PROLOGUE

   "The Mayas believed that the great caves where secret rivers flow, called cenotes, were the hiding places of the gods. It was in this remote time, when the Maya people lived in the jungle, that they learned to acknowledge the gods of the rain, the wind and the sun, since every tree and animal there seem to have a spirit that guards them.

   The legends tell that an almighty god called Itzamná, had created the world. Itzamná had several sons and daughters with his wife Ixchel, the godess of the moon.

   The sons of Izamná were the gods of corn and of trade, of sacrifice and of the stars. His daughters were the godesses of the waters, of night and of paradise.

   To survive in Yucatán, rain is very important, as rivers do not run on earth but many meters under the ground, in caves. This is why the prehispanic Maya considered Chaac, god of the rain, as one of their main gods. Whole temples were devoted to him, and in many of the ancient cities you can see his sculptures everywhere. When they believed that he was very angry, they also offered him human sacrifices.

   Kukulcán, god of the wind, was very special. He was a wise character that came from a mysterious place and had the shape of a feathered snake. In the pyramids of the ancient Maya cities, like Chichén Itzá, we can now see the temples constructed for him."