The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-11-27
The aDwarf's House," Uxmal, Yucatan.

The "Dwarf's House." Uxmal, Yucatan.
From afar is seer the Dwarf's House,
on the summit of an artificial oun
one hundred feet high. The ascent is
on the east s de, by q hundred narrow
stone steps. so perpendicular 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 Cogolludo did.
according to his own writings. The
ascent Is more ticesome than danger
GUS: When visitors tn;nl they must
surely be near the top, they look up to
find that thev 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, fer they
contain symbols pertaining to Masonic
rites. To the west o. these rooms some
steps once existed that led Town to a
sanctuary of two very small though
lofty rooms. The outer part of the
sanctuary is magniicentiy ornamented
with carved stones, and inscriptions
that have puzzled the heads of more
than one wise man, but now have a fair
chance of being deciphered, thanks to
the perseverance of DIR. LIE Plongeon.
The portal of the sanctuary is tt.
largest among oil the ruins. The
ornament above it is on immense
mastodon head. Between this and the
Intel of the door way is a cornice that
extends all round the sanctuary. On
It are Masonic symbols. and on the I'M
der part of it 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 Dwarf's House il
rs follows:
During the reign of a certain Maya
king there lived a woman who was both
feared and respected. for she was q
wonderful sorceress. A son was born
to her, and he became q great favorite,
for he was good and c.ever, though
very small in fact, a dwarf. Finally,
he became 80 popular-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-
n But, thanks to his mother, the
boy always succeeded. One day the
king, out of patience, ordered the dwarf
to build in one night a high mound and
. 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 / can posi-.
bly, accomplish" and he told her hia
trouble. @Never mind, my child; dont
be alarmed. In the morning the house
will be there"
It was, and from that day to this haa
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 q Walnut "or
your head, and then | will give You my
daughter in marriage"
The dwarf declined to accept th,
honor upoa those conditions. TIL,
monarch insisted. Il want you to mar
~ my daughter, and You must accep'
my conditions"
Again the Door dwarf sought hi
mother in despair. @There is no hop
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 allow
you to break six ~cocoyoles on his owl
head"
And to this the king publicly agreed
because he was determined to kill TIA
dwarf with the first cocoyol.
Then the sorceress rubbed her SON
head with something that made it 8
hard nothing could possibly hurt it.
The kim, arrived, and the dwarf, i
presence of all the people, laid hi
head on o stone. With another th
king broke the cocoyol on the head {
his intended victim-broke all six {
them-but the dwarf arose unhurt.
Then it was the turn Of the monarc
to lay his proud head down, and, as b
scalp was not prepared, : e dwal
4 broke his skull, and thus got rid Of b
4 enemy. The agreement had been faitl
fully carried out, SO the public hs
. nothing to say. The dwarf then ma
ried the princess, and became king
Alice d. LIE Plongeon, IN Harper
Magazine.