Part I, P. 1 to P. 34 Summary

Emperor Carlos of Spain wants a report on the history of the Indians in Mexico, to be given by Mixtli. Mixtli is from Xaltócan, an island in the five lakes region, in the center of the Triple Alliance territories, now Mexico City. As a boy, Mixtli is called Seven Flowers, until he reaches the age of 7. Seven Flowers sees his first human sacrifice when he is a boy accompanied by his father. Seven Flowers' friend, Chimáli, is afraid that he will be grabbed by the priests to be sacrificed, because his hair is tufted and unruly. Chimáli hides his head in a hollow pumpkin, to conceal his hair. The boys also play with toy weapons and hope to be great fighters one day. Seven Flowers' father, Tepetzálan is a tall man...