Black Rainbow: Legends of the Incas and Myths of Ancient Peru Book

One of the world's most splendid--and most mysterious--civilizations comes vividly to life in this anthology of twenty myths and legends, gathered from the sixteenth-century chronicles of missionaries and conquistadores and from the reports of folklorists working in remote villages of the Andes. The creation of the world, the rise of the Inca empire, the great wars of expansion, omens of doom, and the Spanish Conquest are among the themes woven into these stories, many of which are here translated into English for the first time. The Andean storyteller's art is amply demonstrated by such classic narratives as "The Llama Herder and the Daughter of the Sun," "Coniraya and Cahuillaca," and "The Boy Who Rose to the Sky." Also included are a number of shorter tales--like "The Condor Seeks a Wife," "The Mouse Husband," and "The Dancing Fox"--displaying that curious blend of the eerie and comic which is typically Andean. John Bierhorst's introduction provides a background of cultural and historical details, in addition offering numerous insights into the stories themselves.Read More