STANLEY PLUMLY

After the Tzeltal

The man opened his eyes and saw that he was
below the earth in the presence of the lord of death
and rose from his waking and walked up to the lord
and the lord said to him if you wish to see your wife
go on until you reach a river there on its banks
you will find a horse and bring it to me.

The man obeyed and found the river
but saw no horse only women washing their hair
and clothes he looked and looked but found no horse
and returned to the lord and the lord said
go to the river again and ask each one of the women
if she is a horse the woman who says yes will be

your wife tie the horse and bring her to me.
The man returned to the river and asked each one
until he found the woman who said she was
a horse and began to lead her into the presence
of the lord of death and the horse said to him
I am your wife I know who you are

and passing a well where a big fire was burning
said I am afraid see those bones in the flames
of the fire I go to the river daily
bear dry wood to the well burn down my body
and when they came to the lord of death he said
to the man so this is your wife the woman of the well.