After several unsuccessful attempts to create grateful creatures, the Mayan gods use sacred corn to fashion a people who will thank and praise their creators.

In this version of the Mayan origin story, the child Balám travels to a village on the back of a big blue turtle, but he is preceded by a louse, a toad, a snake, and a hawk, all carrying the good news of his arrival.

In a land where the yellow jaguar lives and the sun rises behind green mountains, "the earth was filled with joy" when Balám, the boy of maize, was born. He climbed on top of a big, blue turtle, and along with an assortment of other animals, began the journey to the village. Excited to spread the word about the child's birth, the creatures worked together--each utilizing its special skills--in perfect harmony with Mother Earth. The turtle walked...