The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1885-11-28
La, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2S, 1885.
The s'Dwarf's House,, Uxmal, Yucatan,

The "Dwarf's House, Uxmal, Yucatan.
From afar is seen the Dwarf s House.
on the summit of fn artificial mound
one hundred feet high. The ascent is
on the east side, by hundred narrow
stone steps, SO perpendicularth that some
Of those who go up, when they have to
decend wonder how they could have
been SO rash, and repent having made
the attempt, as Father Cogo1ludo did,
according to his own writings. The
ascent is more tiresome than danger
Gus: when visitors think they must
surely be near the top, they look up to
find that they are only halfway.
Except where recently cut down,
brush covers the sides of the mound.
The building on the top consists of
three rooms, very interesting, for they
contain symbols pertaining to Masonic
! rites. 10 the west Of these rooms some
steps once existed that led down to
sanctuary Of two very small though
lofty rooms. The outer part of the
sanctuary is magnifcently ornamented
with carved stones, and inscriptions
that have puzzled the heads of more
! than one wise man, but now have fair
chance OF being deciphered, thanks to
the perseverance Of Dr. LIE Plongeon.
/ The portal Of the sanctuary is the
largest among all the ruins. The
ornament above it is an immense
mastodon head. Between this and the
/ Intel OF the door way IS a cornice that
extends all round the sanctuary. On
1t are Masonic symbols, and on the un-
/ der part OF 1t rings are cut in the stone.
A curtain was formerly suspended from
them to inclose the house completely,
and veil from public gaze the mysteries
and ceremonies therein performed.
The tradition of the Dwarfs House is
as follows:
During the reign of certain MAYA
king there lived u woman who was both
feared and respected. for she was a
wonderful sorceress. A son was born
to her, and he became great favorite,
for he was good and clever, though
very small in fact dwarf Finally.
he became SO probably the
people fawned on him, to please the
formidable witch-that the king grew
Jealous, and sought his destruction by
giving him difficult tasks, SO that fail
ing, he might be accused of disobedi-
ence. But, thanks to his mother, the
boy always succeeded. One dav the
king, out of patience, ordered the dwarf
to build in one nighta high mound and
o house on the top. The youth was at
his wits end, but went as usual to seek
maternal aid. "Oh, mother, mother,
shall surely die, for the king has or
dered me to do more than I can possi-
bly, accomplish" and he told her his
trouble. "Never mind, my child; don't
be alarmed. In the morning the house
will be there"
1t was, and from that day to this has
been called the Dwarf's House. The
king was enraged. He sent for the
dwarf. Il am greatly plased with the
house. Now I want to break six
cocoyoles" (small and very hard cocoa
nuts, about the size of walnut) son
your head, and then will give you my
daughter in marriage"
The dwarf declined to accept the
honor upon those conditions. The
monarch insisted. 81 want you to mar
ry my daughter, and you must accept
my conditions"
Again the poor dwarf sought his
mother in despair. "There is no hope
for me now"
"Oh yes, there is. replied the clever
witch. You go back to his majesty
and tell him that you accede to his re-
quest, provided he afterward allows
you to break six cocoyoles on his own
head"
And to this the king publicly agreed,
because he was determined to kill the
dwarf with the first cocoyol.
Then the sorceress rubbed her sons
head with something that made it so
hard nothing could possibly hurt it.
The kim arrived, and the dwarf, in
presence of all the people, laid his
head on stone. With another the
king broke the cocoyol on the head of
his intended victim-broke all six of
them-but the dwarf arose unhurt.
Then it was the turn of the monarch
to lay his proud head down, and, as his
scalp was not prepared, tte dwarf .
broke his skull, and thus got rid Of his
enemy. The agreement had been faith
fully carried out, so the public chad
nothing to say. The dwarf then mar
ried the princess, and became king
-4ice d. lie Plongeon, i1e Hafpe,''s