AZTECAPEDIA

Before the Earth was created, Coatlicue the Earth Mother swam in the dark waters before time existed. But she got tired of this and created the stars and moon, she called these the Centzon Huitznahua. She gave birth to a daughter, Coyolxauhqui the Earth Goddess, and her children moved up to heavens to rule the sky. One day Catlicue found a ball of Hummingbird Feathers, she kept them in her dress to keep them safe. The hummingbird feathers caused her to become pregnant.

Her children were very ashamed of her, they demanded who the father of the child was. She cried out that it was the ball of hummingbird feathers, but her children didn't believe it for a second. The children then decided the mother had to be killed, for the great dishonor she had bestowed upon them. When Coatlicue heard that her children were going to slay her she ran away, terrified. But she could already see them advancing towards her over the hill tops. The unborn child said to her to not be afraid for he was ready. It was at this moment when she gave birth to him, the fiery sun god Huitzilopochtli who emerged bearing full arms, wielding his flame sword Xiuhcoatl. With one strong slash he cut the angry earth goddess in half, one half went to heaven and he other crashed into the the seas of darkness, creating earth.

After this moment Huitzilopochtli moved up to heaven to rule the moon and stars. Coatlicue went below the earth to make sure that it grew trees. One of her sons, Quetzacoatl, created the first humans out of grey ash. At first the earth gave it's pleasures out freely and the humans lived without conflict or pain. But soon after the men became greedy, forgot to give offerings and to praise their creators and took the earth's riches for granted. This angered Quetzacoatl, which caused him to decide to make a great flood to wash them all away. Yet one couple was not greedy. Their names were Teta and Nena, Qutzacoatl decided to let them live by giving them orders. Quetzacoatl told them to hide in the biggest, strongest, hollow tree and you will live; take only one corn with you, but no more. They did as they were instructed and as promised, they lived. Quetzacoatl sent the water down crashing over his original creations, all of them turned into fish. They are still fish today.

Teta and Nena repopulated the world with a new kind of men, modest and aware of the creators that brought them there. Coatlicue was less generous with the earth than before. She was from then on known as the "Grandmother". Wearing a skirt mad of snakes, a necklace made of human hands and hearts, and decorated with a skull. Her hands and feet had attached animal claws on them. She got a thirst for human blood and demanded yearly sacrifice. If they didn't give a human heart then Coatlicue would withdraw all of the earth's pleasures and everyone would die of starvation.