(1) pêyak nâpêw kotokwaskisin isiyîhkâsôw. êkwa kîtahtawê kîkisêpâ sipwêhtêw, ê-mâcît, ê-wî-kakwê-nipahât pisiskiwa. wâpahtam mitoni kîkisêpâ ê-mihcêniyiki mîkiwâhpa. êkwa ê-pimohtêt mêkwâc, kîtahtawê paskwâw wâpahtam; wâsakâm sakâyiw.

(1) A certain man was called Crooked-Moccasin. Once upon a time he set out in the morning, to hunt, meaning to kill some game. Early in the morning he saw a great many tipis. As he walked along, presently he saw an open meadow; round about were woods.

(2) "êwako nika-taskamohtân," ê-itêyihtahk, kîtahtawê ka-wâpamât ayîsiyiniwa ê-pê-matâwisiyit.

(2) “I shall walk across this,” he was thinking, when he saw a man come into the open.

(3) nîmipâskisikanêyiwa. tawâyihk paskwâhk ê-pimohtêt awa kotokwaskisin, "nâha kotak ayîsiyiniw," itêyihtam, "kêhcinâ nika-têpâskiskawâw," itêyihtam.

(3) That person was carrying a gun. As Crooked-Moccasin was walking in the middle of the meadow, “Yonder man,” he thought, “surely I shall meet him as our paths cross,” he thought.

(4) pôti tâpwê têpâskiskawêw.

(4) It really turned out that he encountered the other at the point where their ways crossed.

(5) sêmâk wîhik: "yahô, kotokwaskisin! kêswân êtokê nêkiskotâtoyahk!"

(5) At once the other called him by name: “Yoho, Crooked-Moccasin! It is by chance, I suppose, that we meet!”

(6) "êha," itêw.

(6) “Yes,” he answered him.

(7) êkosi ômisi itik, pêskis ê-pâhpit awa kâ-nakiskâkêt; ê-kitâpamât, awîna awa, pâkahkos awa kâ-pâhpit; ômisi itêw: "kotokwaskisin, kakwê-sâkohitotân!" "kipâskisikaninawa astwâtotân; awiyak sâkohihci kita-otahwâw opâskisikan."

(7) Then the other spoke thus to him, and at the same time he laughed, who had encountered him; when he looked at him, why, that person who laughed was a Bony Spectre. This he said to him: “Crooked-Moccasin, let us try to overcome each other! Let us put up our guns as a stake; whoever is overcome will lose his gun.”

(8) "namôya," itêw kotokwaskisin; "namôya ê-papâ-mâsihkêyân," itêw.

(8) “No,” Crooked-Moccasin told him; “I am not going about wrestling,” he told him.

(9) "namôya, kotokwaskisin; kiyâm mâsihitotâk." "awiyak sâkohihci kita-otahwâw opâskisikan," itwêw awa pâkahkos.

(9) “No, Crooked-Moccasin; please, let us wrestle. Whichever is defeated will lose his gun,” said the Bony Spectre.

(10) "namôya! namôya ê-papâ-mêtawêyân; pisiskiw ê-wî-kakwê-nipahak," itêw ôhi pâkahkosa.

(10) “No! I am not going about to engage in matches; I want to kill game,” he told the Bony Spectre.

(11) "hâ, kiyâm mâsihitotân." "ta-miywâsin, awiyak opâskisikan otahohci." "sâkohiyani, nîso kika-ayân pâskisikana." "pêyak nama wîhkâc ka-patahikâhkân, nipâskisikan otahoyani." "êkwa niya otahotâni, nôhtâwiy nika-miyâw ayîsiyiniw opâskisikan." "ê-nôhtê-wâpahtahk, kâ-ôh-pê-nakiskâtân." "'nika-kakwê-otahwâw opâskisikan,' ê-itêyimitân, êwako ohci kâ-ôh-pê-nakiskâtân."

(11) “Oh, please, let us wrestle. It will be fine, when one of us loses his gun. If you defeat me, you will have two guns. With one you will never miss the mark, if you win my gun from me. And if I win yours, I shall give my father a human being's gun. Because he wants to see one, is why I have come here to meet you. 'I shall try to win his gun from him,' was my thought concerning you, owing to which I have come here and met you.”

(12) "hâw, wêsâ kitisimin!"

(12) “Well, you urge me too much!”

(13) astâw opâskisikan awa kotokwaskisin; awa mîna pâkahkos. otihtinitôwak, ê-wî-kakwê-kawiwêpinitocik. mâsihitowak. mwêhci ê-nayawît awa kotokwaskisin, âcikêhwêw; pakamisiniyiwa, ê-kawiwêpinât ôhi pâkahkosa. pâhpiw awa pâkahkos.

(13) Crooked-Moccasin put down his gun; so did the Bony Spectre. They grappled, trying to throw each other. They wrestled. Just as Crooked-Moccasin was tiring, he tripped the other; he threw the Bony Spectre, who fell hard on the ground. The Bony Spectre laughed.

(14) "nitaka kiskât nipiswahên," itik ôhi pâkahkosa; "êkwa êyâpic pêyakwâw!" itik.

(14) “By chance I stumbled over your leg,” the Bony Spectre said to him; “Come, once more!” he said to him.

(15) "êha!"

(15) “Very well!”

(16) otihtinitôwak; âsay mîna mâsihitôwak. kêyâpic ê-wî-nayawît, âcikêhwêw pâkahkosa; âsay mîna kawiwêpinêw. âsay mîna pâhpiw awa pâkahkos.

(16) They grappled; they wrestled again. Once more, as he was about to give out, he tripped the Bony Spectre; again he threw him. Again the Bony Spectre laughed.

(17) "kotokwaskisin, nitaka nipiswahên kiskât, kâ-ôh-sâkohiyan." "êyâpic pêyakwâw!" itik, pêskis ê-pâhpit awa pâkahkos.

(17) “Crooked-Moccasin, by chance I stumbled over your leg; that is how you got me down. Once more!” the Bony Spectre said to him, and laughed.

(18) êkwa ômisi itêw: "êha, namôya êkwa kika-âstêtâmosininânaw."

(18) Then he said to him, “Yes, but this time we shall not stop for a rest.”

(19) âsay mîna mâsihitôwak. piyisk mîna nayawîw awa ayîsiyiniw. mîna ê-nayawît, âsay mîna âcikêhwêw; âsay mîna kawiwêpinêw. âsay mîna pâhpiw awa pâkahkos.

(19) They wrestled again. At last the mortal man again grow tired. Again, as he wearied, he tripped the other; again he threw him to the ground. Again the Bony Spectre laughed.

(20) "nitaka kiskât nipiswahên, kâ-ôh-sâkohiyan." "êyâpic pêyakwâw!" itwêw awa pâkahkos.

(20) “By chance I tripped over your leg; that is how you got me down. Once more!” said the Bony Spectre.

(21) âsay mîna otihtinitôwak. âsay mîna ê-nayawît awa kotokwaskisin, âsay mîna âcikêhwêw. sâkohêw; kawiwêpinêw. êkwa pâhpiw awa pâkahkos.

(21) Again they grappled. Again, as Crooked-Moccasin was tiring, he tripped the other. He overcame him; he threw him. Then the Bony Spectre laughed.

(22) "hâw, kotokwaskisin, nîswâw kêtisk ayîsiyinîwiwin kôtahon ôta ohci." "âsay niyânanwâw kêtisk ayîsiyiniwak pê-ayâwak ôta askîhk."¹

"êkosi nîswâw kâ-itwêyân." "awa nakatamani askiy, kotak âniskê kita-ayisiyinîwiw." "êwako nipahikêhkâci: kotak mîna êkota ohci kita-ayisiyinîwiw."

(22) “There, Crooked-Moccasin, twice a full span of human life you have here won from me. Already five times the full span have mortal men so far stayed on this earth. Thus it is that I say twice. When you in your present person leave the earth, another will take up mortal life where you leave off. When he dies of old age, still another will from that point on live a human life.”

(23) nama kîkway wâpahtam awa kotokwaskisin. otinamiyiwa kîkway ê-tâpiskamiyit.

(23) Crooked-Moccasin saw nothing. The other took something from round his neck.

(24) "ôma mîna pêyak ê-otahoyan, miyêtawêyini kita-âpacihtâyan." "namôya wiya ayîsiyiniw ka-kakwê-kitimahâw, têpiyâhk êkâ kêkway ta-mêskoskaman, kînikâw ohtiskawinamâski ana kê-wîci-mêtawêmat."²

"êkwa ôma nipâskisikan." "awa kêtiskâwi-kêtiski-ayisiyinîwit, âpihtaw âpihtâwi-ayisiyinîwici êwako awa, kiyi-otihtikoyêk wêmistikôsiw." "êwako awa kita-wâpamêw ta-mihcêtiyit wêmistikôsiwa." "êkospî ôma kika-âpacihtân."

(24) “Here is another thing which you have won from me, to use when you engage in contests. You will not, indeed, try to destroy people, but, only so that you need fear nothing, if he draw a sharp weapon against you, with whom you are playing. And here is my gun. When he who lives the full span of mortal life is halfway through his human course, then the Frenchman will come to where you are. He will see the Frenchmen grow many. At that time you will use this thing.”

(25) otinamiyiwa ostikwâniyihk, awîna ôma, mêstakaya ê-kinwâyiki.

(25) He took it from his head, and it was nothing other than a long hair.

(26) "nanâtohk kita-isi-mêtawêw; êkota kîsta kika-âpacihtân." "êkwa kîwêyani, ôta ohci ka-kîwân." "kâ-wîkiyan âstamita kâ-sakâk, kotak âscam-itahîs apisîs sakâsin."³

"êkota kika-ohtinên kita-asamiyan." "êkota ayâwak môswak; êyakonik kimiyitin." "osâm mistahi kikitimâkisin; kikitimâkisinâwâw kâ-ayisiyinîwiyêk." "pimiy asamîhkan," itik ôhi pâkahkosa; "hâ, ôma ita kîwêhtatâ nipâskisikan; ayisk k-ôtahon."

(26) “He will play all kinds of games; that is where you too will use it. Now, when you go home, go directly home from here. In the wood that is this side of where you dwell, a bit to this side is a small clump of trees. From there you will get that with which to feed me. In that place are moose; I give them to you. You are too pitiable; you all are too pitiable who are mortal men. Give me an offering of fat,” the Bony Spectre told him; “And yes, take home this gun of mine; for you have won it from me.”

(27) "êha!"

(27) “Yes!”

(28) kîwêw awa kotokwaskisin. awa mîna pâkahkos mîna êwako sipwêhtêw. nama kêkway opâskisikan; ayis otahwâw. êkosi êkwa ôma aya kâ-ati-kîwêt awa kotokwaskisin, ôma kâ-kiskinôhamâht sakâw ê-ati-otihtahk, kâ-wâpamât ê-nîsiyit môswa. pâskiswêw; nipahêw. kotaka mîna pâskiswêw; mîna êwakoni nipahêw. mistahi wiyinoyiwa. kîwêw. pê-nâtam wiyâs. êkwa ê-takohtatât wîkiwâhk, atoskêmôw, kahkiyaw oskana kita-osikanâtamoht, pimiy êkota ê-wî-ohtinahk. tâpwê osihtâwân pimiy. ê-kî-kîsihtâwiht, êkwa atoskêmôw, kita-têpwâtimiht ayîsiyiniwa, ê-wî-asamât pâkahkosa ôma pimiy, êkwa ayîsiyiniwak ê-pîhtokêcik mîkiwâhpihk, ê-wîhkomihcik, awa kotokwaskisin wîkihk, ê-misâyik mîkiwâhp ê-âpacihtât. êkosi êkwa ôma mêkwâc kâ-nitohkêmot, êwako ohci nêwo-tipiskâyiw, ôhi kâ-kî-mâsihât pâkahkosa.

(28) Crooked-Moccasin went home. The Bony Spectre, too, went away from there. He had no gun; he had lost it playing. Then when that man, Crooked-Moccasin, was on his way home, when he reached that wood about which he had been instructed, he saw two moose. He shot one and killed it. He shot also the other and killed it. They were very fat. He went home. He came and got the meat. Then, when he had brought it to his dwelling, he employed people to break and boil out the bones, for he wanted to extract the marrow-fat. Accordingly the fat was prepared for him. When it was done for him, he again employed persons, that the people might be summoned by shouting, that he might feed fat to the Bony Spectre, and that the people might come into the tipi, those who were to be guests, into Crooked-Moccasin's tipi; and he used a large tent. And then when he invited his guests, it was four nights from the time when he had wrestled with the Bony Spectre.

(29) "nikî-otahwâw opâskisikan, itôwahk kâ-sâsâkwâpêwicik opâskisikan." "êwako ôma ê-kî-nitotamawit kita-asamak pimiy." "wî-wâpahtamêko nôtahowêwin, nika-nâtên, kisiwâk ôta nikî-pê-oyâkonêhên."

(29) “I won his gun from him, the kind of gun the Skinny Fellows have. It is he who asked me to give him this feast of fat. If you desire to see my prize, I shall fetch it. Near by here I laid it away in the snow, as I came.”

(30) "êha! mahti nika-wâpahtên manitowi-pâskisikan," itwêw awa pêyak kisêyiniw, "kahkiyaw kita-wâpahtamahk," itwêw awa kisêyiniw.

(30) “Yes! Let me see the spirit being's gun,” said a certain old man, “that all may see it,” said old man.

(31) êkwa nâtam; nitawi-otinam. mitoni tâpiskôc akwâhonâhtik isinâkwaniyiw. kîwêhtatâw. êkwa awa oskâpêwis tahki paspâpiw. kîtahtawê kâ-pê-takohtêyit.

(31) Then he went to fetch it; he went there and took it up. It looked much like a stick of driftwood. He took it to his dwelling. Meanwhile the servitor kept looking out through the doorway. Presently he came.

(32) "hâw, niwî-pîhtokatân êwako ôma nôtahowêwin." "êkosi miyâhkasikêk." "ayisk nama wîhkâc kiwâpahtênâwâw êkosi kita-isinâkwahk pâskisikan," itwêw.

(32) “Now then, I shall bring inside this my prize. Therefore burn incense. For never have you seen a gun to look like this,” he said.

(33) wayawîtimihk ê-nîpawit, miyâhkasikêwân. êkwa awa kisêyiniw kâ-mamisîtotâht,- kâ-nitotamât pimâtisiwin, êkotôwahk awa kisêyiniw,- miyâw ôma pâskisikan. wâ-wâpahtamwak kahkiyaw.

(33) While he stood without, they burned incense for him. Then that old man upon whose power they relied, - of those that pray for life, such was that old man, - he was given the gun. All gazed at it.

(34) "â!"

(34) “Ah!”

(35) êkwa, "hâw, piko itwêyêko nika-tôtên." "nikiskinôhamâk êkâ wîhkâc kita-patahamân kêkway, piyâskisamâni." "nama wîhkâc nika-pîhtâson." "sôskwâc tamâkonamân, êkosi kita-isi-matwêwêk."

(35) Then, “Now, whatever you say, I shall do so. He instructed me so that I shall never miss a mark when I shoot. I shall never need to load it. As soon as I pull the trigger, that will be enough to make it shoot.”

(36) "hâw, kiyâm astâ." "nama wîhkâc êkotowahk ayâw ayîsiyiniw." "osâm kika-misi-wanâcihtân." "kiyâm nitawi-astâ," itwêw awa kisêyiniw.

(36) “Well then, you had better put it away. Never has mortal had the like of it. You will work too much destruction. You had better put it down,” said the old man.

(37) ê-sîhkimiht kotokwaskisin kiyâm kita-astât, tâpwêhtam. êkosi nitawi-astâw; nîpisîhkopâhk akotâw.

(37) When Crooked-Moccasin was urged to give it up, he obeyed. So he went to put it away; he hung it up in a willow grove.

(38) ômisi itwêw: "awa, nîci-pakês! ôma pâskisikan kâwi kimiyitin." "anihi wiya kotaka êwakoni namôya kimiyitin, kêtisk ayîsiyinîwiwin kâ-otahotân." "osâm kostamwak nitôtêmak ôma kipâskisikan." "anihi mîna kitayôwinisa kâ-otahotân, êwakoni mîna namôya kâwi ka-kî-miyitin; ôma piko kipâskisikan, êwako piko kâ-miyitân."

(38) He spoke thus: “Come, my opponent at play! This gun I give back to you. But those other things I do not give you, the full span of life which I have won from you. My fellows too much fear this gun of yours. Also those garments of yours which I have won from you, them too I cannot give back to you; only this your gun, this alone I give you.”

(39) nama awiya wâpamêw; konita pâ-pîkiskwêw.

(39) He saw no one; he continued to speak into space.

(40) kêyâpic apiwak ayîsiyiniwak ôki kâ-wîhkomihcik. ati-kîwêw.

(40) Those people who had been invited to the feast were still sitting there. He turned to go back.

(41) ê-takohtêt wîkiwâhk, âsay ê-pîhtokêt, âsay kâ-matwêwêyik, ê-sâkowêyit, "nimêmihcâcîwinis!" ê-matwê-itwêyit. âsay mîna kâ-matwêwêyik, âsay mîna sâkowêyiwa, âsay mîna, "nimêmihcâcîwinis!" kâ-matwê-itwêyit.

(41) When he arrived at the tipi, when he had entered, already there came the report of a gun and someone's shout, “The dear little thing I had lost!” as loudly he called. Again a shot rang out and again he whooped and cried loudly, “The dear little thing I had lost!”

(42) kêhcinâhôwak tâpwê ê-ihtâyit ôki ayisiyiniwak kâ-nitomihcik.

(42) Those people who had been invited then knew with certainty that that being was really there.

(43) êwako âcimowin kayâs. êwako kisêyiniw nipahikêhkâw. êkota, ôma niya, kisêyinîwici ayîsiyiniw, êwako pêyak kêtisk ayisiyiniw; kotak ta-nihtâwikiw. êkoyikohk isko kêtisk ayisiyiniwiwin; nama êskwa ihtâw êwako. kêyâpic kinwêsk kitayân askiy; kêyâpic nama mayaw ta-pêkopayiw.⁴

(43) This is an ancient tale. This old man died of age. Here, when even as I, a man grows old, that is one full span of life; another will be born. So long is a full span of life; not yet does he exist. Still for a long time the earth will be; not yet for a while will it go to pieces.

(44) êkoyikohk êwako êskwâk âcimowin.

(44) That is the end of this story.

Footnotes

¹LB on kêtisk: On the meaning of this particle (given by Lacombe as “juste ce qu'il faut”) hinges the whole passage. It is not made clearer by the explanation at the end of the text. In both places, my translation is guess-work.

²LB on ta-mêskoskaman: Another word I do not know; perhaps wrongly recorded. I translate as though it read ta-kostaman: “that thou fear it.”

³LB on sakâsin: Probably for sakâsiw.

⁴