Myths and Legends of Pancho Villa

Though not historically accurate, the many legends of "Pancho Villa" reflect a deeper truth about the man originally born as Doroteo Arango.

Pancho Villa—born Doroteo Arango—is one of Mexico's most fascinating historical figures, living and fighting between 1878 and 1923. Hundreds of books and articles have been written about him, each portraying Villa as either a hero or a child-eating ogre, depending on the author’s perspective.

This was true even during his lifetime. Many of Villa’s deeds were spread by word of mouth and transformed into legend. One such tale, for example, claims that General Villa dug up a dead man, put him on trial, and had him shot (again) to ensure proper justice.

No other figure in Mexican history has had as many fantastic, perplexing, and even terrifying legends circulate around them. Below are some of the strangest stories, uncovered by American and Mexican scholars.

Childhood Legends

In the 1950s, Professor Haldeen Braddy collected oral traditions from both Mexico and the southern United States. According to these tales, young Villa could talk to animals, knew the names and properties of every herb, and could even read the signs of the wind—all thanks to his close bond with the Indians.

Villa told his biographer, Martín Luis Guzmán, that he was forced into banditry when a landowner, or his son, assaulted his sister. Thirteen-year-old Villa killed the man and became a fugitive: “I went to a ravine in the mountains called Hell's Canyon, climbed to the peaks, and killed my cattle alone, in that great solitude.”

The eerie name of the canyon may have sparked the legend that Villa sold his soul to the devil. It is said that during his time in the wilderness, Villa discovered a dark cave filled with deformed animals, jewels, and the ghosts of generals, popes, kings, and women of questionable morals, all dancing and laughing wildly.

There, Villa met the devil and struck a deal: bravery and power in exchange for his soul. When he left the cave, he was no longer Doroteo Arango—he was Pancho Villa. His soul, they say, was left behind, weeping in a dark corner of the cave.

Legends of the Revolution

In the 1950s and 1960s, scholar Nancy Brandt collected more stories from Chihuahua and the southern U.S. These included tales of Villa's uncanny ability to escape from his enemies. In some versions, he could shapeshift into a dog, confusing General Pershing's soldiers. In others, he transformed into a desert plant.

One legend portrays Villa as a man of ruthless wisdom. Summoning two soldiers—one of whom was a traitor—Villa, unsure of which man was guilty, poured two cups of coffee and said: “Gentlemen, I know who the traitor is. One of these cups is poisoned. Drink. The innocent man will survive.” Trusting their leader’s powers, one soldier drank his cup calmly, while the other panicked and tried to flee. Villa was ready. He shot him on the spot.

Evil Villa

In Chihuahua, one grandmother recalled the terror that swept through towns when news spread that Villa was approaching. Families hid their daughters in wells or barns, she said. This woman remembered her own encounter with Villa, who, like a villain from a fairy tale, approached her and said, “I’ll be back for you tonight.”

Panicked, she ran home to tell her husband, who prepared to defend her. When Villa returned, her husband confronted him, but Villa prevailed in the shootout. He then set fire to their home, burning the couple alive for resisting, and took a young girl from the house.

However, Villa and his infamous "Dorados" didn’t always win. In a distinctly fairy-tale-like story preserved by an El Paso historian, Villa and his men arrived at a ranch where a mother was anxiously awaiting her husband’s return from the war. When the troops demanded food, the clever mother sent her daughters to the granary one by one, pretending they would fetch provisions, but instead secretly instructing them to hide.

At last, she, too, slipped away—but in her haste, she forgot her baby. When the Villistas discovered the ruse, they threatened to kill the baby unless the daughters revealed themselves. The mother, unwavering, refused to come out.

Enraged, one soldier threw the baby to the ground, yet still she would not open the door. Growing desperate, Villa’s men began digging a tunnel to break in. As one Villista crawled through, the mother waited on the other side with an ax and, when he emerged, swiftly chopped off his head. Humiliated by their defeat at the hands of this determined mother, Villa’s men withdrew, leaving her and her family unharmed.

Post-Mortem Legends

Three years after his death, Pancho Villa’s tomb was desecrated, and robbers took his head. A gardener claimed to have witnessed the event, which, colored by legend, became a kind of resurrection story with supernatural elements.

The gardener told El Paso folklorist John O. West: “When they cut off my general’s head, so much blood poured out that it covered the ground.” Rumors about Villa’s head spread quickly. Some said it was sold in the U.S. to a scientific institute that wanted to study it. Others claimed it was taken to a secret crypt at Yale University, or a lab in Illinois. Choose your favorite conspiracy theory.

Much like saints and folk heroes, Pancho Villa’s life has grown into a colossal figure, embodying national and ethnic aspirations. Though not historically accurate, these legends reflect deeper truths about the man who was born Doroteo Arango and continues to live on as Pancho Villa.