The Singing Scoutmaster: Creation of the Earth and the Four Ancestors, The

Long, long ago, before there was an Earth, there were two great beings: Tepeu and Gucumatz, also known as the Feathered Serpent. They sat together in the endless darkness and began to think. As they thought, things started to take shape. They thought of the Earth, and there it was. They thought of mountains, and they rose up from the ground. They thought of trees, sky, and all kinds of animals, and each came into being just as they imagined it.

But there was something missing. None of the things they created could speak or praise them. So, Tepeu and Gucumatz decided to make more advanced beings. They first made beings out of clay, but when it rained, the clay beings fell apart and crumbled into nothing. Next, they made beings out of wood. These wooden beings could walk and talk, but they lacked understanding and caused chaos on the Earth. Unhappy with these creations, Tepeu and Gucumatz sent a great flood to wash away the wooden beings and start over.

Now, the gods needed help. They called upon Mountain Lion, Coyote, Parrot, and Crow to aid them. With their help, the gods fashioned four new beings. These four beings were strong and wise, able to understand and honor the creators. Pleased with their work, Tepeu and Gucumatz knew they had created the ancestors of the Quiché people, who could carry on the stories and traditions of the world.

But this was not the end of the story. There was another being, known as the One Who Lives Above. He appeared from the darkness, rubbing his eyes as if he had just woken up from a long sleep. This man, the Creator, rubbed his hands together, and there appeared a little girl, called Girl-Without-Parents. Then, he rubbed his face, and there stood the Sun-God. Again, he rubbed his sweaty brow, and from his hands dropped Small-Boy. Now, there were four gods altogether.

The Creator was not done yet. He then made Tarantula, the Big Dipper, Wind, Lightning-Maker, and Lightning-Rumbler. All four gods shook hands so that their sweat mixed together. From this, the Creator rolled a small round, brown ball. They took turns kicking it, and with each kick, the ball grew larger and larger. Creator then told Wind to go inside the ball and blow it up like a balloon. The ball became bigger until it was as large as the Earth.

Then, Tarantula spun a black cord and attached it to the ball, pulling it as far as he could to the east. He repeated this with a blue cord to the south, a yellow cord to the west, and a white cord to the north. The Earth was formed, but it still wobbled and rolled. To make it steady, the gods created four giant posts—one black, one blue, one yellow, and one white—and placed them at the four cardinal points. Now, the Earth was firm and still, ready to support life.

The Creator then rubbed his hands again, and a Hummingbird appeared. "Fly all over this Earth," said the Creator to Hummingbird, "and tell us what you see." Hummingbird flew around and reported back that there was water to the west. But the Earth still moved. So, the Creator instructed the gods to place the four posts at the four corners of the Earth, making it stable once and for all.

With the Earth now steady, the gods turned their attention to filling it with life. They created people, animals, birds, trees, and everything that makes the world as we know it today. And so, the Earth and its beings came into existence through the thoughts, hands, and wisdom of the Creator and the gods who helped him.