The Annals of the Cakchiquels, page 159 by Daniel G. Brinton

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160

h is the name of a small variety of hawk. "El gavilan pequeño." Guzman, Compendio de Nombres en Lengua Cakchiquel. MS.

mani [c]a x[c]hao, "and he talked not." The connective [c]a, like navipe, and pe, all three of which may usually be translated by "and," is not placed at the beginning of the clause. [c]ha is to speak in the general sense; hence, [c]habal, a language. Synonyms of this are tin cha, I say; tin tzihoh, I speak words, I harangue; tin biih, I name, I express myself; and quin ucheex, I tell or say, especially used in repeating what others have said (Coto, Vocabulario). These words are of frequent use in the text.

Rubanic chay abah ri [c,]apal, etc.; this obscure passage was, I think, entirely misunderstood by Brasseur. The word [c,]apal is derived from the neuter form [c,]ape of the active tin [c,]apih, I shut up or enclose, and means "that which is shut up," lo cerrado, and [c,]apibal, the active form in the next line, means "that which shuts up," i. e., gates or doors. It will be remembered (see ante, p. 26) that the gates of Iximche were constructed partly of, or ornamented with, obsidian, and the same is supposed here of the gates of the mythical city or place of Tulan.

ki-kan; our burden, our tribute. The passage seems to indicate that they left their former country to escape subjection.

[c]oh qui tzih; the passage may be translated "theirs were the words which incited us," i. e., to revolt and to depart.

6. The articles mentioned as paid in the tribute, have been described in the Introduction (see p. 39).

7. "So spoke the Obsidian Stone," i. e., the sacred oracle, referred to as the final arbiter. See anté, p. 26.

"The wood and stone which deceive," that is, the idols of wood and stone which they worshiped.

8.

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