# Yellow Singer — Laughing Boy character guide

> Yellow Singer in Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0003-i

## Snapshot

An old Navajo singer who performs the marriage ceremony for Laughing Boy and Slim Girl, then watches the young husband try whiskey with knowing amusement.

## Who they are

Yellow Singer is a medicine man of the old order, called on to divide the corn mush in four directions and pray the young couple into a beautiful marriage. He grins at the feast of canned tomatoes, pop, and white bread, takes the clear liquid Slim Girl offers, and chuckles that Laughing Boy probably cannot stand it. His easy presence and his wife's sleepy sympathy give the wedding its warmth, and his willingness to bless a match almost without relatives shows how the old ceremonies can still hold when the social world around them has thinned.

## Relationships

### [Slim Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/slim_girl)

_psychological_

Slim Girl manipulates Yellow Singer, using him as a tool for her own schemes and emotional leverage against Laughing Boy.

### [Laughing Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/laughing_boy)

_rivalry_

Laughing Boy and Yellow Singer are romantic rivals for Slim Girl's affection, with Yellow Singer often undermining Laughing Boy.

### [Tall Old One](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/tall_old_one)

_social_

Tall Old One and Yellow Singer have a distant, formal relationship as members of the same tribe, with Tall Old One wary of Yellow Singer's motives.

### [Laughing Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/laughing_boy)

_rivalry_

Laughing Boy and Yellow Singer are romantic rivals for Slim Girl's affection, with Yellow Singer often undermining Laughing Boy.

### [Slim Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/slim_girl)

_psychological_

Slim Girl manipulates Yellow Singer, using him as a tool for her own schemes and emotional leverage against Laughing Boy.

### [Laughing Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/laughing_boy)

_rivalry_

Laughing Boy and Yellow Singer are romantic rivals for Slim Girl's affection, with Yellow Singer often undermining Laughing Boy.

### [Slim Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/slim_girl)

_psychological_

Slim Girl manipulates Yellow Singer, using him as a tool for her own schemes and emotional leverage against Laughing Boy.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Present at the dance, performing songs and blessing the gathering.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Performs a blessing ceremony at the dance.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/v)

Performs a blessing ceremony for the couple, representing traditional Navajo spirituality.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/iv)

Mentioned as having performed the House Song for Slim Girl's adobe.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Found drunk in his hovel; agrees to sing at Slim Girl's marriage in exchange for a bottle.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Performs the marriage ceremony and drinks whiskey with his wife.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as one of the few visitors to Laughing Boy's house.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Mentioned in the context of the Divine Ones and the story of the two brothers looking for Talking God.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/iii)

Not directly present, but the ceremony is a Night Chant, which Yellow Singer might perform; referenced implicitly.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Deceptively sells Laughing Boy whiskey as a holy remedy, exploiting his spiritual distress for money.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned in Laughing Boy's thoughts as looking sorry for him in an unpleasant, understanding way.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/yellow_singer
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters