(1) âcimôwin kayâs manitowi-kihiw otâcimowin.

(1) This is a story Spirit-Eagle told long ago.

(2) êkota ê-kî-wîcihiwêt, mitâtaht ayiwâkês ê-ihtasiyit, ôta ê-nitopayicik, ayahciyiniwa ê-nitopayîstawâcik, êkwa wâhyaw ê-ayâcik ayahciyiniwa otaskiyihk, êkosi kîkisêpâ sipwêhtêwak, ê-waniskâcik. êkwa kîtahtawê ayahciyiniwak êsa ê-kî-nipahâcik mostoswa, êwakoni itohtêwak.¹

êkosi êkwa kotawêwak, ê-wî-mîciwâcik wiyâs, ê-mîcisocik. mostoso-mêya mâwacihtâwak, ê-wî-pônahkik. êkwa êkota apwêwak, wiyâs ê-ma-manisahkik, ê-na-nawacîcik, êkwa nîso ê-ispatinâyik ê-wâpahtahkik, ê-wî-nitawi-asawâpicik, nîso ê-sâkêwêcik.

(2) There where he went with a war party of some ten men or more on the war-path against the Blackfoot, when they were far into the Blackfoots' country, they got up one morning and started out. Presently they came to some buffalos which the Blackfoot, apparently, had killed. So they made a fire, for they intended to make a meal, eating the meat. They gathered buffalo-dung for fuel. There they did the roasting, cutting slices of meat and making preserved meat; two of them, the while, ascending a rise in the land which they saw, to reconnoitre.

(3) namôya isko ê-mîcisocik, êwakonik kâ-nitawâhtâcik-- kîtahtawê âstam ita ê-sakâsiyik misatimwa kâ-sâkêwêyit; kîtahtawê ayahciyiniwa kâ-sâkêwêyit, êkwa ê-itâpicik, mîkiwâhpa ê-sâkamoyiki. êkosi sakâhk itâmôwak; tapasîwak kônihk, sâkahikanis, êkota piko kôna ê-apit, kwayask ita êyakonik nîso êyakonik kâ-nitawâhtâcik.

(3) They had not yet eaten, when those scouts - suddenly on this side of a small grove some horses came forth; soon a Blackfoot came forth; and when they looked that way, there the tops of some tents showed forth. So they fled into the brush; they fled on the snow, straight to a small lake that was all covered with snow, those two scouts.

(4) êkwa ayahciyiniw sâkowêw, nêhi kâ-nâh-nawaciyit ê-wâpamât, êkwa owîcêwâkana ê-nitomât. êkosi nêki nêhiyawak tapasîwak, mistahi ê-pasahcâyik êkota ê-itâmocik. ayahciyiniwak wîhkwêskawêwak nêhiyawa, ê-nôcihâcik.

(4) The Blackfoot gave the war-whoop, when he saw those who were preparing meat, to call his comrades. So these Cree fled, heading for a deep ravine. The Blackfoot surrounded the Cree in the chase.

(5) êkwa ôki kônihk kâ-kî-kwayasitêcik kisiwâk wâpamêwak ôhi ayahciyiniwa.

(5) Those who had gone into the snow, saw the Blackfoot from close by.

(6) êkwa pimipiciwak êkota cîki, iskwêwak ê-nitawi-kapêsicik êkota. apisîs piko tawâw, osâm mistahi ê-pasahcâk, êkota pîhcâyihk nêhiyawak ê-ayâcik, ê-nôcihihcik.

(6) They moved their camp close by there; the women went along to camp there. There was only a small opening, so narrow and deep was the ravine in which the Cree stayed when they were attacked.

(7) êkwa ôki mistahi mâkwaciwak, nipîhk ê-akocihkik. êkosi kôna ê-pakonênâcik, ê-itâpicik, kisiwâk iskwêwa ê-pimohtêyit, mîkiwâhpa kisiwâk ê-cimatêyiki. êkwa matwê-sâkowêwak ayahciyiniwak. êkwa awa pêyak kâ-akocihk kônihk, osîma pêyak êkota ayâyiwa, manitowi-kihiw osîma.

(7) And these men were very cold, lying in the water. When they made a rift in the snow and looked out, there were the women walking by and the tents standing near. They heard the Blackfoot whooping. One of the men who were lying in the snow had a younger brother with the other group; Spirit-Eagle's younger brother it was.

(8) "namôya ayîsiyiniwak ê-wî-pimâcihihcik kâ-matwêwêyik." "êkwa itohtêtân;" "nisîm êkota wîcihiwêw," itwêw manitowi-kihiw.

(8) “This noise of shooting is not as when quarter is shown. Let us go there; my brother is with them,” said Spirit-Eagle.

(9) êkwa sâyiman ômisi itêw manitowi-kihiwa: "kiyâm êkâ wiya." "osâm nama awiyak ta-âcimôw, mêscihikawiyahko." "mâka pimâtisiyahko, ôma ê-nîsiyahk kika-âcimonânaw, kîkinâhk takosiniyahko." "mâka itohtêyahko, kahkiyaw nipahikawiyahko, nama awiyak ta-âcimôw nêtê mîkiwâhpihk." "kîkinâhk takosiniyahko, kika-âcimonânaw," itwêw sâyiman.

(9) Then Solomon spoke thus to Spirit-Eagle: “Better not. For no one will tell the tale, if all of us are slain. But if we live, we two, we shall tell the tale, when we reach our camp. But if we go there and all of us are killed, no one will tell it there at home. When we reach our camp, we shall tell the tale,” said Solomon.

(10) mosci wâpamêwak ayahciyiniwa ê-pâ-pasahkâpiyit, osâm kisiwâk ê-kapêsimostawâcik.²

³

êkwa misatimwa kêkâc pâh-pistiskâkwak, ê-wî-minihkwêyit. aspapiwina kikiskamwak misatimwak; pîsâkanâpiy otâpêwak ê-sakikwêpisocik.

(10) Plainly they could see even when a Blackfoot blinked his eyes, so close had they camped to them. And they nearly were stepped on by the horses that came to drink. The horses had saddles on; they were dragging reins, being all bridled.

(11) ômisi itwêw sâyiman: "têhcipayihotân ôki misatimwak." "ê-mîhkawikicik êtokê kâ-ôh-oyahpisocik." "nama wiya ka-kî-atimikawinânaw."

(11) Thus spoke Solomon: “Let us throw ourselves on these horses. No doubt they are bridled because they are swift. They will not be able to catch up to us.”

(12) êkosi ômisi itwêw manitowi-kihiw: "nama wiya nika-kî-nakatâw nisîm." "ôma kâ-mâh-matwêwêyik êkota aspin kî-wîcihiwêw nisîm," itwêw manitowi-kihiw.

(12) To this Spirit-Eagle answered thus: “I cannot leave my brother behind. Over yonder where we hear the shots, is where my brother has gone with the rest,” said Spirit-Eagle.

(13) êkwa ê-pôn-âpihtâwi-kîsikâk, kîtahtawê ômisi itwêw sâyiman: "âta niwî-kawacin; âta wiya niya nika-pimâtisin," itwêw,⁴

"kiya mâka?" itêw manitowi-kihiwa.

(13) When noon had passed, Solomon spoke: “I am almost frozen to death; yet I shall live,” he said; “But as for you?” he said to Spirit-Eagle.

(14) êkosi ômisi itwêw: "niya mîna nika-pimâtisin," itwêw manitowi-kihiw; "kiya nîkân, sâyiman."

(14) Then he answered thus: “I too shall live,” said Spirit-Eagle; “Do you perform first, Solomon.”

(15) "êha," itwêw sâyiman; ômisi itwêw sâyiman: "hâw, miscicâkanis, 'kisiwâk kika-osâpamitin, wî-nipahikawiyini,' kikî-isin." "êkwa ohtin, 'kisiwâk kika-osâpamitin wî-nipahikawiyini,' kikî-isin." "kitakohp kinitâhtâmitin;" "ninôhtê-pimâtisin," itwêw sâyiman. "êkosi; pasikô," itêw manitowi-kihiwa, "tapasîtân." "êkâ wiya ohci âpasâpi, kâ-osêhcâk awasêwêyini." "kika-askôtin."

(15) “Very well,” said Solomon; thus spoke Solomon: “Come, Coyote, 'From close by shalt thou see me when thou art in danger of being slain,' saidst thou to me. And Wind, 'From close by shalt thou see me, when thou art in danger of being slain,' saidst thou to me. Thy blanket-robe I ask of thee; I long for life,” spoke Solomon. “So there; arise,” said he to Spirit-Eagle, “let us flee. Do not look behind you when you pass the knoll. I shall come close behind you.”

(16) êkosi manitowi-kihiw sêkisiw kita-pasikôt, osâm kisiwâk ê-ayâyit ayahciyiniwa; mâskôc nistomitanaw tahkoskêwin êkoyikohk mîkiwâhpa ê-ayâyiki, êwako ohci sêkisiw.

(16) Then Spirit-Eagle was afraid to stand up, for the Blackfoot were close at hand; because the tents were perhaps thirty steps away was why he feared.

(17) "êkwa kiyâm pasikôw êkwa!"

(17) “Come, arise now!”

(18) êkwa sâyiman ati-askowêw. ê-osêhcâyik kisiwâk êkota kî-âkawêwêwak. misiwê sâpopêwak. êkwa nîpisiya nânitaw têpakohp misit ê-iskwâyiki, êkota kisâtamwak. kîtahtawê misi-yôtin; êwakoni sâyiman kâ-kî-nitomât kita-pimâcihikot. êkosi nanâskomôw. mistahi mispon. êkwa kotawêwak; êkwa kêtayôwinisêwak, ê-pâsahkik otayôwinisiwâwa. mistahi mâyi-kîsikâw. êkosi êkwa ê-tipiskâk, misatimwa kimotiwak, ayahciyiniwa otêmiyiwa, aspapiwina ê-kikiskamiyit. êkwa tapasîwak.

(18) Then Solomon kept close behind him. They went to where a hill close by cut them off from sight. They were drenched through. In a place where the willows were some seven feet high they stayed. Soon a great wind blew; that was the one whom Solomon had called to save his life. Accordingly he gave thanks. There came a great fall of snow. Then they lit a fire; they undressed and dried their clothes. It was very bad weather. So when night came, they stole horses, the Blackfoots' horses, all saddled. Then they fled.

(19) êkwa ôki nêhiyawak kâ-nôcihihcik, "tapasîtân," itwêw pêyak.

(19) As for those Cree who were besieged, “Let us flee,” said one.

(20) êkwa ospwâkana oyaskinahêw; miyêw nâpêwa kita-nitonamiyit ê-tawâk ita. takohtêw kâwi: "êkota âta wiya cawâsiw," itwêw. êkwa wawêyîwak.

(20) Then he filled a pipe; he gave it to a man who was to look for an opening. He came back: “Over here is, to be sure, a small opening,” he said. Then they made ready.

(21) êkwa oskinîkiwiyinîs otâhk ê-kaskâwikanêhoht, "ê-wî-nitawi-minihkwêyâhk nipiy," itwêwak nâpêwak.

(21) And, as a young lad had been shot in the stomach, “We are only going to get a drink of water,” said the men.

(22) êkwa awa nâpêsis ayih acosisa otinam.

(22) Then the lad took some arrows.

(23) "nika-kî-sipwêhtân." "pêyak ayahciyiniw nika-nipahâw," itwêw awa nâpêsis kâ-wî-nakatiht.

(23) “I shall be able to go. I shall kill a Blackfoot,” said the lad who was to be abandoned.

(24) êkwa nâpêwak ôki tapasîwak.

(24) Then those men fled.

(25) kotak nâpêw ê-pakocêhoht, âsay ê-miyâskahkik mîkiwâhpa, "pita nika-âywêpin; ispisohtêk," itwêw awa kâ-pakocêhoht.

(25) Another man who had been wounded in the side, when they had already passed the camp, “Let me rest a bit; do you go on ahead,” said he who had been wounded in the side.

(26) êkosi êyâpic anohc nama êskwa takosin.

(26) To this day he has not arrived.

(27) êkwa ôki mosêskatêwak kâ-tapasîcik, ê-kisinâk.

(27) And they fled bare in the cold.

(28) êkosi nîso nipahâwak êwakonik aniki. êkwa ayahciyiniwa mihcêt kî-nipahêwak; okimâwa mistahi kî-nipahêwak. êkosi wiya êkwa kî-takosinwak wîkiwâhk; mistahi kî-miyawâtamwak, osâm mihcêt ê-kî-nôcihikocik ayahciyiniwa. êkosi.

(28) Thus two of these people were killed. They had killed many Blackfoot; they had killed many chieftains. And so they reached home; they rejoiced greatly because they had been so close pressed by the Blackfoot. That is all.

(29) êkosi ana nêhiyâsis iskwêyâc wiya kî-nipahêw ayahciyiniwa, ê-wî-otihtinikot; pêyak nipahêw iskwêyâc wiya. manitowi-minahikoskâhk isiyihkâtêw êkota kâ-kî-nôcihihcik. êkwa mistahi kî-manitôwiw sâyiman kâ-ôh-pimâtisicik.

(29) But as for that Cree lad, at the very last he killed a Blackfoot, as they were about to reach him; one he killed at the very last. Spirit-Spruce-Grove is the name of the place where they were besieged. Greatly gifted with spirit power was Solomon; through this their lives were saved.

Footnotes

¹LB on itohtêwak: The Cree are the third person, subject of this last verb; hence the sentence should properly read ... ayahciyiniwah ês ê-kîh-nipahâyit ..., with the Blackfoot in the obviative form.

²LB on moscis: For moscih or moscih isih.

³LB on êh-pâ-pasahkâpiyit: The initial element (pasahk-) is doubtful.

⁴LB on nikah-pimâtisin: I.e. “I feel sufficient mystic power in me to know that I shall live.”