Page:Daany Beédxe.djvu/21

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who silently wept, while all relatives sang a love hymn.

The party lasted all day, they ate tamales and mole; the children were given fruit and honey. They sang and danced. The almighty Lord was thanked, they burned incense and prayed; grateful for the gift of Night Eagle having successfully completed his childhood. At night, after all guests departed and before bedtime, Jaguar claw spoke alone with his son and said:

—"Now that you are no longer a child and that you will need to control yourself, now that you're leaving home, as birds from nests, now that you have to flourish your heart and sculpt your own face, I want you to know, that there is no man that has no need to eat and drink. The body maintenance, have standing all who live, and give life to everyone and with this the whole world is populated. Corporal foods are the hope of everyone who lives, for life. Then learn my son to take care of sowing the cornfields and planting the magueys, tunas and fruit trees, because according to what the wise Toltec old grandparents said; the fruit is the delight of children, rejoices and removes thirst from children. And you, boy, do you want fruit? Where should you take it from if you did not plant it and grew it, as your own inheritance? Learn how to be a dignified and righteous man. Strengthen your body, temper your spirit, dominate your passions and develop your will power.

Understand now, beloved son, I have come to the end of my words; therefore, write them in your heart. Many more things I would have to tell you, but it would be endless, only three more things I will tell you, that are very important and that old grandparents stressed. The first thing is to make sure you befriend God, who is everywhere and it is invisible and impalpable, and it behooves to give all the heart and the body, make sure not to deviate this road, try not to brag, or that your heart becomes haughty; do not despair nor make your heart coward. On the contrary, try to be simple and humble so that you have hope in the invisible and impalpable, our Lord. The second

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