'Atau! Atau!' was heard in all directions, and the little party was surrounded by armed men. The Orejones struggled valorously in defence of their precious charge until they were all killed, when the young prince was carried off.
Tocay Ccapac waited to hear the result of his treacherous raid in his chief abode, called Ahuayra-cancha, or 'the place of woof and warp.' When the raiders returned they entered their chief's presence, with the young prince, shouting 'Behold the prisoner we have brought you.' The chief said, 'Is this the child of Mama Micay, who should have been my wife?' The Prince answered, 'I am the son of the great Inca Rocca and of Mama Micay.' Unsoftened by his tender years, or by his likeness to his beautiful mother, the savage chief ordered the child to be taken out and killed.
Then a strange thing happened. Surrounded by cruel enemies with no pitying eye to look on him, young Cusi Hualpa, a child of eight years, stood up to defy them. He must show himself a child of the sun, and maintain the honour of his race. With a look of indignation beyond his years he uttered a curse upon his captors. His shrill young voice was heard amidst the portentous silence of his enemies. 'I tell you,' he cried, 'that as sure as you murder me there will fall such a curse upon you and your children that you will all come to an end, without any memory being left of your nation.' He ceased, and, to the astonishment of his captors, tears of blood flowed from his eyes.
