Aztec Creation Myth - Coatlicue & QuetzalcoatlAztec mythology contains the legend of how the Earth was formed. Aztec mythology contains a number of creation tales in addition to this one.
Coatlicue, the Earth Mother, existed before the Earth had formed. In the early hours of the morning, she swam in the tumultuous seas.
She is referred to as the Centzon Huitznahua, and she made the moon and the stars. Coyolxauhqui, the Ground deity, was a daughter of Coatlicue. To live and rule in the heavens, her children ascend.
Coatlicue once came across a ball of hummingbird feathers. To keep them secure, she tucked them into her dress. She eventually found out she was pregnant. They were ashamed of their mother in heaven.
They inquired, "Who is the father of this child?"
It was a hummingbird feather ball, she said.
Yet nobody took her story seriously. Because of the enormous embarrassment and dishonour she had caused them; her children decided to kill their mother.
When Coatlicue learned that her children were on their way to kill her, she tried to flee out of fear. Over the hills, she could already see them moving closer to her.
"Be not frightened. I'm prepared." A voice from the unborn kid was heard.
She gave birth to the flaming sun god Huitzilopochtli at that time, and he came out carrying his blazing sword Xiuhcoatl and fully armed.
He killed the enraged Earth goddess Coyolxauhqui in a single blow and sent her corpse plummeting over the raging ocean.
Her lower part smashed into the seas while the upper half of her body entered the skies, creating the Earth.
Coatlicue then descended beneath the Earth to make sure that the Earth produced fruit, while Huitzilopochtli ascended to the heavens to rule over the moon and the stars.
The first people were made by one of her sons, Quetzalcoatl the Feathered Serpent.
From grey ash, he produced a race of men.
For the new race of men, the Earth initially generously gave away its wealth. They had simple lives with little sorrow or suffering.
But eventually, these men become rapacious. They neglected to respect their creators and took the abundance of the Planet for granted.
Enraged, Quetzalcoatl decided to wipe them all out in a massive flood.
Only Teta and Nena, a husband and wife, were not ungrateful. These two were spared by Quetzalcoatl, who also handed them instructions.
"Locate the strongest and tallest hollow tree. You can hide there and survive. Carry no more than one ear of corn with you."
Teta and Nena followed instructions.
The floods came tumbling down over Quetzalcoatl's creations. The avaricious men and women became fish and remain fish today.
As Quetzalcoatl had promised, Teta and Nena made it through. New men of a humble disposition who were always conscious of the gods who created them repopulated the earth.
Nevertheless, Coatlicue the Earth Mother was no longer as benevolent with the wealth of this planet.
She earned the nickname "The Grandmother" and was seen wearing a necklace composed of human hands, hearts, and skulls as well as a skirt made of serpents. She had animal claws on her wrists and feet.
She developed an insatiable appetite for human blood and demanded frequent sacrifices of humans.
Thus, each year, they had to give her one heart that was still beating. If they didn't, Coatlicue would take away the gifts from the Earth, and everyone would starve to death.
