juan was able to trick the killers into killing each other off. He told the police that he had killed the killers, and they believed him. The community rewarded him with money and lots of praise. Note: This story is similar to other stories (#26, #62, #64 y #138) in this collection.

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  Oral History #055: A Rich Man and Hist Two Sons

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  There was a rich man who had two sons. They asked their father to lend them money so they could go to Guatemala City and do business. The young men went to the City and were very successful. They began to become rich. Their father didn't want them to continue going to the City, so they then began finding other ways to earn a living. In their efforts to earn money they had several adventures. In the end they became rich like their father.

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  Oral History #056: A Poor Man Received Riches from a Mexican in the Mountain

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  There once was a poor couple who promised the lord of the mountain his child when it was born. However, when the baby was born the couple broke their promise and did not give the baby to the lord of the mountain. A whirlwind came down and picked them up into the sky, and then let them drop to earth to die for not keeping their promise.

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  Oral History #057: The Punishment for Envy

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A couple had five children. However, the third son did his best to sow discord among his siblings but died unsuccessful. After he died, he came back to life and warned his loved ones not to behave as he had during his lifetime.

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  Oral History #058: The Good Rewarded and the Bad Punished

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story about a family and neighbors gathering together for a man's wake. During the wake, the man awoke, and began to speak to those present. He exhorted those who heard him to live virtuous lives so they would go to heaven when they died.

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  Oral History #059: The Cultivation of Corn by Manuel López Pasaqajuyub'

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Manuel tells the process of cultivating corn on the South Coast of Guatemala beginning with the preparation of the land and ending with the transporting of the corn crop from the coast to Xejuyub'

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  Oral History #060: The Cultivation of Corn by Matias Ch'ok de Pasaq

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Matias explains in detail how he planted corn, beans, squash, potatoes, and rice in different climate zones near his home in Pasaq. He tells about planting on the South Coast near San Antonio, Suchitepéquez, near his home in Pasaq, Aldea Xejuyub', Nahualá that lies in the piedmont area, and finally in Nahualá in the highlands. He includes in his narration how he performed ceremonies to the Lord of the World (Mundo) to ensure his crops would produce well.

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  Oral History #061: The Origin of Corn

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A long time ago there was a terrible famine and the people were dying of hunger. An animal named Awachiyak led them to a large cliff with a rock face. They discovered that the rock was hollow, and there was corn inside. An angel broke open the rock with a lightning bolt, and corn poured out. Note: This story is similar to other stories (#40 y #143) in this collection.

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  Oral History #062: A Lazy Man

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is about a lazy young man who did not want to work. So God gave him a job chasing insects out of a garden, and watering the flowers but warned him never to look under the flowers. The youth did not obey the order and a bunch of snakes came out and ate him alive. Note: This story is similar to other stories #26, #54,#64 y #138) in this collection.

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  Oral History #063: The Lord of the Cemetery

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This is a somewhat confusing narration that tells how some men obtain magic powers to harm others by befriending the lord of the cemetery. They also dig up human bones and use them to harm their enemies.

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  Oral History #064: Another Lazy Man

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A lazy boy went to search for his fortune. On his journey he helped several animals that the people were trying to kill. In return, a snake that he had saved helped him escape from bondage with a rich man. Note: This story is similar to other stories(#26, #54, #62 and #138) in this collection.

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  Oral History #065: Jacob and His Three Sons

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This narrative is a K'iche' version of the Old Testament story of Jacob and his son Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers. This narrative also includes the story of Moses.

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  Oral History #066: The Sorcerer and His Compadre

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of how a man taught his compadre how to transform himself into a jaguar to steal pigs. One night when the compadre went alone to steal pigs the guardians of the pigs shot him. The authorities then captured and executed the man who taught his compadre how to transform himself.

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  Oral History #067: A Young Man Learns From a Book How to do Evil Things

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A young man found a book in the hills when he went to work. He began to read the book, and discovered it contained evil prayers that gave him the power to do magic. His neighbors discovered that the young man was transforming himself into an animal, and decided to kill him. So the youth went to a diviner for advice. The diviner told him that if he didn't stop using the book, he would soon die. The young man heeded the advice of the medicine man and got rid ... Read More

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  Oral History #068: Santa Catarina de Alejandría (Patron Saint of Nahualá and Sta. Catarina Ixtahuacán)

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of how Santa Catarina became a saint. Note: This story is similar to another story (#1) in this collection.

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  Oral History #069: What a Couple Did

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of how he deceived a man into killing his own wife.

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  Oral History #070: The Faithful Who Went to a Religious Festival

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A group of people left to attend a religious festival. On their way they had to walk past a jaguar who was destined to eat one of the travelers. The others did their best to protect the ill-fated man upon their return, but the jaguar was able to devour him in spite of their efforts.

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  Oral History #071: San Cristóbal

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A long time ago there was a young man named Cristóbal who found work with a priest ferrying people back and forth across a river on his back. One day a young boy came to Cristóbal when he was resting, and asked Cristóbal to ferry him across the river. Cristóbal discovered that the boy was the Christ child. Because of his work helping the people cross the river, Cristóbal became San Cristóbal, the patron saint of bus driver.

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  Oral History #072: A Man's Wife Died

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is difficult to follow. It seems that a man's wife died, but he could not accept the fact that she had died. The man met a white man (Ladino) and the Ladino told him that his wife was not dead, but that she had married again. The man went and found his wife, and as the Ladino had said, she was alive. However, it seems that she was really dead, but was married to an owl who was the harbinger of death.

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  Oral History #073: The Mulatto

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a time there was a thief named Mulato. He would rob the goods of traveling merchants. One night a poor man staying with the merchants was able to defeat Mulato withe the help of San Jorge and end his reign of terror.

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  Oral History #074: Jun Ajq'u' (A Transforming Witch)

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Once upon a time the people in a village would hear the dogs barking loudly at night. The men of the village went out to discover that a man transformed himself into a dog every night. The men killed the dog which and so the transforming witch was killed.

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  Oral History #075: aPo'x

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A long time ago there was a young man named aPo'x. People said he was able to speak to God and to the clouds. Two women tricked aPo'x into sleeping with them and became pregnant in their husbands' absence. APo'x lost his powers to summon the rains when he committed adultery with the two women.

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  Oral History #076: A Young Man who Married the Lord of the Mountain's Daughter

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This is a long story that tells of a young man who went in search of a wife. His travels took him to the home of the Lord of the Mountain where he met and fell in love with the Lord's daughter. They married and ran away to the husband's town. The Lord, in the form of the wind, went all over looking for his daughter, but could never find her. She and her husband would transform into animals so the Lord couldn't recognize them.

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  Oral History #077: When the Food Rejected the People

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of how a group of men discovered why there was no corn or coffee growing in their town anymore.

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  Oral History #078: A Woman is Revived from Death and Disturbs Her Family

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  When the first Catholic priests arrived in Nahualá, one of them did witchcraft and made the people terminally ill. One night a dead woman returned home to her husband and children and ate most of her baby. They then re-buried her in the cemetery. In this manner the family was able to rid themselves of the zombie.

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  Oral History #079: A Traveler Defeats the Black Murderers

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a man and his young son armed with a magic dagger who set out to kill a group of thieves. This all happened when the government began to install electric lights, and for some reason they needed human heads for that project. Note: This story is similar to another story (#99) in this collection.

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  Oral History #080: The Punishment for Adultery

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a man who framed his wife for killing her own lover. The authorities While she was in jail the woman couldn't stop drinking water, and finally her stomach burst open and she died. This is a lesson to all married couples that if they commit adultery they will be punished.

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  Oral History #081: A Man Punished His Wife for Being an Adulteress

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This is a story warning of the dangers that can result from adultery. There was a married woman who had multiple lovers. The man planned a way to make her confess, and hopefully change her ways. She finally confessed her infidelity, and agreed to be faithful to her husband in the future.

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  Oral History #082: A Womanizer Suffers from Syphilis

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  There was a man who used to have sex with any woman he could find, young or old. Finally he contracted syphilis and began to suffer a great deal from the disease. He went to the doctor and paid a lot of money for a cure then decided that he had done wrong, and stopped having random sex with women

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  Oral History #083: A Man Suffers in his Old Age for Being an Adulterer

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This is a story of a man who fathered three illegitimate children. When their father became old and unable to care for himself he told the three brothers that he was their father, and he asked them to take care of him in his old age. The three refused to recognize the old man as their father, and they wouldn't give him anything. This is an example of what happens to unfaithful husbands and wives.

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  Oral History #084: An Adulterer was Frightened by a Ghost

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is about a bread seller who on his rounds would always give random women gifts of bread and different fruits. When he arrived at his home, he would have nothing left for his wife. One day when he lay down with one of these women she turned into a ghost. He became so frightened that he changed his ways and began caring for his wife.

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  Oral History #085: A Young Man and a Buzzard Trade Places

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a young man and a buzzard who wanted to trade lives. Finally the two spoke to each other, and were able to magically trade places. While the youth who became a buzzard did not fare well, the buzzard that became a man became successful.

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  Oral History #086: The Lord of the Mountain Punished the Adulterers

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of how the Lord of the Mountain punished a man with a grave sickness. The man's wife summoned a shaman to divine what was causing her husband's illness. The divination showed that the Lord of the Mountain made the man sick as a punishment for his adultery in the Lord's forest. Before he died, the man confessed to his wife, that he had been unfaithful.

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  Oral History #087: Adulterers Kill A Man Because of His Wife

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells a story about a husband whose wife began have affairs with several men. The lovers decided to kill the woman's husband so they would have complete access to her. The authorities discovered that the husband of the adulterous woman was missing. They found the killers and were executed in the village for the crime they had committed.

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  Oral History #088: Five Young Men Kill A Woman Out of Jealousy

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is about a married woman who was committing adultery with five or six other men in her village. The men decided it would be better if they killed the woman rather than killing each other over her. The authorities discoevered the killers and sent them all to prison for murder. The moral of the story is that adulterers will eventually suffer the consequences of their infidelity.

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  Oral History #089: Two Sorcerers Fought

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells a story about two sorcerers who use supernatural powers to fight with each other to discover who was the most powerful. This story teaches that some sorcerers are more powerful than others.

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  Oral History #090: They Killed A Sorcerer

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells the story of a sorcerer who cast spells on his neighbors to hurt them because he was envious of them. The husband cut off the testicles of the sorcerer which killed the sorcerer.

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  Oral History #091: A Wizard Hurt A Woman

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This narrator tells the story of a sorcerer wanted to have an affair with a married woman, but the woman refused.

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  Oral History #092: A Wizard Hurt A Woman Who Refused to Marry Him

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  This story is about a young man who, after a young woman refused to marry him, hired a sorcerer to help him have sex with her every night. Eventually her family killed the young man.

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  Oral History #093: Matías Ch'ok Tells About the Damage a Wizard Cause His Family

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  Matias Ch'ok talks about the time a member of Matías' family fell sick.

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  Oral History #094: A Man Came to the Mountain and Visited With the Owners

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  The narrator tells a story about a sick man who butchered pigs. One day a pig spoke to him and told him he wasn't really a pig, but was actually the man's compadre. He told the man that he was sent to suffer in the mountain for being avaricious his entire life. The pig/compadre then asked the man to deliver his family's goods to the needy so that the lords of the mountain would be spared from suffering for the rest of eternity.

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  Oral History #095: A Native Fell in Love With the Daughter of a King

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A poor young Indian man went to a town to sell charcoal. The daughter of the king of that area saw him and fell in love with him. She asked the young man to marry her. When the king discovered that his daughter had married an Indian, he became angry. Finally the young couple ran away, and the king and his wife were never able to find them again.

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  Oral History #096: President Ubico

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  There was a famine in the community, and the government of President Ubico sent a delegation from the community by airplane to visit the Heart of the Corn, and the Heart of the Coffee. When the delegation arrived, they found the Heart of the Corn and Coffee to be a poor man living in the hills. He showed the delegation how the people in their community were not caring for their crops of corn and coffee. The Heart of the Corn and Coffee then told the delegation to return home ... Read More

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  Oral History #097: The Ancient Transformers

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  God invited all the animals on earth to a big feast in heaven. The only one that he did not invite was the toad. But the toad heard about the fiesta and tricked his friend, the hawk, into taking him to the feast. When he got there God became angry and threw him back down to earth. When he fell on the ground, he caused an earthquake.

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  Oral History #098: A Serious Disease

  James Mondloch, Miguel Guarchaj Ch'o'x, and Diego Guarchaj

  A long time ago in Nahualá there was an epidemic and many people in the town were being turned into zombies. One of these was a woman who returned to her home and ate her baby. Finally her family, with the help of a priest, re-buried her with prayers, and she remained for good in her tomb. Note: This story is similar to another story (#78) in this collection.