Native American Myth Summary

The Great Race

This was a myth of the Northern Cheyenne people explaining man's dominance over animals, how animals became colored, and how the soil on the trail to Buffalo Gap turned red. This myth falls under the category of entertainment, because it is an instructing myth.

For a long period of time, all beings were equal and treated each other so. No animal ate any other. The buffalo, however, decided that they were supreme and should be able to eat the other animals and gain strength from them. Humans, in rebuttal, decided that they should be the greater beings. To settle the dispute, buffalos and humans decided to have a race. Humans complained that this would be unfair, because the buffalos' four legs gave them a distinct advantage over the humans' two legs. For this reason, the humans proposed to have birds, specifically a hawk, a magpie, a lark, and a hummingbird, race in their stead. The buffalos agreed. The buffalos chose Slim Running Buffalo Woman to run for them in the race. The two camps also agreed to allow any other animals to join in the race as well. The animals decided to decorate themselves for the occasion. For example, the skunk chose to paint a white stripe down his back. Likewise, the antelope painted themselves reddish-brown with mud. Prior to this, no animals were colored. Their markings are the same to this day.

The racecourse was set to both begin and end at Buffalo Gap, with a midway point chosen a set distance away. The race was on. Strong and powerful, Slim Running quickly took the lead. The other animals fell behind, bleeding from the strain of the race. As a result, their blood colors the path to this day. The birds flying overhead played to their individual strengths. Hummingbird and Hawk were each swift, but only for short distances. When those two birds became tired, Lark continued the race. Lark fatigued, the racers had already rounded the halfway point and were on their way back to Buffalo Gap. Slim Running was nearing the finish line. Meanwhile, Magpie took over the race effort for the humans. Magpie was not fast, but was quite stubborn. Slowly, as Slim Running fatigued, Magpie closed the gap and finally won the race by a hair. The humans had won the race, and therefore became the supreme beings in the world with the right to hunt and eat the other animals.

Erdoes, Richard and Alfonso Ortiz, eds. "The Great Race." American Indian Myths and Legends. New York: Pantheon Books. 1984. 390-392.

Stergulz, Richard. "Bison." Oil Painting. Richard Stergulz Fine Arts Gallery. 11 November 2008. http://www.stergulzart.com/?ArtworkID=31