This is one of the folktales that I remember from my Grandmother… She is Peruvian and of Inca descent. To clarify her side of the family speaks fluent “quechua” the native language of Peru. It is an oral language that uses folktales to convey the values as well as history of Andean Culture.  This particular tale is not an old one, in fact my grandmother informed me that it’s origins derived from the extinction of a particular species of lizard  about a two hundred years ago that was prevalent in the mountains. It was during that time that American mining companies started to destroy the habitat to get at rich mineral deposits. The people in these habitats that were used to seeing these animals who were used for rituals and for medicine, witnessed their demise and derived a story to maybe explain or justify their quick collapse.

The Lizard is always colorful, it is always fast, it is always happy. He knows that under the sun no other has as many colors, he knows no others that can run and hide faster, he knows that he is happy because he can see others look at him with envy.  He would tell the turtle, he would tell the mouse, he would even the tell the hawk if he had a chance. “In my beautiful colors I can hide myself and blend in , with my fast quick legs I can run and hide from the heavens itself”.  All the animals grew tired of his talk, all the animals grew angry with his walk. Finally all the animals said to him. “If you are so happy with yourself that you remind us every day than go and be with yourself see if you can get the attention we won’t give you” and with that all the other animals ignored the lizard.

The lizard did not care, he continued to tell everyone his gifts, continued to show his bright colors. After a while the lizard began to notice that nobody got mad , nobody scolded or chased him. As time passed the lizard was sad, how can he be happy, how can he be bright, how can he be fast if nobody cared for his plight. Then one day as he lay under the sun and sky, showing his colors in the bright he noticed a sparkle in the rock that caught his attention. He went and saw the bright and shinny rock, it said nothing but it sparkled bright, it did not talk but only dazzled. The lizard finally said ” you are like me bright and colorful  but you say nothing and don’t move, are you not afraid of the hawk or fox?” The rock said nothing, it just shone and dazzled in the sun.

The lizard lonely and bored began to talk to the rock, after a while he found it pleasant for the rock did not get mad or chased him away but just sat there bright and gay.  Everyday the lizard went to talk to the rock and everyday they both sat under the sun, but the lizards every now and then had to run and hide away. The lizard began to grow envious of the rock as it shone brightly but was not afraid, it never had to run and hide away. He said to himself ” The rock does not hide, he is not afraid of the hawk during the day nor the fox at night”  Believing in his strength the next day, the lizard went to meet the rock and stay all day, with no fear and no running during his stay. Eventually the hawk came and looked for prey, the lizard saw this and with his many colors blended away in the mountains and rocks so the hawk could not see, the most slippery lizard in between the rocks. The Lizard now fell invisible and tall, for he had tricked the Hawk and even the fox. He bowed to the rock never to be afraid, that he would stay with him throughout night and day. They would together shine in the bright sun, sparkling their colors at the envy of all.

Then one day the other men came, the ones who hunt for rock and not prey. They did not care for potatoes or meat, all they cared was the bright gleam. They began to carve out the mountains looking for shiny rocks, all the animals began to go away all except the lizard who vowed to stay. They said to him ” Don’t be a fool, run and hide so you can shine brightly in the sun while on the run”. The Lizard responded ” I do not care for your fears, I vowed to stay by my rock for she did not turn on me and my colors” . So the animals left and yelled at him ” you fool, she does not love you, it is a rock who does not console you” The lizard stayed as the rocks were turned and broken, he hid and tried to scare the men with his hissing and bright colors. But all the men saw was a colorful little creature, they tried to catch him, but he was fast and agile , he could run and hide under the rocks. In the end they could not catch him, but the rocks he hid they all were turned and destroyed. The lonely lizard by his vow died, beautiful and bright by his rock never to be seen by man in the earth or stone, but shinnying brightly in the heavens were there are no rocks.