Queen Moo's Talisman: The Fall of the Maya Empire

								

XII. The Lover's Song.                                              38
XIII. Funeral Chant.                                                 38



       HEAD PIECES.



    I. Winged Circle—from Ococingo (Guatemala).                       25

   II. Winged Circle—from Egypt.                                      65
III. Queen Móo's Talisman, found in the urn containing the          77

         charred heart and Viscera of Prince Coh, in his Mausoleum,

         at Chicħen in 1875, by Dr. Le Plongeon.
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  PRONUNCIATION AND DEFINITION OF
MAYA PROPER NAMES.


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AAC       (Ak, as in dark.)                Name of a prince.
BALAM     (Bǟ-läm, a as in far.)         God of agriculture.
CAN       (Kän, a as in far.)            Title of kings.
CAY       (Kǟ-ee.)                           Name of a high priest.
CHICĦEN   (Chee-chen, chee as in cheek.) Name of a city.
COH       (Kō.)                              Name of a prince consort.
HOMEN     (Hō-men, o as in no.)          God of volcanic forces.
KU        (Koo, oo as in moon.)          The Supreme Intelligence.
MAYA      (Mǟ-yä, a as in far.)          Name of a nation.
MÓO       (Mō, o as in no.)              Name of a queen.
MU        (Moo, oo as in moon.)          Name of a country.
NICTÉ     (Nik-tay.)                         Name of a princess.
YUM CIMIL (Yoom Keémil.)                     God of death.
ZOƆ       (Zŏdz.)                            Name of a queen.
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  PREFACE.

In justice to the author of “Queen Móo’s Talisman”, it may be recorded
that at the time of its writing, there was no intention of allowing the
verses to go into print; they were penned only for the one to whom they
are dedicated.
The songs introduced have been arranged to the metre of the two or
three ancient melodies yet occasionally heard among the natives of
Yucatan. The one to the rain gods is a versification (set to the tune
even now used in a sun-dance) of an old Maya prayer translated from
that language by Dr. Le Plongeon and published in his work “Queen Móo
and the Egyptian Sphinx.” The melody to which the Love Song is set is
not Maya. In connection with the lines touching upon love and pain it
may be remarked that in the Maya language there is but one word to
express both.
In this poem are represented as nearly as possible, the religious ideas
of the Mayas, their belief in KU, the Supreme Intelligence; in the
immortality of the soul, and in successive lives on earth before
returning to the great Source whence all emanate; also their rites and
ceremonies as gathered from traditions of the natives of Yucatan, the
fresco paintings found at Chicħen, and the books of ancient Maya