Navajo Stories: Horne Toad Meets Lightning

Navaho Stories: Horne Toad Meets Lightning 

Irene Notah was sitting in the sun, enjoying the afternoon warmth on that October morning, in Albuquerque, New Mexiso. I noticed she was wearing a small, shiny, gold pin on her lapel. It looked like a lizard. When asked about it, she seemed pleased to begin the story.[1]

The horne toad story has several elements that are embedded in Navajo culture.

The Story Is All About POWER

Notah began the story, “It all started with Grandfather Cheii,[2] who is the figure shown on many Navajo rugs. He is sometimes depicted as a ‘Horned Lizard’ or Horne Toad, which leads to the traditional story where Horne Toad Meets Lightning. The story, by the way, is all about Power!”

“One day Lightning started arguing with Horne Toad, saying that he had more power than the Toad. Lightning threatened the Toad, saying that he was so powerful, his strike could kill Horne Toad dead right on the spot. Horne Toad, however, was pretty clever. In his experience, by moving his head and tilting his body to the side, he was harder to hit than Lightning realized.”

“One afternoon Lightning said to Horne Toad, ‘If I were to strike four times, I bet I can kill you.'”

“Taking up the challenge, Horne Toad walked a distance away and stood in the field and waited. When the lizard felt the spontaneous urge, he moved his head to the side and rolled his body to that side. When the flash of light and bolt of lightning arrived, it hit the ground near by and missed Horne Toad. Three more strikes and three more times with the same result. With his head tilt and body roll, Horne Toad had avoided all four strikes.”

“Next Horne Toad said to Lightning, ‘It’s my turn.'”

“He took his position above Lightning and pointed his spiky head at Lightning. Then Toad thrust his head down and his spikes hit into Lightning, which sent out a fierce bolt of electricity that splintered into a vast array of smaller strikes. The splinters quickly exploded wildly across the sky. The image lit up the entire horizon, as the sun was setting.”

POWER LESSON: In Navajo mythology, Horne Toad’s spikes hitting Lightning is the reason why lightning strikes splinter and crisscross the evening sky in storms to this day.

Other Two-Spirit Lessons: Many Navajos believe that the Horne Toad is their Grandfather. As a sign of respect, they pick up the animal and rub it across its chest in a sign of blessing from their respected ancestor. Gold Horne Toad lapel pins are another sign of respect honoring an elder.[4]

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References:

[1] Irene Notah is on the Board of the Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions in New Mexico and is a frequent contributor of her knowledge to the other members of the Board. The story is retold with her permission, and with the permission of her nephew, Tom Henio, who also added key elements of his version to the Horne Toad story.

[2] The Yei Bi Chai rug image was discovered on the website www.weavingbeauty.com.

[3] The images of the horne toad and lightning were found on the internet and the author believes they are in the public domain, since they were not signed.

[4] Horne Toad as Grandfather: https://baskets.nhmu.utah.edu/collections/symbols/horned-toad-symbolism