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Legend of the Volcanoes I: Earliest Sources
You have probably seen the images.
In one, an Aztec warrior stands grieving, the lifeless body of his beloved princess carried in his arms.
In the other, two volcanoes rise above the Valley of Mexico—once known as Anahuac, now mostly Mexico City. One of them seems to strain at the sky, belching smoke and fire. The other consists of various lower peaks covered in snow, that together give the illusion of a woman lying on her back.
The active volcano is Popocatepetl. The dormant one, Iztaccihuatl.
The warrior is Popoca. His departed betrothed is Iztac.
The legend most Mexicans and Mexican Americans grew up hearing describes how the Indigenous humans became those very mountains. It has been retold many times in multiple genres. The images can be found in paintings, t-shirts, the hoods of low-riders. Millions of people know the tragic yet miraculous ending of that tale.
On June 11, 2024, the legend gets a sequel. Hearts of Fire and Snow—which I co-wrote with Guadalupe García McCall—will be published by Bloomsbury. This romantic fantasy not only reframes the legend within the context of Toltec history, but also seeks to bring closure and joy to the ill-starred couple.
