The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-09-23
A Legend or MEXICO
The Mermaid Malinche and Her
Haunted Springs.
LURE OF THE WATER SPRlTE.
To See This FsbIed Custodian Of the
Royal Jewels of the Ancient Aztees
10 TO Die and Help the Siren Guard
the Hidden Treasures.

10 10 Die and Help the Siren Guard
the Hidden Treasures.
Malinche. or Malintze. as some Of
the old Mexican writer's spell It, is the
water sprite, the mermaid. who lives
In two famous springs in Mexico that
are said 10 be connected by natural
underground waterways.
She Is invisible 10 all except those
who never return to tcl! the tale. yet
II IL easy to see her, they say.
In the daytime Malinche lives I'm the
little spring bed pool Just within the
Iron gates Of Chapultepec. Here she is
a sweet spirit. always wooing the
passerby with the music of her gentle
voice.
At nighttime she is miles away
aud her voice is wicked and mournful
1t will add interest TO this legend of
the Mallnche If the traveller when he
starts out to visit Chupultepcc for the
first time will pause at the Cuauhtc-
moe statue in the second glorieta OF
the Paseo and take long look at il,
not only because II is noble work OF
art. but because this Indian hero was
the last ruler of his race. the AZtecs,
and In the final struggle called Ma.
llnche to his aid.
bronze relief I'm the base of the
pedestal on which the statue stands
shows the chief being tortured TO com.
pei him to reveal the hiding place OF
the wealth of bis kingdom. Cuauhte-
noes stoical bearing rcbukes the com.
plainlugs of his comrade, whose feet
are also roasting over the slow fire in
the brasero beneath them, and when
he at last cries out in anguish Cuauh.
temoc rcproves him. For shame
faint heart. DO you think am taking
my pleasure In my bath that you ap.
peal 10 me?"
The magnificent old cypress trees
that surround the rock of Chapultepcc
on n slightly lower level than the
spring were old before the conquest,
and among them Cuauhtcmoc and his
plumed and painted warriors guided
their canoes TO the enchanted spring
when they came TO quench their bat.
3 tlc thirst Protected by these brave
old trees, Cuauhtemoc climbed the
rocks and from the heights watched
the maneuvcrs OF his enemies on the
lakes. Close by the storied spring
stands the monarch of them all. Mon.
tezumn's tree. 1t is awe inspiring to
follow with the eye it's rugged bole up
over the growth OF centuries and try
TO measure with the mind the history
That has been enacted beneath its wav-
Ing boughs. Perhaps the magic spring
NJ its feet caused it to grow higher
and more majestic than it's fellows.
Here in its shade MOntezuma sat and
wept when he fOresaw bis downfall.
Here Cuauhiemoc vowed that IL he
could not overcome the Spanlard he
would give the Aztec treasure TO Ma.
liuche.
She overheard him make this VOW
and whispered from the fringcd brink
OF the mirroring water that she would
receive the trust at the spring of Atz-
capotzalco, three or four miles away.
Tbs town, whose name looks so un.
pronounceable to the strangers, but
sounds so smooth when uttered by
Mexican. has little suburb, Zanco-
plnca. that has been made famous by
Mnlinche's spring. 1t is here that Ma
llnche loses the sweet nature by which
she Is known at Chapultepcc and be.
comes wicked spirit. The legend re-
lates that she grew savage because
she wns set to guard the treg sure that
Cunuhtemoc secretly conveyed 10 her
when the hour Of despair had arrived
for his people. though another tradi-
tion says that he selected that hiding
place because of her wild and brave
spirit
However that may be. It was there
that he carried the royPl Jewels OF the
Aztecs and much gold and silver when
be knew that he was about TO be de-
feated by Cortes. Calling up the Ma.
llnche, he gave all into her keeping
and then went TO his doom. Down
deep into the hidden grottoes Of her
home Malinche dragged the boarded
treasures.
Long passageways connect these
chambers and by many tortuous wind
hks tcdcH ellHeI spring. iue Wills Oi
rock crystal aud chalcedony have been
polished and worn into fantastic
shapes by the running water. There
are long, narrow shelves on which the
treasure is sirewu and Glittering sta
lactites that catch long strings Of pearls
and emeralds and hold them swaylng
In the winds of the caves
Glowworins and electric fishes light
the fairy scene, and the water makes
constant music, but the Malinche is
not happy. II you go near the pool at
Zancopinca you will hear her voice
lamentlng. and often In the nighttime
II may be heard afar OF. II the un-
wary traveller pauses TO listen he will
hear cries Of distress and anger and |
sad mornings that attract him to their |
relief. He VIII come nearer and near |
er to the sprlng and, bending down
that his ear may be close, he viii hear
troubled waters rushing among hid, |
den rocks. When his face Is above the |
pool rair Of white arms will rise up
out OF the water and clasp him about |
the neck. He Is never seen again. He
has gone to help the siren guard the