(1) ôtê sîpîhk ayâwak nêhiyawak. kîtahtawê manêsiwak cistêmâwa mîna kaskitêw mîna kaskitêw mîna môsasiniya. nîso nâpêwak,- ômisi isiyîhkâsôw awa nâpêw: kaskitêwi-maskwa isiyîhkâsôw; kotak nâpêw kwâskwintôwân isiyîhkâsôw; ê-ociwâmihtocik, awa kwâskwintôwân osîmimâw,- êwakonik sipwêhtêwak, pahkêkinwa ê-pimiwitâcik. pêyak piko misatimwa wîcêwêwak, ê-nayahtamiyit pahkêkinwa mîna omaskisiniwâwa, ê-mostohtêcik. ê-otihtahkik sîpiy, âsowahamwak. pakâsimôw awa ostêsimâw kaskitêwi-maskwa, ê-sakâpêkinât misatimwa nipîhk, osoyihk ê-tahkopitahk mihtos, êkota ê-micimît kwâskwintôwân, ê-âsowahahkik. pihkohôwak, ê-kapâcik. ê-kî-wîwahâcik otêmiwâwa, êkwa sipwêhtêwak, ê-pimohtêcik. nîswâw ê-nipâcik, takohtêwak wâskahikanihk, nisto-kîsikâw ê-pimohtêcik.

(1) By yonder river some Cree were staying. Then at one time they ran short of tobacco and gunpowder and bullets. Two men, - this was the one man's name: Black-Bear was his name; the other man was called Toss-Aloft; they were brothers, and Toss-Aloft was the younger, -- they started out, taking along some hides. They took only one horse, which carried the hides and their moccasins, and they walked. When they came to the river, they forded it. The older one, Black-Bear, went into the water, leading the horse by the bridle; at its tail he had tied a raft, to which Toss-Aloft held fast as they crossed. They came to the other side and went ashore. When they had re-loaded their horse, they set out again, walking. After two nights on the way, they reached the post, having tramped three days.

(2) êkosi okimâwa wâpamêwak, ê-itâcik, "cistêmâw, êkwa kaskitêw, môsw-asiniya, êkwa cahkisêhikana ê-pê-nâtamâhk, ê-manêsiyâhk," itêwak.

(2) So then they saw the trader and told him, “Tobacco and gunpowder and bullets and flints we have come to get, for we have run short,” they told him.

(3) miyêwak pahkêkinwa.

(3) They gave him the hides.

(4) "êha," itikwak, ê-miyikocik cistêmâwa, konita ê-miyikocik, namôya ê-atâmâcik.

(4) “Very well,” he told them, and gave them tobacco, as a present, not as part of their purchase.

(5) êkosi êkwa kotaka miyikwak cistêmâwa, kaskitêw, môsw-asiniya, cahkisêhikana, papakiwayânasâkaya, mîna mihkwêkin, mîna kaskitêwêkin, môhkomâna, oyamana, wâpamona. ôhi ohci opahkêkinomiwâw ohci mistahi miyikwak. êkota ayâwak.

(5) Then, besides, he gave them other tobacco, powder, bullets, flints, shirts, and red flannel and black broadcloth and knives, paint, and mirrors. For their hides he gave them many things. They stayed there.

(6) nîso-tipiskâw ê-kî-ayâcik, kî-sipwêhtêwak, ê-pê-kîwêcik, ê-nayahcikêyit otêmiwâwa pêyak. nîswâw ê-kî-nipâcik, otihtamwak ita kâ-kî-ohci-âsowahahkik. têpâpahtamwak wîkiwâwa ita kâ-kî-ohci-pê-sipwêhtêcik. mitoni kîsopwêyiw. êkwa êkota sisonê sîpîhk ayâwak, ê-âpahwâcik ôhi otêmiwâwa, pita ê-mîcisocik. êkwa ê-kî-mîcisocik, osîhtâwak mihtos, êkota ê-astâcik ôhi kâ-pêtâcik. êkwa otêmiwâwa osoyiyihk tahkopitam ôma mihtos.

(6) When they had been there over two nights, they left to come home, their one horse carrying the load. When they had slept twice on the way, they reached the place where they had forded on their journey out. They were in sight of their camp from which they had gone on their journey. It was very hot weather. Then they stopped there by the bank of the river, unharnessing their horse and eating a meal before they went on. Then, when they had eaten, they built a raft, on which they placed the things they had brought with them. Then the one tied the raft at the horse's tail.

(7) "hâw, êkwa, nisîm!" itwêw awa ostêsimâw.

(7) “There, Brother!” said the elder.

(8) "êha" itwêw.

(8) “All right,” said he.

(9) namôya wî-pahkopêw awa osîmimâw. piyisk otinam awa ostêsimâw mihkwêkinos. êkwa mistikosa kîskataham, ê-mâh-masinahahk. miyêw osîma. êkosi awa kwâskwênitôwân ê-miyiht, otinam; pakastawêham sîpîhk.

(9) The younger could not make up his mind to go into the water. At last the elder brother took a piece of red cloth. Then he cut off some twigs, and marked them. He gave it to his younger brother. When Toss-Aloft was given this, he accepted it; he threw it into the river.

(10) "hâw, êkwa, nisîm!" itwêw kaskitêwi-maskwa, ê-pahkopêt, ê-pakâsimot.

(10) “So, there now, come, Brother!” said Black-Bear, wading into the water.

(11) êkwa awa osîmimâw micimîw mihtotihk. kêkâc tâwakâm apisîs ê-miyâskahk, kîtahtawê awa ostêsimâw itâmihk nipîhk kêkway kâ-miskonahk. kiskêyihtam: maci-pisiskiwa. êkota nakâsin awa misatim, ê-tâwikiskawât ôhi itâmihk nipîhk kâ-ayâyit. namôya wâpamêwak; piyisk awa nâpêw êkotê ispayihôw, ositihk ohci ê-wî-kakwê-miskawât ôhi itâmihk kâ-ayâyit. ê-miskoskawât, êkota nakêstiw, ê-ocipitât ôhi otêma. pihkohêw. êkosi ati-sipwêhtêw. awa osîmimâw nâway kâ-ayâ-t, ê-miskoskawât, sêkisiw.

(11) Then the younger brother held on to the raft. When he had got a bit past the middle of the stream, the elder brother suddenly felt something under the water. He knew what it was: an evil beast. There the horse stood still, as it struck with its foot the creature that was under the water. They could not see it; at last that man bent over that way, trying to find with his foot the creature that was below. When he had found it with his foot, he stood still and drew the horse toward him. He got the horse to come. So then he started to go on. When the younger brother, who was in the rear, felt the creature with his foot, he grew frightened.

(12) ômisi itwêw: "nistêsê, nistêsê!" itwêw.

(12) “Brother, Brother!” he cried.

(13) "êkâ wiya nânitaw itwê!" itwêw awa ostêsimâw; "kinâpêwin, nisîm!" itêw.

(13) “Do not say a word!” said the elder; “You are a man, Brother!” he told him.

(14) êkosi kêkâc ê-kapâcik, kîtahtawê êkotê ispayiwak, tâpiskôc ê-ocipitikocik ôhi kâ-kî-miskoskawâcik.

(14) But then, when they had almost reached the shore, suddenly they moved in the other direction, exactly as if they were being pulled back by the creature they had stepped upon.

(15) âsay mîna awa osîmimâw, "nistêsê, nistêsê!" itwêw.

(15) Again the younger brother cried, “Brother, Brother!”

(16) "êkâ nânitaw itwê, nisîm!" itwêw awa ostêsimâw, âhci piko ê-yâhyânahk awa ostêsimâw.

(16) “Do not say a word, Brother!” said the older one, swimming against the pull.

(17) âsay mîna kiskêyihtam ê-asêpayit.

(17) Again he perceived that he was moving backwards.

(18) âsay mîna osîma ma-mawimoyiwa, "nistêsê, nistêsê!" ê-itwêt.

(18) Again his brother entreated, crying, “Brother, Brother!”

(19) êkwa âpasâpiw. ê-kitâpamât osîma, kâ-wâpamât misi-kinêpikwa ê-môskipêyit. wîsta sêkisiw.

(19) Then he looked behind him. When he looked at his brother, he saw a Great Serpent emerge from the water. He too was frightened.

(20) ômisi itwêw awa ostêsimâw: "hahâw, nimosô, piyêsiw, 'kîspin kêkway sêkihikoyani, kisiwâk kika-osâpamitin,' kikî-itwân; êwako ohci nama kêkway kâ-ôh-kostamân," itwêw awa ostêsimâw.¹

(20) Thus spoke the elder brother: “Now then, 0 my grandfather, Thunderer, 'If by anything you should be frightened, from close by I shall be looking at you,' you said; that is why I fear nothing,” said the elder brother.

(21) kiyipa âsay pêhtawêw piyêsiwa, ê-kitoyit. âta ê-âhkamêyimot ê-yâhyânahk, piyisk pahpahkipêstâyiw, ê-wî-kimiwaniyik; mâka tahki kitoyiwa piyêsiwa. kîtahtawê mistahi pêhtâkosiyiwa. tâpiskôc ê-matwêwêyik itihtam; aspin êkwa nama kiskêyihtam.

(21) In a moment he heard a Thunderer roaring. When nevertheless he swam with all his might, soon there fell scattered drops of a coming rain; meanwhile unceasingly roared the Thunderer. Presently he made a great noise. The man heard it like the report of a cannon; that was the last he knew.

(22) kîtahtawê iyikohk ê-kiskêyihtahk, pôti pâhkwahcâhk kâ-pimisihk awa ostêsimâw. êkwa ê-nanâtawâpit, namôya wâpamêw osîma, mîna otêma, mîna ôhi kâ-kî-wâpamât misi-kinêpikwa.

(22) After a time, when he came to his senses, there lay that elder brother on the dry land. When he looked about him, he did not see his brother, or the horse, or the Great Serpent which he had seen.

(23) "mâskôc môwik nisîm," itêyihtam.

(23) “Perhaps it has eaten my brother,” he thought.

(24) ê-pasikôt, ê-âmaciwêt, kâ-wâpamât osîma, tahkohcâyihk ê-papâmitâcimoyit osîma. êkotê kâ-wâpamât otêma ê-ma-mîcisoyit, kêyâpic osoyiyihk ê-tahkopitêyik ôma mihtos.

(24) When he rose to his feet and walked up the slope, there he saw his brother, crawling about at the top of the bluff. And there he saw his horse grazing, with the raft still tied at its tail.

(25) "hay hay!" itwêw; "pimâtisiw nisîm!" ê-itwêt.

(25) “Splendid!” he cried; “My brother is alive!”

(26) ê-otihtât, pasikôyiwa osîma. ê-ati-itohtêcik otêmiwâwa, ê-otihtâcik, âpihkonamwak ôma osoyiyihk kâ-tahkopitêyik. êkwa ôhi kâ-kî-pôsihtâcik êwakoni ê-wâpahtahkik, nama kêkway wanihtâwak. êkosi namôya kiskêyihtam kîkwaya ê-kapâwêpinikocik; ayisk namôya wâpamêw awiya kâ-tôtâkocik. êkosi wawêyîwak, ê-wiyahpitâcik otêmiwâwa, ê-nayahtahâcik ôhi kâ-pêtâcik, ê-ati-kîwêcik.

(26) When he came up to him, his brother arose. Then they went on to where their horse was, and, when they got to it, untied the thing that was tied to its tail. When they looked at the things that they had loaded on there, they missed nothing. And so he did not know by what sort of being they had been thrown ashore; for he had not seen anyone do that to them. So they made ready, harnessing their horse and loading it with the things they had brought, and went on towards home.

(27) kisiwâk ê-ihtâcik, ômisi itwêw awa ostêsimâw: "nisîm, niya nika-âcimon ôma kâ-isi-wâpahtamahk, kâ-isi-kiskêyihtamahk tânisi ê-ispayiyahk," itwêw awa ostêsimâw; "kika-nitohtawin, ita kiyâskiyâni ayiwâkês wî-itâcimoyâni," itwêw.

(27) When they were near, the elder brother said: “Brother, I shall tell of what we have seen, of the experience we have gone through,” said the elder one; “You will hear me, if at any point I try to lie or exaggerate,” said he.

(28) "ahaq," itwêw awa osîmimâw.

(28) “Very well,” said the younger.

(29) piyisk takohtêwak wîkiwâhk.

(29) At last they came to their camp.

(30) êkwa ê-kî-pîhtokêcik, êkwa nitomêw nâpêwa, ê-pîhtokêt, ê-mâh-miyât cistêmâwa, "hâw, kîstawâw ta-pîhtwâyêk!" ê-itât.

(30) Then when they had entered, he called the men, and as they entered, gave each of them tobacco, saying to them “There, that you too smoke!”

(31) "hâ!"

(31) “Ho!”

(32) nanâskomoyiwa.

(32) They thanked him.

(33) "pêskis ê-wî-âcimostâtakok tânisi ispayiyâhk awa nisîm ôta sîpîhk," itwêw.

(33) It is because at the same time I wish to tell you how my brother here and I fared by this river,” he said.

(34) "ahaq," itik ôhi ayîsiyiniwa.

(34) “Very well,” said those people to him.

(35) êkwa âcimôw ôma êkâ kâ-wî-pahkopêyit osîma, piyisk anihi kâ-miyât osîma; êwako âcimôw. piyisk kâ-pahkopêcik, tânisi kâ-isi-kiskêyihtahkik, êwako âcimôw, piyisk êkâ ê-kiskêyihtahk, pâhkwahcâhk ê-ayâcik.

(35) Then he told how his brother had been unwilling to wade in and how he had at last given his brother those objects; he told of that. He told of what they had perceived when they finally went into the water, and of how in the end he had lost consciousness, and how they had got to the dry land.

(36) itwêwak ôki ayîsiyiniwak, "niwâpahtênân mistahi êkotê ê-mâyi-kîsikâk, mîna mistahi ê-kitocik êkotê piyêsiwak," itwêwak.

(36) Said those people, “We saw that there was a great storm over yonder, and that the Thunderers made a great noise there,” said they.

(37) "mâskôc êwakonik ê-kapâwêpinikoyâhkok," itwêw awa ostêsimâw.

(37) “No doubt it was they who threw us ashore,” said the elder brother.

(38) êkosi êwako âcimôwin ê-iskwâk. nimosôm awa kaskitêwi-maskwa.

(38) So ends this story. This Black-Bear was my grandfather.

Footnotes

¹CHECK osâpamâtn - HCW unsure