Corn, Llamas, and a Rather Big Adventure
How it all began: with boredom, corn kernels, and a rather hectic messenger.
Boredom is dangerous
A normal day in the village near Cusco.
Perusa and Peruso had nothing to do.
That was usually the start of trouble.
So they sat on a rock, throwing corn kernels at passing llamas.
"I bet you can't hit Woolly!" Peruso shouted.
Perusa grinned. Aimed. And hit.
Woolly doesn't care
The corn kernel hit right between the eyes.
Woolly stopped.
Slowly turned his head.
And simply continued eating.
"Lost again," Perusa laughed.
"You just have bad luck with corn."
Fact check: This story is freely told. However, Cusco, the Sapa Inca, and Machu Picchu are part of the real Inca world. Machu Picchu has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983.
Then things suddenly got serious
An adventure rarely arrives quietly. Usually, it comes running.
The messenger appears
A man ran towards them.
Sweat on his forehead.
Completely out of breath.
"You must go to the palace immediately," he gasped.
"The Sapa Inca has a mission."
Peruso immediately paid attention.
"Does it involve food?"
The Great Task
The messenger shook his head.
"It's about Machu Picchu!"
The children looked at each other.
"Machu... what?"
"A city in the clouds," said the messenger.
"And it's in danger."
Perusa immediately became serious. Peruso did too. Almost. He first checked if there was still corn in his pocket.
The Decision
Perusa immediately grinned.
"Sounds like an adventure."
Peruso sighed.
"Sounds like a lot of walking."
He thought for a moment.
"We'll take Woolly with us."
And so began the journey that would later lead them to Ollantaytambo, towards the Inca Trail, and right into the heart of the Inca world.
Remember this
- Sapa Inca: the supreme ruler of the Inca Empire.
- Cusco: the political and religious center of the Inca.
- Machu Picchu: a real Inca site in the Cusco region.
- Woolly: very important for this story, but probably not historically documented.
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View ForeverFigFAQ
Is this story historically accurate?
No. The plot with Perusa, Peruso, Woolly, and the mission is freely told. However, the story uses real terms from the Inca world.
Who was the Sapa Inca?
The Sapa Inca was the supreme ruler of the Inca Empire. His power was political, military, and religious.
Did Machu Picchu really exist?
Yes. Machu Picchu is a real Inca site in Peru and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983.
Why does corn play a role so often?
Corn was an important food in the Andean region and also had cultural significance. In the Perusa-and-Peruso stories, it also becomes a running gag.
Which story fits next?
The pages on Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Sapa Inca, and the overview of Perusina & Perusino fit well.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
- PeruMagazin: Pages on Machu Picchu, Sapa Inca, and Perusina & Perusino
- PeruMagazin: Product pages for Perusina & Perusino, building block figures, and Pyramid Cube
Sometimes the greatest adventure begins exactly when you just wanted to throw corn.
(c) by PeruMagazin