But the real and proper names of that land were Tlapallan, the Red Land, and Tizapan, the White Land, for either of these colors is that of the sun-light.[1]

[Footnote 1:  Tizapan from tizatl, white earth or other substance, and pan, in.  Mendicta, Lib. ii, cap. iv.]

It was generally understood to be the same land whence he and the Toltecs had come forth in ancient times; or if not actually the same, nevertheless, very similar to it.  While the myth refers to the latter as Tlapallan, it speaks of the former as Huey Tlapallan, Old Tlapallan, or the first Tlapallan.  But Old Tlapallan was usually located to the West, where the sun disappears at night;[1] while New Tlapallan, the goal of Quetzalcoatl’s journey, was in the East, where the day-orb rises in the morning.  The relationship is obvious, and is based on the similarity of the morning and the evening skies, the heavens at sunset and at sunrise.

[Footnote 1:  “Huitlapalan, que es la que al presente llaman de Cortes, que por parecer vermeja le pusieron el nombre referido.”  Alva Ixtlilxochitl, Historia Chichimeca, Cap. ii.]

In his capacity as master of arts, and, at the same time, ruler of the underground realm, in other words, as representing in his absence the Sun at night, he was supposed to preside over the schools where the youth were shut up and severely trained in ascetic lives, previous to coming forth into the world.  In this function he was addressed as Quetzalcoatl Tlilpotonqui, the Dark or Black Plumed, and the child, on admittance, was painted this color, and blood drawn from his ears and offered to the god.[1] Probably for the same reason, in many picture writings, both his face and body were blackened.

[Footnote 1:  Sahagun, Lib. iii, Append, cap. vii. and cf.  Lib. i, cap v.  The surname is from tlilli, black, and potonia, “emplumar a otro.”]

It is at first sight singular to find his character and symbols thus in a sense reversed, but it would not be difficult to quote similar instances from Aryan and Egyptian mythology.  The sun at night was often considered to be the ruler of the realm of the dead, and became associated with its gloomy symbolism.

Wherever he was, Quetzalcoatl was expected to return and resume the sceptre of sovereignty, which he had laid down at the instigation of Tezcatlipoca.  In what cycle he would appear the sages knew not, but the year of the cycle was predicted by himself of old.

Here appears an extraordinary coincidence.  The sign of the year of Quetzalcoatl was, as I have said, One Reed, Ce Acatl.  In the Mexican calendar this recurs only once in their cycle of fifty-two years.  The myth ran that on some recurrence of this year his arrival was to take place.  The year 1519 of the Christian era was the year One Reed, and in that year Hernan Cortes landed his army on Mexican soil!