
xan
	They sent their friend the mosquito [xan] ahead of them to
	find out what lay ahead.  "Since you are the one who sucks
	the blood of men walking along paths," they told the mosquito,
	"go and sting the men of Xibalba."  The mosquito flew
	down the dark road to the Underworld.  Entering the house of
	the Lords of Death, he stung the first person that he saw...

	The mosquito stung this man as well, and when he yelled, the
	man next to him asked, "Gathered Blood, what's wrong?"  So
	he flew along the row stinging all the seated men until he
	knew the names of all twelve.
			[ Popul Vuh, as translated by Ralph Nelson ]
