The Mayans say that there was a time when deer skin was different as we know. At that time, it had a very light color, so the deer could be seen easily from anywhere in the forest. As a result, it was easy prey for hunters, who appreciated very much the flavor of their meat and skin resistance, they used in building shields for warriors. For these reasons, the deer was chased and almost disappear from the Mayab.
But one day, a little deer drinking water when he heard strange voices; when he turned he saw was a group of hunters who shot their arrows at him. Very frightened fawn ran as fast as his legs could carry him, but his pursuers almost caught. Just as an arrow going to hurt him, slipped and fell into a cave hidden by bushes.
In this cave they lived three great geniuses, who heard the deer complain because he injured a leg when he fell. Pitied the suffering of the animal, the geniuses eased his wounds and allowed him to hide a few days. The fawn was very grateful and never tired of licking the hands of their protectors, so the geniuses took to him.
Within days, the animal healed and could leave the cave. Goodbye to the three geniuses, but before he left, one of them said:
Wait! Do not leave yet; we grant you a gift, ask us what we most want.
Fawn thought for a while and then said seriously:
'I want most is that we are protected from deer men, can you help me?
Of course I do? Secured geniuses. He was then escorted out of the cave. Then one of the geniuses took some soil and threw the skin of the deer, while another of them asked the sun its rays change color the animal. Gradually, the skin of the fawn longer clear and filled with spots, until I had the same color as the earth covering the floor of the Mayab. At that time, the third genius said
'From today, the skin of the deer will have the color of our earth and she will be confused. So the deer hide hunters, but if one day you are in danger, can enter the depths of the caves, no one will find them there.
Fawn thanked the geniuses that made him favor and ran to give the news to his teammates. Since that day, the skin of a deer represents the Mayab: its color is land and stains that cover it are like the entrance of the caves. Even today, the deer feel gratitude to the geniuses, because the gift that gave many of them managed to escape the hunters and still inhabit the land of the Maya.