Mayan Fable: The Loyal Dog

There once was a man who was so poor that he was always in a bad mood, and did not miss any chance to mistreat his unhappy dog.

Kakasbal (the spirit of evil), who is in everything, saw that he could take advantage of the dislike that the dog surely must feel towards his master, and he appeared before the dog and said:

“Hey, talk to me, you look sad.”

“How could I not be? My master hits me whenever he wants to,” the dog replied.

“I know he has bad feelings. Why don’t you leave him?”

“He is my master and I must be loyal.”

“I could help you to escape.”

“I won’t leave him for anything.”

“He will never be grateful for your loyalty.”

“It makes no difference, I will remain loyal.”

But Kakasbal kept insisting, and finally the dog, just to get rid of him, said,

“I think you have convinced me. What should I do?”

“Give me your soul.”

“And what will you give me in exchange?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Give me a bone for each hair on my body.”

“Agreed.”

“OK, start counting…”

So Kakasbal started to count the hairs on the dog. And when his fingers reached the tail, the dog remembered the loyalty he had for his master, and he jumped, causing Kakasbal to lose count.

“Why did you move?” asked Kakasbal.

“I can’t be still because of all the fleas which bite me day and night. Start again.”

A hundred times Kakasbal started to count, and a hundred times he was interrupted because the dog jumped. Finally, Kakasbal decided:

“I’m not counting any more. You have deceived me; but you have taught me a lesson. I now know that it is easier to buy the soul of a man than it is to buy the soul of a dog.”

Contribución: Yurina Fernández Noa
Email: (yfn1990@hotmail.com)

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- Mayan Legends: The Dove
- Mayan Legends: The Man Who Sold his Soul
- Mayan Legends: The Scarecrow
- Mayan Fable: The Loyal Dog
- Mayan Legends: The Princess and the Beetle
- Mayan Legends: The Dwarf of Uxmal
- Mayan Legends: The Quail
- Mayan Legends: Zamna and the Henequen
- Mayan Myth of the Wild Man
- Mayan Myths: Lotus Flower
- Mayan Myths: Dziu and the Corn
- Mayan Myth: The Owl, Wise Counsellor
- Customs and Beliefs of the Maya

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