(1) kêtahtawê êsa iskwêw mistahi kiyiskwêw, êkwa ê-onâpêmit piko awiya nâpêwa oskinîkiwa, êkwa ê-âyimisit. kêtahtawê wâpamik owîkimâkana kotaka; misi-pakamahok. sipwêhtêw. apisîsiyiwa ocawâsimisa; nayômêw êwakoni. kêtahtawê kâwi kîwêw; kotaka wîwiyiwa onâpêma; kisiwâsiw. sipwêhtêw awa nâpêw; kotaka iskwêwa sipwêhtahêw. êkwa nawaswêw awa iskwêw.

(1) Once upon a time, the story goes, a certain woman was very silly; she would consort with any man or youth, and she was very troublesome. Once her husband caught her with another man and gave her a sound beating. She went away. She had a small child, which she carried on her back. After a while she went back home; her husband had taken another wife; she was angry. The man went away; he took the other woman along with him. Then that woman ran after them.

(2) tâh-têpwâtêw, "niwî-wêpinâw awa kicawâsimis!" itêw.

(2) She kept calling to him, “I'll throw away your child!”

(3) âhci piko sipwêhtêw nâpêw. wâhyaw mitoni ê-ispatinâk, wêpinêw êkotê ocawâsimisa iskwêw awa. êkwa pê-kîwêw. êkwa ocawâsimisa nakatêw, ispatinâhk ê-wêpinât, ê-apisîsisiyit.

(3) The man went away just the same. Far away on a hill that woman abandoned her child. Then she came back home. She left her child, abandoning it on a hill, a baby.

(4) "mahîhkanak nitasamâwak awa iskwêsisa."

(4) “To the wolves I feed this little girl.”

(5) êkwa nêtê kîwêpahtâw. mêkwâc wîkiwâhk ê-apit, onâpêma takohtêyiwa.

(5) Then she ran back yonder. As she stayed there in their house, her husband arrived.

(6) "tâniwâ nitânis?" itik.

(6) “Where is my daughter?” he asked her.

(7) "niwêpinâw."

(7) “I have abandoned her.”

(8) "nâs!" itik.

(8) “Go fetch her!” he ordered her.

(9) misi-pakamahok mitoni. sipwêhtêw; nâtêw otânisa. namôya miskawêw. kotaka ayîsiyiniwa miskawêyiwa. takohtêw.

(9) He gave her a terrible beating. She went off; she went to fetch her daughter. She could not find her. Other people had found her. She came back.

(10) "tâniwâ?" itik onâpêma.

(10) “Where is she?” her husband asked her.

(11) "niwanihâw."

(11) “I have lost her.”

(12) âsay mîna mitoni misi-pakamahok. âsay mîna sipwêhtêw. êkwa awa iskwêw pimitisahwêw onâpêma.

(12) Again he gave her a terrible beating. He went away again. The woman pursued her husband.

(13) "kîwê!" itik.

(13) “Go home!” he bade her.

(14) "namôya! pê-kîwê kiyâm!" itêw onâpêma.

(14) “No! Please come home!” she said to her husband.

(15) êkwa iskwêw kotaka nâpêwa otihtik.

(15) Then another man came to where that woman was.

(16) konita itêw, "namôya nimihtâtâw." "nimiywêyihtên ê-sipwêhtêt." "nawac kiya mistahi kisâkihitin," itêw; "nêma ê-miywêyihtamân." "êkwa ka-sipwêhtânânaw nîkinâhk." "ka-nipânânaw."

(16) She told him all kinds of things, “I am not sorry about him. I am glad he is gone. I love you much more,” she told him; “This is the kind of thing I like. Now let us go off to my house. We shall sleep there.”

(17) takohtêwak wîkiwâhk iskwêw. êkwa ê-tipiskâk, nâpêw awa sipwêhtêw. pêyakohkwâmiw awa iskwêw. nîpâtipisk kîwêyiwa onâpêma. êkwa pimisiniyiwa wayawîtimihk; kâh-kitotik.

(17) They came to the woman's house. Then, after dark, the man went away. The woman slept alone. During the night her husband came home. He lay outside the tent; he conversed with her.

(18) "pîhtokê," itêw; "kayâs kâ-sipwêhtêt niwîkimâkan."

(18) “Come inside,” she told him; “My husband went away long ago.”

(19) êkwa awa onâpêma ôhi ê-takosiniyit.

(19) But it was her husband who had arrived.

(20) êkwa, "namôya," itwêw nâpêw; "ahpô êtokê kiwîkimâkan ta-takosin," itêw.

(20) So now, “No,” said he; “Your husband may come, for all I know,” he told her.

(21) "namôya," itwêw iskwêw, "aspin wâhyaw ê-atimohtêt."

(21) “No,” said the woman; “He has gone far away.”

(22) "â, namôya! nikostâw kiwîkimâkan."

(22) “Oh, no! I am afraid of your husband.”

(23) "kiyâm pîhtokê!" itwêw iskwêw.

(23) “Do come in!” said the woman.

(24) awa nâpêw, "hâ," itwêw, "nika-pîhtokân."

(24) “Well,” said the man, “I shall go in.”

(25) êkwa mâh-mâsihêw iskwêw.¹

(25) Then the woman lay with him.

(26) "ahpô êtokê kinâpêm ta-takosin." "êkâya sôhki pâhpi; ta-takosin kinâpêm; ka-pakamahokonaw."

(26) “Your husband may come any minute. Do not laugh aloud; your husband will be coming; he will beat us.”

(27) "namôya," itwêw iskwêw; "namôya." "wâhyaw aspin; namôya ta-takosin."

(27) “No,” said the woman; “No. He is far away; he will not be coming.”

(28) âhci piko mâsihêw nâpêwa ôhi. kêtahtawê êkwa ocihcîyiw otinam; ocâhcanisiyiwa otinimêw.²

(28) Still she lay with that man. Presently she took his hand; she took a ring from his finger.

(29) êkwa nâpêw, "êkâ wiya! kiwîkimâkan kika-pakamahok, takohtêci."

(29) Then the man, “Don't! Your husband will beat you when he comes.”

(30) "namôya ta-kî-takohtêw," itêw.

(30) “He cannot possibly be coming,” she answered him.

(31) "mistahi kisâkihâw kiwîkimâkan?"

(31) “Do you love your husband very much?”

(32) "namôya," itwêw iskwêw; "nipakwâtâw." "nimiywêyihtên ê-sipwêhtêt."

(32) “No,” answered the woman, “I hate him. I am glad he is gone.”

(33) "êkwa kikî-mawîhkâtâw."

(33) “But you lamented at his going.”

(34) "namôya." "konita ê-kî-mâtôhkâsoyân, ê-kotêsi-miywêyihtamân ê-sipwêhtêt," itêw.³

(34) “No. I only pretended to weep, but I was really glad when he went,” she told him.

(35) "wahwâ! êkwa mitoni ê-môhcôwiyan, kâ-mihkwâsikêw!" "kinipin êkwa." "sôskwâc êkwa kinipahitin."

(35) “So there we have it! So you really are as crazy as all that, Red-Glow! This is the end of you. Without delay now I shall kill you.”

(36) tâpwê piko otihtinêw; kipihkitonênêw.

(36) And really he seized her; he began to choke her.

(37) "ê-nisitawêyimitân, ohcitaw ê-ititân!"

(37) “It was because I recognized you, and on purpose, that I spoke to you that way!”

(38) "namôya! mistahi ka-kakwê-nipahitin."

(38) “No! I shall beat you within an inch of your life.”

(39) mistahi kakwê-kwâpatahwêw. êkosi isi piyis pônihêw. êkwa nipâw. ê-wâpaniyik tâni mîna oka-isinâkosih! tâpiskôc askihk ohkwâkan.

(39) He beat her as if to knock the insides out of her. Then at last he left her alone. Then she slept. When morning came, you would have wondered what she ever had looked like. Her face was like a kettle.

(40) kêtahtawê ê-miyo-ayât êkwa, kâ-takosiniyit ayîsiyiniwa, ayahciyiniwa. nâh-nîmihitowân.

(40) Presently, after she had recovered, some people arrived, some Blackfoot. They held ceremonial dances.

(41) "nitawi-naskwahamâkê, kâ-mihkwâsikêw."

(41) “Go join in the singing, Red-Glow.”

(42) "êha," itwêw.

(42) “Yes,” she said.

(43) "mâka wîpac pê-kîwêhkan," itâw.

(43) “But come home early,” he told her.

(44) "êha" itwêw.

(44) “Yes,” she said.

(45) êkwa sipwêhtêw. nîmihitôw êkwa, pêskis ê-nikamot. mistahi miyawâtam. êkwa wîkiwâhk mâh-mâtoyiwa ocawâsimisa. piyis nâpêw kisiwâsiw. mistik otinam ê-watihkwaniwiyik. êkwa itohtêw; pôti ôhi owîkimâkana mêkwâc nîmihitoyiwa. namôya pîkiskwêw; sîhtawikwêhwêw, êkosi isi ê-nimitâsiyahkahwât.

(45) So off she went. She danced and sang. She celebrated with zeal. But in their tent her child cried and cried. At last the man got angry. He took a forked stick. Then he went there; there was his wife still a-dancing. He did not speak; he caught her neck in the stick and shoved her that way out into the open.

(46) "hê, awêna môhcôhkâsôwak?" itwêw awa iskwêw; "êkâ wiya!"

(46) “Hey, for whom am I pretending to be crazy?” cried the woman; “Don't!”

(47) kôtatê tôtam. onâpêma ôhi kîwêyahkahok. êkwa kisiwâk wîkiwâhk nisitawêyimêw onâpêma. pîhtokêw êkwa. kostêw, ê-nitawi-nôhâwasot.

(47) She did not know what to do. Her husband shoved her along all the way home. When they were near their tent, she recognized her husband. Then she went in. She was afraid of him, and went and nursed her infant.

(48) onâpêma: "tânisi ôma, kâ-mihkwâsikêw?"

(48) Her husband, “How now, Red-Glow?”

(49) pimakocin; kôtatê tôtam awa.

(49) She was at a loss; she did not know what to do, this woman.

(50) kêtahtawê mîna kâ-mêtawêwiht wîkiwâhk. pêyak êkota apiyiwa ocîmisima.

(50) Presently they had games again, in their tent. One of her lovers was there.

(51) "êkwa kisâkamisikê."

(51) “Now heat some water.”

(52) "nama kêkway nipiy," itwêw.

(52) “There isn't any water,” she said.

(53) "nâtahâkon."

(53) “Fetch snow.”

(54) "êha."

(54) “Very well.”

(55) êkwa askihkwa otinêw; nâtêw êkwa kôna. êkwa ê-pê-kîwêt, paspâpiw wîkiwâhk. wâpamêw aya ôhi ocîmisima. kêtahtawê pâh-paskiskam; pîhtikwê-pahkisin.

(55) So she took her kettle; she went to fetch snow. Then, when she came back, she peeped into the tent. She saw her lover there. Then suddenly she stumbled into the opening; she fell into the tent.

(56) "tânisi mâka mîna, kâ-mihkwâsikêw?"

(56) “What's this again, Red-Glow?”

(57) "ê-pahkisiniyân."

(57) “I fell.”

(58) "namôya! ê-paspâpamat kicîmisim!"

(58) “No! It was because you were peeping in at your lover!”

(59) kostêw êkwa onâpêma; wêwêkistikwânêyapiw.

(59) Now she feared her husband; she sat with her head wrapped up.

(60) "tânisi ôma ôh-nêpêwisiyan, owaninêwi-atim, kâ-mihkwâsikêw?"

(60) “How comes it you are ashamed now, you lewd dog, Red-Glow?”

(61) êkwa ê-wâpaniyik sipwêhtêw; tapasîw êkwa. kâsôw. tahto-kîsikâw pimohtêw, wayawîtimihk ê-nipât. kêtahtawê sâkêwêw, ispatinâhk kâ-wâpamât ayîsiyiniwa ê-pâpayiyit. kâsôw. iyikohk êkâ ê-wâpamât sipwêhtêw.⁴

âsay mîna ê-sâkêwêt, kâ-wâpamât âsay mîna ê-pâpayiyit; kâsôhtawêw. sipwêhtêw êkâ ê-wâpamât. otihtam mîkiwâhpa mistahi ê-mihcêniyiki. âsay mîna êkota otihtêw ocîmisima. papâ-kâtik. takosiniyiwa êkota owîkimâkana ê-pê-nitonâkot; mâka kotaka nâpêwa papâ-kwâsihik.

(61) Then in the morning she went away; she fled. She hid herself. She walked every day and slept out of doors. Presently she came out upon a place where she saw a man riding that way over a hill. She hid. When she saw him no longer, she went on. When she came out over the next hill, she saw him again riding toward her; she hid from him. She set out when she saw him no longer. She reached a place where there were many tipis. This time too she came to where her lover was. He hid her in different places. Her husband came there, looking for her; but the other man kept her away from her husband.

(62) "sôskwâc êkwa ninipahik," itêyihtam, "miskawici."

(62) “Now he will kill me without delay,” she thought, “if he finds me.”

(63) tapasîw ôta. mêkwâc ê-pimohtêt, kêtahtawê kâ-wâpamât ayîsiyiniwa. ê-wî-tapasît, têpwâtik.

(63) She fled. As she was walking along, presently she saw a man. When she made to run away, he called to her.

(64) "êkâ wiya!" itik; "êkâwiya tapasî!" "namôya ka-kî-nakasin."

(64) “Don't!” he called to her; “Don't run away! You can't get away from me.”

(65) pôyôw êkosi; pêhêw. pê-takopayiyiwa ôtê.

(65) So she stopped; she waited for him. He rode up to where she was.

(66) "wawêyî; mitoni yâhkasîho."

(66) “Get ready; make your dress as light as you can.”

(67) êkwa omaskisina otinam, otâsa mîna, oskocâkâs. tahkopitam aspapiwinihk.

(67) Then she took her moccasins, and her leggings, and her blouse. She tied them to the saddle.

(68) "niyâ êkwa!" itik; "ôta kwayask," itik, "ispahtâ!"

(68) “Now, be off!” he told her; “Straight on in this direction,” he told her, “run!”

(69) êkwa ani ê-sipwêpahtât, itê kâ-kî-ohtohtêt êkota ê-ispahtât. ê-têhtapiyit onâpêma tipihêw. cahkastêhok. pêyâhtik ê-wâpanipahtâcik, kêtahtawê êkwa tâpakwêwêpinik. êkwa êkosi isi sôhki mitoni ê-pimipayiyit, ê-wayacâwipitikot. wî-nipahatâhtam. sâkêwêpahtâwak; pôti ôhi mîkiwâhpa okistakêwi. nakîw êkwa nâpêw.

(69) So then she set out at a run, and ran in the direction from which she had come. She kept up with her husband's horse. He kept prodding her in the back. When they had run at a slow pace until morning, suddenly he threw a line round her neck. Then he began to ride at a swift pace, dragging her as she ran. She was almost dead for want of breath. They ran into sight of the place; there were very many tents. Then the man halted.

(70) "postayôwinisê," itêw owîkimâkana.

(70) “Put on your clothes,” he told his wife.

(71) "namôya." "kiyâm nika-mosêskatân."

(71) “No. Let me go bare.”

(72) "namôya." "kiyâm postasâkê."

(72) “No. Put on your blouse.”

(73) mostâpêkasêpiw. êkwa nâpêw mâkwêyimôw.

(73) She sat there, naked. Then the man began to be worried.

(74) "kîpa postasâkê!"

(74) “Quickly put on your blouse!”

(75) piyis postasâkahêw. êkwa kîwêwak. ê-takohtêcik pîhtokêwak. êkwa iskwêw âhkosiw mitoni.

(75) At last he made her put on her blouse. Then they went home. When they got there, they went into the tent. Then the woman was very sick.

(76) êkwa nâpêw, "tânisi ê-tôtawat kiwîkimâkan?"

(76) Then the man was asked, “What have you been doing to your wife?”

(77) "nama nânitaw."

(77) “Nothing at all.”

(78) êkwa iskwêw, "tânisi ê-tôtâsk kiwîkimâkan ôh-âhkosiyan?"

(78) Then the woman, “What did your husband do to you, that you are ill?”

(79) "mistahi nipimipahtân ê-mostâpêkasêyân," itwêw.

(79) “I had to run far in a naked state,” she said.

(80) êkwa wîhtamawâw nâpêw, "ê-sakâpêkipahat kiwîkimâkan kêkâc nipahatâhtam," itâw.

(80) Then the man was told, “Because you made your wife ran on a line, she is almost dead from loss of breath,” he was told.

(81) êkwa namôya wî-pîkiskwêw.

(81) Then he would not answer.

(82) piyis miyo-ayâw iskwêw. âsay mîna sipwêhtêw. kotakihk takosin. wâpamêw ispatinâhk nâpêwa ê-ma-mâtoyit.

(82) At last the woman got well. Again she set out. She arrived at another place. She saw a man weeping on a hilltop.

(83) "kêkway ôma ê-mawîhkâtaman?"

(83) “What is it you are weeping over?”

(84) "nisîm ê-kî-nipahiht," itik.

(84) “Because my younger sister has been killed,” he told her.

(85) "awîna mâka kiya?"

(85) “But who are you?”

(86) "niya kicâhkos kâ-wîkimak."

(86) “I am your sister-in-law's husband.”

(87) êkosi êkwa kîwê-wîcêwêw. ita ê-kî-minahoyit, êkota mistahi otinam wiyâs, kwâskwêpayihôsa ê-nipahâyit.

(87) So then she went home with him. There where he had killed game, she took a large amount of meat, for he had killed a jumping-deer.

(88) "mâskôc ta-miywêyihtam kicâhkos wâpamiski."

(88) “No doubt your sister-in-law will be glad when she sees you.”

(89) êkwa kîwê-wîcêwêw. takohtêwak mîkiwâhpihk.

(89) Then she went home with him. They arrived at the tipi.

(90) "tânitê ôma ê-ohtohtêyan?" "âta wiya kipimâtisin." "namôya kinipahik kiwîkimâkan!" itik.

(90) “Where do you come from? So you are alive after all. Your husband has not killed you!” the other said to her.

(91) "êha," itêw; "ê-pê-tapasiyân."⁵

⁶

(91) “No,” she answered her; “I ran away and came here.”

(92) "kêsinâ miskâski, ka-nipahik êkwa kiwîkimâkan;" "ka-nipahik." "ahpô êtokê ta-takosin."

(92) “Surely your husband will kill you, if he finds you; he will kill you. He may well come here, for all I know.”

(93) "namôya," itwêw; "namôya nika-kî-miskâk."

(93) “No,” she answered the other; “He won't be able to find me.”

(94) "ahpô êtokê âsay takosin," itik.

(94) “For all I know he has already come,” the other told her.

(95) wîpac nâpêsisa ê-pîhtokêyit âcimoyiwa ê-takohtêyit onâpêma.

(95) Soon a boy came into the tipi and said that her husband had come.

(96) "tapasî, nicâhkos," itik.

(96) “Flee, Sister-in-Law,” the other told her.

(97) "namôya! kiyâm nika-kâson pîhcâyihk."

(97) “No! Please let me hide indoors.”

(98) "êha," itik.

(98) “Very well,” the other told her.

(99) êkwa kâtik. kêtahtawê kâ-pîhtokêyit.

(99) Then she hid her. Presently he came into the tent.

(100) "tâniwâ niwîkimâkan?"

(100) “Where is my wife?”

(101) "namôya ôta ohci takosin."

(101) “She has not come here at any time.”

(102) sipwêhtêw awa nâpêw; kotakihk mîna itohtêw. êkwa môskîw. kostêw; êkwa môskîw; tapasîw.

(102) The man went away; he went to another place. Then she came forth. She feared him; then she came forth; she fled.

(103) kêtahtawê pasahcâhk ê-ayât, "êha, kimiskâtin!" kâ-itikot, otihtimanihk ê-otinikot onâpêma.

(103) Then, at one time, when she was in a ravine, “Haha, I have found you!” said her husband, grabbing her by the shoulder.

(104) pakamahok cîkahikani-pakamâkanis ohci. cikahkwêwêpahok. âpisisin. kîhtwâm mîna âsay pakamahok. êkwa kinwês namôya kiskisiw. nakatik êkwa onâpêma. miskâk ocâhkosa. ahpinihk kîwêcitâpâtik. namôya kiskisiw kinwês. êkwa awa nahkawiyiniw tapasîw. "ninipahâw!" itêyihtam.

(104) He struck her with a tomahawk. He knocked her out of her senses. She came back to consciousness. Again he struck her. Then for a long time she was senseless. Then her husband left her there. Her sister-in-law found her. On a hide she dragged her back to the tent. For a long time she remained unconscious. Then that Salteau fled. “I have killed her!” he thought.

(105) owîkimâkana pôti mâka âpisisiniyiwa.

(105) But his wife recovered her senses.

(106) "êkây êkwa, miyw-âyâyini, êkâya wîkim kîhtwâm."

(106) “Now, when you get well, do not live with him any more.”

(107) "êha," itwêw.

(107) “No,” she said.

(108) êkwa awa nâpêw sipwêhtêw. kotaka iskwêwa ta-kâ-kwâsihêw ê-onâpêmiyit. iskwêsisa ayâwêyiwa. êkwa awa kâ-kwâsihtwât mâh-mâtoyiwa mâna ocânisa. pakwâtam. êkwa ê-pimipiciwiht wâpamêw owîkimâkana.

(108) Then the man went away. He decided to abduct another woman, who was married. This woman had a little girl. Then, when the husband was robbed of his wife, his little daughter used to weep. He did not like that. Then, when the band moved camp, he caught sight of his wife.

(109) "âstam," itêw; "mâh-mâto!" itêw.

(109) “Come here,” he told her; “Weep!” he told her.

(110) "namôya," itwêw iskwêw.

(110) “No,” said the woman.

(111) kisiwâsiw; mistahi kîhkâmêw onâpêma.

(111) She got angry; she scolded her husband severely.

(112) "mitoni ê-pakwâtitân, êwako ohci kotak nâpêw kâ-ôh-otinak," itêw.

(112) “Because I hate you is why I have taken another man,” she told him.

(113) iskwêw awa otinêw asiniya; pakamahwêw onâpêma; kîskahwêw ohkwâkaniyihk.

(113) The woman took up a stone; she struck her husband with it; she cut open his face.

(114) êkwa nâpêw, "wêsâmihk êkwa kikîskahon!"

(114) Then the man, “So you even wound me!”

(115) tapasîw awa iskwêw; sipwêhtêw. otinam nâpêw pâskisikan; pîhtâsôw. nawaswâtêw. mihcêt ayîsiyiniwak ê-pimipicicik êkota ê-pimohtêyit owîkimâkana pâskiswêw; kawiwêpahwêw.

(115) The woman fled; she went from that place. The man took a gun and loaded it. He ran after her. As his wife was walking with a great band of people that were moving camp, he shot her; he felled her.

(116) "kinipahin!" itêw onâpêma.

(116) “You have killed me!” she said to her husband.

(117) "ê-wî-kakwê-nipahitân mâka!"

(117) “But that is just what I am trying to do!”

(118) êkwa sipwêhtêw. pimisiniyiwa owîkimâkana. nipahêw kêkâc. kotaka ayîsiyiniwa otinik; pôsihik. êkwa ê-kapêsihk kêkâc nipiw.

(118) Then he departed. His wife lay there. He had nearly killed her. Other people took her up; they placed her on a vehicle. By the time they made camp, she was nearly dead.

(119) "êkwa niwîkimâkan nika-wâpamik," itwêw, "mîna tânisi." "misawâc niwî-nipin."

(119) “Please have my husband see me,” she said, “and my daughter. I am surely going to die.”

(120) wîhtamawâw; "kiwîkimâkan kinatawêyimik."

(120) He was told of it; “Your wife wants you.”

(121) "namôya," itwêw; "namôya; namôya nika-kî-nitawâpamâw."

(121) “No,” he said; “No; I shall not by any possibility go to see her.”

(122) piyis kêkâc ê-wâpahk nipiw iskwêw. êkosi piciwak ayîsiyiniwak. nama nânitaw itêyihtam nâpêw. êkwa ê-kapêsihk, êkwa kîsitêpôw nâpêw; wîhkohkêw. mihcêt iskwêwak nitomêw.

(122) At last, just before daylight, the woman died. Thereupon the people moved camp. The man did not think anything of it. Then, when they had pitched camp, he cooked a ceremonial meal; he invited guests. He invited many women.

(123) "êkwa kâ-ôh-nitomitakok, niwîkimâkan niwî-mawîhkâtâw," itwêw.

(123) “The reason I have invited you is that I want to do mourning for my wife,” he said.

(124) êkwa ocayânisiwâwa wîkiwâw kawinamwân, ê-mêkit kahkiyaw. nayêstaw otakohpis êwako pimiwitâw, ocânisa mîna. nama kêkway pîtos kêkway ayâw êwako ê-kî-nipahât wîwa. mêkwâc kâ-nâh-nôtinitocik ayahciyiniwak, nânitaw ayênânêw-mitanaw askiy êwako anima kâ-kî-ispayik. tâpwê êsa kî-kitimahêw ocânisa ê-kîwâtisihât.

(124) Then their belongings and their tipi were thrown down, and he gave everything away. Only his blanket he kept with him, and his little daughter. Nothing else did he keep who had slain his wife. At the time when the Blackfoot were fighting among themselves, about eighty years ago, was when this happened. Truly, he brought misery upon his little daughter, making her an orphan.

Footnotes

¹LB on mâh-mâsihêw: Literally, “wrestle”; in the present sense a common and, strangely enough, euphemistic expression.

²LB: Our narratress forgets to develop this motif.

³LB on êh-kotêsi-miywêyihtamân: The particle kotêsi here compounded with the verb is otherwise unknown to me and may be wrongly recorded.

⁴Book has no space between êk and êh-wâpamât.

⁵This is the agreeing answer to a yes-or-no question; if the question, as here, is put negatively, êhag corresponds to our “No.”

⁶book missing final quote