Editor’s note: Every week, Sol del Valle’s Rincón de la Creatividad (pages 8-9) features comics, a puzzle, events calendar, news briefs and either a recipe, short interview with a local business or artist or, in this case, a legend from a culture that forms part of the rich tapestry we refer to as “Latin America.” This legend, interpreted by Jackie Ramirez, was published last week in Spanish.
The Ahuítzotl, a mythological creature known to the Aztecs of Mexico, is referred to as “the aquatic dog” or “spiny one of the water” and was considered a messenger of Tláloc, god of rain, who resides in the depths of the water. Many associate the appearance of the Ahuítzotl with an otter. It is also characterized as having a human hand at the end of its tail. With this hand, the water dog pulls people into the depths to drown and sends them to Tláloc as his servants.
Considering the importance of dogs in pre-Hispanic mythology, such as the Xoloitzcuintle, a domestic breed of hairless dog, canines are often seen as important figures of the underworld. It is said that the Ahuítzotl listens to commands given by water deities who take an interest in certain mortal souls and order their sacrifice. The Ahuítzotl doesn’t attack randomly, there’s always a moral rationale behind its attacks.
Neither did the water dog only drown its victims and leave behind their bodies. It was easy to distinguish between those who had simply drowned and those who fell victim to the Ahuítzotl. Bodies of the victims would be found three days after disappearing and often had their eyes, nails and teeth torn from their bodies by the Ahuítzotl. The bodies were honored as they were considered to be the chosen by Tláloc and Chalchiuhtlicue, goddess of terrestrial waters associated with agriculture and fertility. They were also considered chosens of the residents of Tlalocan, a paradise of eternal spring and water ruled by Tláloc.
The Ahuítzotl would lure its victims by crying inconsolably like a baby or sometimes imitating the movement of a fish to attract fishermen. The cries of the Ahuítzotl would come from rivers, puddles or lakes within Tenochtitlan. Sometimes people didn’t know that the Ahuítzotl was lurking under the surface, but sometimes there would be signs that the Ahuítzotl was waiting for them. Whirlpools would form, and sometimes fish and frogs would involuntarily emerge from the waves. When people approached, the water dog would grab them with the hand on its tail and take them away.
It’s not known for sure if this animal was only a myth or if it perhaps existed in our world. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún mentioned the Ahuítzotl in the Florentine Codex, a manuscript resulting from Sahagún’s research on the Aztec people in collaboration with the Nahuas during the 16th century, including their society, culture, religion and natural history. In Book 11 of the Florentine Codex, the Ahuítzotl is described as black in color with smooth and slippery skin.
If the Florentine Codex accurately captured the life and culture of the Aztecs, is it possible that the Ahuítzotl existed at that time and was seen? Possibly, but the Florentine Codex also reports the beliefs of the Aztecs. Just as it could be something that was seen, it could also have just been a belief that was reported.
Researchers have attempted to find the Ahuítzotl among the fauna of the highlands of Mexico, but they have not been able to classify it as an animal present in Mexico’s ecosystem. This provides further evidence that the creature was merely an Aztec belief. Perhaps it could have been a way to warn people of the consequences of misbehavior or being mischievous. Some people even warn others to not go near a lake or river at night, because you never know if the spiny one of the water is waiting for you.