La Xtabay is a Yucatec Maya myth which seems to invert the typical Madonna/whore complex that is often seen in folktales. As I discussed earlier this year in my article on female archetypes of Latin America, female figures such as La Malinche and La Virgen de Guadalupe have been used to uphold the idea that women should be ‘pure’; anything else is sinful and looked down upon.

The legend tells the tale of two women (possibly sisters) named Xkeban (meaning prostitute or loose woman in Maya) and Utz-Colel (meaning good, clean, and decent woman), who lived in a small village of Yucatán. Both were equal in beauty, but Xkeban was hated by the villagers for her promiscuous life, whereas Utz-Colel was beloved because she remained chaste.

Appearances, however, do not tell the whole story. Despite the hatred levelled at her, Xkeban had a kind heart and she always helped those in need, including the sick, the homeless, and animals. By contrast, Utz-Colel was cold and arrogant, believing that her beauty and purity made her superior to everyone else, especially her sister. 

When Xkeban died, it was several days before the villagers realised, all having been under the assumption that she was off with yet another of her lovers. However, soon enough, a strange sweet smell began to drift from Xkeban’s house so, concerned, the villagers went to investigate.

What they found shocked them. Xkeban’s body lay on her bed, smiling serenely, surrounded by flowers and the animals she had taken care of in life. None of them believed such a ‘sinful’ woman could be so lovely in death, least of all Utz-Colel; she persuaded the villagers that it was a trick by the devil, then swore that when she died, she would smell even lovelier than Xkeban.

The poor and homeless that Xkeban had helped buried her, and beautiful flowers began growing mysteriously around her grave—in particular the Xtabentún. This flower has an incredibly appealing sweet smell and grows close to hedges, supposedly seeking protection as it has no thorns or defense mechanisms of its own.

It is said that the Xtabentún is Xkeban reincarnated. The smell is reflective of her own gentle, kind nature, and the flower is just as defenseless as Xkeban felt when she was alive.

Utz-Colel was deeply envious, but she was certain that she would still be better than Xkeban because of her virginity. Indeed, the entire village turned out for Utz-Colel’s funeral when she died, but her body emitted a vile stench and the flowers around her grave withered and died. She was reincarnated in the Tzacum flower, which grows on top of a cactus and has an unpleasant smell. 

After her death and furious at her lot, Utz-Colel concluded that Xkeban was honoured because she gave in to her desire for love; thus, she needed to do the same. She manifested as La Xtabay, a beautiful spirit with long hair, black eyes, and a white dress who waits beneath a ceiba tree to attract men that come across her. She tempts them to have sex with her, then kills them. The ceiba tree is sacred in Maya culture, and it was believed that a virtuous person could become one after death. 

Today, the legend is used as a cautionary tale against undesirable behaviour in both men and women. Most of Xtabay’s victims are said to have been unfaithful men who went out at night to drink and find other women to sleep with—only to end up punished for their crime. 

So we see the kind woman who was scorned for her promiscuity end up honoured in death, whereas the so-called ‘model’ woman whose chastity hid a bitter personality is punished. As mentioned earlier, this is a reversal of the usual ending, where the sexual woman is punished for her lack of modesty. The moral, ultimately, is that outward purity counts for little if it is not accompanied by compassion and inner beauty.

Sources:

• Strickland, Amanda, “The Legend of Xtabay”, Yucatan Today, (2018)
• Cantarell, Violeta H, “Xtabay: Legend With Aroma”. Yucatan Today, (2015)
• https://www.mitologia.info/xtabay/
• https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2019/11/the-legend-of-la-xtabay/
• https://mexicounexplained.com/xtabay-jungle-witch-of-the-maya/