The Navajo, or Diné, are a Native American tribe who live in the southwestern United States. The Navajo have a very rich culture and their mythology remains to be filled with stories that ignite their history into reality. Insects have important roles in Navajo mythology and essentially in the Navajo culture as well.
Rain Boy and Butterfly Boy
In his book, “The Gift of the Gila Monster,” Gerald Hausman conveys a traditional Navajo folktale. The story is called “Rain Boy and Butterfly Boy.” It is just one of many tales told to exemplify a cultural taboo, in other words – what is or is not culturally acceptable. This particular story centers on a God named Rain Boy who has the power of lightning and travels upon rainbows. He has gone on a long trip, leaving his wife and daughter at home alone. Before he leaves, he makes sure to tell them not to leave the house.
A stranger named Butterfly Boy happens to pass by the women and decides to talk to them. This is no ordinary man; Butterfly Boy looks like a normal Navajo man, but has splendid butterfly wings enabling him to fly. Butterfly Boy can also morph his human self into a white butterfly. He decides to do just this in order to sneak up on the women. The women are mesmerized by the beautiful butterfly and try to catch him. They both get entangled in a pumpkin patch much to Butterfly Boy’s pleasure. He transforms back into his winged-human form, grabs both women, and takes them far away to the home of the Gods in Chaco Canyon.
When Rain Boy returns home, he’s greatly dismayed. He searches all over his land for the women. He strikes out a bolt of lightning to follow the path of their descent. It points towards Chaco Canyon. Rain Boy immediately travels there upon a rainbow. He’s very angry with the women for disobeying him, but he’s even more livid at Butterfly Boy.
When he finally arrives, he challenges Butterfly Boy to a race in which the winner gets to keep the women. They both prepare themselves and Butterfly Boy gathers his magic axe. This magic axe can kill an enemy when the owner blows a puff of breath and wishes it so. The race begins with Rain Boy in the lead riding a lightning bolt. Butterfly Boy barely keeps up. They reach one end of the race and decide to race back as well.
Butterfly Boy is exhausted, but refuses to give up. Rain Boy reaches the end first and waits with the women. Rain Boy declares his victory and says to Butterfly Boy, “It is time for you to die.” Butterfly Boy tries to trick Rain Boy by asking him to allow him an honorable death by using his own axe to do the job. However, Rain Boy knows it is a magic axe and has his own trick up his sleeve. He tells Butterfly Boy to close his eyes, switches to his own axe and then squarely hits Butterfly Boy upon the head. His skull cracks open and a net full of sparkling butterflies fly up into the sky. This is how butterflies were born.
“Rain Boy and Butterfly Boy” is a great example of the vividness of Navajo mythology. It remains to be used in a historical sense (origin of butterflies) as well as culturally. It warns its listeners to not be foolish and to look out for trickery.
Source:
Hausman, Gerald. “The Gift of the Gila Monster: Navajo Ceremonial Tales.” New York: Simon & Schuster P, 1993.