Mitos y leyendas: The Owl

• Mitos y leyendas shares with you the legend of the owl.
• This bird is also known as the Tunkuluchú in other cultures.
• Its song is a source of fear among humanity.

The ancient story tells of a distant era when the owl (Tunkuluchú) held the title of the wisest in the bird kingdom. For this reason, birds sought his counsel, admiring his thoughtful and judicious behavior.

On one occasion, the owl received an invitation to a celebration in the bird kingdom. Although he usually avoided festivities, this time he decided to participate, as he could not decline such a prestigious invitation.

Thus, he arrived at the party dressed in his finest attire, surprising the other guests who were not accustomed to seeing him at gatherings of this kind.

Immediately, he was assigned the most prominent place at the table and offered the most exquisite delicacies, accompanied by balché, the traditional Mayan liquor.

The owl gets drunk

However, Tunkuluchú was not accustomed to balché, and after consuming only a few cups, he became drunk. The same happened to the other guests, turning the celebration into a riot of loud laughter.

Among the liveliest was the chom, who decorated his bald head with flowers and amused himself by stumbling into others. On the other hand, the chachalaca, known for its noise, remained silent.

Each bird sought to outdo the others in grace, and unwittingly, the owl outdid them all. Inebriated, he began to tell jokes while dancing and swaying on one leg, disregarding the constant falls.

In the midst of the party, a Maya man known for his annoying and troublesome character appeared. Upon hearing the birds’ commotion, he decided to join the celebration with the intention of bothering those present.

A Maya mocks

Taking advantage of their drunken state, he began to mock each bird, focusing his attention on Tunkuluchú.

Without a second thought, he chased the staggering bird to pull its feathers while it struggled to maintain balance.

Then, with a thorn plucked from a bush, he sought out the owl to prick its legs, eliciting laughter from the birds who thought the bird had begun to dance.

Only when the Maya fell asleep from drunkenness did his torment cease. The party came to an end, and the birds returned to their nests still dizzy, some laughing as they remembered the ridiculous performance of Tunkuluchú.

The revenge

The poor bird felt a mixture of anger and shame, fearing to lose the respect of others. He decided to take revenge for the mistreatment suffered at the hands of the Maya.

He spent days searching for the most appropriate punishment, full of resentment and convinced that all men should pay for the insult.

Finally, he decided to use his keen sense of smell.

For many nights, he ventured into the cemetery until he learned to identify the smell of death, which he deemed ideal for his revenge.

Legend of the owl

Since then, the owl dedicated himself to announcing the arrival of death to the Maya.

He perched near the places where he sensed the smell of death and sang his song repeatedly.

That’s why it is said that when Tunkuluchú sings, the man dies. His revenge proved to be formidable, as his song inspires deep fear in those who hear it.

Mitos y leyendas bids you farewell for now and hopes that the legend of the owl has been to your liking. Until next time!