In Aztec mythology, the god Nanauatl (or Nanauatzin, the suffix tzin implies respect or familiarity) sacrificed himself in fire so that it would continue to shine on Earth as the sun, thus becoming the sun god. The Aztec civilization recognized many gods and supernatural creatures. ... Earth, also known as Terra, and Tellus mostly in the 19th century, is the third-closest planet to the Sun. ... The Trundholm sun chariot pulled by a horse is believed to be a sculpture illustrating an important part of Nordic Bronze Age mythology. ...

The Aztecs had several different myths about the creation. In the legend of Quetzalcoatl, Nanauatl helps Quetzalcoatl to obtain the first grains which will be the food of humankind. Quetzalcoatl (feathered snake, in Nahuatl: Ketsalkoatl, in Spanish: Quetzalcóatl) is the Nahuatl name for the Feathered-Serpent deity of ancient Mesoamerica, one of the main gods of many Mexican and northern Central American civilizations. ...

In Aztec mythology, the universe is not permanent or everlasting, but subject to death like any living creature. However, even as it died, the universe would be reborn again into a new age, or "Sun." Nanauatl is best known in the "Legend of the Fifth Sun," recopilated by Sahagun.

In the four ages of time before, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc, and Ehacatl had each respectively taken their turn as sun. Each inevitably ended because the gods were not satisfied with the men they had created. When man was finally, satisfactorily created from corn, a new sun was needed; but a god who wanted to become the sun would have to be sacrificed, and none of them wished to be so. Finally, both |Tecciztecatl and Nanauatl are accepted, the former because he is wealthy and the latter because he is humble. Nanauatl accepts because he sees becoming sun as his duty. Quetzalcoatl (feathered snake, in Nahuatl: Ketsalkoatl, in Spanish: Quetzalcóatl) is the Nahuatl name for the Feathered-Serpent deity of ancient Mesoamerica, one of the main gods of many Mexican and northern Central American civilizations. ... In Nahuatl mythology, Tezcatlipoca (smoking mirror) was the god of the night, the north and temptation. ... Tlaloc, as depicted in the Magliabechi Codex Tlaloc was, in Aztec mythology, the god of rain and fertility. ...

They are purified. Tecciztecatl offers rich presents, and coral instead of blood. Nanauatl offers his blood, and makes penitence.

The gods make a big fire, which burns for four days. When Tecciztecatl tries to jump into the fire, he is afraid and fails four times, because the heat is so strong. Because of this, the gods ask for Nanauatl. He closes his eyes to control his fear, and jumps. When Tecciztecatl sees that Nanauatl has jumped, he feels wounded in his pride and jumps after him.

Nothing happens at first. But eventually two suns appear in the sky. The gods are angry, because Tecciztecatl was still following Nanauatl, and they are glowing exactly the same; so one of the gods takes a rabbit and throws it in the face of Tecciztecatl. He loses his brilliance, and the rabbit is marked on his face. So he became the moon, and the moon still has the mark of a rabbit.

But still, the sun does not move. The gods accept they need to die, so the men can live. The god Ehecatl sacrifices all the gods, and then with a powerful wind makes the sun begin to move. In Aztec mythology, Ehecatl (wind) was the god of wind, an aspect of Quetzalcoatl. ...

Men need to repay the gods their sacrifice.

An important aspect of this legend is the death of the gods. The Aztec gods have no real earthly power, because they are dead, and only exist in the spiritual world, they even have to use a magic mirror made of obsidian to see the world - all of them, except Ehecatl. Ehecatl, the wind, becomes the symbol of the forces of nature: we can´t see him, but we can feel his power.