In default of a Gloss to this hymn, the indispensable Sahagun again comes to our aid. He informs us in the Appendix to the second book of his _Historia_ that "When the Indians celebrated the festival called _atamalqualiztli_, which took place every eight years, certain natives called Mazateca swallowed living serpents and frogs, and received garments as a recompense for their daring." We are not informed as to the purpose of the festival, and its name, which signifies "eating bread made with water," is merely that of one of the regular systems of fasting in vogue in ancient Mexico. (See Sahagun, Lib. III., cap. 8.) The song before us appears to be a recitation calling on a number of the Nahua divinities. 1. "The flower in my heart" is a metaphorical expression for song. 2. _Tonan_, "Our Mother"; _Tlazolteotl_, the goddess of lascivious love, _Venus impudica_. The verb _yecoa_ appears to have its early signification, expressing carnal connection. 3. _Centeotl_, god of maize and fertility. 8. The flowers referred to are the youths and maidens who die young. 9. The house of the ball player is the tomb. 11. This verse is very obscure and is obviously corrupt. It contains the only Spanish word in the text of these hymns--_obispo_--a word including two letters, _b_ and _s_, not in the Nahuatl alphabet. 12. The woman referred to is Xochiquetzal. See Hymn IX. [Illustration: PRIEST OF XIPPE TOTEC, DRINKING AND PLAYING ON A DRUM. HYMN XV.] XV. _Xippe icuic, Totec, yoallauana._ 1. Yoalli tlauana, iztleican nimonenequia xiyaqui mitlatia teocuitlaquemitl, xicmoquenti quetlauia. 2. Noteua chalchimamatlaco, apana, y temoya ay quetzallaueuetl, ay quetzalxiuicoatl, nechiya iqui nocauhquetl, ouiya. 3. Maniyauia, nia nia poliuiz, ni yoatzin achalchiuhtla noyollo, ateucuitlatl nocoyaitaz, noyolceuizqui tlacatl achtoquetl tlaquauaya, otlacatqui yautlatoaquetl ouiya. 4. Noteua ce in tlaco xayailiuiz conoa y yoatzin motepeyocpa mitzualitta moteua, noyolceuizquin tlacatl achtoquetl tlaquauaya, otlacatqui yautlatoaquetl, ouiya. _Var._ 1. Quetloujia. 2. Noteuhoa chalchimmama tlacoapana itemoia. 3. Achalchiuhtla. 4. Centlaco, mitzualitla. _Gloss._ 1. _Q.n._, yn ti yoallauana, ti xipe, totec, tleica in ti monequi in timocuma, in timotlatia, _id est_, tleica in amo quiauiteocuitlaquemitl, xicmoquenti, _q.n._, ma quiaui, ma ualauh yn atl. 2. _Q.n._, yn ti noteuh, otemoc in mauhoualla yn mauh; ay quetzalla ueuetl, _id est_, ye tlaquetzalpatia ye tlaxoxouia, ye xopantla. Ay quetzal xiuhcoatl nechia iqui no cauhquetl, _id est_, ca ye otechcauh yn mayanaliztli. 3. _Q.n._, ma mauh, ma nipoliui yn ni yoatzin, _id est_, in catleuatl, yuhquin chalchiuitl noyollo. A teocuitlatl nocoyaitaz, _q.n._, in catleuatl achtomochiuaz ninoyolceuiz.