This led to the stories of "the fatal children," which we find so frequent in Aryan mythology.[1] [Footnote 1: Sir George W.Cox, _The Science of Comparative Mythology and Folk Lore_, pp.

14, 83, 130, etc.] The Aztecs were a coarse and bloody race, and carried out their superstitions without remorse.

Based, no doubt, on this mythical expression of a natural occurrence, they had the belief that if twins were allowed to live, one or the other of them would kill and eat his father or mother; therefore, it was their custom when such were brought into the world to destroy one of them.[1] [Footnote 1: Geronimo de Mendieta, _Historia Eclesiastica Indiana_.

Lib.
II, cap.

XIX.] We shall see that, as in Algonkin story Michabo strove to slay his father, the West Wind, so Quetzalcoatl was in constant warfare with his father, Tezcatlipoca-Camaxtli, the Spirit of Darkness.