Mitos y Leyendas: The Mayan Legend of the Beetle and the Princess

• Genny de Bernardo shares with you the Mayan legend of the beetle and the princess.
• Love is the reason for the creation of a creature known as the Makech.
• It is an extremely popular bug in Yucatán.

This is the story of a beautiful princess with hair that resembled the wings of swallows, which is why she was called Cuzán, the Mayan name for this bird.

She was the favorite daughter of Ahnú Dtundtunxcaán, the Great Celestial Lord.

When Cuzán reached the appropriate age to marry, her father arranged her marriage with the son of the Halach Uinic of the great city of Nan Chan, Prince Ek Chapat, who would be the future ruler of the kingdom.

However, one day, while Cuzán was thanking her father for the treasures of the war booty, she found him in the company of a handsome young man named Chalpol, known as Red Head due to the fiery color of his hair.

Cuzán’s Punishment

From that moment on, their souls were irreparably united by a passionate love.

They swore never to forget each other and gave themselves passionately under the sacred ceiba tree, where the gods heard the prayers of mortals. When the king discovered the relationship between Chalpol and his daughter, he ordered his sacrifice.

Cuzán begged her father to spare Chalpol’s life, promising they would never see each other again and that she would agree to marry the prince of Nan Chan.

In her lonely room, the princess delved into mystery. One night, she was called before the Halach in an act of magic.

Mayan beetle

A sorcerer approached her and handed her a beetle, revealing that this was Chalpol, whom her father had spared, but who had been turned into an insect for daring to love her.

Cuzán took the beetle in her hands and promised never to part with it.

The kingdom’s most skilled jeweler adorned the beetle with precious stones and tied it with a gold chain.

Cuzán carried it close to her heart and said: «Makech, you are still a man, listen to my heartbeat and in it, you will live forever. I have sworn to the gods that I will never forget you.»

The Beetle and the Princess

She added: «Makech, the gods have never witnessed a love as intense and fervent as the one that consumes my soul.»

Thus, Princess Cuzán and her beloved Chalpol, now turned into Makech, loved each other beyond the restrictions imposed by time and laws.

The makech is extremely popular in Yucatán. It is a bug that is adorned with jewelry and is used in this way as an accessory on clothes.

Mitos y Leyendas says goodbye for now and hopes you enjoyed the legend of the princess and the beetle. See you next time!