XII. Hymn to the Goddess of Childbirth.

XII. Ayopechtli icuic.

English

1. Cane Cana ichan, ayopechcatl cozcapantica mixiuhtoc.

2. Cane Cana ichan ayopechcatl cozcapantica mixiuhtoc, cane ichan chacayoticaya.

3. Xiualmeuayauia, xiua xiualmeuayaauiaya yancuipilla, xiualmeuaya.

4. Auiya xiualmeuaya, ueya, xiua, xiualmeuaya, cozcapilla xiualmeuaya.

Gloss.

1. Q. n., in oncan ichan ayopechtli oncan mixiuiqui tlacatilia. in cuzcatl quetzalli.

2. Cane Cana ichan, q. n., in oncan ichan ayopechcatl oncan quitlacatilia in cozcatl quetzalli oncan yoliua, tlacatiua.

3. Q. n., ximeua, ximeua, in tipiltzintli xiualmeua in quinotitlacat tipiltzintli.

4. Q. n., xiualmeua, xiualmeua, in tipiltzintli in ti cuzcatl, in ti quetzalli.

Hymn to Ayopechcatl.

1. Truly in whatever house there is a lying-in, Ayopechcatl takes charge of the child.

2. Truly in whatever house there is a lying-in, Ayopechcatl takes charge of the child, there where it is weeping in the house.

3. Come along and cry out, cry out, cry out, you new comer, come along and cry out.

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4. Come along and cry out, cry out, cry out, you little jewel, cry out.

Notes.

The name of Ayopechcatl does not appear among the divinities named by Sahagun, Duran or the other authorities at my command. Her name indicates her function as the goddess of the child-bed and the neonatus, and the above hymn establishes her claim to a place in the Aztec pantheon.