(1) kîtahtawê wîsahkêcâhk ê-pimohtêt, kâ-wâpahtahk mîkiwâhp.

(1) Once upon a time, as Wisahketchahk was walking along, he saw a tipi.

(2) ê-takohtêt, "ham ham!" itwêw.

(2) When he reached it, he said, “Hum, hum!”

(3) mâka mîna nôhtêhkatêw.

(3) As usual, he was hungry.

(4) "ahaw, tawâw!" itik.

(4) “Yes, yes, come in!” someone called to him.

(5) ê-pîhtokêt, pêyakoyiwa nâpêwa. ê-nahapit, nanâtawâpahtam kêkway ka-mîcit. nama kêkway wâpahtam. êkosi apiw.

(5) When he entered there was a lone man. When he sat down, he looked all round for something to eat. He saw nothing. So there he sat.

(6) kîtahtawê ômisi itwêyiwa: "yâ, nistês onôhtêhkatâh!" itwêyiwa.

(6) Presently the other said, “Oh dear, but I am forgetting that my elder brother is hungry!” he said.

(7) wêskwâhtêmihk êkotê kîkway êtokê ê-tahkopitêyik wâpahtam. êwako itinamiyiwa, ê-âpahamiyit: pôti ôma astotin, sihkosiwayân ohci astotin, mîna kicohcikanis. akwâsiwêpahamiyiwa iskotêw, ê-miyâhkasikêyit, miyâhkasamiyit astotin mîna kicohcikanis. ka-kitâpamêw, ê-tôtamiyit. postastotinêyiwa, ê-yôhtênamiyit, êkwa wîpisisiyiw pêyak ê-otinamiyit. ê-kitohtâyit, kiyipa pâpayiyiwa mostoswa pêyak, ôta iskwâhtêmihk ê-pimipayiyit. pimêyiwa; nipahêyiwa. kâwi kêtastotinêyiwa, ê-asiwatâyit, ê-tahkwâskwêpitamiyit apasôhk.

(7) He saw that something or other was tied fast in the doorway. The other took that thing and removed the covering: it turned out to be a headgear, a headgear of weasel-skin, and a little flute. The man scattered some embers of the fire and burned incense for the headgear and the flute. He watched the man do it. The man put on the headgear, opened the door-flap, and took one of his arrows. When he blew on the flute, quickly a buffalo came running, and ran right past the doorway. The man shot it and killed it. He took off the headgear, put it back in its covering, and tied it fast to the wood of the tent-poles.

(8) "hâw, nistêsê, nitawi-manisa otêyaniy; êwako piko!" itik.

(8) “Now, big brother, go cut out the tongue; only that!” he told him.

(9) tâpwê otinam, ê-nitawi-manisahk otêyaniy.¹

(9) So he took it, and went out and cut out the tongue.

(10) "mâna êkâ nika-kîspohtân!" itêyihtam.

(10) “It looks as if we should not get our fill!” he thought.

(11) êkwa nawacîw.

(11) Then he prepared the roast.

(12) wayawîw, "mistahi nika-otinên wiyâs," ê-itêyihtahk.

(12) He went out of the tent, thinking, “I shall take a lot of the meat.”

(13) nama kêkway mostoswa; sipwêhtêyiwa. kâwi pîhtokêw, êkwa ê-mîcisocik.

(13) The buffalo was not there; it had gone away. He went back in, and they ate.

(14) "nisîm, kâkikê cî ôma êkosi ê-isi-minahoyan?" itêw.

(14) “Little brother, do you always kill game in this manner?” he asked him.

(15) "êha." "nama wîhkâc, wâh-minahoyâni, nipapâmohtân." "êwako ôma nipostastotinân, wâh-minahoyâni, ê-kitohtâyân, ê-pêcimakik mostoswak," itwêyiwa.

(15) “Yes. I never tramp about when I want to kill game. I put on this head-dress, when I want to kill game, and by blowing the flute, summon the buffalos,” said the man.

(16) "kah!" itêw.

(16) “You don't say!” he answered him.

(17) ômisi itêyihtam wîsahkêcâhk: "nika-kimotamawâw!" itêyihtam; "nika-âcimostawâw, ta-nôhtêhkwasit, êkâ ta-kiskêyihtahk, kimotamawaki," itêyihtam.

(17) Wisahketchahk thought thus: “I shall steal it from him!” he thought; “I shall tell him stories to make him sleepy, so that he will not know when I steal it from him.” he thought.

(18) êkwa ê-tipiskâyik, âcimostawêw, ê-wî-kakwê-nôhtêhkwastimât. ê-kiskêyimât, ê-nôhtêhkwasiyit, êkwa kawisimôwak. nama wî-nipâw. mayaw ê-nipâyit, otinam, ê-wayawîhtatât ôma astotin, ê-kimotit, ê-nayahtahk. êkosi isi tapasîw. pâh-pimipahtâw, konita ê-wâ-wâkohtêt, "êkâ ta-mitisit," ê-itêyimât. êkwa ê-wî-wâpaniyik, ita ê-wâyahcâyik, êkota kawisimôw.

(18) Then, when night came, he told him tales, so as to make him get sleepy. When he knew that the other was sleepy, then they went to bed. He kept from going to sleep. As soon as the other slept, he took the headgear, and went out of the tent with it, stealing it and carrying it over his shoulder. In this way he fled. He ran on and on, making all kinds of turns and twists, with the thought, “So that he may not track me.” Then, towards dawn in a hollow place he lay down.

(19) "kîsikâki, pimohtêyâni, nika-wâpamik, pê-nawaswâsici," itêyihtam; "iyikohk tipiskâki, nika-tapasîn," ê-itêyihtahk, êkota kâ-kawisimot.

(19) “If I walk on in daytime, he will see me, in case he comes here pursuing me,” he thought; “When night comes, I shall continue in my flight,” he thought, as he lay down.

(20) mayaw ê-pimisihk, nipâw, mitoni ê-papêtikosihk, ê-nayôhtahk ôma astotin.

(20) As soon as he lay down, he fell asleep, lying all doubled up, with the headgear still on his shoulders.

(21) kîtahtawê, ê-mêkwâ-nipât, koskoskonik, "nistêsê, waniskâ! kikipiskawin." "niwî-kotawân," ê-itikot.

(21) Suddenly, in the midst of his sleep, someone shook him and roused him, saying to him, “Big brother, get up! You are blocking my way. I want to build the fire.”

(22) êsa ôma pîhcâyihk wîkiyihk, ita kâ-kotawêyit mâna êkota êsa ôma kâ-nipât. waniskâw.

(22) There he was, inside the other's tipi; he had been sleeping right were the other always built the fire. He arose.

(23) "yahô, nisîm, êkosi êsi-kîskwêhkwasiskiyân!" "awa êtokê ka-otinamân kiwîskwêpitâkan!" itêw, ê-kêtôwatêt, kâwi ê-tahkopitahk.²

(23) “Dear me, little brother, I am afflicted with sleep-walking like this! And here it seems I have taken your sacred bundle!” he told him, removing his burden and tying it back in its place.

(24) "ohcitaw nika-kimotin," itêyihtam.

(24) “All the more surely, I will steal it,” he thought.

(25) âsay mîna ê-tipiskâyik, âcimostawêw, ê-wî-kakwê-nêstohkwastimât. êyikohk mîna ê-nipâyit, âsay mîna otinam, ê-wîwahot, ê-tapasît. kapê-tipisk pimipahtâw. "miyâmay wâhyaw nitayân!" ê-itêyihtahk, ê-wî-wâpaniyik, mistikwa ê-cimasoyit, ê-sakâyik, "êkota nika-nipân," itêyihtam. êkosi nahapiw, mistikohk ê-aspatisihk. ômisi isi kîskipitam oskotâkay, mistikwa ôhi ê-asitahpitisot. êkosi isi ê-nipât. aspin piko ê-nipât, kîtahtawê kâ-koskoskonikot.

(25) That night again he told him stories to make him sleepy. As soon as the other went to sleep, again he took it, slung it over his shoulder, and made off. All night long he ran. When he thought, “Surely, I am far off,” towards dawn, where a tree stood, in a wooded place, “Here I shall sleep.” he thought. So he sat down, leaning against the tree. Like this he tore his jacket and tied himself fast to the tree. In this position he went to sleep. Hardly had he gone off to sleep, when suddenly the other shook him awake.

(26) "nistêsê, waniskâ!" "kôtamihin; nitastotin!" "niwî-kakwê-minahoh!" itik.

(26) “Big brother, get up! You are delaying me; my headgear! I want to try and kill some game!” the other was saying to him.

(27) ê-tôhkâpit, awîna ôma, pîhcâyihk kî-apiw, apasôhk ê-asitahpisot.

(27) When he opened his eyes, what was this? He was sitting inside the place, tied fast to a tent-pole.

(28) ômisi itwêw: "yahô!" "êkosi ôma mâna ê-isi-kîskwêhkwasiskiyân, piko êtokê ê-otinamân kiwîskwêpitâkan, nisîm!" itêw, ê-pasikôt, kâwi ê-tahkopitahk.

(28) He said, “Dear me! this is the way I am afflicted with the habit of walking in my sleep; and it seems that in some way I have taken up your sacred bundle, little brother!” he said to him, and rose to his feet, and tied the thing back where it belonged.

(29) kiyipa otinamiyiwa, ê-kwayakonamiyit, ê-postastotinêyit. âsay mîna ê-kitohtâyit, pêcimêyiwa mostoswa. mîna êwakoni pimwêyiwa, ê-nipahâyit.

(29) The other at once took it, shook it out, and put on the headgear. Again when he blew the flute, he called a buffalo. This one, too, he shot and killed.

(30) "hâ, nisîm, tânêhki pêyak piko kâ-nipahat?" itêw.

(30) “Now, little brother, why do you kill only one?” he asked him.

(31) "hâ, êkoyikohk ka-kîsponânaw pêyak otêyaniy," itêw.

(31) “Oh, one tongue is quite enough to give us our fill,” he told him.

(32) êkosi tahkopitamiyiwa mîna ôma otastotiniyiw. êkwa wiya nitawi-otinam otêyaniy. êkosi ê-kî-mîcisocik, piyisk mîna tipiskâyiw. iyikohk mîna ê-nipâyit, âsay mîna kimotiw, âsay mîna ê-tapasît. mitoni êkwa wî-kakwê-mîhkawikiw. wâhyaw mîna ê-ayât, âsay mîna ê-wî-wâpaniyik, âsay mîna sêskisiw. nîso mistikwa ê-nîswaskisoyit, êkota tastawâyihk nahapiw, ê-asitahpitisot, "namôya êkwa êkotê pîhcâyihk nika-nipân!" ê-itêyihtahk. êkosi isi nipâw. kîtahtawê ê-mêkwâ-nipât, kâ-koskoskonikot.

(32) With this he again tied up that headgear of his. And Wisahketchahk went and took up the tongue. When thus they had eaten, finally night came again. Again, as soon as the other slept, he stole it, and again made off in flight. He was bound to run fast, now, and far. When again he had gone a great distance, and again dawn was near, again he went into the brush. Where two trees stood side by side, there he sat down between them, and tied himself fast, thinking, “This time I shall not be sleeping inside there!” So he went to sleep. Suddenly, in the midst of his sleep, there was the other, shaking him awake.

(33) "nistêsê, waniskâ!" "kikipiskawin." "niwî-pônên."

(33) “Big brother, get up! You are blocking my way. I want to put wood on the fire.”

(34) êsa ôma ita kâ-ôh-wayawîhk, iskwâhtêmihk êkota êsa ôma kâ-asitahpisot.

(34) It appeared that in the place where one went out of the tent, right in the doorway it appeared that he was tied fast.

(35) "yahô, nisîm, kikî-wîhtamâtin ê-kîskwêhkwasiskiyân." "nama cî awa kitastotin êwako, 'nika-ayâwik!' ê-itêyimit kitastotin?" itêw.

(35) “Dear me, little brother, I told you I was given to walking in my sleep. Are you sure that this headgear of yours has not been thinking ‘Let him possess me!’ meaning me?” he asked him.

(36) mîna ê-tipiskâyik, âsay mîna ê-nipâyit, otinam, ê-wîwahot, mîna ê-tapasît, ê-sôhki- ê-tapasît.³

iyikohk mîna ê-wî-wâpahk, âsay mîna wî-nipâw. kîhcêkosîw ispimihk. êkota êkwa nipâw, mîna ê-asitahpisot.

(36) The next night, as soon as the other slept, again he took the thing slung the bundle across his shoulder, and again made off, fleeing with all his might. When dawn again was near, again he meant to sleep. He climbed high up on a tree. There he went to sleep, after again tying himself fast.

(37) aspin ê-nipât, kîtahtawê mistik ohci kâ-koskoskoyahkahokot, "waniskâ, nistêsê! ka-kaskâpason! niwî-pônên," ê-itikot, wîkiyihk ispimihk ê-akosît, ita kâ-ôh-wayawiyâpohtêyik êkota.

(37) He had gone off to sleep, when suddenly the other was prodding him awake with a stick, saying to him, “Get up, big brother! You will be strangled by smoke! I am going to put wood on the fire,” and there he was, perched on top of the other's dwelling, right at the place where the smoke comes out of the tipi.

(38) "yahô, nisîm, êkoyikohk êkosi ôma êsi-kîskwêhkwasiskiyân!" itêw, ê-pê-nîhtakosît, ê-pîhtokêt, ê-ta-tahkopitahk, ita kâ-kî-tahkopitêyik.

(38) “Dear me, little brother, just see how terribly I am afflicted with sleep-walking!” he said to him, as he climbed down and came into the tent and tied the thing back into the place where it had been tied fast.

(39) ômisi itik: "wîsahkêcâhk, namôya ka-kî-kimotamawin nitastotin." "êwako ôma nêpâyani ê-pê-kîwêhtahikoyan." "nawac ta-pônihtâyan!" itik.

(39) The other answered him thus: “Wisahketchahk, you will not be able to steal my headgear from me. It was this headgear itself which brought you back here whenever you went to sleep. You might as well give it up!” the other told him.

(40) êkosi ê-kî-mîcisot, sipwêhtêw.

(40) At this, as soon as he had eaten, he went away.

(41) êkoyikohk êskwâk âtayôhkêwin.

(41) That is the end of the sacred story.

Footnotes

¹LB on tâpwêh otinam: Probably the word môhkomân: “knife” has dropped out in record.

²LB on awah: The animate form awah: “this” is a slip of record or speech, since the following verb has inanimate form of object.

³CHECK êh-sôhkih. HCW: fragment