Summary

Chapter 1. Bless Me, Ultima is a story about the time that six-year-old Antonio spends with a New Mexican shaman named Ultima. When the story begins, Antonio is almost seven-years-old and shares the attic space in his New Mexican home with his two older sisters. His three older brothers are away, fighting in World War II overseas. Antonio’s mother hopes that he will become the family priest and his father hopes that Antonio will follow in his footsteps and become a vaquero, or cowboy. Antonio overhears his parents discussing a curandera, or healer, that has reached old age. The woman helped deliver all of their children and both of Antonio’s parents have the highest level of respect for her. They decide that they are going to invite her to come live with them.

Antonio has a dream about his birth that includes a woman...