Home > Myths and Legends of the World > Pecos Bill

In the legends of the American West, Pecos Bill was a larger-than-life cowboy known for his amazing exploits. Created by journalists in the late 1800s, Pecos Bill was supposed to have been born in Texas and raised by coyotes after his parents lost him while crossing the Pecos River.

While still a child, Bill grew to be much bigger than most men. He wrestled and rode mountain lions, used rattlesnakes as lassos, and fought grizzly bears with his bare hands. When he was about ten, he discovered that he was a human and not a coyote. He decided to live among people and become a cowboy. He invented the rope lasso and six-shooter and gained a reputation for killing bad guys. However, he never harmed women or children.

Eventually Pecos Bill started ranching. After his cows ate all the grass in Texas, he moved to New Mexico, where he dug the Rio Grande to get water for his cattle. While living in New Mexico, Bill had a horse called...