When Christopher Columbus arrives in the New World he is surprised to see that the natives are not familiar with weapons made of metal. Watching them touch the metal blades unaware of the risk of accidentally hurting themselves, Columbus convinces himself that Europeans could get these people to do anything. Columbus informs the Spanish monarchs of his opinion. Then, within a short period of time things change drastically in America, and in Europe images of Indios as cannibals begin to circulate. However, it seems as if there is a desire to somehow maintain that wonderful first impression. The image of the Indios fighting Europeans offers a very specific vision of this enemy. It was an image that had its roots in stereotypes of the past. But it had been reshaped into a new and original version. It was an image that did not have to hinder the expansion of European traffic and conquest.