Xtabay

Xtabay literally means 'Female Ensnarer' and can refer either to a Mesoamerican demon who seduces and kills or a female deity of the hunt, along with the male Ah Tabay. The Xtabay is not to be confused with Ixtab, a 16th-century Yucatan goddess of suicides.

A legend of Xtabay (the female demon) tells of two women who lived in a village in the Yucatán Peninsula. One was named Xtabay, but people called her Xkeban (which means "prostitute", "bad woman" or "one who practices illicit love"); the other was Utz-Colel (a good, decent woman).

People said Xkeban was sick with lust and gave her favors to every man who asked her. Utz-Colel was virtuous and honest. Xkeban had a good heart and kindly helped the poor, sick and homeless, and also the animals abandoned for being considered useless, by giving up the jewellery and fine clothes she got from her lovers. She was not a haughty woman, nor did she insult other villagers. Xtabay humbly received the humiliations from the people of her village. On the other hand, Utz-Colel was cold, full of pride, harsh of heart and easily disgusted by the poor.

One day, Xtabay was not seen anymore. Days passed and a fine delicate perfume was smelled all over the village. People found it came from Xtabay's house, who had died there, alone.

Utz-Colel argued it wasn't possible, that the perfume couldn't be that of such a vile and corrupt body; nothing but decay and stench could come out of her. She argued that had to be bad spirits or demons still trying to tempt men. "If that is the odour of a dead prostitute, mine shall be incredible when I die", she said.

A few people buried Xtabay, feeling pity for her. The next day, her grave was covered with beautiful flowers of a delicate perfume.

When Utz-Colel died, the entire village attended her funeral; they remembered her virtue and honesty. To the amazement of the crowd, an intolerable stench came out from her grave.

The flowers growing on Xtabay's grave were named Xtabentún.

References in art

* Recording "Voice of the Xtabay" (1950) by Yma Sumac

ee also

* Xtabentún (liqueur)

Notes and References

*cite book
last =Davenport Academy of Sciences
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Sciences
publisher =Davenport Academy of Sciences
date =1904
location =Original from Harvard University
pages =Page 79
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=o3oSAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA79&dq=Xtabay&as_brr=1&client=firefox-a
doi =
id =
*cite book
last =Jacobs
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =Joseph Jacobs, Alfred Trübner Nutt, Arthur Robinson Wright, Folklore Society (Great Britain), William Crooke
title =Folklore
publisher =Folklore Society
date =1903
location =
pages =page 203
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=okgKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA203&dq=Xtabay&as_brr=1&client=firefox-a
doi =
id =
*cite book
last =Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Indian Notes and Monographs:
publisher =Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation
date =1920
location =Original from the University of Michigan
pages =page 171
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=P1xUAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA171&dq=Xtabay&as_brr=1&client=firefox-a#PRA1-PA171,M1
doi =
id =