(1) êkwa kotak, apisîs.

(1) Now another, a short one.

(2) nayêstaw wâpiski-wiyâs maci-manitôwa wiya ê-kiskinôhamâkot wêyôtisiwin, êkosi niyanân mâskôc namôya nikiskêyimikonân maci-manitôwa. êwako ohci kâ-ôh-kitimâkisiyâhk. mistahi ayâw nêhiyaw kisêwâtisiwin; piko itê ê-pîhtokêyit ayîsiyiniwa, kiyâm owêyôtisiwa, asamêw; namwâc ahpô wîhkâc tipahikêhêw. kiyâm pêyakwâw kita-mîcisot ê-ayât nêhiyaw, êyiwêhk kaskihtâw wîci-ayîsiyiniwa ê-asamât. misiwê ôma askiy nêhiyaw kisêwâtisiwin ê-ayât, êwako piko, kisêwâtisiwin mâwaci ê-ayât, kahkiyaw wîci-ayîsiyiniwa kitimâkêyimêw nêhiyaw. êwako ohci piko isi kâ-tôtâkot môniyâw-iyiniwa. nama wîhkât nêhiyaw kîhkâhtôw; nôtinitôw nama wîhkâc; êkosi êsi-kiskêyihtamân. namôya nikî-wanihtânân nêhiyaw ôta askihk kâ-kî-isi-pakitiniht.

(2) Since only the White Man was taught by the Evil Spirit how to acquire wealth, perhaps we others are not known to the Evil Spirit. That is why we are poor. The Cree has much human kindness; wherever it be, if a man, and be he a rich man, enters a dwelling, he gives him food; in no case does he make him pay for it. Even if the Cree has enough for only a single meal, in some way he manages to give food to his fellow-man. Because, of all this earth, the Cree has most human kindness, because he has more human kindness than all others, the Cree deals kindly with all his fellow-men. That is why the Canadian has been able to do whatever he pleased to him. Never does the Cree quarrel; he never fights; that is as I know it from experience. We cannot lose the ways with which the Cree was set down here on earth.

(3) êkwa kayâs êsa pêyak nâpêw ê-manitôwit, kîtahtawê akâmaskîhk ohci nôcihâw. pôti nipahâw. êkwa kîtahtawê akâmaskîhk kâ-ayâcik ayîsiyiniwak, maci-ayîsiyiniwak, pîwâpisk ohci mâna ayîsiyiniwa ê-osihâcik, ôki wanipahtâkêw-iyiniwak, nîstanaw êhtasicik.

(3) We are told that in ancient times a certain man who had spirit power was persecuted from across the sea. The outcome was that he was slain. At that time across the sea there were some men, evil men, who made men out of iron, did those persecutors, who were twenty in number.

(4) êkwa kotak awa oskinîkiw kâ-kiskêyihtahk ê-wî-kakwê-nipahiht, wawêyîw; asiskîwinisôw; wâpiskâyik asiskiy âpacihtâw. êkwa sipwêhtêw; nipîhk êsa waskic pimohtêw, mistahi ê-manitôwit. êkwa ê-takohtêt êkotê ispimihk, wîkiyihk pakicîw ôhi kâ-wî-kakwê-nipahikot.¹

wâpamêwak; "kihiw," itêyimêwak.

(4) Then another man, a youth, who knew that they were going to try to kill him made himself ready; he painted himself with clay; he used white clay. Then he set out; he walked over the surface of the water, so great was his spirit power. Then, when he arrived up aloft, at the others' dwelling he alighted, at the dwelling of those who were going to try to kill him. They saw him; they thought he was an eagle.

(5) "nikostâhtay ana kâ-wî-kakwê-nipahâyâhk;" "ahpô êtokê êwako!" itêw awa kâ-wî-kakwê-nipahât, pîwâpisk ê-macostêhahk ayîsiyiniwa ê-osihât mâna êsa awa maci-ayîsiyiniw.

(5) “And did I not fear him whom we were going to try to kill? I should not be surprised if this were he!” said the one who was going to try to kill him, putting iron into the hot fire to make a man, as was that evil person's way.

(6) "êwako ohci kâ-ôh-kî-sâkwêyimoyân, ê-sîhkimiyêk," itêw êsa; "êkwa êwako êtokê awa!" itêw. "kiyâm pîhtokê! kitimâkêyiminân; pê-pîhtwâ!" itêw êsa.

(6) “This was why I was unwilling, when you urged me,” he told the others; “No doubt this is he!” he told them. “Enter, please! Take pity pn us; come and smoke!” he said to him.

(7) "hâh, namôya ninôhtê-pîhtwân." "kiyâm kipê-miyitinâwâw ta-isi-nipahiyêk," itwêw êsa.

(7) “Ho, I do not wish to smoke. If so please you, I have come to let you kill me, as you desire,” he told them.

(8) "hâ, namôya ka-kî-nipahikawin!" itâw; ê-ati-itiht, "kiyâm kitimâkêyiminân!" itik ôhi maci-ayîsiyiniwa; "kiyâm nika-pimâtisinân!"

(8) “Oh, it will be impossible to kill you!” he answered him; as he continued to be spoken to in this way, “Please have mercy on us!” he was asked by those evil persons; “Please let us live!”

(9) "namôya!" itêw; "kipê-miyitinâwâw ta-isi-nipahiyêk," itêw.

(9) No!” he told them; “I have come to let you kill me,” he told them.

(10) "namôya ka-kî-nipahitinân," itik.

(10) “We could not kill you,” they told him.

(11) "hâw, tipiskâki isko nika-pêhon." "êkâ wî-nipahiyêko, êkosi isi nika-kîwân." "mâka kika-aswêyiminâwâw," itwêw.

(11) “Well then, I shall wait until dark. If you do not intend to kill me, I shall go home as I am. But I shall be on the lookout for you,” he said.

(12) ê-tipiskâyik êkwa, ê-kîwêt, mosci-pimihâw êkwa. ê-wâpahk nitomêw êsa kahkiyaw kâ-mitêwiyit ayîsiyiniwa, kita-osîhtâyit mitêwikamik.²

(12) When darkness came and he went home, he merely flew. On the next day he summoned all the people who took part in the Medicine Ceremony, to have them build a Medicine Lodge.

(13) "êkwa kiyâm pêyak ê-ayât awiyak maskihkiy, kita-itohtatâw," êkosi itêw ayîsiyiniwa; "âhkamêyimok; wîcôhkamawik;" "osâm mistahi kinipahikonawak," itwêw; "kîsihtâyêko ôma kâ-osîhtâyêk mitêwikamik, mîna kahkiyaw kîsihtâyêko, tahto ayîsiyiniwak ka-wî-itohtêcik kîsi-pîhtokêtwâwi, êkospî ka-pê-nitominâwâw," itwêw awa oskinîkiw; "êkwa pîhtokêyâni, nistikwânihk ka-pakamahonâwâw," itwêw awa oskinîkiw; "nika-pimitâcimon, pîhtokêyâni," itwêw; "êkwa mîna nîstanaw atimwak ka-mowâwâwak," itwêw; "êkwa kahkiyaw kika-nîmihitonâwâw," itwêw awa oskinîkiw; "êkwa kî-nipahiyêko, ka-pakocêninâwâw." "ohpimê kika-astânâwâw."³

"wêskwâhtêmihk ê-askîhtakwâk kika-anâskânâwâw." "êkwa ê-mihkwâk iskwâhtêmihk isi kika-anâskânâwâw." "tâpiskôc nipêwinis kika-isîhtânâwâw," itwêw êsa; "êkotê niyaw iskwâhtêmihk itê isi, sâkâstênohk êkotê isi nika-aspiskwêsimon." "êkwa kapê-tipisk kika-nîmihitonâwâw," itwêw êsa; "ka-mowâwâwak ôki atimwak." "êkwa nîso môhkomâna itakotêwa êtiskwêsiniyân." "kîspin kêkway mihko wâpahtamêko, êkosi nika-sâkohâwak akâmaskîhk kâ-ayâcik ayîsiyiniwak," itwêw êsa.

(13) “And please let anyone who has any medicine bring it there,” he told the people; “Work with zeal; help me in what I am doing; too many of us are being killed,” he told them; “When you have finished the Medicine Lodge which you are building, and have completed everything, and when as many persons as mean to go there, have entered the lodge, then you are to come and call me,” said that youth; “And when I enter the lodge, you are to strike me on my head,” said the youth; “I shall be crawling along the ground, when I enter the lodge,” he said; “Also, twenty dogs you will eat,” he said; “And all of you will dance,” said the youth; “And when you have slain me, you will cut me open. Off to one side you will place it. Opposite the doorway you will lay blue mats. And red matting you will lay toward the doorway. You will make something like a small bed,” “And there my body, towards the doorway, facing the direction whence comes the light of day, I shall lie with my head on it. And all night you are to dance,” he told them; “You will eat those dogs. And two knives will hang by my head as I lie. If you see any blood, then I shall be defeating those persons who are across the sea,” he told them.

(14) tâpwê nitawi-osîhtâniwiw mitêwikamik.

(14) Accordingly they went and built a Medicine Lodge.

(15) itwêw, "kahkiyaw ayîsiyiniwak omaskihkîmiwâwa, mîna mitoni kahkiyaw kî-mêsci-pîhtokêyêko, êkospîhk kika-pê-pêkominâwâw." "pita niwî-nipân," itwêw êsa.

(15) He said, “When the medicines of all the people are there, and when all of you, completely and to the last one, have entered the lodge, then you will come and wake me by speech. Meanwhile I wish to sleep,” he said.

(16) tâpwê sôhki atoskêwak ayîsiyiniwak, mitêwikamik ê-osîhtâcik. êkwa ta-itohtêt pê-nitomâw, ê-kî-kîsihtâwiht. kahkiyaw ayîsiyiniwa ê-kîsi-pîhtokêyit, itohtêw.

(16) Accordingly the people worked diligently, building a Medicine Lodge. Then he was summoned to go there, when it had been completed for him. When all the people had gone in, he went there.

(17) "hâw, niwâhkômâkanitik, kiyâm nipakitêyimâw nikosis," itwêyiwa ôhtâwiya; "mayaw pîhtokêci nipahâhkêk," itwêyiwa.

(17) “Now then, O my kinsmen, if so please you, I give up my son,” spoke his father; “As soon as he enters, kill him,” he said.

(18) êkosi wiya, "nipahîhkêk!" itwêyiwa.

(18) It was his own father who said, “Kill him!”

(19) "ôma ka-isi-sîhkimikoyêk kakwê-tôtamok," itwêyiwa ôhtâwiya, mâka wiya kisêyiniw pêkitêyimât ôhi okosisa.

(19) “Try to do this in the way that he has bidden you,” said his father, the old man himself thus offering up his son.

(20) mayaw ê-pîhtikwê-pimitâcimoyit, pakamahomâwa ostikwâniyihk. kakwêyâhowak oskinîkiwak ômatôwahk wâskikaniyihk ê-yâyikiswâcik. êkwa tâpwê pimisimêwak ôma kâ-kî-isi-sîhkimikocik. kahkiyaw êkosi tôtamwak.

(20) As soon as the latter crawled into the lodge, he was struck on the head. The young men went faithfully to work, slashing him open here at his chest. Then they laid him down in the way he had bidden them. They did it all in that way.

(21) "hâw, êkwa kahkiyaw nîmihitok!" "êkâ mâ nânitaw mêcimwâci nipahâyêko nikosis!" itwêw awa kisêyiniw kêsêwâtisit.

(21) “Now then, all of you dance! Remember that you have not by any means really slain my son!” said the old man, so generous was he.

(22) tâpwê nîmihitôwak kapê-tipisk. ê-pê-wâpaniyik, kîtahtawê kâ-wâpahtahkik mihko môhkomânihkânihk ê-pahpahkikawiyik. êkwa tâpwê cîhkêyihtamwak ê-nîmihitocik, nayêstaw atimwa ê-môwâcik. pîsim ê-pê-sâkêwêt, êkoyikohk natawâpênawâw awa oskinîkiw. êkwa êkota wâpahcikâtêw ê-âpisisihk. kahkiyaw êsa kî-sâkôcihêw anihi nîstanaw ita ayîsiyiniwa. kahkiyaw êsa okî-nâspici-nipâhtâwâw.⁴

(22) Accordingly they danced all night. As dawn approached, there at one time they saw blood dripping from the blades of the knives. Then truly did they put their heart into the dance, and only dogs they ate. When the sun rose above the horizon, they went to view that youth. There it was seen by all that he returned to life. He had overcome all of those twenty persons. It appears that they had all gone to sleep beyond hope of revival.

(23) êwako pêyak âcimôwin; êkota ohci namôya êkoyikohk miywâsin mitêwikamik. kahkiyaw kêkway mac-âyisak ahpô ayîsiyiniwak kî-nâ-nipahitôwak, maci-maskihkiya ê-âpacihtâcik, ê-piscipôwihtocik.⁵

piko isi isi-kaskihtâwak êsi-nisiwanâcihitocik kayâs ayîsiyiniwak. êwako wiyawâw ocipwêwak nîkân kâ-kî-miyikôwisicik mitêwiwin; kêhciwâk kî-itohtêwak mitêwi-manitôwa. êkota ohci kahkiyaw kêkway nipîhk kâ-otaskîyit, êyakonik mawimostawêwak kâ-mitêwicik; môhkiciwanipêkohk mîna kâ-otaskîyit kahkiyaw mawimostawêwak; mîna tahto kêkway kâ-sâkikihk ôta askîhk, êwakoni kî-kiskinôhamâkôwisiwak kita-isi-mawimostahkik. anohc kêyâpic mihcêt kêkway ê-pwâtawihtâcik maskihkîwiyiniwak, kaskihtâwak nêhiyawak omaskihkîmiwâwa ohci; cikêmâ kî-miyikôwisiw nêhiyaw maskihkiy; iyikohk êspîhcâk askiy, kahkiyaw kêkway kâ-wâpahtamihk, niyîpihki kâ-ohpikihk, êspîhcâk askiy, misiwê kî-têpastâwân nêhiyaw omaskihkîm. misiwê itê itâpiyêko ka-wâpahtênâwâw nêhiyaw ê-kî-miyiht wîsta kita-ohci-pimâtisit. mîna âpihtaw ê-mâyâtaniyik maskihkiy kî-miyâw. wiyawâw êwakoni mitêwak kâ-kî-kiskinôhamâkôwisicik; kahkiyaw kêkway kî-wîhtamâkôwisiwak kit-si-nanâtawihiwâkêcik, ahpô nipîhk kahkiyaw kêkway kâ-ohpikiniyik, kita-pâsahkik kahkiyaw kêkway maskihkiy.

(23) That is one story; but since then the Medicine Lodge has not been so good a thing as all that. All kinds of evil beings or person have killed one another, by using bad medicines to poison one another. The old-time people were able to do all manner of things in the way of destroying one another. It was the Ojibwa who first were given this Medicine Ceremony by the Higher Powers; they went into the actual presence of the Spirit of the Mitewin. Since then, those who participate in the Medicine Rite, worship all those beings that have their home in the waters; they worship also that being who has his home in springs; and they were told by the spirits to worship as many things as grow forth out of this earth. To this day, many things which the physicians fail of doing, the Cree can do them through their medicines; what wonder, since the Cree was given medicine by the Higher Powers? Over all the extent of the earth, everything that is seen growing forth in the summer time, as far as the earth extends, everywhere the medicine of the Cree was placed within his reach. Wherever you may look, you will see that which the Cree, for his part, was given, that he might derive from it his continuance of life. Also, as half of the gift, he was given bad medicine. Those same Medicine Dancers were the ones to whom it was taught by the Higher Powers; they were shown by the spirits every way of doctoring people, all the things, even, which grow in the water, that they might dry all kinds of medicinal herbs.

(24) ohcitaw nitâyimôtên kayâs nêhiyawak kâ-isi-pimâtisicik. nimiywêyihtên manitow wiya ê-itêyihtahk, awa nâpêw kâ-pê-natawêyihtahk nêhiyaw tânisi kâ-kî-isi-pimâtisit. mitoni mâka kahkiyaw miyo-kanâpanikôwisit ayîsiyiniw, êkwa kayâs nika-âyimôtên.⁶

nama kêkway wiyasôwêwin ohci-ayâw nêhiyaw; kipahotôwin nama kêkway; nama kêkway maci-ihtiwin; wiyawâw piko ayîsiyiniwak omitonêyihcikaniwâw kî-âpacihtâwak. ayisk nêhiyaw nama kêkway ohci mâyi-tôtam; namôya ohci mâyi-tôtawêw nêhiyaw kisê-manitôwa. êkwa nêhiyaw tipiyaw wiya manitôwa kî-kakêskimik; êwako ohci yôspisiwin kâ-ôh-ayât nêhiyaw. ayisk kisêwâtisiw, manitôw kâ-kî-pê-kakêskimât ayîsiyiniwa.

(24) I tell this because I wish to discourse upon how the Cree lived of old. I am glad that the Lord had it in mind that this man should come here and desire to know how the Cree used to live. How well the people of old were taken care of, in everything, by the Powers, of that I shall now speak. Originally the Cree had no kind of law; there was no such thing as imprisonment; no such thing as crime; people simply used their own considerate judgment. For the Cree did not, by his original nature, do wrong; it is not in the nature of the Cree to do wrong to God. The Cree was instructed by God himself in person; that is why the Cree has gentleness. For he has kindness of heart, since God came and instructed the people.

(25) êkwa mîna piko iskwêwa kî-nâ-naskwêwasimik; êkosi kî-wiyasôwâtêw.⁷

(25) At that time only the woman made rejoinders to Him; therefore He pronounced the law for her.

(26) "nama wîhkâc mistahi kita-yahkastêw kitatoskêwin; osâm kinâ-naskwêwasimin." "kiyâm kapê-kîsik atoskêyani, pêyakwan iyikohk kita-ispîhcipayiw kitatoskêwin," kî-itêw êsa manitôw.

(26) “Never shall your work show great advance; for you have retorted to me. Let it be that when you work all day, your work will be as far advanced as it was before,” God said to her.

(27) êwakoni piko ôhi pê-mâyasôwâtêw. nâpêwa kî-kiyâmapiyiwa, oskac nêhiyaw ê-osihiht. êkosi êsa kî-ispayiw, itwêwak kayâs kisêyiniwak, oskac ê-osihât manitôw nêhiyawa. êkosi êsa kâ-ispayik.

(27) For her alone He decreed ill. The man stayed still when the Cree was first made. Thus it must have gone, said the old men of yore, when God first made the Cree. So that is the way it must have happened.

(28) êkota kî-wîhtamawêw kahkiyaw kêkway maskihkiya, mîna mawimoscikêwin kita-ayâyit.

(28) There He told him every kind of medicine, and the religion he was to have.

(29) êkoyikohk wiya manitow ohci nika-pôni-âyimôtên. êkwa niwî-âtayôhkân.

(29) And at this point I shall cease to discourse of things concerning the Lord. Now I shall tell a sacred story.

(30) êwako pêyak âcimowin.

(30) And so this is one discourse.

(31) niyanân mîna nitayânân manitôw okiskinôhamâkêwin. ayisk namôya niyanân n-ôh-nipahânân manitôw okosisa; êwako ohci namôya ninisitawêyimikonân maci-manitôw. êwako ohci êkâ kêkway kaskihtâwin kâ-ôh-ayâyâhk.

(31) We, too, have a teaching of God. You see, not we have ever slain God's Son; that is why the Evil One does not know us. And that is why we have no kind of worldly power.

Footnotes

¹LB: The words suggest flying; probably I missed a word that said this; compare the return journey, below.

²LB: Unless I greatly misjudge, the informant here gives a more favorable account of the Mitewin than could be got from other Sweet-Grass Cree. He spent some years at an institution for the blind at Winnipeg, where he may have consorted with Ojibwa.

³LB: Object presumably the entrails ?

⁴Perhaps read okî-nâspitsi-nipahâhtâwâw: “they had killed him beyond the possibility of revival”.

⁵CHECK pistispowihtocik

⁶CHECK kanapamikowisit - either PCT or lexfile has typo

⁷LB: For kîh-nâ-naskwêwasimik.