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.