Yohualtepoztli: The Night Hatchet

0:20 A girlfriend. It's me Adrian or Aiden. Either way, I am still your host and you are still listening to Sousto, the podcast of paranormal folklore from Latin American cultures. Gool friends, thank you so much for joining me once again, and if this is your first time, welcome, thank you for being here. We really appreciate it. We were actually waiting for you, so I'm not sure what took you so long, but thankfully you have found your way to the other side of the veil. Really quick updates. Something very exciting. One of two things that I've been waiting to share with you that I did mention previously that I was very excited to share with you. And you may have seen this if you follow on social media. That's at soustal podcast on every platform. I think I posted this on Instagram, which means I got posted to Facebook, and I also posted on TikTok. But anyway, I made sort of this like mini vlog behind the scenes look at our new recording space. Now. If you're watching this video as part of the bonus content on Patreon, depending on your tier, you have access to the full video episodes.

1:33 Most times, many of you will see clips of the video, so you'll see that. And you know, I've said many times that I record out of our home office, which is our office, guest room, studio, craft room, nap room. But I'm so excited because we will I'm not sure I'm fingers crossed by the next episode we will have already started. But we did go this past weekend and we did a run through of using studio space at Austin Public Studios, which if you haven't heard of them, Austin Public is part of Austin Film Society, and Austin Public is a public access television studio. They have several spaces and Jeff and I got certified to use one of their spaces there. I have become a certified producer.

2:25 It's something that you can set up for you take a class and then you pay a monthly fee to use the space as a producer. So I'm very excited because. We're in there. Like I said, this last weekend, we went in. We did a run through just to kind of get everything set up and decide how do we want the lights set up? What camera shot do we want, like where do we need to set up to get our shot? And you know, it was clunky. It took us a while to get used to the space because it was the first time we were in there on our own. Previously, we've gone for classes, certifications, trainings, and this time we got to just have at it and figure out what the that it's going to be. Of Course, y'all know I'm a virgo rising, so I wasn't just going to go in there and say, all right, let's make an episode now. No, we have to have a rehearsal, we have to have a run through, and I'm so glad we did. I'm so excited. Honestly, it like it made me really giddy. This feels like the next evolution of the show. I know I'm constantly saying that, but that's because I'm constantly trying to grow the show and evolve it and make it better and more engaging for you all. So again, I'm very excited about this space.

3:29 I feel like there is more opportunity because you know, as much as I love our guestroom, office, studio, nap room, there are some limitations, specifically with light and sound. You know, I have these small this is an extra one. I have these small little lights that I'm showing on camera. That I use to light myself. I have my webcam, some like mood lights that I was gifted. You know, I'm I make it happen, right, you know, I'm like and I am very lucky to have some of these things that we're to me. I've been able to find resources anyway. All that to say this place is legit. It is a full studio setup. There are like grid lights on the ceiling. It reminds me of being in theater in high school. The cameras are like television set camera quality. I'm just I'm so excited for not only to produce typical episodes that we normally do in that setting, but also for I think the freedom it's going to give me to do other things. I'm hoping, fingers crossed that I'll be able to get more guests in person on the show, because you know, I can't really have I mean I could, I could have a guesting hare.

4:38 Poor Vedornique Medrano. Thank you Diva for being a sport and coming to my apartment to record the episode that we did here. But you know, now we have this amazing space where it would be so much more comfortable, so much more fun to bring in people so we'll see listen if you want to be on the pod. If you got something spooky to promote, you know we you know, we love authors here at SUSTAL anything related. If you've got scary stories, hit me up, especially if you are in Austin, so that we can figure something out, because I just I want to use this space to its full potential. So that really was the only. Update that I had for you today, and I could talk about it at length because, like I said, I'm so excited, so many opportunities with this new space, not only just improving the quality of the regular episodes.

5:23 But I'll leave it at that. Again, if you haven't seen that vlog behind the scenes video I did, I posted it on Instagram and TikTok. That's at toost a podcast on every platform and you can see, you know, some quick clips that I got from there. There's gonna be a teleprompter, you guys, I get to use a teleprompter. I definitely am going to be doing those TikTok teleprompter tests that people post. I should make my own video of one of like going through it. Anyway, I'll just leave that there. I'm so excited as always, please continue to send in your Letters from the Beyond using the Submit story button on my website. There's also a link for it in the description of this episode. As always, it doesn't have to be just a written story. You can send in a photo, a video, an EVP. If you happen to capture anything that you think I can share on a Letters from the Beyond episode or on social media, please send those in. Also, you can support the show as always you already know, but interacting with it wherever you are listening by leaving positive ratings and reviews and comments comments like this one from JGJ. On the Invunch episode. JJJ simply said, Valley girl, and.

6:30 You know what vali ghoul? That is value ghoul to you. That's so funny. I'm I am. I am very much a proud value ghoul. So it's not a secret. I'm like, can you tell? Can you hear that I'm from the value when I speak? I wouldn't mind, I wouldn't care. I know people get worried about it, but I'm like, but I am from there anyway. JGJ. Maybe you're also a valley girl. What's up, homie? That is about all that I have for you. We're gonna go ahead and get started with tonight's story, which is about the Jowa Tepostly, also known as the night Hatchet.

7:19 In the sixteenth century, a small group of soldiers under the command of renand Cortes pushed inland towards the nostid Lan. They carried with them iron, powder, horses, and the spoils of conquering that grew day by day. Among the spoils of war was a boy. He had been taken days earlier from a village that had not resisted its colonizers quick enough. He was young and smart, able to quickly pick up languages, which made him useful to the conquistadores. They needed a translator. The soldiers loaded the boy like a mule with packs heavier than his frame could bear, and taught him just enough Spanish to follow commands and to translate simple words. When he stumbled, they struck him.

8:16 When he kept pace, they ignored him. They liked to boast. About their power and courage on the road. When the path narrowed and the trees closed overhead, one man shot a musket straight up into the green canopy. He laughed as leaves rained down on the path, and birds scattered in a frenzy into different directions. See, he said, even the mountains jump. The others gave a loud, quick laugh in agreement. Another time, one of the soldiers spurred his horse hard along a rocky ledge, where the drop fell away into mist. The soldier was riding fast and grinning hard until the ground widened again. At night, they bragged of the battles they had fought. They laughed at the false savage gods that failed to protect the many cities that fell to their might. Throughout all of this, the boy watched quietly. He noticed things in the forest that the soldiers did not, signs that.

9:24 The so called false gods were still. Here and that they had not abandoned their people. He noticed the ravine that swallowed sound instead of returning it. He paid attention when echoes from their footsteps arrived too early or too late. He paid close attention to the forest around him. Whenever he slowed down too much to look into the tree line, the soldiers shoved him forward with the grunt. The boy was too scared to acknowledge the power the soldiers carried. He knew the path they were taking it would lead directly to his home village, where his parents still lived. One night, while the fires burned low and the men drunk on wine that was intended for mass, droned on of gold and glory, the boy spoke up to share a story of his own.

10:21 He told them the mountains were not empty, and that the dark of night was not merely the absence of light, it was a presence itself. He spoke carefully of the Skatliboka, the god who watched without being seen, who tested men not in temples or churches, but in solitude. He tried to. Explain jowarte Postli, the thing sent by the Skatlipoca, that walked at night that made a sound like an axe biding into a tree that wouldn't fall. He told these stories as warnings, but all also as pleased to the gods to intervene to save him and his family. The soldiers laughed. They crossed themselves and raised their voices, not toward heaven, but toward the forest itself. One recited Latin loudly, shaping each syllable as if pounding it into the dark.

11:22 Another held up his cross and turned slowly, making a circle, daring whatever listened to contradict him. They were mocking the boy. A man who had fought in many battles told the boy that demons fled from true faith. Another added that whatever haunted these hills would kneel before the cross, just as the people would. Their laughter grew louder. After that, the boy said nothing more. They made camp in the foothills, where the trees grew thick and the ground held the day's warmth long after the sun retreated. There was a peculiar atmosphere this evening. Even the horses were restless and kept stamping at the shadows between the trees surrounding their camp.

12:12 The boy fell asleep at the edge of the camp, forced far from the safety of the fire that the soldiers hugged close to. The boy heard it, first, a hollow thud in the distance. Then again. He stiffened where he sat, a bundle of gear still slung across his shoulders. His eyes moved toward the tree line, though he did not yet turn his head. Another thud, but much closer. This time. One of the soldiers stirred and frowned, Did you hear them? The sound cut him off sharper, now, as though an invisible axe had struck just beyond the firelight. Several men stood at once, their hands moved to the hilts of their swords and the stalks of muskets. The leader muttered about wood cutters or tricks of the terrain, though there were no settlements for days in any direction. The boy spoke quietly. No wood, he said, no man.

13:22 A pause. Then some of the men laughed, but now their guffaws felt forced. One of the men seized a burning branch and stepped beyond the fire's edge, holding it out like an offering or a dare. If your spirit wants us, he called into the dark, let it face us. The night did not answer for a moment. Then, from the opposite side of the camp, whatever it was it was circling them, the horses began to let out distressed whinnies. One tore free of its tether and bolted into the chaparral, vanishing into brush that should not have been thick enough to hide it. The men spun around and circled closer together.

14:11 They pressed their bodies together as they lifted their weapons and shouted into the forest. The boy did not move from his place at the edge of the camp. The soldiers would not protect him. He stared into the place where the firelight failed. It is here, he said, with a certainty in his voice. Good, the leader replied, gripping his cross and stepping forward, voice hardening into command. Then we end this. He raised the cross high in the name of Christ. He began Latin, practiced, and loud we command. A thud interrupted him. Something twitched within the trees. At first it was only a deepening of shadow, something blocking the fire's reach.

15:03 Then the figure stepped forward, and. All doubt fell away. It had the shape of a man with arms and legs, but above the shoulders there was nothing, only a flat, severed plane where a head should have been, like the trunk of a tree cut clean through. Its chest hung open. Two shutters of flesh like doors, swung inward and struck each other with each step. That was the sound, not the strike of an axe, but a body trying endlessly to close itself. The men recoiled in a mix of terror and disgust, but only briefly. Training and pride pulled them back into motion. One rushed forward with his sword raised, shouting as if volume alone might make the strike true.

16:00 Another fired his musket too quickly, the shot cracking through the trees in a burst of flame and smoke that should have torn through any living thing. The musket ball passed through the open cavity in the creature's chest and lodged in a tree beyond the doors in the creature's chest stretched open wider. Firelight spilled inside, and for a moment the men saw something that had no place inside, a body that walked without a head, a heart beating inside the chest with a steady strength. The soldier who fired the musket screamed with sudden recognition of the headless adversary.

16:42 His cry twisted mid breath, and he staggered back, clutching at his own chest, as though something in him was answering the yowaldte Bostli. The others fell away from him in horror. The leader stepped forward again and forced anger into his voice. He lifted the cross high, as if volume and feigned certainty might replace his now wavering faith. He shouted words he had shouted before. Those words had always worked when he spoke loudly enough. The creature, however, did not turn its body away from him, and instead aligned itself with the sound of his voice. It stepped closer, the corporeal doors in its chest struck together in that same hollow rhythm, and the sound echoed through the camp and was felt inside everyone else's hearts. The boy watched and understood. They were all speaking at the thing. Some tried commanding it, some daring it, some denying it, and some treating it as an enemy to be driven off.

17:53 But it was not attacking them. It was not advancing in hunger or in anger. Instead, it was waiting. For many soldiers, the waiting became too much, and they fled into the forest. The boy slid the pack from his shoulders and let it fall heavily to the ground. No one noticed. Every eye was fixed on the creature as they tried to prove that it had no power over them. When the boy stepped forward, a hand grabbed him rough and panicked get back, someone shouted. The boy twisted free. You do not understand, he said, in a broken Spanish, driven by urgency. It is not cut, it is chaste, and it is taken. The leader turned on him, disbelief, sharpening his voice. Taken, how can this demon be taken? But the boy was already moving past them. The creature slowly shifted back towards the forest, inviting pursuit. The boy followed without hesitation, though his legs shook and his breath came hard behind him, the soldiers shouted and cursed. One lifted his musket again and fired. The boy heard the ball hid a tree behind him, but none.

19:19 Of the soldiers followed. The forest closed in around the boy. Slowly, the firelight and voices from the soldiers faded into the distance. Only the sound of the thuds remained, guiding him deeper into the dark. Now, though the sound did not frighten the boy as it did before, it gave him purpose as it led him deeper into the forest, away from his captors. He ran, even as every instinct begged him to stop. Fear filled his body, with a tightening in his chest and a burning in his lungs. He chose to not deny that fear, but to carry it with him. The ground leveled and the trees started thinning as he ran, until eventually the darkness felt wider and more open. Then the sound ceased, and the creature stood still waiting for him.

20:20 Up close. The opening in its chest was larger than it should have been, as though the body could not contain what it held inside. A heart beat slowly, with each pulse pressing against the flaps that failed to restrain it. The boy reached in with a trembling hand. He understood the risks of what he was about to do, but the stories told him he must do this. He grabbed the heart. It felt warm as his fingers closed around it. The moment he made contact, a gust of wind rushed towards him, and it felt like the world had cracked open. The heart continued to beat, and he could feel the rhythm traveled down his arm and threw his bones. His own heart slowed to match the pulse. Then the creature spoke without a mouth. The voice seemed to come out from the entire creature at once brave one, It said, almost gently, what do you wish?

21:28 He thought of the soldiers. And the way they laughed, of their certainty that noise, iron and symbols made them untouchable. He thought of his village, and of what would come if men like them reached the heart of the world. He knew, I want you to save my people, he said, all of them. There was a. Pause long enough to feel weighted and measured. You alone. Hold me, the voice replied, softly, not them, I am one of them. The boy replied. The heart beat harder in his hand, faster now, as if it recognized the choice being made. The voice did not speak again. It did not need to. The forest grew dark, and the sound of the axe returned. It wasn't coming from the body this time, but it surrounded them. The creature's body shuddered and then began to collapse inward, the folds of flesh drawing tight around the heart, as if the body itself had never been more than a vessel. When the boy released his grip, the heart was gone. The sound faded with it, retreating from the world and into places where it would wait to be heard again. The boy was alone. At dawn, He found the trail and followed it home. He warned his village about the incoming soldiers

23:01 and the threat they all faced. He asked them to petition the Scattlipoca to encourage the Yuarte Postli to make good on its promise. The soldiers who had fled that night found their camp untouched and the fire long cold. The few soldiers who had stood their ground huddled together, muttering prayers. The ground where the creature walked was unmarked, as though the night had passed without event. No sign remained of the thing they had seen, no proof of the fear that had driven them back. They told one another it had been a trick of shadows. Others said it was a test from God that was wan with their faith. Some claimed it was a demon who took the boy as a sacrifice. The soldiers continued on their march deeper into land, but they would not make it far.

23:56 In the days that followed. They quarreled paths, somehow doubled back on themselves. Supplies spoiled faster than they should have. A horse broke its leg on level ground. Men woke in the night, clutching their chests, gasping for breath, convinced they heard something in the night. Then the sickness came. It moved unevenly through them, sparing some without reason and striking others down without warning. When they tried to retreat, it was as if the mountains pressed close, and familiar routes failed to appear. They soon began to speak of curses and trials, misunderstood too late.

24:39 They never reached the villages beyond the foothills. The boy's home stood untouched. No fires would burn the homes, no iron would strike the innocent. Seasons turned as they always had, even as villages and cities surrounding had been conquered and burned. His people rem As time passed, they shared the story of the boy with true courage, who protected them, who made a deal with a Yowati Postli. Welcome back, well friends.

25:26 First off, to listen to early and ad free episodes, you can visit sustoplus dot com or by going to my website and clicking the bonus content button at the navigation bar on top. Just if you feel like doing that and skipping the ads, we're gonna go ahead and get to these sources that we have here. The first one is from a website called a Book of Creatures dot com, and as always, the direct links are included in the Susto Google docs on that bonus content on Patreon as well. So this creature, this entity, there's two spellings for it there, well, actually there there's several, but the two main ones that I saw for the joalte Postli and yes, I did have to practice saying the scatlipoca and ualti postli and and all those words. I had to practice saying those, saying them so close to each other because my tongue is not used to moving that way. Speaking of colonizers.

26:21 Ah. But again, this first one a book of creatures, and the variations here are yoalte pustli with a U instead of an o, Yu alte postli, which is the spelling we went for with this, the ana, the night acts, the night hatchet. I think those are yeah, those variations, but ulti postli and the spelling with either an o or you are the more common ones. But essentially this is a creature, as it's described from Mexico that it is a headless humanoid being. It's it's shaped like a person no head, and its chest cavity is flayed open so that you can see its heart in the center. And the entry here this says ud thud thud. The yualte Postli reveals its presence in the mountains of Mexico with a loud, imminent sound, much like that of an axe being driven into wood, which is why they call it the night hatchet or the night axe. This is what earns it its name from yoali meaning night, and the bostly meaning axe or hatchet. It is a spirit or phantasm associated with the Scattlipoca, and it exists to torment nocturnal travelers. And I'm gonna give a bit more about that connection to the Scottlipoka in a bit, But essentially so this says it's a fantasm. I think it does kind of have like a legend says it has like a physical being. So it's not just a ghost or a spirit. It's a creature a monster. It's more in that realm versus like disembodied thing. Right, this continues, The dull blows continue, and the traveler breaks out into a cold sweat. Fleeing seems like a good idea, but paradoxically they would be best advised to follow the noise

27:54 to the yoat de Postli itself. It manifests as a humanoid creature, resembling a headless man instead of ahead they Bustli has a stump like that of a felled tree. The chest cavity is open and hollow, and the heart is visible inside and framed on both sides by what looks like a small hinged doors. The doors flap loosely as the yote bustly moves, and their impact against each other causes the dull thuds. So I don't know if this is so. Again, this is shaped like a person, right some depictions some drawings show it as like fleshy, and some drawings show it as like wooden. Right, And that's why it makes that thudding sound so like is this kind of like a like a like a scary Pinocchio, almost like you know, really bucked up Pinocchio. I don't know.

28:39 With its chest cavity opening closing, that's kind of what I thought of, right, But either way, this says priests, warriors and other fearless people should immediately grab the AA de Bostly's heart and hold it tight, threatening to tear it out. This creature, this entity, its lore is so interesting to me, like the story surrounding it. What you're supposed to do with or you're not supposed to do? How to like deal with it? Whatever? Anyway, it says that you should immediately grab its heart, reach into its cavity, threatening to tear it out. The creature can be asked for fame, glory, riches, strength, and other gifts. It will offer an agave thorn in return for its freedom, but it should not be released until three or four thorns have been gifted. In turn, those agaba thorns guarantee the capture of as many prisoners of war and therefore of as much fame, glory, riches, and strength.

29:29 I will say I felt very inspired. I thought of like a tattoo idea that I really want based off of this story. And I want a tattoo of like a hand grasping a heart, and I don't know, maybe there's like three agave thorns, like you know, kind of like a light burst, but it's agave thorns around it, like holding the heart. Because to me, this, if I'm thinking like. Literarily analogy, metaphor what have you, to me, this is a story about like facing your fears and like grabbing hold of them and then Britney Spears choosing your own destiny. If you know what I'm. Referencing there, please comment or something. Let me know Britney Spears choosing my own destiny. Yeah, just like what's that saying?

30:09 Like you know, grabbing life, grabbing the bull by the horns, essentially grabbing life by whatever body part people say, but like taking charge and like facing your fears and creating your own destiny, your own story, taking charge of it. Because when you do take charge of it, a lot of time people say, you know, like when you face those fears, when you take charge of your life, life seems to like grant you the things that you want. Right, So that's to me, that's what this is a metaphor for. So, I don't know. When we were putting the story together, I was like, I think that'd be a really cool tattoo idea a heart had grasping a heart like squeezing at hardcore, and then it's maybe some agave thorns around it. Anyway, this wraps up holding onto a Yowa depostly's heart is a harrowing experience. Less brave people may immediately pull out the heart without bargaining and run home. If this happens, the heart should be wrapped up in cloth, left overnight.

31:01 By morning, If the heart has transformed into agave thorns, burned down it's like feathers or cotton, then it is a good omen. If coal or rags are left instead, then bad luck is sure to follow. But for those cowards who fear the Yuati Posti and dare not approach, there are no rewards. They will flee and tear it at the sound of the night hatchet, and misfortune will befall them. So this takes that metaphor even further right, and it says you need to face your fears because if you don't, then there's misfortune that awaits you for not facing them. Right. But I like how it goes even further and it says, you know, it's not as simple as like, oh, well, yeah, no, I'm just gonna grab the heart because that's what you're supposed to do, right. It says it's a harrowing experience.

31:43 So maybe this creature can make you feel fear. It is fear itself, and so it is reaching. It's not as simple as reaching for it. That act itself is scary. It's hard to do, but that's why there was such reward for it, right, I don't know. That seemed really interesting to me. I was like, Wow, that's really cool. I like this idea, this story. I'm very into. That's also kind of part of why I have my plan chat tattoo, which trying to show it here on camera. I posted pictures of it because I've seen theories about like how people essentially like people will move it to get the answers that they want. So to me, that's the idea of like providing yourself the answer is like searching for knowledge, for truth whatever. Although I do believe that the spearboard can be used for divination, like, there's also that side of it. I'm hello, studious, you know what I mean. Anyway, we're gonna take a quick break before the next source. If you'd like to listen to ad free episodes, you can do so by visiting soustoplus dot com. Welcome back, cool friends. So this next one is from a journal. This is the Journal of American Folklore, volume eight, and the entry in the journal is a Note on Ancient Mexican Folklore. And this is like an archive.

33:04 It's an academic source. It's from archive dot org. I think it's a j store source. But anyway, if you look that up, a Note on Ancient Mexican Folklore by Nutali Zelia. And this is page okay, so it's page one, twenty one. Sorry that took me a while to find it, but I want to read an entry from this. It says, thus, while the apparition of a phantasm betokened death and misfortune, to the timid. It offered the brave an opportunity for procuring supernatural favors. The strangest of all the fantasms described is perhaps the joade Bustli literally quote, the night hatchet or axe manifested itself by causing loud, intermittent sounds resembling those produced by the blows of an axe and splitting wood.

33:47 These ominous sounds were audible at dead of night in the mountains and inspired terror, for they were said to be illusions produced by the Scottliboka in order to frighten and mock those who were out in the dark. When a brave man heard them, instead of taking to flight, he followed the sound of the blows, and as soon as he perceived a semblance to a human figure, he quickly ran towards it and seized it firmly. But it was not easy to do so, for the phantom ran to and fro for a long time. So in this entry they say that you have to chase it. I've heard other versions where it will chase you until you decide, actually, I'm going to face this thing and go for the heart. And in this version it's saying you see it out there.

34:29 It's kind of it's scary, but you got to chase it yourself, right. It says, at last, it pretended to be worn out and stood still waiting for its pursuer, who perceived that the specter bore the semblance of a man without a head. Its neck was like a trunk of a tree that had been cut, and its chest was wide open and had at each side what was like a small swinging door that opened and shut as the phantom ran. When these doors closed and met, they produced the strange sounds like hollow blows. Now, if the man in pursuit was a brave warrior or priest, he looked into the opening, and, perceiving the heart of the phantom, introduced his hand and seized it as though he would tear it out. This mentions, first of all, it's saying, it's all men, ladies, go rip hearts out. Do not let these historical writings stop you. I think anybody can do this. That being said, it also says that if it's a warrior or a priest, it's always a warrior or a priest pursuing them.

35:24 And I guess you can use that slowly. You can, you know, identify as a warrior, someone who's had to fight, you know. But I think in a lot of these writings they're referencing literal warriors or priests. But again, who's writing these probably the scout book. I was writing the rules, right, but rules are meant to be broken. I think you don't have to be a priest or a warrior if you ever encounter the juati postli go for it anyway. This says that the warrior the priest would grab the heart threat to tear it out. With this in his grasp, he demanded strength and bravery or riches, for it was in the power of the Scottlipoca to grant anything that was asked for, although he did not dispense his favors equally. The phantom responded to the demand by saying, brave and courteous friend, release me what dost thou wish, what dost thou desire me to give thee? The man replied, I shall not release thee, for I have captured thee, whereupon the phantom offered him one agave thorn, saying.

36:19 Here is a thorn. Release me. That's I don't know why that's so fun and funny to me. It's a crystal, nothing more. But he who grasped the phantom, if sufficiently brave, did not content himself with one, but only relinquished his hold when he had obtained three or four of these gifts. These ensured his capturing as many prisoners in war, and since military honors depended upon the taking of prisoners, the man thus secured for himself and gained from the phantom future honors, riches, and the insignia of brave warriors. What would you ask for? I mean, definitely I would ask for like, Okay, if I had let's say I got the maximum for thorns, I would ask for Okay, there's different ways you can go for this, right, Okay, if I was being let's say, the world was not a complete shit show, and who knows how much power the has and this Gottlibuka can has as well, right, even though this Gottlipbuka is the god of gods. But if they had like unlimited power, obviously I'd be like, we are ending, like true pageant answers, we're ending world hunger world peace, And I feel like those would be the two right, world hunger and world peace, and world hunger grants world peace and then I would want like endless amounts of money to do whatever I wanted, to help whoever I wanted, and to be happy with all of that. Right, that's for right. I think that's fair.

37:39 I think that covers everything. Right. I wonder it like genies, right, Like if there's rules, you can't wish for more wishes and you can't you know, like what are the limitations around these magic agave thorns? Anyways, this continues badd Sahagun also relates that some less courageous men simply tore the heart out of the specter without speaking to it, and then fled at full speed, hiding and keeping the heart with great care and wrapping and tying it up in cloths. On the following morning, they unfolded these and examined the contents. If they found auspicious signs such as one or two thorns, or birds down or cotton, so again feathers or cotton, they knew that it meant good fortune and prosperity. If they found charcoal or a piece of dirty rag, it meant misery and bad luck. And this is one of the sources that was in the first source that we read.

38:29 They cited this This continues when the fantasm of the night hatchet was heard by a coward who did not attempt to chase or follow it. He was filled with terror at the evils that were about to befall him on account of the terrible omen. So this like many of the things that we encounter on the show the litusas screeching, Leora's crying, curing al silbone whistle, these are all bad omens right of either of misfortune or even death. And so this is similar, except with this one. This has a very clear solution to like undoing the bad misfortune is It's not even like if you hear this thing, you're screwed. It's like, if you hear it, go get it and undo your bad luck. And as a matter of fact, full point eighty, get good luck, get some magical gaba thor and some wishes.

39:16 Right. This goes on to talk more about the scott Lepoka and kind of other things about that. But I just thought it was so interesting to see this covered in this in this journal, in this entry a Note on Ancient Mexican Folklore, and again Journal of American Folklore. I will be looking for a printed copy of this if not, just reading the rest of this because it's available online, so check that out. Okay, we're going to take one more quick break before the next dourse. Okay, so this next one, this might be really short just because. So this is an other thing from the Internet archive. And this is titled Estoria Hener de las Cosas de Nueva Espanados voluminous escuerio and this is by there's several names listed here, but this looks like this is a book, an old book, and on page five there is mention of what this is. The cover of the book doesn't even have a title. I'm like, what is I'm like live googling. I hate when I have to do this. Yeah, I think the book is just called Oh, it's the Florentine Codex General History of the Things of New Spain.

40:33 And this is. Apparently in there. This is a short excerpt and I wanted to read this real quick. So apparently this this has a typo or like a very uncommon version of the the name of the and this says when someone at night heard blows like someone chopping wood, and this is translated from Spanish to English. They took it as a bad omen. This they called and here they call it the dual de pustli, so it's t a but usually the other spellings are yo h u a al tepli, and this is dual tsli, so it's like close enough, but the descriptions match, right, So not sure like how this type of happened, And this is actually how it is written in the book. I can see in the image here as well. This says which means night x.

41:19 Mostly this sound was heard at the first sleep of the night, when everyone is fast asleep and no other noise is heard. So then this continues to tell essentially the same thing. I wish my Spanish was better so that I could like sit down and translate all of this for you, like in a way that made more sense, But my Spanish is not that great, and neither is Google translates, right. But this also talks. About the connection to the Scottlipoca, which is why I wanted to have this source, because I thought that would be like a good kind of segue into who the scottl Liipoca is and why we keep mentioning them. Right, So this is from Mexico Descosido dot com dot MX and this is an entry about the Scatlipoca, the capricious god of Meshka mythology. This says omnipresent, powerful, virile, and fickal.

42:07 The Skottlipuka, or the smoking mirror, was the most important deity of the Meshka in the post Classic period. This says experts placed the meso American post Classic period between nine hundred and fifteen twenty one, the year the Aztec Empire fell to the Spanish. During this time, the Aztecs and Toltecs flourished in Central Mexico, developing a complex pantheon of over one hundred deities that gave meaning to their world, and among them all, the Skottlipuka was the most important. This continues, and there's a list of names here that I'm going to try very hard to get through. So if you see me struggling, no you didn't, and give me my props for trying it and getting through it. Because I've said all these names, I'm looking at them. I've said all these names individually before, but never in a list together.

42:48 So here we go. This says, if we understand the Meshka pantheon as the set of its divinities, according to the research, right Offiodena, author of the book the Meshica Religion. There were up to one hundred fourteen gods in the religion of the civilization, among which fifteen main deities stood out, such as ohmiteot gets kowat Cla, looq Wi, miklant Kutli, and of course the Skatlipoca. Let me see if I can say that without editing between them. Here this can be a full run again such as ohmedeot gets Al, kowat Cla, look Witsili, miklan de Kutli, and of course the Gatlipoca. I did it, I did it. This continues the Scutlipoca, the god god who was located at the top of the hierarchy. Likewise, let me just say this here. I am not a historian.

43:41 I try to educate myself. I am sharing with you information I've said this before. I'm sharing with you information that I am finding online. So the accuracy about this, I am taking this out its phase value. This looks like a reputable enough source. So if any of this is inaccurate, please feel free to share with me or correct me and say, hey, actually, oh, you can find different, more accurate information over here. If you look this way. Don't be mean to me, please trying This says likewise. According to Prehispanic mythology, the Scottlipboka could not be understood without getz A Kuwat the feathered serpent, as they formed a duality and were simultaneously antagonistic. The former symbolized to the night, sky and war, among many other things, while the latter was seen as the god of light, fertility, and wisdom. So that would be Getzukuwata would be the god of light, fertilitian wisdom the feathered serpent. For this reason, Getsu kuat is also known as white Deskatliboka, and the Skottliboka's color is black. So there's that balance, that yin and that yang. Right. This talks about the smoking mirror, right, It says the Scottlipboka comes from the Nahwat word meaning the smoking mirror, referring to the various depictions of him wearing obsidian mirrors on different parts of his body, such as his chest, headdress, or feet. It's important to remember that the Meshika believed these mirrors possessed divinatory powers. As we believe here, mirrors are portals, right, and only this deity could bestow them upon the Tlatoanis or the rulers. Furthermore, we can understand his significance by knowing that he was considered omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. He was also the lord

45:15 of all things, of the invisible providence darkness, and the creator of heaven and earth. Curiously, however, despite his vast power, he was always depicted as young, associated with the jaguar. I really like the scottli BOOKA the more I read about them, and this says. It is striking that such a powerful god was portrayed as capricious and fickle, for just as he bestowed blessings, he also took them away at will, causing illness and problems of all kinds. For this reason, the Meshica both feared and revered him, as they considered themselves at the mercy of his ever changing will. Finally, the complexity of this deity is evident in the large number of names he had. According to Doris Hayden, a prominent scholar of ancient Mexico colonial chronicles, contain up to three hundred and sixty different ways of addressing the Scottlipoca.

46:01 He of many names, and the reason that I wanted to share about the Scottlibuka is because I don't think it's come up yet in these sources. It may come up in the next source. But basically, the yoata postly it gets its power, it's power to grant wishes through the Scottlibuka. It is a manifestation of sorts of the Scottlipoca. It is a creation of the Scottlipoca. And so for whatever reason, the Scottlipoca created this thing manifests as a yalta postli, and that's why Aposti has power, right. Its power is granted through descoutlibuka. And like it mentioned here, he's fickle. He can either grant you your wishes or he can cause you misfortune. And so I guess this is a test of whether or not you are worthy of receiving the Scottlipuca's blessings by way of the Yoata Postli, which I think is really cool. Okay, we're going to move on to the next source after this break. Welcome back, col friends. So this next source is from a I'm not sure if I'm saying this right showgth dot net shaw gooth.

47:19 S h O g g O t h. Dot net shag Goth maybe like it's a kind of Goth. I don't know. But they have an entry on you Altisi. This is published in twenty twenty one. That's really cool by a Glenn Owen Barras. So they write they're writing, you hear more about you know a few of the things that we've covered. But I like the way they presented the information on this. They do have a quote here from that one entry that we read from a note on Ancient American Folklore. I really like the. Picture that it has here, this drawing here, It says this is the drawing by by Sapta Rahita Aita. I may be pronouncing that correct, but this is just recounting the legend again. It says you Altip Bostly is an ancient entity from Mexican folklore known to haunt mountainous regions, mountainous regions, and desolate places. Its presence is announced by the singular sound it makes, that of an axe chopping into wood. It is from this sound its name is earned Yoa can be translated to night, and the bustly may be translated to axe or hatchet. It is known to torment and terrify unwary travelers, mostly at night. So this is another way that it is encountered. Is some say that they just hear it in the dead or knight.

48:27 This is saying, you know, people traveling through the night, that it'll come at them. Basically, it's really just by chance. There's no one way to summon, you know, like they say with letusas if you go out and whistle, you can summon one with Laura, if you go out by a body of water, you can summon her. With the Yatipustli, they just seem to exist in this setting, and so running into them is just a chance you take if you're out there at night. Here again, it reiterates that link to the Scottlipoca and it says to scattl Liipoka is the god of the constellation of the Great Bear, a black magic wizard and the source of the human SoC rifce practices in Central Mexico. It says this link is perhaps due to the Altipustly's unique appearance and the Aztecs practice of removing the human heart during their sacrificial rights.

49:11 That could make sense. There's a lot of connection there, it says. Some folk tell state that rather than fleeing the yu Altipustli the bravest men or women. Thank you for saying women. This is the first source that said women, and I agree, a soul brave enough to clutch the Uatipustly's beating heart is supposedly given control of it, and thus they may request boons in return for its freedom. I also think that's funny. This like really powerful thing that can grant you wishes is also like, please let go out my heart, thank you. This continues. Magical agaba thorns are said to be offered in exchange for releasing it. These gifting the owners special powers and untold riches. The removal of the heart without making a bargain is said to render the Uautipustly inert, at least temporarily, which I thought also was interesting. I think I already spoke about it in one of the previous sources. How you have the op to run off with its heart, and that's you your you're kind of gambling right whether or not you're going to get blessings or misfortune. So I think I don't know, I just I'm really into that detail, Like you get to again Britney spears, I choose my own destiny.

50:14 If you all get that. Please let me know this continues in reality, the Altipustly is an ancient creation of the Elder Things. I'm assuming they mean it's it's a creation of the Scalipoka. Right, we just made that connection to it. It is a leftover experiment in creating a show goth like automation. Okay, now I need to know what a show goth is or a Shagoth. So on wiki. The quick wiki result that came up says a show Goth or a Shagoth is a fictional character in the Chithulhu Mythos. The beings were mentioned in passing an HP Lovecraft's sonnet cycle Fung Guy from You Goth, and later mentioned in other works before being described in detail in his novella At the Mountains of Madness. They are fictional, amorphous cosmic entities, I could say, I can definitely see the argument for a connection to that.

51:00 Right there. With that being said, we're going to move on to our final source here, and this one is from a Facebook post. It's really quick, but the art here is so cool. It's depicting the Jua tip postly as more human than tree but it is like it's all white, super white pil skin with red vertical stripes going along its body, and it's naked so you can see genitals in this photo. But it's showing a warrior reaching into its chest. I think this depiction is really cool, and it has thorns in one of its hands, like I guess, ready to hand them over. This is from an artist called Guarason Meshika, and I will be posting their depiction of the Yua tip postly. This is what gave me the idea of that tattoos because in the Facebook posts that they have here one it's like several it's the painting and then there's like close ups on details of it, and one of them is showing a close up of the hand in the heart and I.

51:57 Was like, oh, that'd be such a cool tattoo. Yeah, it's a miquaras on Meshika. They have an etsy It's Miquadas on meshika dot Etsy dot com. I will tag them when I post the photos as I can, and I'll put links in the description of the episode as well, because this painting is so so cool. So this entry and this is it's also written. This is from Mikuadas on Meshica's page on Facebook and they wrote here in October of twenty twenty two, you're at to Bustly. The night hatchet is a manifestation of the Scotlibuka, the lord of the whims of fate. He appears as a headless man whose chest is open in a gaping wound, revealing his beating heart. The gash in his chest opens and snaps shut, causing a loud, booming sound, like a woodman chopping a tree. With this sound, he announces his presence.

52:42 When a young warrior who was stout of heart heard this sound reverberating across the forest at night, he would race after it. You out de bustly, would flee, leading the young man, running across ravines, forests, and cliffs until exhausted, You out that bustly would turn to face him. If the young man was brave enough, you would reach into his chest and grab his heart. You out that bustly would cry out to him, release my heart and struggle violently against him. He would offer him a thorn, and then another and another, for as long as the youth was able to struggle against him with his hand on his heart. When at last he was thrown off, he would go home the thorns in his hand and place them on his altar. For each thorn given to him by you out the Bustli, he would capture one enemy in battle, thus securing his destiny as a great warrior who would grow powerful and wealthy. To the Chiappa Neklos.

53:32 In southern Mexico, you out that Bustly is known as the Wenamigo, the good friend. He is a protector of the beasts of the forest, in particular of the deer who sleep in his house, his house being the forest right. This continues when the pounding of his chest is heard. It signifies that the Weenamigo you out the Bustly is present and will protect the animals from the hunters, and that perhaps no hunting should take place on those days. His nahwhile or spirit animal, is a white deer which must not be hunted, or it is Uati Bustli himself. Youati Busti is often treated like a Native American monster story, a frightening ghost who inhabits the mountains, but he is in fact a nature spirit, a mighty god who protects the mountains from the excessive depredations of men, and who brings woe upon those who hunt in a manner which exceeds the honorable harvest, which I think really ties up the whole point or the whole vibe of our story, right, is that this boy, he recognized the Yata Bustli. He knew the stories, and he knew that he wasn't just some monster that the colonizers were reacting in horror to because he knew the truth. He knew that there was opportunity to face something that could be fearful, and an opportunity in a chance to protect his people. Right now, this is a fictional story. We know how colonization went. Hello, maybe in an alternate world, in an alternate universe, right, the Altip Bustli was able to fend off every battalion.

54:59 Of Gonki sta it is. But yeah, wow, this painting, it's so cool. I need a print of this or something. Maybe I can buy one to put up in our house. And you can definitely see a picture of this on the social media post for this episode, And those are all the sources for today. Welcome back, wel friends, Thank you so much for joining me for today's episode. I also forgot earlier in the introduction to remind you all that book Club Discussion, April's book discussion is happening this Saturday, on May second, at twelve pm Central. I posted about that on social media, so please make sure that you are as VP using the link in my link tree or in the episode description below. As always, you can sign up for early and ad free episodes and other bonus content by clicking the bonus content button on my website that's www dot sustalpodcast dot com, or by visiting sustal plus dot com. No, w's just sustal plus dot com. I'm trying to figure out how to redirect all the things right, It's this is only the second domain I've ever tried to set up, so for now, Susto plus dot com for all the extra stuff, and a big, big thank you to this episode's Patreon subscribers. My patron saints and you are Liza Rachel, Alejandra Luthor, April d Josette, Mandy Lori, Genie, Desiree, c Ashes,

56:30 Nedessa rachel A, Asusena, Marlen Chata, Laney, Desiree A Ricaddo, Vanessa, Mariza Vallotle, Void manermal Iris, Floyd, Selena Nightingville, Clint Rachel w Armani Bianca, and Johano. Thank you all so so much. I really truly do appreciate your support. It's helped me do things like find and pay for a studio that I can work out of, that I can make episodes out of, and make who knows what else. I'm so very excited to. Keep doing that. As always, you can support sustal by following along online at SUSO podcast on every social media platform, by engaging with the show wherever you are listening, leaving positive ratings and reviews, comments, sending in your letters, just listening to the show anyway. I'm so excited to start working out of there and showing you what we are able to create there. I will talk to you all in the next one and until then not Das Soustas Bye.