Firefly Lore

[XocoyoCopitzin at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/19/00 8:36:18 PM, PABLO_CRUZ at prodigy.net writes:

<< Nevertheless, I lived for a while in Metepec, small village north of
Atlixco, it seemed the most mystical place I've ever been.  They seemed to
have a
huge fascination with little lights around the volcano Popocatepetl.  Most
said they were UFOs, others said they were other various manifestations.

My point is, could this superstition, what seemed to me to be extreme
fascination with these lights, whatever they were, be related? >>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glad to hear another report from the field.  :-)

This meshes neatly with what J.L. McKeever Furst writes about of people in
the same region, whose "major worry is the witch, or nahualli, a terrifying
and malevolent being whose activities are known in catastrophies, misfortune
and illnesses, whose lanterns dance along trails at night."

Lights are also associated with "the tlahuepoches, or dangerous nocturnal
birds that suck blood from adults (but prefer the blood of infants) through lo
ng beaks they use as suction tubes." .... "In Alta, these fearsome
tlahuepoches either carry lights or emit a glow themselves."

(Quotes pulled from Jill Leslie McKeever Furst in _The Natural History of the
Soul in Ancient Mexico_  p 156-7)

I located a supernaturalistic rendering of what can only be a genuine FIREFLY
INSECT in the Codex Nuttall this afternoon.  Will upload a temporary scan of
it to my website later tonight for comment and interpretation of its
placement in relation to the rest of what's around it.

Inspired by the fire-butterly-placement illustration I found today on
Frederiksen's site, I'm also re-reading about the phenomenon of
"fire-drilling" the tonalli into the body, which is much like a spark that
glows.  Any other comments on this phenomenon are welcome.

Thinking aloud....
Alison King