The Dwarf of Uxmal

ccording to this legend, which is called Dwarf or the Wizard,

in a very close town to Uxmal there lived a witch who lamented
not having a child to take care of her. In her desperation, she wrapped
up a turkey egg and saw, to her great surprise, that a boy was born
and within a year had the appearance of a man. At that point he
stopped growing.
The old witch treated him like a grandson and he remained a
dwarf.
One day, the dwarf found a wooden drum and a rattle and he
played both instruments, and those sounds were heard in the near
villages.
The old witch became angry, because he had been announced
that the sounds of a drum and a rattle were heard, the king would fall
from power and the person who played the instruments would take
his place.
The monarch had the dwarf brought before him and, in a very
bad mood, challenged him.
The dwarf accepted the challenge, which was that each of them
would allow four baskets of hard fruit be broken on their heads (one
fruit at the time) with a wooden hammer and 100 lashes.
The dwarf and the king presented themselves in Uxmal for the
challenge. The king insisted that the dwarf should pass the test first,
which he did, resisting the four baskets and greatly surprising the
great multitude of people and his enemies.
Immediately, the king, with great difficulty, submitted himself to
the test. He died after the third fruit was broken on his head.
The dwarf was proclaimed the victor and acknowledged as king
of Uxmal.
Because he was grateful, he had a palace built for the old witch,
to whom he owed his triumph.
She had hidden a supporting crown under his ear. He also built a
palace for himself. Both of these constructions are part of the Uxmal
ruins which exist today. They are called the old womans house and
the house of the dwarf or wizard.

Word key
According

Segn

Both

Ambos

Dwarf
Wizard
Witch

Enano
Adivino
Bruja

Monarch
Mood
Challenge

Monarca
Humor
Desafiar, retar

Take care

Cuidar

Each

Cada uno

Wrap up

Abrigarse

Allow

Permitir

Within

En menos de

Hard fruit

Cocoyol (equivalente)

Treat

Tratar

Hammer

Martillo

Grandson

Nieto

Lashes

Azotadores

Remain

Quedar, permanecer

Submit

Someterse

Wooden

De madera

Acknowledg
e

Reconocer, conocimiento.

*
*

*
*

Rattle

Sonaja, cascabel

Owe

Deber