Many of you are familiar with this iconic image of the Aztec warrior carrying a woman seen on countless panaderia calendars, but do you know the legend behind it? The most popular legend passed down for centuries through oral tradition comes from the ancient Náhuas. It tells the romantic and tragic story of Mexico’s Romeo and Juliet – Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl.

Many years before Cortés came to Mexico, the Aztecs lived in Tenochtitlán, today’s Mexico City. The chief of the Aztecs had a beautiful daughter named Iztaccíhuatl.

The people were enchanted with Izta and her parents prepared her to someday be the Empress of the Aztecs. Izta grew up and fell in love with a captain of a tribe named Popocatépetl or Popoca. Popoca asked for the Emperor’s permission to marry his daughter and he agreed to the arrangement under one condition, Popoca had to bring the head of the enemy chief back from the war, in order to marry his daughter.

Popoca went off to fulfill his destiny. Several months passed and An adversary of Popoca sent a false message back to Izta that her loved one had died in battle. When Izta heard her lover’s fate she was overcome overcome by the news, refused to eat and died of grief.

Popoca returned victorious, but upon hearing of Izta’s passing,he could not be consoled. He carried his beloved to the mountains and put her down to rest, then plunged a dagger in his broken heart. The gods covered them with snow and changed them into famous peaks in Mexico. Together in eternity are Iztaccíhuatl’s mountain “La Mujer Dormida” (Sleeping Woman), and Popocatépetl’s volcano, still active today raining fire on Earth in blind rage at the loss of his beloved

Contributed by Mario Romero, CRS, CDPE, CLHMS
602-252-4191 office, 602-254-9810 fax
The Romero Team - Melcher Agency
www.TheRomeroTeam.com
www.ShortSaleTeamAz.com
Follow Me on Twitter

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.