(1) kîtahtawê ayîsiyiniwak ê-wîkicik, kîtahtawê ômisi itwêw pêyak nâpêw; ôhi owîcêwâkana, "ay," itêw, "nawac sipwêhtêtân," itêw, "ka-wîhtamôwacik âtiht ayîsiyiniwak;" "têpakohp kika-ihtasinânaw," itêw.

(1) Once upon a time, as some people dwelt somewhere, a certain man spoke as follows; to his comrade he said, “Now then, let us set out; you may tell a few people; seven of us shall go,” he told him.

(2) "ahaq."

(2) “Very well.”

(3) "kî-nîso-tipiskâki ka-sipwêhtânânaw." "ayahciyiniwak ka-nitonawânawak, miskawâyahkwâwi otêmiwâwa ka-kimotamawâyahk." "mâka wâpamikoyahkwâwi, wî-kakwê-nipahikoyahkwâwi, kiyânaw mîna ka-kakwê-nipahânawak," itêw.

(3) “Two nights from now we shall set out. We shall look for Blackfoot, to steal their horses when we find them. And if they catch sight of us and try to kill us, we shall try to kill them,” he told him.

(4) "êha."

(4) “Very well.”

(5) tâpwê ê-kî-nîso-tipiskâyik sipwêhtêwak. awa pêyak nâpêsis ôhtâwiya ê-okimâwiyit, misatimwa itê ê-ayâyit, êkotê ayâw, kâ-wâpamât ê-pimohtêyit ôhi kâ-sipwêhtêyit.

(5) Accordingly, after two nights they set out. A certain young boy, whose father was chief, was where the horses were, and saw them go off who were setting out.

(6) ê-kitâpamât, "miyâmay ê-sipwêhtêcik!" itêyihtam, acosisa ê-ayât awa nâpêsis, kêkâc âta wiya ê-oskinîkit awa nâpêsis; "mahti nika-wîcêwâwak!"

(6) When he looked at them, “Surely they are going off!” he thought; at the age of having arrows was the boy, though, indeed, he was close to adolescence; “Oh, do let me go with them!”

(7) ômisi itêyihtam. tâpwê pimitisahwêw. itê ê-otâkosiniyik, ê-wî-minahoyit, wîsta êkotê takohtêw. namôya kiskêyimik ôhtâwiya ê-sipwêhtêt. êkwa ôki nâpêwak kâ-minahocik, kâ-takohtêyit ôhi nâpêsisa, nisitawêyimêwak ôhtâwîyiwa ê-okimâwiyit. namôya nânitaw wî-itêwak. êkosi ê-kîsitêpocik, ê-wî-mîcisocik, miyo-asamêwak ôhi nâpêsisa.

(7) That was his thought. Accordingly he followed them. At the place they reached toward evening, as they were about to kill game, he too arrived. His father did not know that he had gone off. And those men, when they had killed game and the boy arrived, recognized him as the chief's son. They did not care to say anything to him. So, when they cooked their meal and were about to eat, they gave the boy plenty of food.

(8) "hâw, kitimâkêyimâtân." "kitôkimâminaw okosisa," itwêwak.

(8) “Well, let us treat him kindly. He is our chief's son,” they said.

(9) tâpwê êkota nipâwak. ê-wâpahk sipwêhtêwak. ita ê-tipiskâyik kapêsiwak. mwêhci nikotwâsikwâw ê-kî-nipâcik, môhkiciwanipêk ita ê-ayâyik, cîki êkota mostoswa ayâyiwa.

(9) Then they slept there. The next morning they went on. Where they were by dark, they camped for the night. When they had slept six nights on the way, near a spring of water were some buffalos.

(10) "hâw, pêyak ta-nitawi-pâskiswêwak." "nipahâci, êkota ka-kapêsinânaw, kika-osîhtâyahk ta-nîmâyahk," itêw.

(10) “Now then, let one man go shoot them. If he kills any, we shall camp there and prepare provisions for the march,” the leader told them.

(11) tâpwê pêyak sipwêhtêw, ê-wî-kakwê-nipahât mostoswa. tâpwê nipahêw pêyak. cîki ê-sakâyik êkwa itohtêwak ôki kotakak. ê-takohtêcik êkota, âsay ôma kâ-pâskiswât mostoswa.

(11) Accordingly one set out to kill buffalos. He killed one. The others went to a near-by grove. When they got to it, he had already shot the buffalo.

(12) pêhtamiyiwa ayahciyiniwa namôya wâhyaw ê-ayâyit, mitâtaht ê-ihtasiyit, mîna êyakonik nêhiyawa ê-nitonawâcik. êkwa êyakonik wî-kakwê-wâpamêwak ôhi nêhiyawa. pôti wâpamikwak nêhiyawak ôki kâ-wiyanihtâkêcik têpakohp kê-ihtasicik êkwa awa pêyak nâpêsis, êkosi ayinânêw. tâpwê pê-nâciyôstâkwak ayahciyiniwa. namôya kiskêyimêwak. mêkwâc ê-wiyanihtâkêcik, nama isko ê-nawacîcik, âsay pâskisokwak ôki nêhiyawak. ôma kâ-sakâyik êkota ê-itâmocik, pêyak pahkisin nêhiyaw, oskâtihk ê-tawahoht, ê-nâtwâpayiyik oskât. ôki kâ-misikiticik nâpêwak tapasîwak.

(12) The sound was heard by some Blackfoot who were not far from there, ten in number, themselves looking for Cree. They decided to take a look at the Cree. And there they saw those Cree preparing their carcass, seven of them, with the boy, a total of eight. Accordingly the Blackfoot crept up on the Cree. The latter did not know of their presence. While they were cutting up the game, before they had begun the roasting, the Blackfoot fired at the Cree. As they fled toward the wooded place, one of the Cree fell, his leg pierced by a bullet and broken. The grown men fled.

(13) awa nâpêsis nakîw, ê-kisâtât ôhi kâ-kaskatahomiht, ê-têpwêt, "ahâ, nitôtêmitik, wîhtamawâhkêk nôhtâwiy: namôya niwî-nakatâw awa." "kiyâm nîsta nika-nipahikawin," itêw, ê-têpwêt.

(13) The boy stopped and stayed by the wounded man, crying, “Hey, friends, tell my father when you see him: I shall not leave this man. I don't care if I too am killed,” he told them, calling to them.

(14) âsay wâhyaw ê-atimipahtâyit owîcêwâkaniwâwa, êkwa âhci piko ê-pâskisokocik ayahciyiniwa, âskaw môskîstawêw, âta wiya ê-pimwât. êkwa awa kâ-kaskatahoht êwako simatapiw, wîsta ê-pâskiswât, wîsta ê-nôtinikêt; mâka nama kêkway kî-nipahêwak, ê-mitâtasiyit, êkwa wiyawâw ê-nîsicik awa nâpêsis. ayisk owîcêwâkaniwâwa nakatisimikwak. piyisk pôyoyiwa ôhi ayahciyiniwa, ê-kostikocik, ê-sipwêhtêyit. êkwa awa nâpêsis iyikohk ê-wâpamât wâhyaw ê-atimohtêyit, êkwa itohtêw môhkiciwanipêkohk, ita ê-tipinawâyik êkota ê-miskahk. êkwa nitawâpamêw ôhi kâ-kaskatahomiht.

(14) When their comrades had run far away, and the Blackfoot were still shooting at them, he took the offensive against them from time to time, firing at them. And the man whose bone had been broken sat up, and he too fired at them, joining in the fight; but they did not succeed in killing any of them, for the others were ten, and they only two, one of them a boy. For their comrades had left them behind. At last the Blackfoot, fearing them, gave up and went away. Then the boy, as soon as he saw that they had gone far away, went to the spring and found a sheltered place. Then he went to the wounded man.

(15) "â, nimiskên ita ta-ay-ayâyahk," itêw.

(15) “Come, I have found a place where we can stay,” he told him.

(16) "â, namôya, nâpêsis! kîwê kiyâm!" "kôhtâwiy okimâwiw; ta-kaskêyihtam." "konita ka-kakwâtakihtân ôta." "namôya mayaw nika-iyiniwîn niskât." "kîwê!" itêw nâpêsisa.

(16) “Oh, no, my boy! Do go home! Your father is chief; he will grieve. You will only suffer here. My leg will not get well so very soon. Go home!” he told the boy.

(17) "â, namôya! iyikohk miyo-ayâyani, kîwêyini, êkoyikohk nika-kîwân." "nôhtâwiy iyâcimoci, 'sôhkêyihtâkosiw awiyak, kâ-nakatisimimiht kêsâtâci,' ê-itwêt mâna nipêhtawâw;" "êwako ohci kâ-ôh-wî-kisâtitân," itêw.

(17) “Oh, no! When you are well and go home, then I shall go home. Whenever my father tells stories, I always hear him say, 'One is counted a brave man, if one stays with those who have been left behind.' That is why I mean to stay with you,” he told him.

(18) êkosi itohtêw awa nâpêsis ôhi wiyâsa; askêkin otinam, êkota ê-otâpêt ôhi oskinîkiwa, sakâhk ê-itohtahât. ôma ita kâ-tipinawâyik ê-kî-pêsiwât, êkwa wiyâsa awatâw. mêstinam wiyâsa. êkwa kotawêw, êkwa ê-kîsitêpot ta-mîcisocik, êkwa mîna nipiy ê-otinahk wînâstakayêpicikanihk, ta-minihkwêyit ôhi nâpêwa. tâpwê minihkwêyiwa, êkwa ê-mîcisoyit.

(18) Thereupon the boy went to where the meat was; he took the hide, and on it dragged the young man to the grove of trees. When he had brought him to the sheltered place, he fetched the meats. He took all the meat. Then he built a fire and cooked, that they might eat, and drew water in the paunch, that the man might drink. So the latter drank and ate.

(19) ê-kîsi-mîcisot, êkwa miscikosa kâ-kîskataham ê-apisâsiniyiki, ôma kâ-pîkopayiyik oskât, êkota ê-tahkopitamwât ôma oskâtiyiw. êkosi ê-kîsi-tahkopitahk, êkwa osîhtâw wîkiwâw nîpiya ohci, êkota ê-ayât, êkwa ê-osîhtât kâhkêwakwa ana nâpêw, êkwa awa nâpêsis tahki ê-asawâpit. piyis tipiskâyiw. êkota ay-ayâwak.

(19) When he had eaten, he hewed some small sticks to shape, putting a splint on his leg where it was broken. When he had tied it up, he built a hut for them of leaves, where the man stayed, preparing dried meat, while the boy always kept a lookout. At last it grew dark. They stayed there.

(20) kîtahtawê, ayinânêw ê-ihtahto-tipiskâyik êkota ê-ayâcik, kâ-wâpamât ê-niyânaniyit ayîsiyiniwa ê-pêci-âstamohtêyit. ê-ka-kitâpamât, âsay mâka ê-otâkosiniyik, pôti ita kâ-ayâcik cîki êkota kapêsiyiwa, ê-osîhtâyit wîkiyiw, tâpiskôc wâskahikan ê-itahâyit mistikwa. êkwa kisiwâk ê-wî-kakwê-osâpamât, ê-wî-kakwê-nisitawêyimât kêko ayisiyiniwa, pôti ayahciyiniwa.

(20) Presently, when they had been there eight nights, he saw five men coming toward them. As he watched them, as it was evening, he saw them make a camp for the night near to where they were, building a shelter, placing trees in the shape of a wooden house. And when he made an effort to see them at close range, to see what kind of people they were, he saw that they were Blackfoot.

(21) êkosi itohtêw; êkwa ôhi owîcêwâkana ômisi itêw: "mahti kipâskisikan pêtâ." "ôta kisiwâk mahîhkan ê-ayât, nika-pâskiswâw," itêw.

(21) So he went there and said to his companion, “Please give me your gun. I want to shoot a wolf that is close by here.”

(22) êkwa ê-miyikot, êkwa itohtêw. âsay tipiskâw. êkwa ê-pônamiyit, pîhcâyihk ê-apiyit, nâciyôstawêw. êkwa ê-otihtât, isi-niyânaniyiwa, ê-nâh-nawaciyit. nawasawâpamôw; tânihi ê-miyohoyit, êwakoni pâskiswêw, ê-sâkowêt. nîsoyawêw. ê-tapasîyit nîso, ê-tâh-tâwikisiniyit mistikohk, osâm ê-sêkihât, êwakoni mîna pimwêw;¹

nipahêw mîna. êkosi nisto nipahêw. nîso ôki tapasîwak. ê-kiskêyihtahk ê-tapasîyit; pîhtokêw, otayiwinisiyiwa ê-otinahk, mîna pâskisikan pêyak, pêyak acosisa, pêyak cîkahikani-pakamâkan, êkwa pêyak câpihcicikanis, môhkomâna nêwo, mîna ostikwâniyihk ôta ôma ê-manisamwât. kahkiyaw omaskisiniyiwa otinam, êkwa ê-kîwêhtatât, ôhi kâ-kaskatahomiht wîcêwâkana, ê-pîhtokatât, ê-miyât.

(22) When the other gave it him, he went there. It was dark by this time. The others had made a fire and were sitting indoors; he crept up to them. When he got near them, they were five, a-roasting of meat. He took careful aim; he shot at those who wore the best clothes, and gave a whoop. He hit two of them. While two fled, one kept bumping into things, so much had he frightened him; this one too he shot; he killed him too. So he had killed three. The other two fled. When he saw that they had fled, he went inside and took their garments, and a gun, a set of arrows, a tomahawk, and a lance, and four knives, and he cut off this, on their heads here. He took all their moccasins, and took it all back with him and gave it, when he brought it into their hut, to his wounded companion.

(23) mistahi mâmaskâtamiyiwa, "tânita ê-ohtinaman?" ê-itikot.

(23) He was much surprised, and asked him, “Where did you get it all?”

(24) "ê-niyânanicik ôta ê-kapêsicik ayahciyiniwak, nisto ninipahâwak, êkota ôhi ê-ohtinamân," itêw; "kipêhtên êtokê ê-matwêwêk."

(24) “Five Blackfoot camped here for the night; I killed three of them and took these,” he told him; “I suppose you heard gunshot.”

(25) "êha."

(25) “Yes.”

(26) "êkota ninîsoyawâwak." "êkwa pêyak osâm êtokê ê-sêkisit, ê-tâh-tâwikisihk, mîna êwako nipimwâw; ninipahâw." "êkosi nisto."

(26) That was when I shot two of them. And one, I suppose because he was frightened, bumped into things, and I shot him too; I killed him. That makes three.”

(27) "tâpwê, wêskinîkiyin, namôya kikostâwak!" itik.

(27) “Really, young man, you do not seem to be afraid of them!” the other said to him.

(28) miywêyihtam awa nâpêw. piyis êkota ay-ayâwak. namôya êsa ôma wâhyaw ê-wîkiyit. ôki kâ-tapasîcik ayahciyiniwak takosinwak wîkiwâhk; âcimowak ê-nipahihcik, wiyawâw piko ê-pimâtisicik. ê-kî-nêwo-tipiskâyik, kîtahtawê kâ-pêtisâpamât, ê-pâpiciyit ayahciyiniwa. êkwa êkota ohci ka-kitâpamêw, kisiwâk êkota kâ-pê-kapêsiyit, ê-mihcêtiyit. êkwa pê-nâtimâwa ôhi kâ-kî-nipahât, ê-kîwêhtahimiht. ka-kitâpamêw. piyisk ta-ati-tipiskâyiw. iyikohk mistahi ê-tipiskâyik, itohtêw owîcêwâkana.

(28) The man was glad. Then they stayed there. Now, it seems that those others had their camp not far from there. Those Blackfoot who had fled arrived at their camp; they told how their comrades had been slain, and that only they were alive. After four nights, there, the boy saw the Blackfoot coming, moving up their camp. From where he was, he watched them, as they came to pitch camp close by, a great number of them. And those whom he had killed were fetched and taken back. He continued to watch them. At last darkness came on. When it was quite dark, he went to where his companion was.

(29) "mahti êkâya pâh-pôna." "kêkway niwâpahtên; mâka namôya nikiskêyihtên kêkway." "mahti nika-kakwê-nisitawihtên," itêw.

(29) “You had better not light any fire. I see something; but I do not know what it is. I think I shall go try to hear what it is,” he told him.

(30) êkosi mîna ê-sipwêhtêt, mîkiwâhpihk ê-itohtêt. namôya ê-sakahpitâyit misatimwa; mitâtaht misatimwa otinêw, ê-kimotamawât ayahciyiniwa. otihtêw owîcêwâkana.

(30) With that he went off again, and went to the camp. They had not tied up their horses; he took ten horses, stealing them from the Blackfoot. He came back to his companion.

(31) "hâw, niwîcêwâkan, tânisi kê-tôtamahk?" "ayahciyiniwak êsa ani kisiwâk kapêsiwak;" "mâka âsay mitâtaht otêmiwâwa ôta nipêsîmâwa!"

(31) “Now then, comrade, what shall we do? It seems that Blackfoot are camping close by; in fact I am bringing ten of their horses now!”

(32) "hay hay" itwêyiwa; "tâpwê kitatamihin, niwîcêwâkan!"

(32) “Splendid!” said he; “Truly, you delight me, comrade!”

(33) "kika-kîwânânaw, ka-tapasîyahk," itêw; "namôya ka-kî-pimitisahokonawak;" "namôya mihcêt misatimwak," ê-itât.

(33) “We shall go home, making our escape,” he said to him; “They will not be able to pursue us; the horses are not many,” he told him.

(34) tâpwê pêyak pê-takohtahêw wîkiwâhk, êkwa ê-wayawîtâcimoyit owîcêwâkana, ê-oyahpitât otakohpisiwâwa ohci, ê-têhtahât owîcêwâkana.

(34) Accordingly he brought one of the horses to their hut, dragged out his companion, tied him up with their blanket-robes, and set him on the horse.

(35) "hâ, niwîcêwâkan, kiya kinakacihtân nîkân ohci." "nika-sîhkitisahwâwak misatimwak." "mîna ka-kiskêyihtên tâniyikohk ka-pimipayiyin, kiskât ôma ka-manâcihtâyin," itêw.

(35) “Now, comrade, you know how to lead. I shall drive on the horses. Besides, you will know how far to ride without injuring your leg,” he told him.

(36) mistahi miywêyihtam awa oskinîkiw, êkwa ê-sipwê-têhtapit, ê-pê-sîhkitisahwâyit ôhi nâpêsisa misatimwa. kapê-tipisk pimipayiwak. ê-kîsikâyik, ê-wâpamât awa oskinîkiw misatimwa, "tâpwê miyosiwak!" itêyihtam. kapê-kîsik pimâmôwak, mîna kapê-tipisk. nîsotipiskwa namôya nipâwak.²

êkoyikohk ê-wâpamâcik mostoswa, nawaswêw awa nâpêsis. nipahêw pêyak. miywêyihtam awa oskinîkiw, êkota ê-nîhtakosît, ê-wî-wiyanihtâkêcik, ê-wî-mîcisocik.

(36) The young man was very glad, and rode away, while the boy drove on the horses. They rode all night. When day came and the young man saw the horses, “Really, they are fine ones!” he thought. They fled all day, and again all night. For two nights they did not sleep. Then, as they saw some buffalos, the boy gave chase. He killed one. The young man was glad; he dismounted, and they skinned it and cut it up and made ready to eat.

(37) âsay ôtê wîkiwâhk awa nâpêsis êkwa awa oskinîkiw mawîhkâtâwak, "nipahâwak," ê-itihcik, ôhi ka-kî-nakatisimikocik ê-itâcimoyit. tahki mâtoyiwa ôhtâwiya awa nâpêsis kâ-okimâwi-yit ôhtâwiya.

(37) Meanwhile, back in their home, this boy and this young man were being mourned; “They were killed,” was said of them, in accordance with the story of those who had abandoned them. The boy's father, the chief, wept incessantly.

(38) êkwa wiyawâw ê-kîsi-wiyanihtâkêcik, êkwa ê-kîsitêpocik, ê-paminawasocik, iyikohk ê-kîsi-mîcisocik, mîna sipwêhtêwak. nîswâw ê-nipâcik, kîtahtawê kâ-wâpahtahkik wîkiwâwa. miywêyihtam awa kâ-kî-kaskatahoht. ispî ê-wâpamihcik, ê-pê-sipwêpayit pêyak oskinîkiw, awîniki ôki êyakonik, "nipahâwak," kâ-kî-itwêt.³

êkota ohci kîwêpayiw awa, ê-nitawi-wîhtamawât ôhi okimâwa ê-takosiniyit okosisiyiwa mîna ôhi kâ-kî-kaskatahomiht, ê-isi-pêhtahkik, ê-nitawi-nakiskawâcik. ê-pêtastimwêyit awa okosisa, okimâwa, awa nâpêsis ôhi kâ-kaskatahomiht niyânan miyêw misatimwa; wiya mîna niyânan ayâwêw misatimwa. mistahi miywêyihtam awa okimâw. piyisk kahkiyaw awiyak miywêyihtamwak; mîna ayahciyiniwa nisto ê-nipahât awa nâpêsis, miywêyihtamwak ôki ayisiyiniwak, ê-miyawâtahkik, ê-nîmihitocik, awa ohci nâpêsis osâm ê-sôhkêyimiht, "tâpwê nâpêhkâsôw!" ê-itêyimiht, ôhi mîna nâpêwa ê-kaskatahomiht êkâ kâ-wî-nakatât, osâm namôya cêskwa mitoni ê-oskinîkit. êwako anima ohci kâ-ôh-miywêyihtahkik ayîsiyiniwak.

(38) But, as for them, when they had cleaned their game, and cooked their meal, and eaten, they went on. After two nights on the way, presently they came in sight of their camp. The one who had been wounded was glad. When they were seen, a young man came to them from the camp; whom did he see, but those of whom it had been said that they were killed! Then this man rode back to tell the chief that his son had come home, as well as the man who had been wounded; and when they heard this, they went to meet them. That boy, the chief's son, who brought the horses, gave five of them to the man who had been wounded; five horses he kept. The chief was very glad. Then everyone was glad; also because the boy had slain three Blackfoot those people were glad, and celebrated the outcome with a dance, thinking that boy very brave, thinking of him, “Truly, he is a brave warrior!” especially because he had refused to abandon the wounded man, even though he was not yet full-grown. That was why those people were glad.

(39) êkoyikohk êskwâk âcimowin.

(39) This is where the story ends.

Footnotes

¹LB on nîso: Evidently I here missed the word pêyak: “one (of them)”.

²CHECK tipiskwah

³LB on kâ-kîh-itwêt: Probably read as kâ-kîh-itwêhk: “it was so reported”, as in translation.