Mitos y Legendas: The Wood Pigeon

• Genny de Bernardo shares with you the legend of the wood pigeon.
• This legend belongs to the Maya culture, one of the most enigmatic civilizations in the world.
• In Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula is the most common Maya setting when talking about them.

Of course, the Maya culture was an ancient Mesoamerican civilization that developed in what is now southeastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and parts of Honduras and Belize.

In Mexico, it is mostly popular to think of the Yucatán Peninsula, as there the Maya culture had a great development and Chichén Itzá is located, one of the new wonders of the world.

The Mayas have a great presence in this area of Mexico, and even people have practices that come directly from this magnificent culture.

Among one of the things that are most preserved are the legends. Today we will share with you the legend of the wood pigeon, which talks about a warrior who falls in love with a woman and does whatever it takes to see her again.

The Wood Pigeon

A long time ago, there lived a brave and attractive warrior who felt a deep passion for hunting. Frequently, he ventured into the woods in search of prey.

On one of his forays, he arrived at the shore of a lake and was amazed to see a woman of dazzling beauty sailing in a canoe.

The warrior fell hopelessly in love and, on numerous occasions, returned to the same place in the hope of spotting her again.

However, his efforts were fruitless, as his eyes only saw the serene waters of the lake. Desperate, he decided to seek advice from a sorceress, who told him:

Transformation into a Pigeon

«You will never see her again, unless you agree to turn into a pigeon.» «I only long to see her once more.»

«Understand that, by turning into a pigeon, you will forever renounce your human form.» «My desire to see her again surpasses any consequence.» «Then, let your will be done.»

The sorceress stuck a thorn in the young warrior‘s neck, and at that very moment, he metamorphosed into a pigeon. The bird took flight, headed to the lake, and perched on a nearby branch.

Shortly after, he saw the beautiful woman again and, unable to resist, approached her and showered her with affection.

The Thorn is Removed

The woman took him in her hands and, as she stroked him, removed the thorn that was stuck in his neck.

However, this act of kindness turned out to be his undoing, as the pigeon tilted his head and fell lifeless.

Witnessing this tragic scene, the woman despaired and, in an act of anguish, stuck the same thorn in her own neck, also transforming into a pigeon. Since that day, she mourns the death of her beloved pigeon.

Mitos y Legendas says goodbye to you for now and hopes you enjoyed the Maya legend of the wood pigeon. Thank you for your interest!