HYMN TO THE ALL-MOTHER

(This goddess is Teteo-inan, the "Mother of Gods"--also known by another name meaning "Heart
of the Earth." Her chief temple was on the spot selected by the early missionaries for the "Lady
of Guadaloupe" to make her appearance, and the native shrine was razed to make way for the
temple of the imported cult of Christendom)
HAIL to our Mother who makes the yellow flowers to
bloom--who scatters the seeds of the maguey as she comes from the Land Divine!
Hail to our
Mother who casts forth white flowers in abundance!
Hail to our Mother who shines in the thorn
bush as a bright butter-fly!
Ho! She is our Mother--the woman god of the earth. In the desert
she feeds the wild beasts, and gives them to live.
Thus--thus you see her ever abundant in
gifts to all flesh.
And as you see the goddess of earth give to the beasts, so also she is
giving to the green herbs and the fishes.
Hail to our Mother who casts forth yellow flowers to
the sun from the Land Divine!