The Hand and the Serpents
The two serpents enclose the hand with an eye in the palm. This
is the same hand style on the Aztec War drum. What connections did
the North Americans have with the Central Americans? Or even with the
rest of the world? Two serpents equal two dragons of China, or
the twin Gods, Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl, (p. 466) or the Persian Twins
of fire, Cautes, (the dawn) and Cautopates, (the dusk),
(p. 202) or Andriamanitra, the good and Andrianahary,
the bad of Madagascar, (p. 538) the white band of African mythology
called Faro, the bright one, of which there are two parts, the
kayo or the rainbow and the Sirakele band, the descent of
Faro from the seventh part of the sky to the seventh part of
earth (the baguni nyama),(p. 536) or the Dahomey tribe twins
Dan Ayido Hwedo, the Rainbow, and Mahu, thought, (p 532)
, or Khonvu, god of the Pygmies in Africa who collects broken
pieces of stars and tosses armfuls of them at the sun so it can rise
again in the morning. This god had a bow made of two welded serpents
that have the form of the rainbow. (p. 520) These are just a
few of the world myths about twins and/or Rainbows. Some include the
comets, such as Khonvu's tale, others include the fire element
connected with the serpents, dragons, or men carrying fire sticks.
Faro is a name connected with Persia and can be spelled Pharo,
Faro, or Far, often called "the Glory." This name is also illustrated
as a glowing head (glory) decapitated from a body in the main plaza or
zocalo of Mexico, and placed behind pillars.It is true
that rainbows and comets can be seen world-wide, but names are not
usually so universal. Who were the migrants? Did they come into the
Americas, or did they leave the Americas and spread the story of the
comet and the great flood, and then returned?
Larousse, (1974) World Mythology, ed. Grimal, Pierre. London:
Hamlyn.