Red-Dog | Red-Dog |
(1)k-âcimostâtn âsay êh-misikitiyân nôhtâwiy otâcimôwin. niya mîna sâsay nikiskêyihtên, êkoyikohk êh-itikitiyân. |
(1)I shall tell you a story about my father at the time when I was already big. I was already big enough to remember it myself. |
(2)kêtahtawê, êkotê ôtêh maskotêhk êh-ayâyâhk, kîtahtawê, kêkâc êh-tipiskâk, nôhtâwiy otêmah nâtêw, kêkway êh-kostahk, êy-astâsit, ta-maskamiht otêmah pêyak ê-mîhkawikiyit. êyakonih mâna êh-âpacihât, wiyâs nêtawêyihtahkih, ê-nawaswâtât mostoswah, mitoni êh-atimât misatim, mitonih êh-miyosit. nkêh-wâpamimâwa nôhtâwiy otêma. kêyâpic kotakah otêma; apisîs kaskihtâw êwakô misatim êh-atimât mostoswah. êkosi nîso êh-ayâwât êh-mihkawikiyit, mâka awah nîkân k-âcimak mistahi êh-mêhkawikit. êkwah kotak; êkosi nistoh. kotakak mîna têpiyâhk êh-otâpêcik otâpân. ôki nîsoh têpiyâhk âpatisiwak wiyâs ohci. pêyakwâw kâh-nawaswêtwâwi pakitinâwak; tahkinê miyonâkosiwak êh-wiyinocik misatimwak. â, mitoni sâkihêw nôhtâwiy ôhi kâ-mihkawikiyit anohcîhkêh êh-atâwêt. nama wiya kinwês ayâwêw. |
(2)At one time then, as we were staying on the prairie here, at one time, just before nightfall, my father went to fetch his horses, for he feared something and was worried that he might be robbed of one of his horses, a swift one. It was the one he used when he wanted meat and hunted buffalo, a horse which was very good at overtaking them, a handsome animal. I myself used to see this horse of my father's. He had another horse, beside; this horse had some little ability to overtake the buffalo. So he had two fast ones, but the one I first mentioned was very fast. Then, still another; that made three. Then there were others which only drew wagons. Those two alone were useful for getting meat. When they had been used once in the hunt, they were set to rest; these horses were always in good condition and well fed. Oh, my father very much prized that fast one, having but recently bought it. He had not had it long. |
(3)êkwah kêkâc êh-tipiskâk pêsiwêw wîkihk. ôma êh-pêsiwât, êh-pîhtokêt, sêmâk pêyak nâpêw pîhtokêw. êkwah apiwak, êh-ay-âcimocik. awa kâ-mihkawikit misatim mihkwawêw-atim isiyihkâsôw; awa kotak pîmi-wâpihkwês isiyihkâsôw. êwakonik k-âcimakik nikîh-wâpamâwak. nama wiya niya piko nikiskêyimâwak; kahkiyaw nôhtâwiy owâhkomâkanah kîh-kiskêyimêyiwa. kwayask êh-âcimoyân êh-itêyihtamân ôkih k-âcimakik nôhtâwiy otêma. |
(3)So now, just before dark, he brought it to his dwelling. As now he brought it, as he entered the tipi, a certain man at once came in. Then they sat there in conversation. That fast horse was called Red-Coat; the other was called White-Bar-On-Face. I myself saw these horses of which I am telling. Not only I knew them; all my father's relatives knew them. I mean to tell correctly the story of my father's horses. |
(4)êkosi ôma k-ây-apicik ôhi nâpêwa, êh-ay-âcimocik, nama wiya nâkatôhkiw otêma. kinwês apiwak ôhi kâ-kiyokâkot nâpêwa. wîhkâc wayawîw awa nâpêw. êkoyikohk nôhtâwiy kiskisiw; otêma kîh-itêyihtam ta-kîh-sakahpitât otiskwâhtêmihk; êkosi mâna êh-tôtahk wâh-tipiskâyikih, êh-nâtât otêma ôhi kâ-mîhkawikiyit, ê-sakahpitât mâna, kâ-mâyi-tôtâkot êh-kiyokâkot nâpêwa. êkosi êkwah êh-kîh-wayawiyit, êkoyikohk kiskisiw otêma. sâsay mistahi tipiskâw. kaski-tipiskâw. ât êkwah papâ-ntonikêw; mâk ôsâm mistahi kaski-tipiskâw; nama kêkway wâpahtam. sâsay kiskêyihtam ta-wanihât otêma. êkwah mâ-mitonêyihtam. mistahi mihtâtam ôhi nâpêwa osâm kinwês êh-kiwokâkot. |
(4)As he thus sat with that man in conversation, he did not think of his horses. He sat for a long time with that man who was visiting him. After a long while that man left the tipi. Only then did my father remember; he had meant to tether his horses by his door; that was what he always did at nightfall, fetching his fast horses and tethering them, and now he had been greatly wronged by this man's visiting him. So now, when the latter had left the tipi, only now did he remember his horses. By this time it was quite dark. It was pitch-dark. Nevertheless he searched about; but it was too dark; he could see nothing. Now he knew that he should not find his horses. Then he reflected. He was very sorry that that man had stayed visiting too long. |
(5)«kîspin êkâh kinwês kîh-apit awa nâpêw, mâskôc nama wiya êkosi nkah-ispayin,» itêyihtam; «sôskwâc kêsinâ ayahciyiniwak t-ôtinêwak ntêma,» itêyihtam. |
(5)«If that man had not sat so long, perhaps I should not have fared this way,» he thought; «Surely without delay the Blackfoot will take my horses,» he thought. |
(6)tâpwê wiyâpahk ntawastimwêw. nam âwiya otêma. takosin. |
(6)So, the next morning, he looked for his horses. His horses were gone. He came home. |
(7)«niwanihâwak. pakâhkam nkimotamâkawin,» itwêw. |
(7)«I cannot find them. It looks as if they had been stolen,» he said. |
(8)«kikî-sakâhpitâwak cî?» itwêw nikâwiy. |
(8)«Did you tether them?» asked my mother. |
(9)«nama wiya. êh-pêsiwakik ôtah tipisohk, kâ-pîhtokêt awa nâpêw; êkosi mitoni niwanîhkân.» |
(9)«No. When I brought them here last night, that man came in; and so I forgot all about it.» |
(10)«âta niya nikiskisin; mâka, `sakahpitêw,' kitêyimitin,» itwêw nkâwiy. |
(10)«I did think of it; but, `He has tethered them,' I thought of you,» said my mother. |
(11)«nama wiya. mistahi nimihtâtên. pakâhkam êh-kimotamâkawiyah. nimâtâhâwak kêh-pimipayicik, êkwah ôtah êh-pônihakik, awasâyihk êkotah êsah kâh-apicik ayîsiyiniwak. maskisinah, _ mitoni pîkopayiwa, _ astêwa.» |
(11)«No. I am very sorry. It seems certain they have been stolen. I came upon the track of some people who rode by here, and I stopped following them close by here, at the other side of the hill, where some people must have been staying. Some moccasins, - they were all torn, - were lying there.» |
(12)«tânêhki mâka êkâ kâ-pêtâyin?» itwêw nikâwiy. |
(12)«Why did you not bring them?» asked my mother. |
(13)«hâw, kiwîhtamâtin: pîkopayiwa. mâka nka-ntâhtâmon misatim. nka-têhtapin. nka-mitihtâwak. tâpwê têpiyâh pêyak miskawakih, ntawâsimisak t-ôtâpâtikocik, nika-miywêyihtên. nama wiya kayâs kâ-kîh-ôtinimak otêmiwâwa. êkâ wiya mihtâtah,» itêw nikâwiyah; «kikîh-kiskêyihtên misatimwak êh-pêsiwakik. kê-nîkâniwik kik-âyâwânawak êtokê misatimwak,» itêw nikâwiyah. |
(13)«Why, I am telling you: they were torn. But I shall borrow a horse. I shall ride. I shall follow their trail. Really, if I find even one, to draw my children in a wagon, I shall be glad. It is not long since I got horses for them. Do not feel bad about it,» he said to my mother; «You have known me to get horses. In time to come, doubtless we shall have horses,» he told my mother. |
(14)mâka nama nântaw kîh-tôtam. nkâwiy kîh-mâtôw. kahkiyaw êsa pikoh nikîh-mâtonân; nôhtâwiy piko nama wiya. |
(14)But there was nothing he could do. My mother was weeping. o doubt we all were weeping; only not my father. |
(15)âyiman êwakoh tôtâtôwin, ê-kîh-kiskêyihtamân ôma k-âcimoyân, kayâs paskwâw-iyiniwak ê-kîh-tôtâtocik. |
(15)It was a hard thing, this way of doing to one another, which I myself have thus experienced, and of which I am telling, the way the prairie people of old did to one another. |
(16)êkwah nôhtâwiy awihâw misatimwah, êh-têhtapit, êh-pimitisahwât. tâpwê miskawêw pêyak, êh-napwahpisoyit. ôh êh-pimitisahomiht otêma, kotak awa kâ-napwahpisot pimitisahwêw owîcêwâkana. piyisk atimêw nôhtâwiy. otinêw. mistahi miywêyihtam, têpiyâhk pêyak êh-kâhcitinât. takosin. pêsiwêw ôhi atimwah. êkosih kimotamâk awiyah. |
(16)Then my father was lent a horse, and mounted, and went in pursuit. He really found one, which was hobbled. When those horses of his had been driven off, this other one, which was hobbled, had tried to follow its fellows. So my father caught up to it. He took it. He was very glad to succeed in getting even one. He came home. He brought this horse. Someone had robbed him. |
(17)«tâpwê pikoh êh-pimipayicik nmâtâhâwak,» itwêw; «pikoh minâhtakâh t-êtohtêyân, simâkanisak ka-ntawêyihtamawakik; mâskôc wiyawâw ta-miskawêwak,» itwêw.1 |
(17)«Really, I came upon their trail where they rode past,» he said; «All I can do is go to Minahtakaw and ask for soldiers; perhaps they will be able to find them,» he said. |
(18)êkosi kîh-ntaw-âcimow; êkwah kî-kiskinôhtahwêw itah kâ-miskawât otêma. êkotah ohcih sipwêhtêwak simâkanisak. kî-miskawêwak pêyak nôhtâwiyah otêmiyiwa êh-nipiyit. êh-sakâhk, êh-tah-tahkamimiht mistahi, nipahimâwa. êkosi âhci piko pimohtêwak ôki. kîh-takosinwak êsa nêtê, ôhi ayahciyiniwah itah êh-wîkiyit. êkosi nitôskawêwak, maht âwiyah ka-takosiniyit misatimwah ta-pêsiwâyit. nama wiya wîhtamawâwak; êh-kakwêcihkêmocik nama wiya wîhtamawâwak. êkosi êkwah nama wiy âyiwâk itohtêwak. |
(18)So he went and told his story and showed them where he had found his horse. From that point the soldiers went on. They found one of my father's horses, dead. It had been killed in a grove, stabbed many times. Then they marched ahead. It seems that they arrived yonder, where those Blackfoot dwelt. Then they sought them, trying to see if anyone had arrived bringing horses. They were not told of any such; when they asked, they were not told of anyone. Then they did not go any farther. |
(19)«mâskôc nka-kiskêyihtênân, awiyak ôtah takosihk,» itikwak; «mâka nam âwiyak ôtah ohci takosin. êyakô ohci nama wiya nikiskêyihtênân,» itâwak. |
(19)«Doubtless we should know of it, if anyone arrived here,» the others told them; «But no one has arrived here in all this time. So we do not know about it,» they were told. |
(20)ayisk kîh-nakatamwak omêskanâyiw misatimwah, ôhi misatimwah kâ-miskawâcik, êkotah ohci têpiyâhk itêh ta-kîh-itohtêyit êh-itêyihtahkik, êkotê kâ-miskahkik mîkiwâhpah. êyakô ohci nama wiya kêhcinâhôwak. |
(20)Now, they had left the trail of the horses, for when they found that horse, they had thought that the thieves could have gone only here, where they found the tipis. Therefore they were not certain. |
(21)«ahpôh êtokê tâpwê,» itêyihtamwak. |
(21)«Perhaps they are speaking the truth,» they thought. |
(22)nama wiy âyiwâk nântaw kîh-tôtamwak. êkosi pê-kîwêwak. êkosi takosinwak. nôhtâwiy pê-wîhtamâk, otitwêstamâkêwah êh-âcimostâkot. |
(22)They could do nothing more. So they came back. They arrived. My father was sent the message, the interpreter speaking to him. |
(23)«êkos êh-wanihastimwêyan. nama nântaw nimiskawânânak. `êkoyikohk mitoni mistahi nintawastimwânân,' itwêwak simâkanisak,» itwêw nôhtâwiy. |
(23)«You have lost your horses for good. `We cannot find them anywhere. We have done all we could, in the way of looking for the horses,' say the soldiers,» he reported. |
(24)«êkosi nama nântaw,» itwêw nôhtâwiy.* |
(24)«Well then, no matter,» said my father. |
(25)kayâs êkosi ohc îspayiw, aspin k-ô-nanoyacîhitohk. mahpôh mâna nipahitonâniwiw misatimwak ohci. |
(25)That was the way things went in the old days; they always harrassed each other. They would even kill each other on account of horses. |
(26)«têpiyâhk êh-pimâtisiyâhk anohc. mâka nka-sipwêhtân. nâtakâm nk-êtohtân. ntawâsimisak êkotê ayâwak. na-ntawâpmâwak. mîna miyopayiw ohcitaw êkotê t-êtohtêyân. êkotê mihcêtiw ayîsiyiniw niwâhkomâkanak. êkoyikohk ta-miywâsin, êkotê takosiniyâni kipahikanihk, êkwa ta-tipahamâtohk. mahpôh êtokê êkwah kihci-okimâw ta-mêkiw iskonikan, pêyakwanoh tit-âyâyâhk,» itwêw. |
(26)«Now we have only this, that we are alive. But I shall go away from here. I shall go to the Saskatchewan country. My children are there. I shall go and see them. And it is well that I go there. There are many people of my kin. Then it will be well, when I arrive there at Fort Qu'Appelle, and there will be payment of treaty money. Perhaps the Canadian Government will even give us a reserve, that we may settle in one place,» he said. |
(27)«tâpwê êkosi kwayask,» itwêw awa otwêstamâkêw; «mâka pitah aciyaw pêhôh. nka-wîhtamawâw simâkanisiwikimâw. ka-nîmâhik, êkâ ta-nôhtêhkatêyin.» |
(27)«Truly, that is a good idea,» said the interpreter; «But first wait a little while. I shall tell the officer in charge. He will give you provisions, for the way, that you may not starve.» |
(28)«tâpwê, niciwâh, nka-miywêyihtên nîmâhitwâwi, mîna pâskisikêwin t-ôhtinamawicik.» |
(28)«Indeed, my friend, I shall be glad if they give me provisions, and if they supply me with ammunition.» |
(29)tâpwê nipê-sipwêhtânân. apisîs âstamitah êh-ayâyâhk, nôhtâwiy nipahêw mostoswah. êh-otâkosik apisîs pêtâw wiyâs, êh-nipahât maskotêw-pisiskiwah. |
(29)Accordingly we set out hither. When we were a little ways out, my father killed a buffalo. Toward evening he brought a little of the flesh, having killed a bison. |
(30)«tâpwê nitatamihon, êkâ ta-nôhtêhkatêcik nitawâsimisak. si-nîmâyah kwayask osihtâk. wâpahki wiyâs kahkiyaw nka-pêtân. nka-wîcêwâw otâpân, ta-pôsihtâyâhk wiyâs,» itwêw. |
(30)«Truly, I am lucky that my children are not to go hungry. Carefully prepare a store to take on the way. Tomorrow I shall bring all the meat. I shall go with a wagon, so that we may load on all the meat,» he said. |
(31)mitoni miyw-âyâw wiyâs, êh-wiyinot. tâpwê wiyâpahk nôhtâwiy nâtam. êkwah nikâwiy wîcihiwêw. |
(31)The meat was very good, for it had been a fat animal. The next day my father went to fetch it. My mother went along. |
(32)«mahtih nka-wîcihiwân,» nitêyihtên. |
(32)«Suppose I go too,» thought I. |
(33)niwîcihiwân, ê-wîh-wâpamakik mostoswak. tâpwê nôhtâwiy itah kâ-minahot nitakosininân, wiyâs êy-astêk. nikostâw mostos awa, ostikwân ê-wâpahtamân. |
(33)I went along to see the buffalo. We came to where my father had made the killing, and there lay the meat. I was afraid of the buffalo, when I saw the head. |
(34)«hâ, pôsihtâh, nôtokêsiw. oma k-êspatinâk nka-sâkêwân. mâskôc kotakak êkotah wâpamakwâwi, pêyak mîna nka-nipahâw. mâskôc êkosi ta-têpipayiw wiyâs, takosiniyahk kipahikanihk,» itwêw. |
(34)«Well, put it on the wagon, Wife. I shall go over this hill. Perhaps if I see some more of them there, I shall kill another. Perhaps then we shall have enough meat until we reach Fort Qu'appelle,» he said. |
(35)tâpwê sipwêhtêw nôhtâwiy. ôma êh-ati-sipwêhtêt, oma kâ-spatinâk, pâhkisimôtâhk itêhkê, kâ-pê-sâkêwêpayicik mihcêt mostoswak. otâpâmihk nikîhcêkosiyâmon tako pêyak nisîm nâpêw. kêkâc tâpiskôc nitiskosinân ana nisîm. ôk êh-pâpayicik mostoswak, nôhtâwiy kawipayihôw. sâsay niyanân otâpânihk nitayânân, «nôhtâwiy ta-pistiskâk mostoswah!» êh-itwêt nisîmis. kîtahtawê kâ-matwêwêk, êh-pâskiswât. pêyak kawiwêpahwêw nôhtâwiy, om êh-kawiwêpahwât, ê-sâkowêt, êkwah tâpwê ê-mîhkawikicik ôki mostoswak. êkwah tâpiskôc ê-moskîstâkoyâhkok, êh-itêyihtamân. sâsay ma-mawimôw nisîm. nimôskomik. pîhtaw atimwah ê-môskîstâkocik, mâkohêwak ôki mostoswak atimwah. itah ôma k-âkosiyâhk otâpânih pêtâmôwak atimwak. nisêkihikonânak mostoswak. ôtah pimipayiwak âyîtaw. tastawâyihk nitayânân. |
(35)So my father went off. As he went off to that hill, toward the west, a big herd of buffalo came running into view. I fled, climbing up on the wagon, along with a little brother of mine. He was about as tall as I. When the buffalo came running, my father threw himself down on the ground. We had got up on top of the wagon, and, «The buffalo will trample on Father!» cried my little brother. Suddenly we heard a shot, as he fired at them. My father felled one, and as he did so, gave a whoop, and then really the buffalo did run fast. It seemed to me as if they were making straight for us. My little brother was already weeping. NO GLOSS The fact was that the dogs had attacked them, and the buffalo were now chasing the dogs. The dogs came fleeing to where we were, up on the wagon. The buffalo gave us a great fright. They ran by at both sides. We were right in between. |
(36)awa nikâwînân, «kiyâm apik!» itwêw; «nama wiya nântaw ka-tôtâkowâwak. atimwah ôhi êh-mâkohâcik kisiwâk k-ôh-pêh-ispayicik.» |
(36)Our mother said, «Sit still! They will not hurt you. Because they are chasing the dogs is why they have come so close to us.» |
(37)êkosi aspin ôm êh-osêhcâk êh-ispayicik, awasêwêpayihôwak. |
(37)Then, when they had run to that hill, off and out of sight they went. |
(38)kîtahtawê mîna âsay mîna ôtêh kâh-pîsimôwik, êkotah min ê-pê-sâkêwêpayicik êkwah kotakak pisiskiwak. êyakonik wâwâskêsiwak itâwak. mâ-misikitiyiwa otêskaniwâwa. âsay mîna nitapasînân otâpânih, êh-nâh-nâwêyopayicik, tâpiskôc pêyak ôma mêskanaw êh-âpacihtâcik, êh-askôtocik. nôhtâwiy ôtah awasâyihk êh-wiyanihtâkêt, nama wiya nipahêw êwakonih. tahkohcâyihk ôtah k-âyâyâhk, êkotah kâ-pmipayicik. êkosi nama kêkway nipahêw êyakonih. êkosi êkwah pê-takohtêw, êkwah ôhi kâ-nipahât anohc wiyâs êh-otinahkik. êkosi nipê-kîwânân. |
(38)Presently again, from the south here, some other animals came running into view. These were called elks. They had great antlers. Again we took refuge on top of the wagon, as they ran by in single file, just as if they were using only that one pathway, following one behind the other. As my father was busy dressing game at the other side of the hill, he did not kill any of them. They ran right past where we were, on top of the hill. So he did not kill any of these. Soon he came, and then they took up the flesh of the one he had killed that day. Then we came back. |
(39)êwakoh aspin iskwêyâc ê-kîh-wâpamak maskotêwi-pisiskiw. mâka nkêh-kostâw. êkwayâk anohc kâ-nîpihk oskanah-k-âsastêkih niwâpamâwak.2 nista kâ-mêtawêhk nikî-wâpamâwak, êh-nîswâhpisocik, êh-otâpêcik. êkosi nama wiya êkwah nikîh-kostâwak. nikîh-itêyihtên, «nama wiya wîhkâc êtokê nka-wâpamâwak,» nikîh-itêyihtên. nikîh-wâpamâwak anohc kâ-nîpihk. |
(39)That was the last time I saw bison. I was afraid of them. I did not see them again until this summer at Regina. Along with the other people, I saw them at the Fair, two of them hitched to a cart. But this time I was not afraid of them. I thought, «Probably I shall never see them again.» I saw them this summer. |
(40)mâka nnanâskomâw mantôw, kayâs nistam k-âskîwik ê-kîh-miyât ayîsiyiniwa, t-ôh-pimâtisiyit. êyôkô ohci k-ôh-miywêyihtamân. ninanâskotên êh-wâpamakik niyanân ohci mostoswak, kâ-kîh-ohci-pimâcihoyâhk.3 |
(40)But I thank God for giving them of old, in the beginning of the earth, to the Indian, that he might live through them. Of this I am glad. It is for this reason that I was glad to see them. I am thankful for having had sight of our native buffalo, from which we got our living. |
(41)hâw, êkosi êkoyikohk. |
(41)Well, that is all. |