Ahuizotl (mythology)
The ahuizotl (from the Classical Nahuatl: āhuitzotl for "spiny aquatic thing", a.k.a. "water dog") is a legendary creature in Aztec mythology.[2] It is said to lure people to their deaths.[3] The creature was taken as a mascot by the ruler of the same name, and was said to be a "friend of the rain gods".[4][5]
 | |
| Similar entities | Nguruvilu, Kelpie, Underwater panther, Iemisch |
|---|---|
| Folklore | Legendary creature |
| Other name(s) | Water Dog |
| Country | Mexico |
| Region | Lake Texcoco[1] |
The conquistador Hernán Cortés once reported to the King of Castile that one of his men had been killed by an ahuizotl.[1]
Appearance
The creature is described as being the size of a small dog, with waterproof fur. Its name comes from the propensity of its fur to spike when it leaves the water.[4] The ahuizotl has hands similar to a monkey's, which are capable of manipulation, both on its arms and on its tail.[2]
The ahuizotl was included within Book 11 of the Florentine Codex, which describes it as:
"...very like the teui, the small teui dog; small and smooth, shiny. It has small, pointed ears, just like a small dog. It is black, like rubber; smooth, slippery, very smooth, long-tailed. And its tail is provided with a hand at the end; just like a human hand is the point of its tail. And its hands are like a raccoon's hands or like a monkey's hands...."
Behaviour
One telling of the story says that the ahuizotl was the guardian of lakes, whose purpose was to protect the fish therein.[4] In other versions, it was sent by the gods Tlaloc and Chalchiuhtlicue to collect the souls of mortals they liked.[1] Due to their close link with the water gods, victims of the ahuizotl were said to be destined for the paradise of the god Tlaloc.[2]
It is described as living in deep pools of water, or caverns.[4] Sightings have mostly been reported in the Lake Texcoco area, though a few have been reported even outside of the borders of what would have been the Aztec Empire.[1]
By most accounts, the ahuizotl would snatch people from the water's edge, so that it could feast on their eyes, nails, and teeth.[3] Alternatively, the victim was chosen by the water gods because it possessed the wrong type of precious stones.[5] Alternately, some fisherman claimed that the ahuizotl would sink their boats, and would offer a portion of their catch to appease the creature.[4]
When the ahuizotl hadn't successfully caught a human in some time, it had two methods by which to draw victims to the water. It could lure people to their deaths by emitting a cry similar to a human baby's wail.[4] It could also cause all of the frogs and fish in the body of water to jump to the surface, which would bring fishermen to the water's edge.[5]
The ahuizotl was said to use the hand on the end of its tail to snatch its prey.[2]
If a person was suspected of being killed by an ahuizotl, only priests were allowed to touch the body, which should be buried in a house surrounded by water (or "ayauhcalco"). If a layman were to touch the body, it's said that he would either be the ahuizotl's next victim, or else suffer from gout.[5]
References
- "La Leyenda del Ahuizótl; Era un ser terrible y mitológico de los aztecas". Metro Mty (in Spanish). Mexico. October 6, 2017. p. 44.
- Bowles, David (2012). Mexican Bestiary. Donna, Texas: VAO Publishing. ISBN 978-0615571195.
- Taming Monsters: Ahuizotl, Field Museum of Natural History, retrieved July 2, 2020
- Was the Ahuizotl an Aztec Mythical Creature or a Real Fisherman’s Foe?, Ancient Origins, 2018, retrieved July 2, 2020
- Nuttall, Zelia (1895). "A Note on Ancient Mexican Folk-Lore". The Journal of American Folklore. 8 (29): 117–29. doi:10.2307/533173. JSTOR 533173.