In early spring, in the third month, warm winds blew. This was the finest season along the Gulf of Mexico: no fierce winter gales sweeping down from the northern continent, and no violent summer typhoons from the Caribbean Sea. The kingdom's fleet traveled east all the way, following the coast for four hundred li in calm waters, then entered a mostly enclosed bay of sandbars and arrived at an exceptionally vast coastal lagoon.
"Main God above! A lake this big?!"
Puapu stood at the bow and looked all around, but he could not see the end of the great lake. It was high tide now, and surging seawater poured in through two gaps in the bay, swiftly swelling the coastal flats into a lake surface. Thousands of seabirds rose together from the food-filled tidal flats, circling reluctantly overhead. The Grey Earth Warrior looked up and saw only wings spread across the sky, soaring beneath the newborn morning sun.
"Yo, yoyo!"
Dark Snake stared wide-eyed in a daze, watching the dancing sky and listening to the cries of the flocks. Didi, meanwhile, sucked on his finger and stared with wide eyes at the glittering ripples on the lake.
"Fish! So many fish! Big fat sea fish—they must be tasty!"
"Haaha! This is the largest and richest lake along the entire coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, even on the whole peninsula!"
Tikalo smiled, stretched out both hands, and drew a huge circle.
"One hundred and twenty li east to west, one hundred li north to south—it's all the 'Great Lake'!"
"Whoa! That big!"
Old Militia Chiwako gazed into the distance for a while, utterly astonished.
"What's this great lake called?"
"It's called the 'Great Lake'!"
"What's this lake called?"
"It's called the 'Great Lake'!"
Tikalo repeated it again, smiling.
"For the Maya