The Washington bee., 1910-11-19
4 LEGEND OF MEXICO
The Mermaid Malinche and Her
Haunted Springs.
LURE OF THE WATER SPRITE.
To See This FabIed Custodian of the
Royal Jewels Of the Ancient Aztees
Is to Die and Help the Siren Guard
Ghs Hidden Treasures.


the old Mexican writer's spell it. is the
water sprite, the mermaid. who lives
in two famous springs IN Mexico that
are said to be connected by natural
underground waterways.
She is invisible to all except those
who never return to tel the tale, yet
1t is easy TO see her, they say.
In the daytime Malinche lives in the
little spring bed pool just within the
iron gates OF Chapultepec. Here she Is
q sweet spirit, always wooing the
passerby with the music of her gentle
voice.
At nighttime she is miles away,
and her voice is wicked and mournfuL
It will add interest TO this legend Of
the MaIinche If the traveller when he
starts out to visit Chapultepec for the
nrst time Will pause at the Cuauhte-
moe statue In the second glorieta OF
the PaseO and take q long lock at It,
not only because 1t is a 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
Hnche to his aid.
A bronze relief In 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 his kingdom. Cuauhte-
noes stoical bearing rebukes the com
plainings 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 repTOveS him. For shame,
faint heart. Do you think l am taking
my pleasure In my bath that you ap-
peal to meg
The magnificent old cypress trees
that surround the rock OF Chapultepec
on a slightly lower level than the
spring we're old before the conquest,
and among them Cuauhtemoc and his
pIumed and painted warriors guided
their canoes to the enchanted spring
when they came to quench their bat
tie thirst, Protected by these brave
old trees, Cuauhtemoc climbed the
rocks and from the heights watched
the maneuvers Of his enemies on the
lakes. Close by the storied spring
stands the monarch Of them all, Mon
teZuma's tree. 1t Is awe inspiring to
follow with the eye its 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
at its feet caused 1t to grow higher
and more majestic than its fellows.
Here In its shade MonteZuma sat and
wept when be fOresaw bis downfall.
Here Cuauhtemoc vowed that If he
could not overcome the Spaniard he
would give the Aztec treasure TO Ma
linche.
She overheard. him make this vow
and whispered from the fringed brink
Of the mirroring water that she would
receive the trust at the spring OF Atz-
capotZalco, three or four miles away.
This town, whose name looks so un-
prOnOunceable to the strangers, but
sounds SO smooth when uttered by
Mexican, has a little suburb Zanco-
pinca, that has been made famous by
MalInche's spring. 1t is here that Ma
linche loses the sweet nature by which
she is known at Chapultepec and be-
comes wicked spirit The legend re-
lates that she grew savage because
she was set to guard the treasure that
Cuauhtemoc secretly conveyed TO her
when the hour Of despai- had arrived
for his people, though another tradi-
tiOn says that be selected that hiding
place because of her wild and brave
spirit.
However that may be, 1t was there
that he carried the royal 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
linche. 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 tOTtuOus wind
ings reach either spring The walls of
rock crystal and chalcedOny have been
, polished and worn into fantastic
, shapes by the running water. There
are long, narrow shelves on which the
| treasure is strewn and glittering sta
/ lactites that catch long strings of pearls
and emeralds and hold them swaying
, In the winds Of the caves.
! Glowworms and electric fishes light
| the fairy scene, and the water makes
| constant music. but the MaIinche is
not happy, If you go near the pool at
I Zancopinca you will hear her voice
| Iamenting, and often in the nighttime
| II may be heard afar off If the un-
wary traveller pauses to listen he will
hear cries OF distress and anger and
I sad meanings that attract him to tteir
relief He will come nearer and near
er to the spring and. bending down
that his ear may be close. he will hear
| troubled waters rushing among hid
| den rocks. When his face is above the
pool a pair 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