The Five White Eagles, Venezuelan Folklore XIV

The five white eagles

According to the tradition of the Mirripuyes, Caribay was the first woman. She was the daughter of the ardent Zuhé (the Sun) and the pale Chía (the Moon). It was considered as the genius of aromatic forests. He imitated the song of birds and played with flowers and trees.

Once Caribay saw five white eagles fly through the sky and fell in love with their beautiful feathers. It was then behind them, crossing valleys and mountains, always following the shadows that the birds drew on the ground. He finally reached the top of a cliff from which he saw how the eagles were lost in the heights. Caribay became sad and summoned Chía and soon she was able to see again the five beautiful eagles. While the eagles descended to the sierras, Caribay sang sweetly.

Each of these birds descended on a cliff and remained motionless. Caribay wanted to decorate herself with those rare and splendid feathers and ran towards them to tear them off, but a cold glacial numbness in her hands, the eagles were frozen, turned into five huge masses of ice. Then Caribay fled in terror. Soon after, the Moon darkened and the five eagles awoke furiously and shook their wings and the whole mountain was adorned with its white plumage. This is the origin of the snowy mountains of Mérida. The five white eagles symbolize the five high cliffs always covered with snow. The great and stormy snowfalls are the furious awakening of the eagles, and the whistling of the wind is the sad and sweet song of Caribay.

Venezuelan Folklore