"H. Warner Munn - The Ship from Atlantis" - читать интересную книгу автора (Munn H Warner)

him apart from the others of his age. He was dressed much as they in
doeskin loincloth, beaded headband, leggings arid moccasins, for the
weather was warm and he had recently competed in the games. His face
was serious, for this was the final day of the feastings and the important
business of the meeting was at hand.

The chief priest of the War God stepped forward and intoned;

"Oh, Tlaloc, He Who Makes Things Sprout, and thou his wife, Foam on
the Water, look favorably on the mission of this young man, the son of
your brother Huitzilopoch-tli, the Raging and Terrible God!

"Huitzilopoehtli came among us when we were weak. We hid in the
rocks like a rabbit. He gave us weapons, he taught us to walk in pride, he
ended our fear. He created the nation of Aztlan. Behind him we marched
upon our Mian oppressors. With the help of his brother god, Quetzalcoatl,
Lord of the Wind, and our northern allies of the Hodenosau-nee, we killed
the Mian Kukulcan and drove his people back to Atala.

"Now Tlapallan is at peace as Quetzalcoatl would have wished, for he
loved peace as lie was loved by us, though we are men of war. Today we
are met in peace and there is no war anywhere in Alata. Our God and
leader, Huit-zilopochtli, has called us together to do honor to his son,
Gwalchmai, the Eagle, who sails upon the Great Waters in yonder serpent
ship. He will take the tale of our battling and valor to his father's people.

"We ask you, Tlaloc, to grant his favor and fair winds, a swift passage
across the seas and a swift return to us who wish he need not leave us for
even a little while."

He raised his hands in blessing and bowed his head and stepped aside.
Another man came forward. His polished steel armor glittered in the sun.
He raised his copper braceleted right arm in the Roman salute and
although his hair was gray at the temples beneath his crested helmet, the
strong muscles rippled under his bronzed skin. The crowd roared a
greeting. He motioned for silence.

"This is my son and my messenger. His god-father was Quetzalcoatl,
who is gone from us to the Land of the Dead, but who may yet return.
Today we remember the Lord of the Wind and how his magic aided us all,
both you of Alata and we Romans shipwrecked upon your shores. We
knew him as a man of great knowledge. He was unafraid to do battle and
unafraid to speak of mercy when battle was done. That others may know
of his greatness, my wife and I send our only son back to Rome that he
may carry the tale of his god-father's wisdom and bring other of our
people here. Gold-Flower-of DayтАФ"

A dainty woman came forward, smiling fondly upon her husband and
son. She wore a beautiful cape of hummingbird's feathers over a hualpilli,
or shift, of gauzy white cotton. Her black hair was glossy and long, coiled