NANAUTZIN

Also known as NANA, NANAUATZIN, NANAHUATZIN

God (or occasionally Goddess) of Humble Bravery.

NANAUTZIN started out as the smallest and ugliest of the Gods, but when the vacancy of Sun became available, he leapt at the chance to improve his lot. Dressed in humble reeds, he turned up at the interview to discover only one other candidate had applied for the job. Possibly because the winning applicant was required to undergo sacrificial death in the Godly Bonfire.

Oh well, he thought, what have I got to lose? He'd only been invited to attend because he'd done good works and given maize to humans.

His rival was the smartly-dressed and terribly arrogant TECUCIZTECATL. But as soon as the fire was lit, TECUCIZTECATL chickened out, leaving the courageous NANAUTZIN to jump into the flames and become the glorious sun.

Thereafter he was known as TONATIUH and became quite arrogant himself...