Tradition: Navajo mythology, American Mythology
Alternative Names: Teelget
Category: Deer
The Myth
Teelget is one of the Anaye, the “Alien Gods” of Navajo mythology. He was born from a human woman who had resorted to unnatural and evil practices. His supposed father was an antler. The creature born from this union was round, hairy, and headless. Horrified by what she had produced, the woman cast the creature away, and it eventually grew into the monster known as Teelget.
Teelget resembles an enormous, headless elk or antelope. His body is rounded and covered in hair like that of a gopher, while his enormous antlers serve as deadly weapons. The origin of his name is uncertain, although the “tê” is said to refer to his horns.
Teelget became one of the destructive Anaye that laid waste to the land and slaughtered many people. Coyote served as his spy, helping Teelget and the other Anaye in their destruction.
It was Nayenezgani, the “Slayer of Alien Gods,” who finally set out to destroy Teelget. Armed with his lightning arrows, Nayenezgani tracked the monster to a wide open plain where Teelget was resting.
The plain offered no cover, and Nayenezgani realized that Teelget would notice him if he attempted to approach openly. While he considered how to reach the monster, Gopher appeared and asked why he had come. Gopher explained that nobody ventured into the area because everyone feared Teelget.
When Nayenezgani told Gopher that he intended to destroy Teelget, Gopher gladly offered to help. He asked only for Teelget’s hide as payment.
Gopher excavated a tunnel leading directly beneath the sleeping Teelget, reaching the monster’s heart. He then dug four additional tunnels leading north, south, east, and west so that Nayenezgani could hide in them once Teelget awoke.
Gopher also gnawed away the hair around Teelget’s heart, claiming that he needed the hair to line his nest. This left the monster’s heart exposed.
Nayenezgani crawled through the tunnel until he reached the exposed area beneath Teelget’s heart. He fired a chain-lightning arrow directly into the monster’s heart and immediately retreated into the eastern tunnel.
Teelget awoke in agony and fury. He attacked the tunnel with his enormous antlers, gouging open the eastern passage. But Nayenezgani had already escaped into the southern tunnel.
Teelget destroyed the southern tunnel as well, only to find that Nayenezgani had moved into the western passage. He destroyed that tunnel too. Finally, Teelget thrust one of his antlers into the northern tunnel, but before he could reach Nayenezgani, the wound from the lightning arrow overcame him and he collapsed.
Nayenezgani was uncertain whether Teelget was truly dead. Ground Squirrel volunteered to investigate. He explained that Teelget never paid attention to him and that, if the monster were dead, he would dance and sing upon his antlers.
Ground Squirrel approached the fallen Teelget and celebrated upon his antlers, confirming that the monster had been defeated. He then painted his face with Teelget’s blood. It was said that ground squirrels have retained the streaks on their faces ever since that day. In some versions of the story, Chipmunk takes the place of Ground Squirrel and paints stripes down his back instead.
Nayenezgani took a piece of Teelget’s antler and a piece of his liver as trophies. Gopher then immediately began skinning the monster.
Gopher declared that he would wear Teelget’s skin so that, when humans increased once more, they would be reminded of what Teelget had looked like. According to the story, this is why gophers remain rounded and hairy to this day: they still wear the skin that Teelget once wore.
Sources
Countess Sica. “Teelget.” A Book of Creatures. May 8, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/05/08/teelget/