Scheme / Arm Back

Then Hunahpu and Xbalanque planned again. They went to speak to the one
Grandfather, whose hair was now truly white, and also the one Grandmother, who was
now truly humble. They were people who now walked bent over with age. Great White
Peccary was the name of the Grandfather, and Great White Coati was the name of the
Grandmother.

The boys then spoke to the Grandmother and the Grandfather:

“We would like you to accompany us to retrieve our arm from Seven Macaw. We
will just follow along behind you. You will say to him, ‘Suffer these our grandsons that
accompany us. Their mother and father are dead, thus they follow along there behind us.
We provide for them by removing worms from teeth, which is our profession.’ Thus
Seven Macaw will see us merely as children, even while we are giving you our
instructions,” said the twins.

“Very well,” they said.

Thus they came to where Seven Macaw was seated on the edge of his throne. The
Grandmother and the Grandfather passed below the home of the lord while the twins
played behind them.

Now Seven Macaw was crying out because of his teeth. When he saw the
Grandfather and Grandmother journeying together, he asked them:

“From where do you come, our grandfather?” he asked.

“We are just making a living, thou lord,” they replied.

“How do you make your living? Are not those your children that accompany
you?”

“They are not, thou lord. These are our grandsons. But surely we take pity on
them and give them a portion. We give them our scraps, thou lord,” said the Grandmother
and the Grandfather.

The lord was by then nearly finished off because of the pain in his teeth.
Therefore it was with great effort that he spoke again:

“I beg of you, take pity on me. What medicines would you make? With what
medicines would you cure?” asked the lord.

“We would merely remove worms from teeth, cure eye ailments, and set bones,
thou lord,” they replied.

“Very well. Cure then my teeth, for truly they ache constantly, and I can no longer
bear it. I cannot sleep because of them, and the same goes for my eyes. Two demons shot
me with a blowgun, and since then I have not been able to eat because of it. Thus take
pity on me, for my jaw and my teeth cause me anguish.”

“Very well, thou lord. It is a worm that causes the pain. We will merely replace
them. Thy teeth will have to come out.”

“It is perhaps not a good thing that my teeth come out, for it is only because of
them that I am lord. My teeth, along with my eyes, are my finery.”

“We shall replace them then with this ground bone.”

But instead of ground bone, they were mere white grains of maize that were to be
placed.

“Very well then, take them out. Help me,” he said therefore.

So then the teeth of Seven Macaw were taken out. As a substitute they placed
mere white grains of maize, mere shiny white grains of maize, and immediately his face
fell. No longer did he appear as a lord. At length all of the brilliant blue/green jewels in
his mouth were removed.

Then the eyes of Seven Macaw were treated. His eyes were plucked, thus
completely removing the precious metal from them. He surely felt no pain. He just stared
instead.

Thus the basis for his pride was completely taken away according to the plans of
Hunahpu and Xbalanque. When at length Seven Macaw died, Hunahpu retrieved his arm.
Then also Chimalmat died, the wife of Seven Macaw.

Thus the wealth of Seven Macaw was lost, for the healers took it away—the
jewels, the precious stones, and all that which had made him proud here upon the face of
the earth. It was truly the enchanted Grandmother and the enchanted Grandfather that
did it. Then the boys retrieved their arm and implanted it back into its socket, making it
whole again.

They had desired the death of Seven Macaw, and they were able to do it. For they
saw pride as evil and went to do these things according to the word of Heart of Sky.


- Popol Vuh