In the underground stone prison, the hole letting in light meant it was no longer enveloped in darkness where day and night were indistinguishable. During the day, it was clear daylight, and at night, a slight moonlight. These rays of light shone through the hole, casting shadows of the sun and the moon.
"The sun is a sacred disc. The shadow it casts on the ground is equally a perfect circle... It is also a sacred petal, the most brilliant blossom borne by the towering Cotton God Tree, the sun flower..."
The Mayan merchant Tikalo leaned against the corner of the stone prison, gazing at the sunlight spots on the stone slab, talking to himself. He recited Maya mythology he had memorized since childhood, as the sun's circular shape reflected in his eyes. In this solitude, even in the pitch-dark dungeon, only such constant self-talk could keep him sane and not overcome by despair and fear.
