The Ghost Tree

WILL AN ANCIENT LEDGEND WEAVE A YOUNG GIRL'S DESTINY?
In a mountain village lived Grandmother Atl, a very talented weaver, and her granddaughter,
Nemimati. Nemimati wants nothing more than to help her grandmother live a better life, so she
convinces her to enter a contest where the winner will receive the title of Royal Weaver-and
get to live in the comfort of the Royal Palace.
Grandmother Atl sends Nemimati and her young friend, Mishtla, to gather the scarce magical
red Coloring Beans with yellow centers from which a luminous golden dye can be made.
Eventually, the children stop to rest near the ruins of a mysterious palace garden where the
Spirit Tree of legend fortuitously appears and graciously fills their baskets. However, not until
the day of the long-awaited contest do Nemimati and her grandmother hear the miraculous tree's
appearance explained.
This mythic tale is set in the pre-Columbian era of a Toltec emperor who took his name from
the god, Quetzalcoatl. His legend proclaims him a beneficent sovereign who promoted heartfelt
sacrifice for one another rather than the religious rite of sacrificed hearts practiced by other
rulers. It is also said that he presented his subjects with wealth and knowledge.