Zuni Folktales · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Zuni Folktales by Frank Hamilton Cushing.
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The Young Man
major
Also known as ye, yours, thou, the young man, thee
He arrives at the priest-chief's house with gifts wrapped in white buckskin, navigating the delicate protocols of Zuni courtship with careful ceremony. His restraint at the meal—eating 'ever so little'—reveals a young man keenly aware that desire must be tempered by propriety. His journey across the western plains sets the tale's central trial in motion, making his earnest pursuit the emotional anchor of the opening arc.
The Maiden
major
Also known as thou, herself, thee, the maiden
She moves through her father's house with quiet competence, placing wafer-thin héwe before the visiting stranger and sweeping crumbs after his modest meal. Her beauty is legendary, yet her role in the household—serving, observing, being watched—hints at the constrained agency of a prized daughter. Her presence transforms a simple courtship visit into a trial, making her the still center around which the tale's romantic contest turns.
Coyote
major
Also known as the Coyote, The Coyote, the old Coyote, A Coyote, the little Coyote, This Coyote, Your
Coyote stages an elaborate performance of self-mutilation and miraculous healing, substituting antelope bones for his own legs with theatrical cries of pain. His flattery—'there is no deer that can run away from me'—hooks the gullible Demon, whose eagerness to match Coyote's speed blinds him to the con. This episode showcases Coyote's signature blend of cunning and cruelty, establishing him as a figure whose tricks entertain even as they maim.
Old Tarantula
supporting
Also known as The Old Tarantula, Old Tarantula, the old Tarantula, the Aged Tarantula
Old Tarantula's theft triggers a communal crisis, sending men, women, and children with digging-sticks and baskets to tunnel after him until they strike the mountain's bedrock. His den becomes a symbol of elusive wrongdoing, forcing the town's elders to seek supernatural aid from the Great Kingfisher. As the antagonist of this pursuit tale, Tarantula embodies the challenge that tests a community's resourcefulness and the limits of ordinary effort.
The Old Demon
supporting
Also known as the old Demon, The old demon, the Demon, himself
The Demon complains of hard times catching deer and antelope, his eyes sticking out further as Coyote boasts of outrunning any quarry. His vanity—'Do you think I am a baby? or a woman?'—makes him the perfect mark for Coyote's con, and he smashes his own thigh without hesitation. His gullibility and physical ruin serve as a cautionary counterpoint to Coyote's cleverness, illustrating how pride and desperation invite deception.
The Turtle
supporting
Also known as The Turtle, Turtle, The old Turtle, the old Turtle, old Turtle, the proud Turtle
Turtle's reputation for cleverness rests on his ability to outlast and outthink opponents who underestimate him. Though his body is slow, his mind works with a deliberateness that mirrors his pace, making him a foil to the impulsive Coyote and the hasty Demon. In tales of wit against speed, Turtle represents the quiet triumph of strategy over brute force, anchoring the collection's moral imagination.
The Old Grandmother
supporting
Also known as the old Grandmother, The old grandmother, herself, myself
She is the grandmother whose house the boy runs to when the contest of frights demands more than human nerve. Far from a passive hearth-keeper, she blackens one side of his face with soot and the other with ashes, then hands him a stone axe of ancient power. Her quick, delighted readiness to help — 'All right, my son; I will help you!' — shows a woman who understands that wit and paint can beat brute strength, and she sets the tale's central trick in motion.
The Eagle
supporting
Also known as The Eagle, Eagle, the old Eagle, Great Eagle, mine, himself, its
In the great white-walled house of the Eagles, reached only through roof openings, this old man rises to pronounce the youth and Eagle-maiden wife and husband. He belongs to a winged people who can take human or bird form at will, and he oversees the patient training that follows: soft bedding laid on the floor, a novice flapping and tumbling, then at last sustained flight. His welcome and his blessing turn a stranger into kin, making the marriage and the youth's slow transformation feel earned rather than magical.
Great Kingfisher
supporting
Also known as the Great Kingfisher, Kingfisher, Instantly Great Kingfisher, himself, your
He belongs to the winged powers that hover at the edges of the Mátsaki courtship story, where a suitor climbs a ladder with a bundle of mantles and necklaces rolled in white buckskin. The tale moves with careful ceremony — wafer bread offered, eaten sparingly, crumbs swept — and figures like the Kingfisher carry its sense of a world where birds and gods take part in human fortunes. His presence signals that the lovers' trial will be decided by more than earthly favor.
Friend Mouse
supporting
Also known as the Mouse, The Mouse, mine
He lives under the wall of the old woman's corral, with no grandmother to feed him, and grows bold on the Tâkâkâ Cock's tortilla crumbs. Caught mid-theft, he loses his long tail to one hard peck and mourns it as a young dancer mourns his hair, squeaking vengeance. His wounded vanity and patient scheming make him the tale's engine of retribution, a small creature whose grudge against a shameless great beast drives the mischief that follows.
The Cock
supporting
Also known as The cock, the Cock, The Cock, the old Tâkâkâ Cock, the Tâkâkâ Cock, the old Tâkâkâ
Kept by a poor old Italia-kwe woman in a wattle-and-rawhide cage too tall to fly from, he sits in the sun kâ-tâ-kâ-tok-ing and dreaming of worms. Fed only refuse, he mistakes the Mouse's naked tail for one and bites it clean off in a single gulp. His heedless greed turns a petty theft into a feud, and his sleepy, stiff-necked complacency makes him exactly the kind of adversary a clever mouse can ruin.
The Bear
supporting
Also known as the old Bear, the great Black Bear, The Bear, yours, himself, myself, your
He meets the boy on the plateau with a bellow of ownership — 'They are mine!' — and proposes a trial: whoever can scare the other keeps the ground. He charges from the thicket snapping trees and snarling, yet the boy never stirs a leaf, so the Bear must submit to being frightened in turn. His bluff, blustering confidence and his comic collapse before soot, ashes, and a magic axe make him the tale's grand obstacle and its loudest joke.
The Gopher
supporting
Also known as The old Gopher, The lubber-cheeked old Gopher, the old Gopher, himself
The Gopher belongs to the animal folk who populate Zuni storytelling, a creature of the earth whose burrowing ways give him advantages no winged or four-footed rival can match. His defining trait is cunning rather than strength, and he delights in turning the pride of others against them. In the early arc he embodies the tale-teller's lesson that wit, not size, decides who wins.
Mátsailéma
supporting
Also known as Mátsailéma Stole the Thunder-Stone, himself, your
Mátsailéma is one of the Beloved Two, sons of the Sun-father and the Waters of the World, raised on Twin Mountain with their old grandmother. Where his elder brother Áhaiyúta rushes forward, Mátsailéma counsels patience and cunning, and it is he who reads the demon's flattering ways before the ambush. His theft of the thunder-stone marks him as the bolder, more transgressive twin, and his judgment shapes how the brothers confront the threats to the children of earth.
Old Mítsina
supporting
Also known as Mítsina, old Mítsina, The Hermit Mítsina, himself, myself
Old Mítsina dwells away from the pueblos, a solitary figure whose long memory of the ancients makes him a source of wisdom for travelers and suppliants. His withdrawal from communal life sets him in quiet tension with the busy world of priests and maidens, yet his door still opens to those who come with proper respect. In the early arc he represents the older, harder knowledge that the young must seek out if they hope to survive the dangers abroad.
Átahsaia
supporting
Also known as himself
Átahsaia is the terror of the ancient days, a giant who devours men, women, and children and carries a bow of mountain-oak and a knife as broad as a man's thigh. For all his ugliness he is a great liar and flatterer, luring his victims with gentle words before he strikes, and his chuckle of 'Good lunch! Two for a munch!' echoes across the mesas. His pursuit of the two maidens of Héshokta draws the twin war gods into the hunt, making him the first great threat the brothers must answer.
Áhaiyúta
supporting
Also known as little Áhaiyúta, himself, your
Áhaiyúta is the elder of the Beloved Two, born of the Sun-father and the Waters of the World and raised on Twin Mountain with his grandmother. He is quick to act and quick to quarrel, and when the cry of Átahsaia sounds he wants nothing but to run at the demon at once. His brother's insistence on waiting and planning tests him, but together the twins guard the Land of Zuni, and his courage is the blade his brother's cunning directs.
The Deer
supporting
Also known as The Deer, Deer, their, thou, its, thy, themselves
The Deer is the leader and foster-mother of a great herd, who long ago found a mortal infant and nursed him as her own. When the people discover the herd and decree a grand hunt, she must tell the youth the truth of his birth and prepare him to return to his own kind. Her quiet acceptance of the hunt as a sacred exchange, and her guidance of the boy to the Lake of the Dead, make her the moral heart of the tale's early arc.
The Young Swift-Runner
supporting
Also known as Swift-runner, himself
The Young Swift-Runner belongs to the world of Zuni animal tales, where human and creature meet on equal footing and every encounter carries a test. His defining ordeal is the loss of his garments to the Aged Tarantula, a humiliation that forces him to rely on speed and wit rather than pride. His plight anchors the early arc of his tale, turning a simple contest of swiftness into a lesson about vulnerability, resourcefulness, and the price of underestimating even the smallest adversary.
The Stranger
supporting
Also known as the stranger, thee, thou, Thou, thyself, thy
The Stranger arrives at the priest-chief's door in Mátsaki with a bundle of mantles and necklaces, hoping to win the hand of the beautiful maiden within. His tension lies in the delicate dance of Zuni etiquette: he must eat little, speak formally, and let the old ones guide the conversation while his heart presses toward its desire. He matters because his courtship sets the entire Trial of Lovers in motion, transforming a quiet hearthside visit into a contest that will test the worth of every suitor.
The Eagles
minor
Also known as Eagles, The Eagles, the little Eagles, their, our
A group of eagle characters, sometimes including young ones, in various stories.
The Priest-Chief
supporting
Also known as the priest-chief, thou, thee, their, thy
As the father of the beautiful maiden of Salt City, the Priest-Chief presides over the largest house in Mátsaki, a dwelling adorned with buckskins, turquoises, and shells from the ocean. His authority is both religious and social, and he weighs each suitor who climbs his ladder with the calm of a man accustomed to councils and sacrifice. His measured hospitality and quiet judgments shape the early contest for his daughter's hand, making him the gatekeeper whose favor every young man must earn.
The Maiden the Sun
minor
Also known as the Sun, himself
A maiden who is loved by the Sun and bears his children.
The Priest-Chief's Daughter
supporting
Also known as the priest-chief's daughter
The Priest-Chief's Daughter moves through her father's great house with the ease of one accustomed to turquoise-covered portholes and endless stores of buckskin. She serves wafer bread to visiting strangers and sweeps away crumbs with practiced grace, yet her own desires remain veiled behind the customs that govern her. Her beauty and her father's standing make her the center of a contest that will reveal which suitor possesses not only fine presents but true worth.
Coyotes
minor
Also known as the Coyotes, Those Coyotes, the little Coyotes, The Coyotes, their
A group of coyote characters who act together in certain tales.
Blackbirds
minor
Also known as the Blackbirds, The Blackbirds, their, themselves
Birds who dance with Coyote in a trickster tale.
The Turkeys
minor
Also known as Turkeys, your
Birds that appear as characters, sometimes as helpers or in trickster tales.
Etawa
minor
Also known as old Etawa
An elder character mentioned in some Zuni narratives.
The Owl
minor
Also known as Owl, the old Owl, The Owl
A single owl character appearing in specific tales.
Locust
minor
Also known as the Locust, the old Locust, himself
An insect character who races or competes with others.
The Beetle
minor
Also known as The Beetle, himself
A small insect character who interacts with Coyote.
The Ravens
minor
Also known as the two Ravens, The Ravens, their, our
Birds who race their eyes in a trickster tale with Coyote.
The Twain
minor
Also known as Twain
A pair of characters, often twins or companions, in certain stories.
The Poor Turkey Girl
supporting
Also known as the Turkey, the young Turkey
The Poor Turkey Girl drives her flock through the plazas of Mátsaki, watching the people prepare for the Dance of the Sacred Bird while she remains ugly and ill-clad, excluded from every festival. Her loneliness is softened only by the conversations she holds with her turkeys, never dreaming they understand her longing. When the old Gobbler finally speaks, offering to dress her so beautifully that no one will recognize her, her tale becomes a meditation on temperance, gratitude, and the fragile line between good fortune and its loss.
The Rattlesnake
minor
A snake character who appears in stories explaining its nature.
The Maiden of Mátsaki
minor
Also known as Mátsaki
A maiden from Mátsaki who features in a specific tale.
Grandmother Spider
minor
Also known as Grandmother, your
A wise spider elder who helps or advises characters.
The Badger
minor
Also known as the old Badger, The old Badger
A burrowing animal character appearing in some stories.
The Ugly Wild Boy
minor
A wild boy who drives a bear away from a mesa.
Grandfather Burrowing-Owl
minor
Also known as Grandfather, the Burrowing-owl, the Grandfather Burrowing-owl
An elder owl character who serves as a priest to prairie dogs.
Kólowissi
minor
A named character or spirit in Zuni mythology.
The Centipede
minor
Also known as himself
A creepy-crawly character appearing in some tales.
Mice
minor
Also known as the Mice, The Mice, their
Small rodent characters appearing in some tales.
Old Amiwili
minor
Also known as Amiwili, Old Amiwili, himself
An elder character who plays a role in certain Zuni tales.
The Mountain Lion
minor
A powerful predator character appearing in some stories.
The Owls
minor
Also known as the Owls, their, our
A group of owl characters who appear in various tales.
Mr. Cushing
minor
Also known as Cushing
The ethnographer who collected and translated these Zuni folktales.
Bison
minor
Also known as the fourfold Bison
A powerful animal character appearing in some tales.
Rattlesnakes
minor
Also known as the Rattlesnakes, their
A group of rattlesnakes appearing in an origin story.
The Storks
minor
Birds that appear as characters in certain tales.
The Badgers
minor
Also known as the old Badgers, The Badgers
A group of badger characters in certain tales.
Lesser Falcon
minor
Also known as the Lesser Falcon, himself
A bird of prey character appearing in some narratives.
Häki Suto
minor
A named character in certain Zuni tales.
The Old Gobbler
minor
An old turkey character appearing in some stories.
The Crows
minor
Also known as their
Birds that appear in some tales, often as tricksters or helpers.
Misho Lizards
minor
Also known as Misho Lizards, Misho
Lizard characters appearing in certain Zuni stories.
Páutiwa
minor
A Zuni deity or spirit character mentioned in tales.
Shúlawitsi
minor
A Zuni fire god or spirit appearing in some narratives.
The Horned-Toad
minor
A reptile character appearing in certain Zuni stories.
Locusts
minor
Also known as their, themselves
A group of locust characters in some tales.
The Raven
minor
Also known as himself
A single raven character appearing in some stories.
Awiteli Wakashi
minor
A named character in certain Zuni tales.
The Gray Wolf
minor
Also known as the Wolf
A wolf character appearing in some narratives.
Tchumali
minor
A named character in Zuni folklore.
Moki
minor
A place or character name appearing in some tales.
Waíhusiwa
minor
A named character in certain Zuni stories.
Kutchi
minor
Also known as kutchi, your
A named character or term in Zuni narratives.
Brother
minor
A sibling character appearing in some tales.