"Destroyer - 024 - Kings Curse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Murphy Warren)***********************************************
* Title : #024 : KINGS CURSE * * Series : The Destroyer * * Author(s) : Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir * * Location : Gillian Archives * *********************************************** CHAPTER ONE The stone was old before the pale men on four high legs with metal chests and metal heads followed the path of the sun in from the big water you could not drink. Before the king-priests, the stone was; before the warrior-kings, it was. Before the Aztec and the Toltec and the Maya, it was. Before the Actatl, who served it and acknowledged it as their own personal god, the stone was. The stone was a king's height, and if you did not know that the circle outlined in its belly was carved by the very gods themselves before man came from the mouth of the turtle, if you did not know that, then you were not Actatl. And you would not be allowed in the palace of the god, and you would not be allowed near the sacred stone, lest the god be enraged by an unbeliever's finger touching it. And the people called the sacred stone Uctut. But only the priests knew its real name. In the first years of the pale men the warrior king of the Actatl called the five priests of Uctut to the palace, which was 142 steps high and protected Uctut from the north wind and the north light. He asked the priests what they thought of the new pale men. "Moctezuma says they are gods," said one priest "Moctezuma is a king that is more to god's way," said another priest reproachfully. "It is known that the Aztec of Moctezuma follow their gods better because their king is a priest." "Life is too short to spend it preparing for its end," the king answered. "And I believe that the rain falls without a baby's heart being thrown into the well that feeds Uctut, and I believe that new babies come even if the hearts of women are not sent into the well, and I believe that I win victories, not because Uctut has been fed with blood, but because my men fight from high places and others from low." "Have you never wanted to know the name of Uctut? The real name? So that he could speak to you as he speaks to us?" another priest asked. "What for? Everyone has a name for something. It is just a breath of air. I have not called you here to say that after so many years I have come to your way. Let it remain at this: You give the people your gods, and I do not take the people away from you. Now I ask you, what do you think of the men colored like clouds?" "Uctut thinks he must have their hearts for his water," said one priest. "Moctezuma thinks we should give the tall ones with four legs the yellow metals they seek," said another. And another said, "Moctezuma has also said we should give the hearts of these white men to Uctut." "Did Moctezuma say the Aztec should give the hearts of these white men with their death sticks?" the king asked. "Or did he say the Actatl should take these hearts?" "He said it was such a good sacrifice, we should be pleased to make it to Uctut," said a priest. "Then let the great Moctezuma take their hearts," said the king, "and he may offer them up to Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent god." Another priest responded, "He said the Aztec honored the Actatl by not taking this rich sacrifice for themselves but allowing us to take it for Uctut, to make our god rich and red with the finest hearts." "Then this I tell to Moctezuma, great king of the great Aztec, from his most respectful neighbor, king of the Actatl, holder of leopards, who protects Uctut from the winds of the north, conquerer of the Umay, Acoupl, Xorec. To Moctezuma, I say, greetings neighbor. We appreciate your generosity and in turn, we give gifts to the Aztec and their great king." |
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