Peru’s Sacred Legends: The Shepherd and the Daughter of the Sun From: “The Incas of Peru,” Part 1 of 2

“The Incas of Peru” is a synthesis of various sources, including the works of Garcilaso de la Vega and Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, among others. These sources offer valuable insights into the Inca civilization, its mythology, and its history, contributing to our understanding of this ancient culture.

The Story “The Shepherd and the Daughter of the Sun” – An Inca Fable The story follows a humble shepherd who falls in love with Chuqui-llantu, the Daughter of the Sun, who visits him in secret with the help of a magical cloak. Their love is said to be immortalized in the mountains between Calca and Huayllapampa, where the Divine and the Earthly still seem to meet.

“[…] In the palace there were many richly furnished apartments in which the women of the Sun dwelt. These women were brought from all the four provinces which were subject to the Inca, namely Chincha-suyu, Cunti-suyu, Anti-suyu and Colla-suyu. Within, there were four fountains which flowed towards the four provinces, and in which the women bathed, each in the fountain of the province where she was born. They named the fountains in this way. That of Chincha-suyu was called Chuclla-puquio, that of Cunti-suyu was known as Ocoruro-puquio, Siclla-puquio was the fountain of Anti-suyu, and Llulucha-puquio of Colla-suyu.

The most beautiful child of the Sun, Chuqui-llantu (the princess), was wrapped in profound sleep. She had a dream. She thought she saw a bird flying from one tree to another, and singing very softly and sweetly. After having sung for some time, the bird came down and regarded the princess, saying that she should feel no sorrow, for all would be well. The princess said that she mourned for something for which there could be no remedy. The singing bird replied that it would find a remedy, and asked the princess to tell her the cause of her sorrow.

At last Chuqui-llantu (the princess) told the bird of the great love she felt for the shepherd boy named Acoya-napa, who guarded the white flock. Her death seemed inevitable. She could have no cure but to go to him whom she so dearly loved, and if she did her father the Sun would order her to be killed. The answer of the singing bird, by name Checollo, was that she should arise and sit between the four fountains. There she was to sing what she had most in her memory. If the fountains repeated her words, she might then safely do what she wanted. […]”