(1) kîtahtawê pêyak nâpêw wiya piko ê-pêyakokamikisit pisisik mâna. kîtahtawê namôya wîhkâc apiyiwa owîkimâkana, tahto-kîsikâw ê-sipwêhtêyit, kâ-wawêsîhoyici, ayôwinisa ê-miywâsiniyiki tahto-kîsikâw ê-postiskahk awa iskwêw. kîspin piyê-kîwêci, mistahi mâna mâyâtaniyiwa, konita mâna misiwê ê-asiskîwiyiki.

(1) Once upon a time a certain man always dwelt off along with his family. After a while his wife never stayed at home, but went off every day, after putting on her fine clothes; every day that woman put on her good clothes. When she came back home, they were always in a bad state, muddied all over.

(2) "tânêhki êtokê" itêyihtam awa nâpêw: "mahti nika-kakwê-wâpamâw," itêyihtam.

(2) “I wonder what this means?” thought the man; “Suppose I watch her,” he thought.

(3) tâpwê mâcîhkâsôw. êkwa kîmôc pê-wâh-wîskawahtâw wîkiwâw, mahti ê-wî-kiskinawâpamât owîkimâkana, tânitê isi kita-sipwêhtêyit. kâ-wâpamât aspin ôta sakâhk ê-isi-sipwêhtêyit, kiskêyimêw itê ê-itohtêyit. kâ-wâpamât êkotê sakâhk wâkayôsa ê-wâh-owîcimosiyit, mistahi kisiwâsiw, ê-ohtêyimât ôhi wâkayôsa.

(3) So he pretended to go hunting. Then he gradually stole up to the lodge, to watch his wife and learn which way she would go. When he had seen her go off into the woods, he knew where she was going [no translation] [no translation: He saw her there in the bush, she had a bear for a lover, he was very angry and jealous of the bear.]

(4) "wâpahki nika-nipahâw!" itêyihtam.

(4) “Tomorrow I shall kill him!” he thought.

(5) tâpwê ê-otâkosiniyik, ômisi itwêw awa: "anohc wâkayôs nimiskawâw ita ê-ôwâtit," itwêw awa nâpêw, ê-kîwêt.

(5) So then in the evening he said, “Today I found a bear's den,” said the man, when he came home.

(6) êkwa ômisi itwêw ana iskwêw; ômisi êsa kî-itik ôhi wîcimosa wâkayôsa: "kîspin nipahikawiyâni, otinâhkan nipahkêkin," kî-itik êsa; "êkosi itâp nitawêyihtamani piko ispîhk ayîsiyiniwak mihcêt kika-nipahâwak," kî-itik êsa awa iskwêw; êkosi ômisi itêw onâpêma: "êkâya misiwê pîkoswâhkan." "tâpiskôc atâwâkan kâ-isi-pahkoniht, êkosi isîhâhkan," kî-itêw êsa onâpêma.

(6) Then the woman spoke thus; for thus she had been told by her lover, the bear: “If I am slain, do you then take my hide,” he must have told her; “In this way, later, should you so desire, you may at any time kill many people,” he must have told that woman; so now she said to her husband, “Do not cut him up. Just as one skins a fur-bearing animal for sale, do you so prepare him,” she told her husband.

(7) "êha," itwêw awa nâpêw, ê-sîhkimikot wîwa.

(7) “Very well,” said the man, in answer to his wife's request.

(8) tâpwê wîhpi-pahkonêw ôhi, ispîhk ê-nitawi-nipahât ôhi wâkayôsa.

(8) So he cut the creature out of its hide, when he went to kill that bear.

(9) ômisi itwêw ana iskwêw: "namôya katâc ta-môwâyahk!"

(9) The woman said, “We do not have to eat him, do we?”

(10) "êkamâ mâka awiyak kê-kî-mowât ê-owîcimosiyit!" itêw owîkimâkana.

(10) “[no translation]” replied the husband.

(11) êkosi tâpwê kîsihêw ôhi wâkayôsiwayâna. êkwa ocawâsimisiw awa iskwêw. nîso nâpêsisak ayâwêw sêmâk, nîsôtêwa. êwakoni wâkayôsa êsa owîtôsêmâh. tâpwê âpihtaw wiyawiwâhk misiwê opîwâwak êsa ôki nâpêsisak. êkosi êyiwêhk kitimâkêyimêw awa nâpêw; êyiwêhk wî-kakwê-ohpikihêw, âta namôya wiya otawâsimisa. tâpwê ohpikiwak ôki awâsisak.

(11) Then accordingly she prepared that bearskin. Then that woman gave birth. Even then and no later, she had two boys, twins. [no translation] And those boys were covered with fur all over half of their bodies. Then that man to some extent took pity on them; he decided to bring them up as best he could, even though they were not his. And so those children grew up.

(12) êkwa ê-ati-misikiticik, kîtahtawê ômisi itêw: "êkâya wîhkâc tâpwêhtamok, nitawâsimisitik, âhki kiyawâw'wâkayôsak' itikawiyêko." "kiyawâw tâpwê êkotôwahk." "êkosi itikawiyêko kîspin, ka-kwêskimonâwâw."

(12) Then, as they were growing up, at one time he told them, “Never give credence to it my children, if ever you are called ‘bears.’ Such, indeed, you are. If that is said to you, you will change your bodily form.”

(13) êkosi tâpwê nama wîhkâc êsa tâpwêhtamwak ôki awâsisak, êkosi êtihtwâwi.

(13) Accordingly, those boys never gave heed when they were called that way.

(14) kîtahtawê awa osîmimâs, "kiyâm wâkayôsiwitân mahti!" itêw ôhi ostêsa.

(14) Then at one time, “Let us turn into bears!” the younger one said to the elder.

(15) tâpwê wâkayôsiwiwak. pê-nôcihêwak awâsisa, ê-pê-pâ-pâskatayêpitâcik.

(15) So they turned into bears. They came pursuing the children, and when they reached them, tore them open at the belly.

(16) êkwa kisiwâk wîkiwâhk kâ-pê-nipahihtwâwi ôki maskosisak, sêmâk awa iskwêw kisiwâsiw êsa.¹

onâpêma kîhkâmêw; wayawî-kwâskohtiw; nitawi-otinêw ôhi kâ-kî-osihât oskotâkaya, ôhi maskwayâna. êkosi isi ati-isi-kwêskîmôw. pîhtikwê-kwâskohtiw kêhciwâk wîkiwâhk; onâpêma ati-nipahêw. êkota ohci mitoni kahkiyaw ayîsiyiniwa mêscihêw. mitoni êsa ê-mihcêtihk, êwakoni kahkiyaw mitoni nipahêw. okâwiya piko iskohêw. âta ê-pâ-pâskisoht, namôya êsa kî-sâkôcihâw; namôya kî-nipahâw, piyisk êkosi isi kahkiyaw ayîsiyiniwa kâ-kîsi-mêscihât. êkwa awa oskinîkiw kîwôtêw, êwako awa omisa kâ-wâkayôsiwiyit. êkwa awa iskwêw ôhtâwiya iskohêw. ôhcitaw ê-wî-kakwâtakihât. tâpwê pêyak mistahi kwâtakihêw okâwiya, mîna osîmisa pêyak, êwakoni piko ê-iskohât. êkwa mâna piko itê ê-papâmâcihot, piyê-takohtêci piko nayêstaw ê-kîhkâmât, nanâtohk ê-isi-kwâtakihât, kiyikaw ê-saskahwât, misiwê êsa omikîwak ôki kêhtê-ayak mîna awa iskwêsis. mistahi êsa kitimahêw. kîtahtawê awa oskinîkiw kâ-takohtêt, "tânêhki ôma?" itêyihtam, ita ôma kâ-kî-mihcêtiyit ayîsiyiniwa kahkiyaw ê-mêscihimiht. pêyak piko mîkiwâhp wâpahtam, ohpimê ê-cimatêyik. êkwa kîtahtawê osîmisa kâ-wâpamât, ê-nitawi-tâpakwêyit, wâposwa ê-wî-kakwê-nipahâyit.

(16) Then when, close to the lodge those bear-cubs were killed, at once that woman grew angry. She upbraided her husband; she sprang out of the lodge; she went and took that mystic dress she had made, that bear-skin robe. At once she thus changed her bodily form. She came bounding right into the lodge; she killed her husband. Then she killed off all the people. Although there were many of then, she killed them all. Only her mother she spared. Although she was shot at again and again, she could not be overcome; it was impossible to kill her, so that at last she thus had exterminated those people. Then that young man went visiting, whose elder sister was the woman who had turned into a bear. And that woman had spared her father, only so as to torture him. Truly, she tormented her mother and her little sister, having spared only them. When she had been going about here and there, when she came back, she would do nothing but scold them, and torment them in various ways, burning them pell-mell, so that those old people and that little girl were all covered with scars. She kept them in a grievous state. Presently, when that young man arrived, “What can be the matter?” he thought, since all the many people there had been killed. He saw only one tipi, standing off to one side. Then presently he saw his little sister going out to snare rabbits.

(17) "tânêhki ôma kâ-ôh-ispayik, nisîmis?" itêw.

(17) “How has this happened, little sister?” he asked her.

(18) ômisi itêw awa iskwêsis: "ê-kî-mêscihtât kimisinaw." "kahkiyaw ayîsiyiniwa kî-mêscihêw." "nayêstaw piko kôhtâwiyinaw pimâtisiw," itwêw awa iskwêsis.

(18) Said the girl, “Because our sister has killed all in the place. She has exterminated the people. “Only our father is alive,” said the girl.

(19) mistahi pakwâtam awa nâpêw.

(19) The man was deeply shocked.

(20) "êkwa mistahi namôya ê-sâkôcihiht, âta ê-pâskisoht," itwêw awa iskwêsis.

(20) “And she has not been overcome, even by shooting,” said the girl.

(21) êkosi êkwa, "tânisi kê-kî-tôtamân?" itêyihtam awa nâpêw.

(21) Then, “What shall I be able to do?” thought the man.

(21a) "piko êcika ana kita-kakwêcimâyêk tânitowihk onipiwin ê-astêyik." "kakwêcimâhkêhk;" "mahti, 'kêhcinâ awiyak ê-sîhkimikoyêk!' âta wiya kika-itikowâw." "'namôya! osâm mistahi ê-manitôwiyan, êkâ ê-kî-nipahikawiyan,' kika-itâwâw."

(21a) “It seems that the only way is for you to ask her where is her mortal spot. Ask her. ‘Surely someone has put you up to this!’ she will say to you. ‘No! It is only that you are so greatly endowed with supernatural power, that you cannot be killed,’ you will say to her.”

(22) tâpwê kîwêw awa iskwêsis. nîso wâposwa nipahtamâk ôhi ostêsa.

(22) Accordingly the girl went home. Her brother killed two rabbits for her.

(23) ômisi itwêw: "nôhtâ," itêw, "nistês niwâpamâw," itêw ôhtâwiya, "êwakoni ôhi ê-nipahtamawit." "'kakwêcimâhkêhk tânitowihk ê-ohci-nipit,' itwêw ana."

(23) She spoke thus: “Father,” she said to her father, “I have seen my brother; he it was killed these for me. ‘Ask her in what spot a wound would cause her death,’ he says.”

(24) â, tâpwê awa mayaw ôhi ê-takohtêyit, mitoni misiwê êsa ê-miswâkaniwit awa iskwêw. êkwa tâpwê kakwêcimêwak.

(24) Then truly, as soon as that other had arrived, that woman was wounded all over her body. Then accordingly, they asked her.

(25) "tânêhki kâ-ôh-nôhtê-kiskêyihtamêk?" "nama cî ahpô kikosisiwâw kâ-kî-kîwôtêt niwî-kakwê-nipahik?" itwêw êsa awa iskwêw.

(25) “Why do you want to know? Is it not perhaps that your son who visited here wants to kill me?” said the woman.

(26) "hâ, namôya, nitânis!" "'mâskôc mistahi manitôwiw,' ê-itêyimitân, kâ-ôh-nôhtê-kiskêyihtamân tânimatôwihk ta-onipiwiniyan."²

(26) “Oh, no, my daughter! Because I thought of you, ‘Doubtless she is greatly endowed with spirit power,’ is why I wish to know in what part you have your vital spot.”

(27) "hâ, nôhtâ, âta nikiskêyihtên ê-wî-kakwê-nipahikawiyân, kâ-ôh-kakwêcimiyan!" itwêw awa iskwêw; "nisitihk tawâyihk."

(27) “Ho, father, I do know that you are asking me because an attempt is to be made against my life!” said the woman; “It is in the middle of my foot.”

(28) êkwa tâpwê mayaw ê-sipwêhtêyit awa, sêmâk itohtêw awa oskinîkiw, ôhtâwiya ê-nitawi-wâpamât mîna okâwiya.

(28) Then, as soon as she had departed, the young man came to see his father and mother.

(29) "hwâ, 'nitâwisitânihk nitonipiwinin; êwako ohci êkâ awiyak kâ-ôh-kî-nipahit,' itwêw êsa."

(29) “Ha, ‘At the sole of my foot is my vital spot; that is why no one can kill me,’ she says.”

(29b) êkwa ômisi itwêw awa oskinîkiw: "mistikwa ka-kînikihkotamok."³

"êkosi misiwê ita ka-câh-cimatânâwâw." "êkosi êkota kita-kisisin anima." "êkosi êkota kê-nipahâyahk," itwêw êsa awa oskinîkiw.

(29b) Then the young man said, “Point the ends of some sticks. Then you will stick them upright in the ground everywhere. Then she will prick herself on them. That is the way we shall kill her,” said the young man.

(30) mayaw ê-sipwêhtêyit, misiwê cimatâwak miscikosa.

(30) As soon as she had gone away, they stuck the little slivers everywhere into the ground.

(31) tâpwê ê-takohtêyit, "mahti asamik!" ê-itikocik, sêmâk mâci-kîhkâmêwak.

(31) And so, when she came and told them, “Give me to eat!” at once they began to revile her.

(32) "kêhcinâ awiyak êkosi ê-kî-itikoyêk, kâ-ôh-kâh-kîhkâmiyêk!" itwêw awa iskwêw.

(32) “Surely someone has told you to do this, that you all insult me!” said the woman.

(33) "êha; ôta kî-takohtêw nistês," itwêw awa iskwêsis.

(33) “Yes; my brother has been here,” said the little girl.

(34) iskotêw êsa ohci pakamahwêw ôhi omisa. tâpwê piko êkosi isi wayawîyâmôwak. êkosi êkwa awa iskwêw otihtinêw ôhi oskotâkaya, ôhi mâna kâ-otinât wâh-nipahtâkêci maskwayâna. mayaw ê-ati-pimipayit awa iskwêw, mâka mîna ê-kwêskimot, sêmâk otâwisitânihk kisisin. pahkisin êkota. êkota êsa kî-nipahâw êwako iskwêw, mihcêt ayîsiyiniwa ê-kî-nipahât.

(34) And then with a burning brand she struck the woman, her sister. Then at once, they fled out of the lodge. Then the woman seized her mystic dress, the bearskin robe which she always took when she was about to kill. As soon as the woman dashed along, changing, as always, her bodily form, at once she ran a sliver into her sole. She fell to the ground. And so there that woman was slain who had killed so many people.

Footnotes

¹LB on kâ-pih-nipahihtwâwi: Why iterative?

²LB on t-ônipôwiniyan: The regular formation from nipiw: “he dies” would be nipiwin: “death” (cf. onipiwin: “his death” earlier in this text) and onipiwiniw: “he has his death.” But the form here in the text is probably recorded right: nipôwin: “death” and onipôwiniw: “he has his death” are probably relics of the time when “to die” was an irregular verb, cf. Fox nepwa, Menomini nepoah: “he dies,” Fox nepôweni: “death”.

³LB on ka-kînîkihkwatamok: Normal form probably, kâ-kînikihkotamok.