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period. The 360-day year (plus the five Nameless Days each year, plus
regular adjustments to fit the seasons) would continue as before, to
mark Earth's old annual cycles. But the next Long Cycle would start
three years early.

Serge knew the Mayas had not predicted an apocalypse in 2012. If they
had, they'd have been wrong. Apocalypse had already come and gone,
when the rogue planet Iv went through the solar system earlier this
year. But the Mayan calendar was still prophetic, because it was ready
for the new shape of the heavens. The Mayas were right after all.

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Author's Notes:  This story is on the Web at
http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2009/trillions.htm#mayas .  It
immediately follows the story "Iv".  You might say, I went to a lot of
effort to produce an astronomical situation for the Mayas to be right
about.

The "Wooden Men" actually are part of Maya creation legend, at least
if one believes Wikipedia.  I trust they're artificial enough for this
challenge.

Wikipedia was unclear on whether the Mayan "long" year was 365 days or
only 360.  Either case requires a regular calendar adjustment.  I
chose to believe the Mayan priesthood was capable and willing to
adjust their calendar to the heavens (instead of vice versa).  And
that's pretty much the whole story.