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"The Story of a
Mexican Princess" Princess Papantzin was one of King Moctezuma’s sister and was married to the governor of Tlaltelolco. She became a widow when she was still young and continued living in the same palace she shared with her husband until 1509, when she died of a serious illness. Her brother ordered a funeral worthy of the magnificence entitled to people of her rank. King Moctezuma was of course present, as was all the Mexican nobility. Her body was buried in an underground cave built in one of her palace’s gardens, near a pond where she used to bathe. The entrance to the cave was sealed with a large gravestone. The day after the burial, a six year old little girl saw Princess Papantzin sitting on the steps leading to the pond. The princess called the little girl, who, not knowing the princess had died, went near her and obeyed her order to call the wife of household stewart. The woman laughed at the innocence of the little girl and humored her by going near the pond. Upon seeing Princess Papantzin the woman fainted of fright. The little girl went to seek help and everyone was horrified, believing they were facing a ghost. The servants were soon comforted when Princess Papantzin told them she was alive. King Moctezuma was summoned and in disbelief went to his sister’s palace, accompanied by an entourage of the nobility frorn Tlaltelolco. He saw his sister and asked her if she really was Princess Papantzin. “I am indeed your sister, Noble Sire,” she answered before the astonished group, and continued talking. “I did not die, Sir. I plunged into a deep lethargy, unable to move. Suddenly, I found myself in a seemingly unending plain. In the center of the plain I saw a road which ahead forked in several paths. Near the road,there was a river with a strong and tumultuous, frightening current. I thought about swimming across the river , when a tall young man stopped me. He was wearing a long tunic, white as the snows of Popocateptl in Winter. His whole body was as bright as the sun light. He made a signal, with his thumb over the index and made a cross on my forehead. He moved his wings, covered with shiny colorful plumage, and taking my hand in his he said: ‘Stop my child. The time for you to cross the river has not arrived yet. God loves you although you don’t know Him.’ He held my hand while walking by the river, where I saw lots of skulls and bones of dead people and heard cries so sorrowful that my heart filled with pain. Casting my eyes on the river’s current, I saw great ships and in them men of different color and clothing. They were white and bearded, had banners in their hands and helmets on their heads. The young man then told me: ‘God wants you to live so you can be a witness to the revolutions of this kingdom. The cries you hear are those of the souls of your ancestors that are paying for their wrongdoing and will continue paying for eternity. Those ships you see approaching belong to men who by force will destroy and rule this kingdom. They will bring with them the knowledge of the true God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. After the war, people will be blessed and bathed to have their sins erased from their souls. You will be the first to receive this sacred bath and with your example you must guide the rest of the nation.’ After saying this, the young man vanished from rny sight and I felt life coming back to my body. I got up, pushed the gravestone and went to the garden and summoned my servants.” King Moctezuma was greatly troubled by his sister’s telling. In silence, he left her and went to the palace he used when he wanted to meditate when sadness and worries descended upon his soul. His counsellors tried to convince him that his sister had lost her reasoning after the terrible experience of having been buried alive. King Moctezuma never saw his sister again, but thought about her often and a few years later knew that her predictions were to become true occurrences. Princess Papantzin was baptized in Tlaltelolco in 1524 and lived a long life of exemplary virtue. |