Zuni Folktales · Character

The Old Grandmother

A cunning elder who paints her grandson's face like a demon and arms him with a magic axe to out-terrify a bear.

supporting

Also known as the old Grandmother, The old grandmother, herself, myself

As a supporting figure in Zuni Folktales, The Old Grandmother is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Grandmother of the twin gods, who receives them and the orphaned children at the end of the chapter.

In the storyThe Maiden of the Yellow RocksOpen this moment free

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.

See The Old Grandmother in The Maiden of the Yellow Rocks Book page

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Character Web

35 connections

A slice of how The Old Grandmother sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Twin War Gods and Companions
Animal Helpers and Tricksters
Diverse Mythical and Animal Figures

+30 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the children’s joyful play turns to horror as the elder siste…

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In the story

The Old Grandmother appears across 11 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Maiden of the Yellow Rocks
Grandmother of the twin gods, who receives them and the orphaned children at the end of the chapter.
The Boy Hunter Who Never Sacrificed to the Deer He Had Slain
The grandmother of the Sun who sorts the shell beads and turquoises.
How Áhaiyúta and Mátsailéma Stole the Thunder-Stone and the Lightning-Shaft
Grandmother of the War-gods who scolds them for their theft and is accidentally drowned when the boys' play floods the house; her heart becomes the first pepper plant.
The Warrior Suitor of Moki
Not directly mentioned; no elder grandmother figure appears in this chapter.
How the Corn-Pests Were Ensnared
The Coyote's grandmother, killed by him on the Owl's advice.
How the Rattlesnakes Came to Be What They Are
The grandmother who also cries out and swoons, joining the transformation.
The Ugly Wild Boy Who Drove the Bear Away from Southeastern Mesa
The boy's grandmother who warns him but later helps by painting his face and giving him a magic axe.
The Revenge of the Two Brothers on the Háwikuhkwe, or the Two Little Ones and Their Turkeys
Grandmother of the two brothers; advises them to seek help from their grandfathers and participates in the victory ceremony.
Átahsaia, the Cannibal Demon
Grandmother of the twins; is tricked into beating the stuffed demon effigy.
Italian Version
Provides rags in exchange for hairs.
Zuni Version
The old woman who owns the Cock; she is poor and feeds him refuse.

Chapter companion notes

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See The Old Grandmother in zuni folktales

See The Old Grandmother in The Maiden of the Yellow Rocks