Pierre Lecris | Pierre Lecris |
(1)nêhiyawak êkwa nahkawiyiniwak kâ-takwâkik atâwêwikamikohk kahkiyaw takosinwak. êkwah nahkawiyiniwak tahkinê mawinêhikêwak awîna nawac ci-manitôwit. tahkinê nêhiyawak sâkohâwak. kinwês êkosi sâkohâwak. |
(1)In the autumn the Cree and the Salteaux all came to the trading-post. Then the Salteaux always gave challenge to contests, to see who had more magic power. The Cree were always beaten. For a long time they were thus beaten. |
(2)êkwah mînâ êh-itohtêcik atâwêwikamikohk, «anohc kâ-wih-itohtêyahk atâwêwikamikohk, nika-nakiskawâw ana nâpêw kâ-kitimahikoyahk!» |
(2)Then, when again they went to the trading-post, «This time when we go to the trading-post, let me meet that man who is reducing us to ruin!» |
(3)awa oskinîkiw k-êtwêt, êkwêyâk ispayiyiw nântaw ta-kêh-tôtahk. tâpwê ê-takosihkik atâwêwikamikohk, hâsay êkotah wîkiwak nahkawiyiniwak. sêmâk nisitawinamwak wîkiyiw anihi kâ-kitimahikocik. êkwa natomikwak kahkiyaw nêhiyawak êyakoni ôhi nahkawiyiniwah kâ-kitimahikocik. êkwah tâpwê itohtêwak kahkiyaw, ê-sêkisicik; ayisk awiyak êkâ itohtêcih, ohcitaw ta-mâyi-tôtâk. tâpwê pîhtokêwak kahkiyaw, mitoni êh-misâk macêkin. awa nêhiyaw oskinîkiw kâ-kîh-itwêt, «nika-nakiskawâw,» kâ-kîh-itwêt, iskwêyâc pîhtokêw. iskwâhtêmihk nêtê apiw. wâpahtam pâskisikan omatôwihk êh-takopitêk osk-âyih, êkwah mahkahk iskotêwâpoy, mâskôc niyânano-mitanaw tipahôpân ôtah êy-astêk misi-mahkahk. êkwa nîs ôspwâkanak ôtah apiwak. êkwa pêyak ospwâkanah otinêw awa nahkawiyiniw. |
(3)The youth who spoke thus, it was the first time that he had shown any power. And really, when they came to the trading-post, there were the Salteaux already encamped. At once they recognized the tent of him who was destroying them. Then all the Cree were invited by that Salteau who was doing them harm. So they all went there, for they were frightened; for if anyone did not go there, the other surely would do him some evil. So they all entered the tipi, a very large leather tent. That young Cree who had said, «Let me meet him,» was the last to enter. He sat off there, by the door. He saw a new gun, like this, hanging there, and a barrel of whiskey, a big barrel that held about fifty gallons. And two pipes lay there. Then the Salteau took up one of the pipes. |
(4)«haw, pîhtwâk. awa awiyak wîh-pîhtwâci, êyoko nika-mêtawânân,» itêw, êh-miyât nêhiyawa; êkosi sêmâk, «pîhtwâ!» itêw. |
(4)«Come, smoke. If anyone wants to smoke this pipe, he and I shall have a contest with it,» he said to them, handing it to a Cree; and then at once, «Smoke!» he bade him. |
(5)êkwah tâpwê awa nâpêw otinêw ospwâkana. êkwah iskotêw otinam, êkwah ê-wîh-pîhtwât, ôt êh-at-âstât skotêw. êy-astât iskotêw, êkwa mwêhc ê-wih-otamât, kinêpik pê-sâkiskwêw. sêmâk tapasiyiwa wîci-nêhiyawah. êkosi nama wya kaskihtâw ta-yôwahtahk. êkwa êkosi pimohtêw aw ospwâkan. kahkiyaw kostamwak. |
(5)Then, accordingly, that man took the pipe. Then he took an ember, placing it here, that he might smoke. When he had placed the fire, and was about to put the pipe in his mouth, a serpent stuck out its head from the mouthpiece. At once his fellow Cree ran away. So no one was able to draw smoke. Then without being smoked that pipe went round. All were afraid of it. |
(6)oskinîkiw iskwâhtêmihk k-âpit miyâw ospwâkanah ani. êkwah wîstah wî-saskahwêw. iskotêw ôm ôtinam. ômis îsiwêpaham ôm îskotêw; saskahwêw ospwâkanah.1 âsay kinêpik pê-sâkiskwêw. ostikwâniyihk mâkonêw; wayawîtâpêw kinêpikwah. êkwah iskotêhk macostêhwêw. |
(6)The youth who sat by the door was given that pipe. Then he too wanted to light it. He took a brand from the fire. Like this he swung the brand; he lit the pipe. At once the serpent stuck out its head. He took its head in a firm grip; he pulled the serpent forth. Then he threw it into the fire. |
(7)sêmâk itwêw nahkawiyiniw, «kêsinâ êwako nka-pâh-pakwacihik!» itwêw. |
(7)At once the Salteau said, «Surely I shall have good play of this fellow!» |
(8)êkosi kwayask pîhtwâwak êkwah; nam awiyak kinêpik. kahkiyaw pîhtwâwak. |
(8)Then they really smoked in normal fashion; without any snakes. All smoked. |
(9)êkwah awa nahkawiyiniw ôma pâskisikan otinam. ôtêh astâw. êkwah pâskisikan tâpisikonam ocihciy ohci. êkwah, «ssss!» mitoni ômisi ispayiw pâskisikan êh-tâtonahk. |
(9)Then that Salteau took that gun. He placed it here. Then with his finger he cocked the gun. Then, «Hisss!» went the gun, as he pulled it lengthwise to pieces. |
(10)«êkwah, wêskinîkiyan,» itêw, «osîhtâh ôma pâskisikan!» |
(10)«Now, young man,» he said to the other, «fix up this gun!» |
(11)isiwêpinamawêw. otinam oskinîkiw; ômisi tôtam: «wsssk!» sêmâk miywâsin pâskisikan. isiwêpinamawêw. nahkawiyiniw otinam. tahkopitam ôtah. |
(11)He tossed it over to him. The youth took it; he did like this: «Swishshsh!» and at once the gun was in good shape. He tossed it over to the other. The Salteau took it. He hung it up here. |
(12)êkwah otinam kihiwataniy; pêyak otinam; êkwah ômisi tôtam.2 |
(12)Then he took the tail-feathers of an eagle; he took one; then he did like this. |
(13)«aswêyihtah!» êkwa ê-wîh-pimwât. |
(13)«Watch out!» and he was going to shoot him. |
(14)êkwah miciminam ôtê wanaskoc mîkonihk. êkwah apiw oskinîkiw. |
(14)He held the feather here by the tip. The youth sat there. |
(15)«nâh-ô! aswêyihtah!» |
(15)«Ho! Watch out!» |
(16)êkwah pimwêw. êh-pêtakotêyik, oskinîkiw nawatinam. pônam; iskotêhk pônam. |
(16)Then he shot him. As it came speeding through the air, the youth caught it on the fly, with his hand. He put it in the fire. |
(17)«âh, kiyaskotam! pimotah!» |
(17)«Oh, now you! Shoot!» |
(18)wîstah otinêw êkotôwahk mîkwanah. wîstah isi tôtam; sâpopêmêw. |
(18)He too took a feather like those. He too did that way; he wet it in his mouth. |
(19)«aswêyihtah, kisêyiniw!» itêw. |
(19)«Watch out, old man!» he called to the other. |
(20)êkwah miciminêw mîkwanah wanaskoc. êkosi pimwêw nahkawiyiniwa. ôtah pahkisiniyiwa, nahkawiyiniw êh-pimoht.3 omêyikohk iskosiwak mîkwanak. âpihtaw iyikohk sâkamoyiwa. êkosi otêh pahkisin ana. sâsakiciwêpahwâw. sêmâk nêwo otôskinîkîma nakamôwak. pâkahamânisah nêo pah-pêyak miciminêwak, êh-nikamocik. êkosi kaskihtâwak anihi êh-otinâcik. êkwah kisêyiniw ômisi tôtam.4 êkosi pimâtisiw. sêmâk mihkoh otônihk kîh-ohcikawiyiw, êh-pwâkomahkwêt anah kisêyiniw. êkosi pimâtisiw. |
(20)Then he held the feather by the tip. Then he shot the Salteau. It landed here, and the Salteau was shot. The feathers were of this length. Half of it stuck out. Then that man fell. He was knocked over backwards. At once four of his helpers began to sing. Each of the four held a drum while they sang. In this way they managed to get that thing out. Then the old man did like this. Thus his life was saved. At once blood ran from his mouth, as the old man vomited blood. In this way his life was saved. |
(21)«kêyâpic pimotah!» itêw nêhiyawa. |
(21)«Shoot again!» he told the Cree. |
(22)oskinîkiw pê-pasikôw. ôtah êy-apit kisêyiniw, êkotah pê-nîpawiw awa ôskinîkiw. êkwah ocihciyiw otinam. kinwâyiwa ocihciyiwa. kinwâhtawêw, ê-sîpêkipitahk ocihciyiwa kisêyiniwa. kahkiyaw ocihtiyiwa kinwâyiwa. êkwah nikamôw kisêyiniw; nama wya pihkohtâw ta-pimâcihisot. êkwah otôskinîkîma, kahkiyaw nikamôwak. nama wya kaskihtâw ta-pimâcihisot. nanâtohk êh-tôtahk, nama wya kaskihtâw ta-pmâcihisot. êkosi êkwah oskinîkiwa mawihkâtêw ta-pimâcihikot. |
(22)The youth rose from his seat and came hither. The youth came and stood where the old man was sitting. Then he took the other's hand. The other's fingers were long. He made them longer, stretching the old man's fingers. All his fingers were long. Then the old man sang; he was not able to restore himself. And his helpers all sang. He did not succeed in restoring himself. He did all manner of things, but did not succeed in restoring himself. So then he begged the young man to restore him. |
(23)«êha!,» itêw aw ôskinîkiw; «nama wy âyiman k-êsinâkwahki kicihciyah.» |
(23)«Certainly,» answered the youth; «There is nothing serious about the way your fingers are looking.» |
(24)otinamawêw ocihciyiw. kahkiyaw ômisi tôtam. êkosi pimâtisiw nahkawiyiniw. êkosi paskiyawêwak. ôma pâskisikan paskiyâkêwak, pêyak mîna cistêmâw, pêyak mahkahk, mîn iskotêwâpoy mistahi. êkosi kahkiyaw otinamwak kâ-paskiyâkêcik; iskotêwâpoy wayawî-têhtipinamwak. êkosi kîskwêpêwak kahkiyaw ôtênaw. |
(24)He took hold of the other's hands. He did like this to both of them. Thus the Salteau was restored. And so they had won from the others. They had won that gun, and tobacco, one box, and a great deal of whiskey. So they took all the things they had won; they rolled the barrel of whiskey out of the tent. So the whole band got drunk. |
(25)êkosi êkwah êh-pôyohk kahkiyaw piciwak, nahkawiyiniw êh-kîwêt otaskîhk. kêtisk êkotê takosin; nipiw. |
(25)Then, when they had finished their business, all moved camp, and the Salteau went back to his country. He scarcely arrived there before he died. |
(26)êkosi kahkiyaw. |
(26)That is all. |