Antelope-Carrier

Family: Arikara · Role: young man · First appears: Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 1

In Tale 21, Mother Thunderbird (Tale 21) and Male Thunderbird (Tale 21) carried Antelope-Carrier to their mountain nest, where he agreed to protect their young from the serpent, saying, “I will die with my brothers. I will stay here and help you.” Mother Thunderbird (Tale 21) told him she watched over him while he hunted, and Antelope-Carrier fed and cared for the four young Thunderbirds.

In Part 2, Antelope-Carrier killed the two-headed monster with arrows and cut open the defeated serpent for the birds to feast upon. As they ate, the birds gave him power, and Mother Thunderbird (Tale 21) declared, “My son, to-day you are chief of all birds.” The birds followed him wherever he went. In Part 3, the Serpent captured him and made him vomit up all his powers except the lightning in his eyes.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Thunderbirds carried Antelope-Carrier to their mountain nest, where he agreed to help protect their young from the serpent.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 1)
  • With: Male Thunderbird (Tale 21) Mother Thunderbird (Tale 21) the four young Thunderbirds (Tale 21)
  • “The boy wiped away his tears and said: ‘I will die with my brothers. I will stay here and help you.’”
• Antelope-Carrier fed and cared for the young Thunderbirds.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 1)
  • With: the four young Thunderbirds (Tale 21)
  • “He took some meat to them and fed them.”
• Antelope-Carrier killed the two-headed monster with arrows.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 2)
  • “The monster fell over and burst open, for the arrow was really a sycamore tree with sharp limbs.”
• Mother Thunderbird declared Antelope-Carrier chief of all birds and granted him power.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 2)
  • With: Mother Thunderbird (Tale 21)
  • “Thunderbird said: “My son, to-day you are chief of all birds.”
• Antelope-Carrier cut open the defeated serpent; the birds feasted upon it and gave him power.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 2)
  • “The boy cut the serpent open and the birds feasted upon the serpent. As each bird was filled it spoke to the boy and gave him power.”
• Antelope-Carrier became chief of all birds, with birds following him wherever he went.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 2)
  • “The boy was now chief of all birds, and wherever he went the birds followed him.”
• The Serpent captured Antelope-Carrier and made him vomit up all his powers except the lightning in his eyes.(Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 3)
  • With: the boy who became the Serpent (Tale 21)
  • “There Antelope-Carrier was put into the sweat-lodge and was made to vomit up all his powers which he possessed except the lightning in his eyes.”

Tale 21 · The Boy Who Befriended the Thunderbirds, and the Serpent · Part 1

• friends with Mother Thunderbird (Tale 21) “He looked up and saw the mother Thunderbird. She lighted close to the boy and the bird spoke and said: ‘My son, do not cry. I brought you to this place. I watch over you as you go hunting. I see you kill game. You are wonderful. I brought you up here. I want you to help me save your young brothers over there’ (pointing to the nest).”
• friends with Male Thunderbird (Tale 21) “The male bird spoke to the boy, and said: “We are all glad to have you here.”

Also listed in Arikara — Minor Figures

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Traditions of the Arikara. Made with Rho MD.