A Grammar of the Yucatecan Mayan Language
by David & Alejandra Bolles

Songs

The following songs are just a brief sample of a number of ditties which are common amongst the Maya. Two of these in particular, the first one about the armadillo and the fourth one about the bedbug and the flea, are quite common. However, despite their being very common these two songs appear in many different versions. In all of the armadillo songs which we have heard the theme is at least the same: different parts of the body of the armadillo are some object which belong to a gentleman or lady. On the other hand, there are various couples getting married in the song of the bedbug and the flea. The constant theme in that song is that the couple getting married is very poor and the various things needed for them to get married are provided by the various animals and plants who are the donors of these objects. Just as the words vary considerably in these songs, so do the melodies. We have no explanation for the variations either in the words or melodies. For another version of the armadillo song see chapter 7 in Allan Burn's "An Epoch of Miracles".

Beyond these types of songs there are the following types also to be found in Mayan: religious (mainly created by the various protestant religions which are hard at work trying to convert the Maya to their religions. The melodies are mostly based on standard protestant, i.e. English beer hall, melodies.), words set to dance tunes of jarana rhythms, and carnival songs, in particular Coneex, coneex palaleex (Let's go, let's go boys).

The following songs were originally typeset using the colonial orthography, and we have left them that way here to give the reader some practice looking at that orthography. See Chapter 1, Section 4 for explanation of the colonial orthographic symbols.

LITTLE ARMADILLO sung by Ladislao Cen Chan, Ticul	CHAN UECH kaytabi tumen Ladislao Cen Chan, Ticul
I am going to tell you a little story. This story is a little story about a little armadillo. This armadillo is made fun of very much by those people. Then a little girl came, then she said, "Don't you make fun of this armadillo because it is very delicious to eat. The only thing is we are going to make a little song about it."	Nin caah in tzicbalteex humppel chan tzicbal. Le tzicbala humppel chan tzicbali huntul chan uech. Le uecha hach cu ppaztaal tumen le macobo. Ca tali huntul chan x-cħupal, ca tu yalahe, "Ma a ppaztceex le uecha tumen ci u hantaal. Chen baale chan kay bin'c betice."
1)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the tail of that little armadillo, The walking stick of the gentleman, the walking stick of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze. (the noise of the armadillo)	1)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u ne chan uecho, U xolte dzul, u xolte dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
2)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the carapace of that little armadillo, The frying pan of the gentleman, the frying pan of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	2)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u bobox chan uecho, U sarten dzul, u sarten dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
3)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the shell of that little armadillo, The harp of the gentleman, the harp of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	3)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u tzol chan uecho, U arpa dzul, u arpa dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
4)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the foot of that little armadillo, The fork of the gentleman, the fork of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	4)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u yoc chan uecho, U trinchante dzul, u trinchante dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
5)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the head of that little armadillo, The meal of avocado of the gentleman, the meal of avocado of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	5)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u pol chan uecho, U yoch om dzul, u yoch om dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
6)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the eyes of that little armadillo, The meal of beans of the gentleman, the meal of beans of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	6)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u yich chan uecho, U yoch buul dzul, u yoch buul dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
7)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the ears of that little armadillo, The spoon of the gentleman, the spoon of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	7)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u xicin chan uecho, U cuchara dzul, u cuchara dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
8)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the tripe of that little armadillo, The necklace of the gentleman, the necklace of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	8)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u ne chan uecho, U cadena dzul, u cadena dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
9)  Don't grab from me, don't grab from me the shit hole of that little armadillo, The ring of the gentleman, the ring of the gentleman, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.	9)  Ma machic ten, ma machic ten u hol u ta chan uecho, U sortija dzul, u sortija dzul, Con tze, con tze, con tzecatetze con tze.
BEDBUG AND FLEA sung by Martina Yu Chan, Ticul	CHINCHA YETEL CĦIC kaytabi tumen Martina Yu Chan, Ticul
1)  They wanted to finish their road (get married), bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their money. Then answered therefore, a little fish, "Sunk at the edge of the water, I give you your money."	1)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u takin, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul chichan cay, "Thulic tu chi ha, ten dzic u takin."
2)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there aren't their shoes. Then answered therefore, an old cow, "When the finishing of the road happens, I give you your shoes."	2)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u xanbi, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul x-nuc uacax, "Uchuc u dzocol bel, ten dzic u xanbi."
3)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there aren't their rings. Then answered therefore, a little chicken, "Squatting in my little nest, I give you your rings."	3)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u dzipit kab, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul chichan x-cax, "Thuchlic tu kab che, ten dzic u dzipit kab."
4)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their shawl. Then answered therefore, a boa constrictor, "Wrapped around the branch of a tree, I give you your shawl."	4)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u bocħil, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul pay och can, "Codzlic tu kab chi, ten dzic u bocħil."
5)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there aren't their cloths. Then answered therefore, an old ivy, "Stretched out along the wall, I give you your cloths."	5)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u noki, Ca tu nucah tun, humppel x-nuc xlail, "Haylic tu hal cot, ten dzic u noki."
6)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their rosary. Then answered therefore, a leaping poisonous snake, "When the finishing of the road happens, I give you your rosary."	6)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u rosario, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul uolpocħ can, "Uchuc u dzocol bel, ten dzic u rosario."
7)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their chocolate. Then answered therefore, a little chachalaca, "Squatting on my tree branch, I give you your chocolate."	7)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u cacui, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul chichan bach, "Thuchlic tu kab che, ten dzic u cacui."
8)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their honey. Then answered therefore, an old woman bumble bee, "When the finishing of the road happens, I give it to you in the center of the tree."	8)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u cabi, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul x-nuc bolon, "Uchuc u dzocol bel, ten dzic u cacui."
9)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their godfather. Then answered therefore, a little mouse, "When the finishing of the road happens, I will be your godfather."	9)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u padrino, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul chichan cħo, "Thuchlic tin chan hol, tene u padrino."
10)  They wanted to finish their road, bedbug and flea, But what gives, there isn't their priest. Then answered therefore, a red headed vulture, "When the finishing of the road happens, I will be your priest."	10)  U kat dzocl u bel, chincha yetel cħic, Pero baax u dzic, minaan u yum kini, Ca tu nucah tun, huntul chac pol cħom, "Thuchlic tu kab che, tene u yum kini."
OLD WOMAN POSSUM	X-NUC OCH
Listen carefully old woman possum, If you don't behave yourself, Don't become good, I burn your home!	Ci uye x-nuc och, Ua ma ta hedztal, Ma ta tibiltal, Ten toc a uotoch!
FIERY TURTLEDOVE	MUCUY KAK
Fiery Turtledove, where are you, Where are you Fiery Turtledove, As evening came I saw, With you my life.	Mucuy Kak, tuux yanech, Tuux yanech, Mucuy Kak, Akabtal tin uilah yetel tech in cuxtal.
LET'S EAT	COOX HANAL
Bring your jicara, bring your dish gourd, So that I give you to fill your ass.	Taz a luch, taz a lec, 'Tial in dzic u but a uit.
HALF BAKED ARMADILLO sung by Ignacia Ku de Cen, Ticul	KAZ TAKAN UECH kaytabi tumen by Ignacia Ku de Cen, Ticul
When then you little beautiful woman, When then you are very beautiful, When then your beauty passes, Your face is like a half cooked armadillo.	Le tun tech chan x-cichpam x-cħup, Le tun tech hach x-cichpamecho, Le tun man a x-cichpamil, Bey a uich kaz takan uech.
LADY BEE sung by Martina Yu Chan, Ticul	COLEL CAB kaytabi tumen Martina Yu Chan, Ticul
I am just going along a path, When then a bee stings me. "Get yourself out of here lady bee. Don't go and sting my belly button."	Chen tan in bin ti humppel be, Len ca u chien yikel cab, "Tzelaba tela Colel Cab. Ma a man a chi u hol in tuch."

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