THE ANTELOPE BOY

Once upon a time, there were two towns of the Tée-wahn: Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee (the White Village) and Nah-choo-rée-too-ee (the Yellow Village). One day, a man from Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee and his wife were attacked by Apaches while out on the plains. They sought refuge in a cave, where they were besieged. During this time, a boy was born to them.

The father was killed while trying to return to the village for help, and eventually, starvation forced the mother to crawl out at night in search of roots to eat. Chased by the Apaches, she escaped to her village. It took her several days before she could return to the cave—only to find it empty.

The baby had begun to cry shortly after the mother’s departure. Just then, a Coyote, the small prairie-wolf, was passing by and heard the child. Taking pity, he picked up the baby and carried it across the plains until he came to a herd of antelopes. Among them was a Mother-Antelope who had lost her fawn. The Coyote approached her and said:

“Here is a poor thing abandoned by its people. Will you take care of it?”

The Mother-Antelope, remembering her own lost baby, wept and said, “Yes,” and at once adopted the child. The Coyote thanked her and returned home.

Thus, the boy grew up among the antelopes as one of them, until he was about twelve years old. One day, a hunter from Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee went out in search of antelopes and discovered the herd. He carefully shot one with an arrow. The rest of the herd fled like the wind, but ahead of them all, the hunter saw a boy running alongside! Surprised, he returned to the village and reported to the Cacique, the highest religious official, what he had seen.

The next day, the crier summoned all the villagers to prepare for a great hunt, set for four days later, to capture the boy who lived with the antelopes.

The antelopes somehow learned of the planned hunt. The Mother-Antelope was very sad but eventually called her adopted son to her. She explained:

“Son, you know the people of Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee are coming to hunt. They will not harm us; they only want to capture you. Follow me when I break through the circle, and you will see your real mother on the northeast side, wearing a white robe. Stagger and fall at her feet so she can catch you.”

On the fourth day, the villagers went out to the plains and surrounded the herd. As the antelopes ran in circles, the hunters focused solely on the boy. Soon, only the boy and his antelope mother remained. She broke through the line, and the boy followed, falling into the arms of his human mother, who embraced him with joy.

Amid great rejoicing, he was brought back to Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee. There he told the elders, the principales, how he had been left in the cave, how the Coyote had rescued him, and how the Mother-Antelope had raised him.

Word of the Antelope Boy and his remarkable speed soon spread throughout the surrounding country. Because the antelopes never combed their hair, the boy’s head had grown very bushy, earning him the name Pée-hleh-o-wah-wée-deh (Big-Headed Little Boy).

Among the villages that heard of him was Nah-choo-rée-too-ee, a town whose people were known as witches. They had a famous runner named Pée-k’hoo (Deer-Foot) and soon challenged Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee to a championship race around the world. The stakes were immense: the property and even the lives of the people. Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee could not refuse.

The race day arrived. Both villages gathered, dressed in their finest. The Yellow Village’s runner was tall, strong, and athletic. When the Antelope Boy appeared, the witches mocked him, saying, “Pooh! What can that little thing do?”

At the word “Hái-ko!” (“Go!”), the runners shot eastward like the wind. The Antelope Boy soon forged ahead, but Deer-Foot, through witchcraft, transformed into a hawk and flew above him, taunting, “This is how we do things!”

Halfway east, the boy met a Mole who asked why he looked so sad. The boy explained the situation, and the Mole gave him four special cigarettes.

“Smoke one at each cardinal turn. They will help you,” the Mole instructed.

Following the Mole’s advice, the boy smoked at the east, north, west, and south turns. Each cigarette brought rain, and with each storm, he became like an antelope and overtook the hawk, who shivered and cried from the wet. By the final turn, the boy had gained the lead.

The race rules required both runners to resume human form at a hill near the finish line. There, the Antelope Boy and Deer-Foot ran the final stretch in human form, straining every nerve. The boy crossed the line first. The Yellow Village’s witches were defeated; most were burned in a great pile of corn, though one escaped, from whom all future witches descended.

The Antelope Boy’s people received the spoils, sharing the excess with Shee-eh-whíb-bak (Isleta). Even today, charred corn-cobs are occasionally found in the little hill across the charco (pool), a reminder of the ancient victory.

During Lorenso’s telling of this tale, the boys listened intently, responding with “Is that so?” while the elders nodded and smoked in silent approval.

Then Lorenso turned to Desiderio, far more wrinkled than himself, and said:

“You have a tail, brother.”

Desiderio cleared his throat, lit a new cigarette, and began:

“My sons, do you know why the Coyote and the Crows are always at war? No? Then I will tell you.”