Summary

Chapter 1 When Antonio was seven, his parents decided to have Ultima, a curandera, come live with them. That night, Antonio had a dream of his birth. In this dream, Antonio saw his mother's family get into a fight with his father's family about what he was destined to be when he became a man. Ultima stepped in and told them that she would be the one to decide what Antonio would grow up to be. When Antonio woke up, his mother had him and his sisters prepare the house for Ultima's arrival.

Chapter 2 Antonio really liked Ultima. She taught him about plants and how everything has a spirit. One night, one of the men from the village came to the house and said that the sheriff had been killed. There was a hunt for the man who had done it, and they found him in the river. Unknown by his father, Antonio had followed his father out of the house and was down in the river when they shot the killer.

Chapter 3 In the morning, the family went to church. On the way there, the people of the village would whisper and stare at Ultima as she walked by. When they got to the church, Antonio when to where all the boys from town hung out. When he was discovered, one of the kids, Horse, wanted to wrestle him. Antonio threw him, and earned the respect of the rest of the boys.

Chapter 4 & 5 In the Autumn Ultima would take Antonio with her when she gathered plants. After they returned to the house one day, Antonio's mother announced that they were going to her father's house to help with the harvest. That night before they went to sleep, Antonio saw his mother and Ultima praying to the Virgin of Guadalupe, then he had a dream of his family mourning his death. The next day they go to El Puerto to help with the harvest.

Chapter 6 Ultima teaches Antonio about the spirit of the plants and the river. Because of this, Antonio becomes more in tune with nature. Antonio also comes to the conclusion that God is a vengeful god, while the Virgen is full of compassion and mercy. He also has another dream, this one about his brother's souls.

Chapter 7-8 Antonio's family learns that the war is over and that Antonio's brothers are coming back home. That night, Antonio dreams of his brothers coming back, the awakes to see them coming over the hill. Eventually, the brothers become restless and want to move off again.

Chapter 9-11 In yet another dream, Antonio travels to Rosie's house, where his brothers want him to enter but Antonio refuses, saying that he will preserve his innocence forever. Ultima then appears and tells Antonio that his innocence lies in the hills of the llano. When he wakes up Antonio hears his brothers arguing. Two of them leave while the other stays and gets a job in town.