Corn, llama and a wild adventure!

Corn, Llama and a Rather Big Adventure

How it all began: with boredom, corn kernels and a rather frantic messenger.

Boredom is Dangerous

Just another normal day in the village near Cusco.

Perusa and Peruso had nothing to do.

That was usually the beginning of problems.

So they sat on a rock and threw corn kernels at passing llamas.

"I bet you can't hit Wolli!" Peruso shouted.

Perusa grinned. Aimed. And hit.

Wolli Doesn't Care

The corn kernel hit right between the eyes.

Wolli stopped.

Slowly turned his head.

And just kept 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 belong to 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. Mostly it comes running.

The Messenger Appears

A man ran towards them.

Sweat on his forehead.

Completely out of breath.

"You must come to the palace immediately," he gasped.

"The Sapa Inca has a mission."

Peruso immediately became attentive.

"Does it have to do with 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," the messenger said.

"And it's in danger."

Perusa immediately became serious. Peruso too. Almost. He first checked if there was any corn left 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 Wolli 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 Incas.
Machu Picchu: a real Inca site in the Cusco region.
Wolli: very important for this story, but historically probably not on record.

Relevant PeruMagazin Pages

Perusina & Perusino Overview of stories, knowledge and characters. Machu Picchu History, tickets, circuits, and facts. Sapa Inca The supreme ruler of the Incas explained for children. History of Peru Background on Incas, colonial times, and Peru.

PeruMagazin Products

Matching Perusa, Peruso and the Inca world, individual products are available directly from PeruMagazin.

Perusina & Perusino: Gods with Superpowers The book for the Inca Edition with adventures, humor, and knowledge. View product Perusina as a Building Block Figure The brave heroine as a figure for small Inca adventures. View product Perusino as a Building Block Figure Cheeky, loud, and finally here, ready for corn cake chaos. View product Perusina Pyramid Cube A puzzle product for young tinkerers and Peru fans. View product

FAQ

Is this story historically accurate?

No. The plot with Perusa, Peruso, Wolli and the mission is freely told. However, the story uses real terms from the Inca world.

What 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 such a frequent role?

Corn was an important food source 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 are a good fit.

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 biggest adventure begins exactly when all you wanted to do was throw corn.

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