(1) kayâs pêyak nâpêw iskwêwasâkay isiyîhkâsôw ayahciyiniw. kitimâkisiw. kîtahtawê mistahi ispatinâhk pa-pimisin. kîtahtawê wâpamêw iskwêwa ê-wayawiyit, ê-kî-nipahimiht onâpêmiyiwa, ê-kî-nipahikoyit kâhkâkiwacêna. êkosi akâwâtêw nâha. êkosi wâpamêw ê-otinamiyit cîkahikan. wîwahoyiwa okosisiyiwa. êkosi sipwêhtêw. ita ôma kâ-ayâ-t, êkota ohci pêci-âstamohtêw, wîkihk ê-ohci-sipwêhtêt ana iskwêw. êkosi kâsôhtawêw ana kâ-kitimâkisit ayahciyiniw. êkosi ana iskwêw ispatinâhk nanâtawâpiw. êkosi êkâ awiya ê-wâpamât, sipwêhtêw êkwa iskwêw ani.- êkosi ê-awasêwêyit, sipwêpahtâw nâpêw ana. êkosi ê-wâpamât, kâsôhtawêw. ay-ati-wâpahtam apisîs ê-sakâsiyik; êkota nahapiw iskwêw ana. okosisa ohpimê êkota nahahyêw, okosisa. êkosi otinam cîkahikan; êkwa cîkaham asiskiy; êkwa wâtihkêw. mâna awa nâpêw piyisk kisiwâk otihtêw awa nâpêw. êkwa awa iskwêw pasikôw; nanâtawâpiw; êkâ kêkway ê-wâpahtahk, kâwi nahapiw. kwayasitêw, kayâs mahîkhanisisa ê-mônahwât.¹

otinêw pêyak; pa-pakamisimêw. êkosi mîna kwayasitêw. êkosi awa nâpêw ispahtâw; ê-pê-wayawiyit, kawipayihôw, ê-kâsôhtawât. mîna kâwi kwayasitêw. êkosi pasikôw awa nâpêw. wâpamêw, ôta isko, ôtê isi ê-kwayasitêyit, ostikwâniyihk isi.

(1) Of old a certain Blackfoot was named Skirt. He was poor. Once upon a time he lay on a hilltop. Presently he saw a woman come out of her lodge, a certain woman whose husband had been killed; the Crow Indians had killed him. And so now this man took a fancy to her. He saw her take an axe. She was carrying her little son. So now he went from where he was. Toward the place where he was, the woman came, when she left her tent. So then the poor Blackfoot hid from her. Then that woman looked out in every direction from the hilltop. Then, when she saw no one, she went away. As soon as she was round a bend, that man started out on a run. When he got within sight of her, he hid from her. As they thus went along, he saw a small clump of trees; there the woman squatted down. She laid her little son down at one side. Then she took the axe; she chopped at the ground; she dug a pit. After a time the man had got quite close to her. Then the woman rose to her feet and looked about; when she saw nothing near, she squatted down again. She went into the pit, digging for old wolflings. She took one up; she flung it on the ground. Then she went into the pit again. At that, the man ran to where she was; when she came forth again, he threw himself flat on the earth, hiding from her. Again she entered the pit. At once the man rose to his feet. He saw that up to here, up to this point she was in the pit, up to her head.

(2) êkosi êkota wîwiw ôhi iskwêwa. êkosi awa iskwêw ôtê, miciminêw ôhi nâpêwa. êkosi isi wayawîw; êkosi otinêw okosisa; wîwahôw okosisa awa iskwêw. êkwa awa nâpêw otinam ocakohpis. êkwa kîwêhtahik. ê-sâkêwêt, mîkiwâhpihk nakîw awa nâpêw. ohcipitik awa nâpêw.

(2) Then he took this woman for his wife. Thereupon the woman took hold of the man here, like this. Then she came forth from the pit; she took up her son; the woman carried her son. The man took his blanket-robe. Then she took him home with her. When he came to the town, the man stopped by a tent. She pulled him on.

(3) "âstam!" itêw iskwêw awa; "âsay kônâpêmimitin."

(3) “This way!” that woman said to him; “You are my husband now.”

(4) êkosi sipwêhtêw awa nâpêw. kîwêhtahik êkwa, pîhtêyask ê-wîkit awa iskwêw. êkosi isi pîhtokahik wîkiyihk. êkosi nahapiwak ohtapiwinihk awa nâpêw. miyik. otinamiyiwa nipiy. kâsîcihcênik; mîna kâsîhkwênik. êkosi pasikôw awa iskwêw. êkosi wayawîw; paspikâpawiw wîkihk.

(4) So the man went on. She took him to her lodge; in the center of the camp dwelt that woman. So she took him into her tent. Then they took their seats on the settee of the man of the house. She gave him that privilege. She took some water. She washed his hands and face. Then she arose. She went out; she stood in the doorway of her tent.

(5) "nêkâ!" itwêw iskwêw awa; êkosi, "astêw cî, nêkâ ê-kîsitêk wiyâs?"

(5) “Mother!” she called; “Mother, is there any cooked meat?”

(6) "êha!"

(6) “Yes!”

(7) "pêtâ!" itêw awa iskwêw.

(7) “Bring it here!” said the woman.

(8) êkosi pîhtokêw awa iskwêw. êkosi awa nôtokêsiw otinam; itohtatâw otânisa wîkiyihk. êkosi yôhtênam; otânisa miyêw. wâpamêw nâpêwa ê-apiyit ohtapiwiniyihk otânisa. êkosi kîwêw awa nôtokêsiw; pîhtokêw wîkihk.

(8) Then she came in again. The old woman took some; she went with it over to hed daughter's tent. She opened the door-flap; she gave it to her daughter. She saw the man sitting on her daughter's settee. Thereupon the old woman went back; she went into her lodge.

(9) wîhtamawêw onâpêma: "kitânisinaw ê-wîtapimât nâpêwa."

(9) She told her husband of it: “It is that our daughter is sitting by the side of a man.”

(10) "awînihi?" itwêw kisêyiniw.

(10) “Who is he?” the old man asked her.

(11) êkosi awa nôtokêsiw, "êwakoni kâ-kitimâkisiyit nâpêwa."

(11) Then the old woman, “That poor man.”

(12) êkosi êkwa kisêyiniw awa ê-okimâwit, pêyakoyiwa okosisa; êkwa ôhi kâ-otinamâsoyit nâpêwa, êwakoni otânisa. êkosi nîso piko otawâsimisa awa kisêyiniw mîna nôtokêsiw.

(12) Now, that old man, who was a chief, had one son; and she who had taken that man, she was his daughter. Only these two children had that old man and old woman.

(13) êkosi nama wîhkâc wayawîw awa kâ-kitimâkisit nâpêw; nêpêwisiw. kîtahtawê, "âhtokêtân!" itwêwân. kinwês êwako ê-wîwit. êkosi mistahi miyosiw awa nâpêw kâ-wîwit, mâka mistahi ê-kitimâkisit. êkosi kîkisêpâ wayawîw. êkosi sipwêhtêw, konita itê ê-itohtêt, ê-osâm ê-nêpêwisit, mistahi ê-kitimâkisit.²

(13) And now that poor man never went out of their tent; he was ashamed. Then at one time. “Let us move camp!” said his people. This was when he had been married for quite some time. Now, that man who had married the woman, was very good-looking, only that he was very poor. So now, early one morning, he went out of the tent. He went away, no matter where, for very shame at his great poverty.

(14) êkosi awa oskinîkiw omisa kâ-onâpêmiyit ayâw ê-miywâsiniyiki ayiwinisa; otêma mîna mistahi miyosiyiwa. êkwa awa nâpêw oskinîkiw otinêw wîstâwa otêmiyiwa; wiyahpitêw aspapiwin ohci.³

(14) Now, that young man whose elder sister had taken that man for husband, had some fine clothes; his horse, too, was very handsome. Then that young man took his brother-in-law's horse and saddled it.

(15) wîhtamawêw okâwiya: "anihi kâ-ayâ-t nimis ayiwinisa êkosi ta-pêtâw nimis." "tânitê aspin nîstâw?"

(15) He told his mother his plan: “Those garments which my elder sister is keeping, let her bring them here. But where has my brother-in-law gone?”

(16) "aspin ôtê ê-kî-atimohtêt," itwêw awa oskinîkiskwêw.

(16) “He has gone off and away in this direction,” said the young woman.

(17) êkosi nâpêw awa oskinîkiw otinêw misatimwa; ôhi ayiwinisa tahkopitam, êkwa akohp ê-mîkisiwiyik. êkosi têhtapiw; sakâpêkipahêw ôhi kâ-nayahcikêyit, êkwa ê-nitonawât wîstâwa. aspin wiya ê-wawêyîwiht, ê-wî-piciwiht, ê-osêhcâyik sâkêwêw êwako awa oskinîkiw, kâ-nitonawât wîstâwa. tâpwê miskawêw, itê ê-pimisiniyit. êkosi êkota nîhtakosîw.

(17) Thereupon the young man took the horse; he tied those garments to the saddle, and a blanket-robe with bead ornaments. Then he mounted; at a trot he led the horse that was carrying the things, as he looked for his brother-in-law. Just as his people were making ready to move camp, off went that youth, over the hill, to look for his brother-in-law. He found him where he lay on the ground. So there he dismounted.

(18) êkosi wîstâwa, "waniskâ, nîsta!" itêw awa oskinîkiw.

(18) Then to his brother-in-law, “Get up, Brother-in-Law!” said that youth.

(19) êkosi êkwa waniskâw awa iskwêwasâkay. êkosi otinamwêw otayiwinisiyiwa ôhi wîstâwa; kotaka ê-miywâsiniyiki postayôwinisahêw ôhi wîstâwa. êkwa sîkahwêw ôhi mitoni ê-kinwâyiki wêstakayiyiwa. kâ-kîsi-sîkahwât wîstâwa, êkwa kâsîhkwênêw. êkwa ê-kî-kâsîhkwênât, êkwa tômihkwênêw.

(19) So Skirt arose. Then he took his brother-in-law's garments; he put other, handsome ones, on his brother-in-law. Then he combed him, for very long was his hair. When he had combed his brother-in-law's hair, he washed his face for him. When he had washed his face, he painted his face for him.

(20) êkosi, "nîstâ, mistahi kisâkihitn." "êkâ wiya ê-nitohtawakik oskinîkiwak, mihcêtwâw ninitotamâkawin, 'nimis awiya miywêyimâci, ta-onâpêmiw,' ê-kî-itêyihtamân." "êkosi kimiywêyimik." "êkâ wiya nêpêwisi." "êkosi êkwa sipwêhtêtân." "êkosi kita-ayâwat nîstâw otêma, ana kâ-kî-nipahiht."

(20) Then, “Brother-in-Law, I love you very much. I did not listen when time after time I was besought, for I thought, 'When my sister likes any one, then let her take a husband.' And so she liked you. Do not be ashamed. And now let us depart. You shall now have the horse of my brother-in-law, the one who was slain.”

(21) êkosi pasikôwak. sipwêhtêwak. mistahi miyosiw awa kaskitêwastim kâ-têhtapit awa kâ-kitimâkisit. tâpwê ê-pimohtêcik awa oskinîkiw, "tâpwê mistahi miyosiw nîstâw!" itêyihtam awa oskinîkiw. ôhi mitâsa mistahi mîkisak kikamôwak, êkwa ômatôwahk mêstakaya mîna. miskotâkay mistahi mîkisiyiwa; êwako kikasâkêw awa kâ-wîwit. êkwa nikikwayân êkotôwahk otastotiniw awa kâ-wîwit. êkosi ê-otâkosik, ê-sâkêwêcik, âsay kîsi-mânokêwân. ati-nîhtaciwêwak, ê-ati-nîsicik wîstâwa.

(21) Then they arose. They set out. Very handsome was the black horse which the poor man rode. As they went along, “Truly, very handsome is my brother-in-law!” thought that youth. On those leggings were many beads, and these things, scalps, as well. The coat was heavily beaded; he wore it, who had married the woman. And an otterskin he had as his hat, he who had married the woman. Then, in the afternoon, when they came in sight of the place, their people had already pitched camp. They came down the slope, the two brothers-in-law.

(22) êkwa awa iskwêw, ê-pêtisâpamât onâpêma, "tâpwê miyosiw ninâpêm!" itêyihtam awa iskwêw.

(22) Then that woman, when she saw her husband approaching, “Truly, handsome is my husband!” thought that woman.

(23) êkosi takohtêwak wîkiwâhk. êkwa nîhtakosîw. êkosi awa iskwêw wayawîw.

(23) So they came to their tent. He dismounted. Then the woman came out of the tent.

(24) "pîhtokê!" itêw ôhi onâpêma.

(24) “Come in!” she said to her husband.

(25) êkosi pîhtokêw awa nâpêw. êkwa awa iskwêw âpahwêw ôhi misatimwa. êkosi sakahpitêw. êkosi pîhtokêw. nahapîstawêw onâpêma. êkosi otinam, ê-asamât, ta-mîcisoyit. êkwa ê-kîsi-mîcisot, ê-tipiskâk, iyikohk wayawîw. wîcêwêw awa iskwêw onâpêma. kîtahtawê piko isi mêtawâkâtâw awa oskinîkiw, ê-ohtêyimiht, okimâskwêwa ê-wîwit. nanâtohk mâna itâw.

(25) The man went in. Then the woman unsaddled the horse. She tied it up. Then she came in. She sat down by her husband. She took food and gave him to eat. When he had eaten, at nightfall, she went out. Her husband went with her. Then at one time, in one way or another, people teased that young man, because they were jealous of his having married a chief's daughter. They would say this thing and that to him.

(26) "êkâ wiya pisiskêyihta." "mihcêtwâw piko awiyak nikî-nôhtê-wîkimik, mâka nama wiya ê-ohci-nôhtê-onâpêmiyân." "êkâ wiya wîhkâc nitohta piko isi ê-itikawiyan; ê-ohtêyimikawiyan, mihcêt nâpêwak ê-kî-nôhtê-wîkimicik."

(26) “Pay no attention to it. Many times more than one of them wanted to marry me, and it was only that I did not want to marry them. Do you never listen when they say foolish things to you, for it is only that you are envied, because many men wanted to marry me.”

(27) kîtahtawê pêhtam, "ayak pîtos-iyiniwak wâpamâwak."

(27) Then at one time he heard, “Some foreign folk have been seen.”

(28) êkosi wîstâwa, "êkâ wiya nânitaw ta-itohtêw;" "nisâkihâw nîstâw."

(28) Then his brother-in-law said. “Let him not go, you know where; I love my brother-in-law and would keep him.”

(29) êkosi tâpwê nama wiya pakitinik wîwa. êkosi kotakak ê-kîskotâtocik, ôta pêmipayitwâwi, "nama êskwa kikîskotâton."⁴

"âsay mihcêt kitôskinîkîmak," itik ôhi kâ-pimipayiyit.⁵

(29) Accordingly his wife did not let him go from her. So then, whenever the others went out to the attack, as they went past there, “Not yet have you gone to the attack. Already many of your men have gone,” they who rode past said to him.

(30) êkwa ê-sîkâwiwiht, "mahti nâs nitêm," itêw ôhi wîwa.

(30) Then when some of his people had lost their kin, “Suppose you fetch my horse,” he bade his wife.

(31) "'êkâ wiya ta-sipwêhtêw,' kikî-itik nisîmis," itik wîwa.

(31) “'Do not let him depart,' my brother said of you,” his wife replied to him.

(32) "kiyâm nâs nitêm," itêw wîwa.

(32) “Just you fetch my horse,” he told his wife.

(33) êkosi nâtêw awa iskwêw ôhi kaskitêwastimwa. êkosi wiyahpitêyiwa ôhi otêma; pîhtokêyiwa wîwa. êkwa kêtayôwinisêw; nayêstaw kikâsiyânêw awa nâpêw. osâwi-asiskiy misiwê wiyawihk sinikohtitâw, misiwê ê-osâwasiskîwastêt êwako. êkosi osikosa pêtohtêyiwa.

(33) So then the woman went and got that black horse. Then she saddled his horse and came into the tent. Then he undressed; he kept on only his breech-clout. He rubbed ochre all over his body; he covered himself with yellow clay. Then his mother-in-law came hither.

(34) "tânêhki kî-oyahpitat ninahâhkisîm otêma?"

(34) “Why have you saddled my son-in-law's horse?”

(35) "'wiyahpis,' ê-isit awa," itêw okâwiya awa iskwêw.

(35) “Because he bade me saddle it,” the woman answered her mother.

(36) "kikî-kitahamâk kisîmis kita-sipwêhtêt ninahâhkisîm," itwêw awa nôtokêsiw.

(36) “Your brother forbade you to let my son-in-law depart,” said the old woman.

(37) êkosi awa nâpêw wêstakaya tahtinam; ôta ospiskwanihk asahpitam; wîwa nânapâcihik; tômihkwênik. câpihcicikanis êwako otinam. êkosi astotin, sihkosiwayân-astotin êwako, êskanak kikamôwak astotinihk. ê-wayawît, ocêmik wîwa.

(37) Then the man undid his hair; he tied it in a knot at the back. His wife tended to him; she painted his face. A spear he took. Also a head-dress, a head-dress of weaselskin; horns were fastened on it. As he left the tent, his wife kissed him.

(38) "nitânis, êkâ wiya ta-iyiwêhôw ninahâhkisîm." "mistahi sâkihik wîstâwa mîna osisa," itêw awa nôtokêsiw.

(38) “Daughter, do not let my son-in-law throw his life away. His brother-in-law and his father-in-law love him dearly,” said the old woman to her.

(39) êkosi têhcipayihôw otêma. êkosi wâsakâmêw ôma ôtênaw.

(39) Then he leaped on his horse. Then he made the circuit of the town.

(40) "anohc kâ-kîsikâk kika-wîhinâwâw." "pimâtisiyâni, ka-nahihonâwâw, 'iskwêwasâkay' ta-itwêyêk, pimâtisiyâni," itwêw.

(40) “On this day you shall speak my name. If I live, you will be content to say 'Skirt,' if I live,” he said.

(41) êkosi sipwêpayiw. ê-sâkêwêpayit, atimâpamêw ayîsiyiniwa. êkosi êtimâci mâna êkwa, "kikîsiskotâtoh" itik nâpêwa. ê-osêhcâk atimâpamêw, ê-sâkêwêpayiyit wîstâwa êkwa osisa.

(41) With that he rode away. As he rode over the hill, he saw the men going yon way. And so, as he overtook them, “You are going to the attack, are you?” the men would say to him. From a rise in the land he saw his brother-in-law and his father-in-law riding across a ridge.

(42) ê-ati-atimât osisa, "hâw, ninahâhkisîm, kakwê-pimâtisi!" itik omanâcimâkana.

(42) When he overtook his father-in-law, “Now, my son-in-law, try to preserve your life!” said his tabu-person to him.

(43) ê-atimât wîstâwa, "â, nîstâ, mistahi kisâkihitn" itik wîstâwa.

(43) When he overtook his brother-in-law, “Oh, my brother-in-law, dearly do I love you!” his brother-in-law said to him.

(44) êkosi kitâpamêw: "hâh, nîstâ, kisâkihitn nîsta!" itêw wîstâwa.

(44) Thereupon he fixed his gaze on him: “Oh, my brother-in-law, I too love you!” he told his brother-in-law.

(45) êkosi ati-miyâskawêw wîstâwa.

(45) With that he passed his brother-in-law and went on.

(46) pêyak tahki ômisi nâway pâh-pimicipayiyiwa; wâpascimosa têhtapiyiwa. mayaw ê-atimât, pâskisok. pêyak ê-ati-nakatimiht nîhciyahkahwêw câpihcicikanis ohci. êkosi êtimâci ati-tahkamêw; piyisk kêkâ-mitâtaht nipahêw. êkoyikohk êkwa tapasîyiwa ôhi wâpascimosa kâ-têhtapiyit. êkoni nawaswâtêw. ita ê-atimât pâskisok; ôta wanôwâhk kitiskahok. êkosi isi nawatinamwêw otêmiyiwa.

(46) One man always rode about in the rear of the rest; he was mounted on a little white horse. Just as he overtook this man, the latter shot at him. When one was left behind, he felled him with his spear. Then he would come up to him, and stab him; at last he had killed nine men. By this time the rider of the small white horse was fleeing. He pursued him. When he overtook him, the other shot at him; here on his cheek the other grazed him with a shot. Then he seized hold of the other's horse.

(47) "nîhtakosî!" itêw ôhi pîtos-iyiniwa.

(47) “Dismount!” he told the stranger.

(48) êkosi nîhtakosiyiwa.

(48) So the other dismounted.

(49) "miyin kipâskisikan!" itêw.

(49) “Give me your gunl” he said to him.

(50) êkosi miyêw.

(50) So he gave it to him.

(51) "kimôhkomân miyin!" itêw.

(51) “Give me your knife!” he told him.

(52) miyik.

(52) The other gave it to him.

(53) "mîna pîhtasinânêyâpiya!"

(53) “And your ammunition-bag!”

(54) êkosi kahkiyaw miyik.

(54) So the other gave him everything.

(55) "mîna kitastotin!" mîkwana ê-otastotiniyit.

(55) “And your head-dress!” - for the other had a headgear of feathers.

(56) êkosi, "kitêm miyin!" itêw.

(56) Then, “Give me your horse!” he told him.

(57) êkosi miyik.

(57) So the other gave it to him.

(58) "hâw, awa têhtapi," itêw, ôhi kaskitêwastimwa mîskoc êwakoni ê-miyât; "mistahi mîhkawikiw;" "nama awiyak kika-atimik." "takosiniyani kitaskîwâhk, kita-âcimoyan; êwako ohci'pitanê pimâtisit!' kâ-ôh-itêyimitân."

(58) “There, now mount this one,” he told him giving him the black horse in return; “It is very swift; no one will overtake you. When you arrive in your people's country, that you may tell the tale; that is the reason why 'May he live!' is my thought concerning you.”

(59) êkosi têhtapiw awa. êwako awa miyêw otastotin, sihkosiwayân-astotin awa ayahciyiniw, êkwa câpihcicikanis. awa kâ-pmâtisit kâhkâkiwacên isiyîhkâsôw. êkosi tapasîw.

(59) So he mounted. Then he gave him his head-dress, the headdress of weaselskin, did that Blackfoot, and the spear. he one whose life was spared was called Crow. So then he fled.

(60) êkwa awa ayahciyiniw pê-otihtik wîstâwa. mistahi pakwâtamiyiwa ôta ê-miswâkaniwit ohkwâkanihk. êkosi kîwêwak. ati-otinêw kahkiyaw misatimwa awa kisêyiniw, onahâhkisîma tahto kâ-pê-nipahâyit, mîna otayiwinisiyiwa, mîna onîmâskwâkaniyiwa. êkosi êkwa kahkiyaw kîwêwak. ê-wî-takohtêcik, wâhyaw nîkân pimohtêw awa iskwêwasâkay, êwako, ê-ati-sâkêwêcik. namôya kî-âkwaskiskawâw, osâm mistahi ê-tôtahk; âsay kaskihisôw ê-okimâwit.

(60) Then that Blackfoot's brother-in-law came up to him. This brother-in-law was very sorry that he had been wounded in the face. So then they went home. The old man, as he went along, took all the horses of as many as were the men his son-in-law had slain, and their garments, and their weapons. So then they all went home. When they had almost arrived, then far ahead went Skirt, as they came into view. No one was permitted to go ahead of him, on account of the great deeds he had done; he had now won the chieftainship.

(61) êkosi isi kahkiyaw ayahciyiniwak mistahi kostik, ê-wâpamiht, mistahi ê-pâskisoht, êkosi êkâ ê-pikwâhoht. ê-itêyihtahkik kotakak okimâwak, mistahi kostêwak. nama wîhkâc pêtamâsôw ta-mîcit, piko ê-pêtamâht. êkwa wîstâwa mistahi sâkihik. êkosi êkwa mistahi okimâwiw.

(61) So then he was greatly respected by all the Blackfoot, when it was seen that he had been much shot at and not seriously wounded. When the other chiefs thought of that, they greatly respected him. Never did he need to fetch his food, for always others brought it to him. And his brother-in-law was very fond of him. And so he became a great chief.

(62) êkosi ê-nipit, okosisa kî-okimâwiyiwa, êwako ana kotak ôhtâwiya kâ-nipiyit. kaskitêwi-sihkos isiyîhkâsôw.

(62) And then, when he died, his son became chief, the son of the other man who had died. Black-Weasel was his name.

(63) êkosi kahkiyaw.

(63) That is all.

Footnotes

¹LB on mahîkhanisisah: The translation given is literal; either the record is wrong, or the word has some derived meaning (name of an edible root?)

²CHECK: ?? e-osami-nepewisit

³LB on wîstâwa: I.e., of his sister's first husband.

⁴CHECK kîskotâto-. HCW: unsure

⁵LB on quote: Apparently I missed the verb.