Releasing the Buffalo – An Apache Legend

By Pliny Earle Goddard in 1911

Across the vast and sun-drenched plains, in a time immemorial, a band of Apache people struggled against the gnawing pangs of hunger. Their existence, intricately woven with the rhythms of nature, was now threatened by a scarcity of food. Desperation hung heavy in the air, a palpable weight that shadowed their every action. To distract themselves from their plight, and perhaps in the hope of a shift in fortune, they engaged in a traditional pastime: the hoop and pole game, a test of skill and chance. Little did they know that their fortunes were about to change in a way they could never have imagined, through the intervention of mythical figures and the cunning of a transformed companion.

Into this scene of hardship and hopeful play arrived Raven, a figure shrouded in mystery. His origins were unknown, his presence sudden and unexpected. He carried with him a quiver, not filled with the usual arrows of the hunt, but containing something far more curious: intestines. The sight of these entrails sparked a wave of speculation and intrigue among the hungry people. Magpie, known for his inquisitive nature, carefully extracted the contents of the quiver, adding to the growing sense of anticipation. All eyes turned to Raven, watching his every move, trying to decipher the purpose behind his strange arrival.

As dusk began to settle, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, Raven prepared to depart. He took flight, soaring upwards toward the "sky-hole," a mythical opening in the heavens believed to connect the earthly realm with the celestial. The people, guided by an unspoken agreement, kept their gaze fixed on him. "You must all watch him," they urged each other, recognizing the potential significance of his journey. Raven ascended higher and higher, circling as he climbed, until his form became a mere speck against the vast expanse of the sky. Eventually, he vanished from the sight of most, but two sharp-eyed observers, Rattlesnake and Bat, with their exceptional vision, continued to track his progress.

Raven’s journey was not a straight ascent. Upon reaching the apex of the sky, he veered eastward, toward the Black Mountains, a formidable range stretching from north to south. He sought a specific location, the junction of canyons, a place known only to him and, now, to the two persistent watchers. The people, guided by the subtle clues provided by Rattlesnake and Bat, moved their camp in pursuit of Raven, a slow and arduous journey undertaken with a glimmer of hope. They moved their camp four times before they came to him.

At the canyon junction, the people discovered the source of Raven’s mysterious journey: a vast quantity of meat. Raven, true to his role as a provider, distributed the meat among the hungry people, offering them a temporary reprieve from their suffering. But their curiosity remained piqued. They questioned Raven about the source of this bounty, specifically about the buffalo, the large, shaggy beasts that roamed the plains and provided sustenance. Raven, however, remained tight-lipped, refusing to divulge the secret of their whereabouts. The mystery surrounding the buffalo only deepened the people’s desire to find a more permanent solution to their hunger. The legend of releasing the buffalo begins to unfold.

Driven by necessity and fueled by cunning, the Apache devised a plan. They selected one of their own and transformed him into a puppy, imbuing him with black obsidian eyes, gleaming and perceptive. They hid the transformed man-puppy under a bed of brush near their deserted camp, strategically positioning him to gather information. With the stage set, the people moved their camp a distance away, leaving the puppy behind as bait.

The children of Raven, drawn to the abandoned camp, discovered the puppy hidden beneath the brush. Taking pity on the seemingly abandoned creature, Raven’s youngest child embraced the puppy and carried him home. The child’s act of kindness inadvertently played into the Apache’s plan. However, Raven, wise and perceptive, immediately recognized the potential for deception. "He was lying there to find out something," he warned his children, suspecting the puppy’s true nature. The child, reluctant to part with his new companion, pleaded to keep him.

To test the puppy, Raven employed a cruel method. He heated a poker in the fire until it glowed red-hot and brought it near the puppy’s eyes. The puppy, unable to withstand the intense heat, cried out in pain, "Wau." Raven, satisfied that the puppy was not entirely without feeling, relented. "You may keep it; it’s only a dog. It does not know anything," he declared, seemingly dismissing the threat. The child, overjoyed, named the puppy "Ånáldé," which translates to "choke." This seemingly insignificant act of naming would soon have profound consequences. This story of releasing the buffalo is a very interesting one.

Unbeknownst to Raven, the puppy, despite his transformation, retained his intelligence and purpose. He observed Raven’s actions, carefully noting his routine. He discovered that Raven had the buffalo confined, holding them captive and releasing them only when he needed to secure meat. This explained the sudden appearance of meat and the mystery surrounding the buffalo’s disappearance from the plains. The puppy, now a seemingly harmless pet, patiently awaited his opportunity.

As days turned into nights, the puppy became an accepted member of Raven’s household, sharing in their meals and sleeping within their dwelling. Under the cover of darkness, when all were asleep, the puppy stealthily crept towards the enclosure where the buffalo were held captive. With his sharp teeth and nimble paws, he managed to open the door, releasing the buffalo into the night. The buffalo, sensing their freedom, stampeded out of the enclosure, their hooves thundering across the earth. The scene is crucial to the story of releasing the buffalo.

The noise of the stampede awakened Raven, who quickly realized what was happening. He grabbed his quiver and rushed to the enclosure, desperately trying to stop the escaping buffalo. He fired arrows into the herd as they thundered past, but his efforts were futile. As his arrows dwindled, Raven realized that he was losing control of the situation. With only one arrow remaining, he turned his attention to the door, searching for the culprit who had dared to defy him.

Amidst the chaos, the transformed man, still in the form of a dog, clung to the side of an old buffalo, barely able to keep its feet. He used the buffalo as cover, slipping out of the enclosure unnoticed by Raven. Raven, fixated on finding the saboteur, failed to recognize the significance of the old buffalo and the seemingly insignificant dog clinging to its side. He stood there, holding his bow with the last arrow, his eyes scanning the darkness in vain.

The man-dog, having successfully released the buffalo, rejoined his people, who had moved their camp a safe distance away. "I turned the buffalo all loose," he announced triumphantly, delivering the news they had been longing to hear. The people rejoiced, turning back towards the buffalo, where they hunted and killed many of them, finally ending their hunger. The success of releasing the buffalo was realized.

Raven, defeated and humiliated, could only offer a meager consolation to his children. "You will live on the meat that is left on the backbone and on the eyeballs," he told them, highlighting the scraps that remained after the Apache had taken their fill. His greed and control had been thwarted, and his power diminished.

The Apache legend concludes with a simple yet powerful statement: "Long ago, they were hungry, but he let the buffalo out, and then they had plenty to eat. That way, he did." The story serves as a testament to the importance of cunning, perseverance, and the willingness to challenge authority in the face of adversity. It celebrates the triumph of the people over hunger and the restoration of balance to their world. The tale of releasing the buffalo highlights ingenuity.

The story of releasing the buffalo is a powerful reminder of the resourcefulness and resilience of the Apache people, and of the enduring power of legends to teach and inspire.

About the Author: Pliny Earle Goddard (1869-1928) was an ethnologist and linguist of American Indian languages. He published several books and journals, including several volumes entitled the Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History. This tale comes from his Jicarilla Apache texts, from Volume VIII of that series, published in 1911.

Also See:

• Myths & Legends of the Apache
• Native American Legends
• Native American Proverbs & Wisdom
• Native Americans – First Owners of America