Long ago, the Toh Bird possessed a long and splendid tail. Its feathers shone beneath the sun, and it delighted in the admiration of every bird.
When the animals sensed a great storm approaching, they decided to work together to build a shelter. The Toh, proud of its beauty, believed the task was beneath it.
While the others gathered branches and leaves, it flew to the entrance of a cenote, a natural sinkhole, and hid among the rocks. There it fell asleep without noticing that its long tail remained exposed.
The storm arrived with force. Wind and branches struck its beautiful feathers until only two slender shafts remained, each ending in a small colored tip.
Ashamed by what had happened, the Toh withdrew from the other birds. From then on, it lived near caves and cenotes, swinging its distinctive tail like a small pendulum.
A clue to hidden water
Across the peninsula, people say that seeing a Toh may signal a cenote nearby. The bird has become a familiar presence in the landscape and in local storytelling.
Perhaps it no longer remains beside the caves out of shame. With time, it may have become a guardian of the waters sleeping beneath the ground.