It is said that in a corner of the Yucatan Peninsula, two remarkable women inhabited a village, carrying with them tales of love, envy, and a peculiar destiny. Xtabay, the generous but unfaithful woman, and Utz-Colel, upright but lacking compassion, became enduring legends in the Maya cultural tapestry.
Xtabay, despite her flaw, radiated benevolence. She devoted herself to healing the forsaken sick and caring for abandoned animals. However, her fickle heart earned her disapproval from her people. Utz-Colel, on the other hand, stood out for her righteousness, but her lack of compassion isolated her from those in need.
The story takes a mysterious turn when Xtabay passes away, surrounded by an intoxicating aroma of flowers. In contrast, Utz-Colel, upon her death, promised an even more pleasant fragrance. To everyone’s surprise, only a putrid stench emanated. Thus, two opposite destinies were born: Xtabay transformed into the sweet flower Xtabentun, while Utz-Colel became the thorny cactus Tzacam.
Utz-Colel’s envy and desire led her to summon evil spirits, allowing her to return to the world with the appearance of Xtabay. Utz-Colel only manages to enchant travelers by luring them with her songs and beauty to then kill them by tearing them apart with the spines of Tzacam. She always waits for them at dusk, seated under the trees known as Ceibas, sacred trees for the Mayans, where the Tzacam plant grows alongside them – the same place where Utzl-Colel’s victims are found with their chests torn open by her spines.
Thus, amidst the fragrance of Xtabentun and the dangerous charm of Utz-Colel, the Mayan Train becomes the portal to a world where Mayan legends come to life, reminding us that behind every flower and thorn hides a story of love and tragedy.
Do you dare to explore these mysteries on your journey along the Mayan Train Route, where magic and reality blend in an ancestral embrace?
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