4
THE LEGEND OF SEPHRA
Woven among the threads of ancient Aztec
legend lies the story of Sephra, an enchanting
goddess whose beauty could be described
only as the richness of the dark earth
combined with the lustre and glow of pure
gold. Her voice was softer than the most
delicate flower, and her presence carried the
aroma of sweet cocoa. It was Sephra who
gave the ancient Aztecs the precious gift of
the cocoa tree.
The legend reveals that the spirit of Sephra
nourished the cocoa trees and lived within
the priceless beans they produced. The Aztec
kings named the cocoa tree “Theobroma
Cacao,” meaning “food of the gods.” So
valuable were cocoa beans that they were
used to pay tribute to royalty and were given
as sacred offerings to the gods.
Montezuma, the ruler of the wealthy Aztec
Empire, was so enchanted by Sephra that
he commissioned an elite force of skilled
artisans and master craftsmen to construct a
temple in her honour. As a special offering to
the goddess, Montezuma built a magnificent
fountain in the highest room of the temple
and filled it with glistening spring water,
which flowed from beneath its walls. He then
surrounded the fountain with a splendid array
of the most perfect cocoa beans, in hopes
that Sephra would continue to bless the
people with the unique and valuable crop.
So pleased was Sephra with Montezuma’s
gift that she came to him in a dream and told
him that her spirit would always live in the
fountain he had given her. Moments later,
Montezuma awoke to the sweet smell of
cocoa lingering in the air. The aroma led
him to the upper room of the temple where
Sephra’s fountain stood.
To his astonishment, the fountain no longer
flowed with water, but with the richest, purest
chocolate... this was truly a gift from the gods.
For centuries, Sephra’s fountain remained
hidden beneath the ruins of the ancient Aztec
temple, waiting to be discovered. At long last
it was, and with it was unveiled the secret of
the pure, rich chocolate once coveted by gods
and kings . . .
© Sephra L.P. 2003
