In justice to the author of “Queen Móo’s Talisman”, it may be recorded
that at the time of its writing, there was no intention of allowing the
verses to go into print; they were penned only for the one to whom they
are dedicated.
The songs introduced have been arranged to the metre of the two or
three ancient melodies yet occasionally heard among the natives of
Yucatan. The one to the rain gods is a versification (set to the tune
even now used in a sun-dance) of an old Maya prayer translated from
that language by Dr. Le Plongeon and published in his work “Queen Móo
and the Egyptian Sphinx.” The melody to which the Love Song is set is
not Maya. In connection with the lines touching upon love and pain it
may be remarked that in the Maya language there is but one word to
express both.
In this poem are represented as nearly as possible, the religious ideas
of the Mayas, their belief in _KU_, the Supreme Intelligence; in the
immortality of the soul, and in successive lives on earth before
returning to the great Source whence all emanate; also their rites and
ceremonies as gathered from traditions of the natives of Yucatan, the
fresco paintings found at Chicħen, and the books of ancient Maya
authors.
As the general reader can hardly be expected to be familiar with the
peculiar customs and ideas of the natives of Central America, these are
sufficiently set forth in the Introduction, a careful perusal of which
will greatly contribute to an appreciation of the poem.
Attention is also invited to the separate page containing a list of the
Maya names and their meanings.
The second part of this narrative poem must be regarded not as a matter
of belief on the part of the author, but solely as having been
suggested by the belief of the natives who worked for Dr. Le Plongeon
in his explorations among the ruins of Chicħen.