The Legend of Princess Cotton Flake [pp. 365-367]

1874.] THE LEGEND OF PRINCESS COTTON FLAKE.
Hastily a prayer went up from the lips
of the bather to Pitao Yaa, the Averter
of Ill1. Slowly and hesitatingly the figure
drew nearer, until it stood within a few
paces of the astonished king; then a ray
of moonlight disclosed the face and form
of a lady of wondrous beauty and fairness of complexion. Hesitating between
fear and admiration, Cocyoeza asked her
name and mission. "I am," she answered in a low sweet voice, "the sister
of Ahuitzotl, and of Montezuma; I am
she whom your people call the Princess
Cotton Flake. I knew your fears, I had
heard of your valor, and I entreated my
gods to make me known to you; they
heard my prayer and answered, and
by enchantment translated me hither.
Doubt not my words, O king; as proof
of my presence, I leave the bathing implements of my brother Montezuma."
Having thus satisfactorily and womanlike accounted for her presence, she drew
from a bag the soap and other articles
used by Mexican bathers, and proceeded, according to Zapotec custom, to assist the monarch in his ablutions; meanwhile conversing so pleasantly and looking so beautiful, that by the time she had
concluded her labors Cocyoeza was completely won over, and expressed his determination to immediately send ambassadors to Mexico to complete the treaty
and bring home the bride. Then Cotton
Flake opened her hand and showed the
king a hairy mole which she had borne
on its palm since her birth. She feared,
she said, that her brothers loved her too
dearly to part with her, and that they
would endeavor to deceive the ambassadors; by this mark she might be known
from her other sisters. Having spoken
these words, she disappeared.
Cocyoeza lost no time. Ambassadors
were at once sent to Mexico, and, as
Pelaxilla had suspected, had it not been
for the mole, they would have been puzzled as to which of the sisters was the
promised bride. We must charitably
suppose that the room where they were
shown was somewhat dark, as the ancient chroniclers make mention of no
other of Cotton Flake's sisters being as
white-skinned as she.
In great splendor the bride was carried to her future home. Her litter,
borne upon the shoulders of Zapotec
nobles, blazed with precious stones, and
she was attended by a great multitude
of attendants. At Teotzapotlan, the
capital, she was welcomed with a series
of magnificent entertainments, and amid
great rejoicings her new court paid
homage to her.
For some time all was merriment and
peace, but as the months went on the
Mexican monarch began to pine for the
company of his favorite sister, and to
repent of the terms he had made with
the king of the Zapotecs. He was jealous of the growing power and fame of
Cocyoeza, and he determined to gain by
treachery what he could not by force.
To this end several Mexican lords were
dispatched to the Zapotec court, ostensibly to salute the queen in the name of
her brothers, but really to induce her to
betray her husband. But Cotton Flake
was true to her spouse. Pretending
to acquiesce in the plans of Ahuitzotl,
she secretly informed Cocyoeza of the
conspiracy. The Mexican ambassadors were sent back to their sovereign
well laden with presents and delighted
with their apparent success; but Cocyoeza without delay set about gathering
his troops and fortifying his towns, so
that when Ahuitzotl came he was repulsed with very great slaughter. From
thenceforward the king and queen of
Zapotecapan enjoyed peace and prosperity, and were as happy as it is possible for mortals to be. Cotton Flake bore
her husband a beautiful boy, who was
named Cocyopy, and he it was that filled
the throne when the Spaniards arrived
at Tehuantepec, and was rechristened
by them Don Juan Cortes.
367