(1) pêyak ôtênaw ê-misâk, kayâs êsa ê-môtocik. êkosi awa iskwêw ê-okimâwit, piyêsiw-iskwêw, napatê ôtênaw ê-tipêyihtahk, êkwa napatê ôtênaw ê-tipêyihtahk êwako okimâw mahîhkan; nâpêw êwako. otôskinîkîmiwâwa ê-astwâtocik, ê-mêtawêcik, ê-manitowi-mêtawêcik, pêyak siyâkôcihihci, êkosi owîcêwâkana ê-nipahimiht, ê-môwimiht, êkosi piko"ê-môtocik" isiyîhkâtêw. nanâtohk, ôki ayîsiyiniwak kâ-itwêhk, nanâtohk pisiskiwak êwakonik. êkosi êwako.

(1) There was a certain large town, of old, when, as we are told, they ate each other. And there a woman was chief, a Thunderbird-Woman, who ruled over one-half of the town; and over the other half there ruled as chief a Wolf; a man was this one. They used their followers as prizes of the contest, of their manitou contests, so that, whenever one was defeated, then his followers were killed and eaten; that is what is called “eating each other.” Various kinds, those who were called men, various kinds of beasts they were. That is the way it was.

(2) êkwa awa mahîhkan kâ-okimâwit, êkota ohci pêyak oskinîkiskwêw, osîmisa, nâpêsisa ê-apisîsisiyit, ê-kitimâkêyimât, ê-sâkihât, ôhtâwiya okâwiya kotaka wîcisâna kahkiyaw ê-nipahimiht, wiyawâw piko nîso ê-pimâtisicik osîmisa, ômisi itêyihtam: "nika-sipwêhtân;" "nisîmis awa mâskôc wî-pimâtisici," ê-itêyihtahk; "osâm kitimâkisiw, ê-apisîsisit," itêyihtam; "hâw, anohc kâ-tipiskâk, mistahi ta-mâyi-kîsikâw! ta-mispon!" itwêw; "nika-sipwêhtân, êkâ ta-kiskêyimikawiyân itê kâ-wî-itohtêyân." êkosi itêyihtam.

(2) Then in the part where the Wolf was chief, a young woman from there, who had a small brother whom she cared for and loved, when her father and mother and all her other brothers and sisters had been killed, and only the two, she and her little brother were left alive, then thus she thought: “I shall go away; perhaps it will be possible for my little brother here to live,” she thought; “He is too pitiful, the little fellow,” she thought; “So then, tonight let there be very bad weather! Let it snow!” she said; “I shall go away and no one shall know whither I go.” So she thought.

(3) tâpwê ê-tipiskâk, mistahi mâyi-kîsikâw, ê-mispohk. êkwa miywêyihtam awa oskinîkiskwêw. mayaw mistahi ê-tipiskâk, wawêyîw, wîkiwâw ê-manisahk, ispimihk ita ê-mâyâtahk ê-wêpinahk. êkwa otanâskâna, otakohpa, kahkiyaw ta-kî-âpacihtât kêkwaya otinam, ê-kîsi-wawêyît, mostoswayân êkota ê-wêwêkahpitahk ocayânisa. êkosi isi ê-sipwêhtêw, ê-otâpêt ôhi ocayânisa, tâpiskôc napakitâpânâsk, êkosi isi ê-otâpêt, êkwa osîmisa ê-nayômât. isi mistahi mâyi-kîsikâyiw. kapê-tipisk mâyi-kîsikâyiw, ê-pimohtêt. piyisk wâpaniyiw; âhci piko mâyi-kîsikâyiw. iyikohk ê-otâkosik, êkoyikohk astê-kîsikâw. âhci piko pimohtêw. piyis tipiskâw. êkota êkwa kapêsiw. nama kêkway mîciw, êkota ê-nipât. iyikohk ê-wâpaniyik, mîna sipwêhtêw. ê-wâpaniyik, êkwa mâtoyiwa osîmisa, ê-nôhtêhkatêyit. êkosi nicawâc wawêyîw, ê-sipwêhtêt. iyikohk ê-miskahk ita ê-âyapâskwêyâyik, êkota pêyak mistahi ê-sakâyik, êkota itohtêw, ê-nanâtawâpahtahk, "ita ê-miywâsik ta-wîkiyân," ê-itêyihtahk. tâpwê miskam sakâhk ê-ihkatawâyik, ê-nipîwiyik, wâsakâm mistahi ê-sakâyik, êkota kapêsiw. pânaham, êkota ê-wî-wîkit; êkwa kotawêw. âhci piko mâtoyiwa osîmisa, ê-nôhtêhkatêyit. ê-kî-kotawêt, êkwa osîhtâw ê-wî-tâpakwêt.

(3) Really, when night ell, there was very bad weather, and it snowed. Then the young woman was glad. As soon as it was very dark, she made ready; she cut down her lodge and threw it aloft into the storm. And her sleeping-mats and her blanket-robes and all the things she would have occasion to use, she took, when she had made ready, and she wrapped all her possessions in a buffalo robe. In this way she set out, dragging her belongings, dragging them as if on a flat sled, and carrying her little brother. The storm kept on all night, while she walked on. At last day dawned; the bad weather did not abate. All that day it stormed. [sic] Only towards evening the day grew clear. She kept on walking. At last night fell. At that point she camped. She had nothing to eat, there where she slept. When day broke, she went on. Then, when day broke, her little brother cried, because he was hungry. Yet she needs made ready to go on. When she had found a stretch of country that was dotted with clumps of trees, where there was one larger grove, thither she went, to look it carefully over, thinking, “I shall try to find a good place to live.” Really, she did find in the wood a hollow place where there was water and dense forest round about. There she pitched camp. She cleared off the snow where she meant to dwell; she built a fire. Her little brother still was weeping with hunger. When she had built the fire, she made something to use as a snare.

(4) tâpwê ê-nipâyit osîmisa, tâpakwêw, "mâskôc wâpos nipahaki," ê-itêyihtahk; "oka-môwâh," ê-itêyihtahk.

(4) And so, when her little brother had gone to sleep, she set a snare, thinking, “Perhaps I may kill a rabbit; my little brother could eat it.”

(5) êkwa mihta ê-otinahk, êkota kâ-otinahk mihta, tapasîyiwa êkota ohci wâposwa. êwakoni tâpakwâsoyiwa pêyak. nipahêw.

(5) Then, as she gathered faggots, from the place where she gathered faggots, some rabbits scampered forth. One of them got caught in the snare. She killed it.

(6) "hây hây! êkwa nisîmis kê-mîcisot!" itêyihtam.

(6) “Splendid! Now my little brother shall eat!” she thought.

(7) kîwêhtahêw; iyâyaw osîhêw, ê-wî-kîsiswât, ê-wî-asamât osîmisa. êkosi ê-kîsiswât, pêkopayiyiwa osîmisa. êkosi êwakoni asamêw. êkwa wiya pasikôw, ê-âwatât mihta, ê-wî-osihtât wîkiwâw. piyis mistahi otinam mistikwa. êkoyikohk wî-mâtoyiwa osîmisa, êkwa ê-nahapîstawât, ê-kâkîcihât. êkwa êkota ay-ayâw. iyikohk êkâ ê-mâtoyit âsay, osîhtâw wîkiwâw, maskosiya ê-manisahk, êwakoni mîna ê-apahkwêt wîkiwâhk, mîna ê-anâskêt. êkoyikohk ê-wî-tipiskâk, âsay ta-isi-kîsôwâyik ê-isîhtât wîki, êkwa pîhtokahêw osîmisa, êkwa ê-kotawêt pîhcâyihk. mwêhci ê-pahkisimoyik, kâ-matwê-ma-mawimoyit wâposwa. itohtêw: pôti pêyak. nipahêw. miywêyihtam.

(7) She took it back with her; eagerly she prepared it to cook, that she might give her brother to eat. When she had cooked it done, her little brother awoke. So she gave him food. Then she got up and fetched sticks to build their lodge. In the end she had got many sticks. By this time her little brother was again on the verge of crying, so she sat down by him and consoled him. There she remained. As soon as he had ceased to weep, she built their lodge, cutting grasses with which she thatched the lodge and made matting for underfoot. By this time darkness was at hand, but she had built her lodge so that it would be warm; and now she took her little brother inside, and built a fire within. Just at sunset she heard a rabbit squeal. She went there: there was one. She killed it. She was glad.

(8) "êkosi namôya ta-nôhtêhkatêw nisîmis," itêyihtam.

(8) “So my little brother will not go hungry,” she thought.

(9) ay-apiw.

(9) She sat there.

(10) êkwa ê-tipiskâyik, mâ-mitonêyihtam, "pitanê êkâ ohci awiyak miskawit!" ê-itêyihtahk; "kahkiyaw ayîsiyiniwak êkosi isi ayâwak êtokê?" ê-itêyihtahk; itê kâ-ôh-itohtêt ôhi ayîsiyiniwa kâ-itâtisiyit, kâ-nâh-nipahitoyit, ê-môtoyit, "êkosi êtokê kotakak mîna isi ayâwak?" ê-itêyihtahk, êwako ohci kâ-ôh-itwêt.

(10) Then, in the night she meditated, thinking, “Would that no one might ever find me! Are all persons, I wonder, even so?” she thought; the way those people were in the place whence she had come, they who always killed and ate each other, because she thought, “Are others, I wonder, that way too?” was why she spoke thus.

(11) tâpwê miywêyihtam ê-pêyakot, "êkosi mâskôc nika-ohpikihâw nisîmis," ê-itêyihtahk.

(11) Truly, she was glad to be alone, for she thought, “In this way, perhaps I shall bring up my little brother.

(12) êkota tahto-kîsikâw mihta ê-otinahk, mîna ê-tâpakwêt ê-mihcêtiyit wâposwa, tâpwê têpiskâyiki, kâ-nipâci, wiyâpahk ê-nâtât wâposwa, mitoni miywêyihtam mâh-mihcêt ê-nipahât. piyisk osîhtâw wayawîtimihk ita ê-wî-akotât wâposwa, osâm mihcêt ê-nipahât.

(12) There every day she gathered firewood and snared many rabbits; and truly, after each night, when she had slept and in the morning fetched the rabbits, she was very glad that she continued to kill many of them. At last she built out of doors something on which to hang the rabbits, having killed so many.

(13) "hâw, êkosi êcika ôma êkâ mayaw kê-nôhtêhkatêyâhk nisîmis!" itêyihtam.

(13) “Well, and so now my little brother and I shall not too soon be hungry!” she thought.

(14) nama kêkway kotak atoskâtam, nayêstaw ê-tâpakwêt êkwa mihta ê-otinahk, êkota ôma kâ-ay-ayât, "pitanê ôma êkâ ohci miskawit awiyak!" ê-itêyihtahk.

(14) She worked at nothing but snaring rabbits and bringing wood, and concerning that place where she was, she thought, “Would that no one might ever find me!”

(15) kîtahtawê êkwa, kinwêsk ita ê-ayât êkwa, osîmisa êkwa misikitiyiwa. êkwa osîhtâw acosisa, osîmisa ê-osîhtawât, ê-wî-kakwê-nihtâ-pimohtahkwêhât. tâpwê piyisk nihtâ-pimohtahkwêyiwa; piyisk nakacihtâw kêkway ta-wî-kakwê-nipahât awa nâpêsis. kîtahtawê sakâhk ê-papâmohtêt awa nâpêsis, wâpamêw wâposwa. ê-wî-kakwê-nipahât, tâpwê nipahêw. ha, miywêyihtam, ê-pîhtokahât.

(15) Then in time, when she had been there a long while, her brother grew larger. Then she made arrows for her brother, meaning to teach him to be a good marksman. Really, in the end he was a good shot; in time the lad became skilled to the point where he wanted to try to kill something. Presently, as he walked about in the wood, he saw a rabbit. When he tried to kill it, really, he killed it. He was glad, and brought it into the lodge.

(16) "hây hây!" itwêw awa oskinîkiskwêw; "êkosi êcika ani êkâ kê-kî-nipahâhkatosoyâhk, âsay ê-nipahât nisîmis wâposwa," itêyihtam.

(16) “Splendid!” said the young woman; “And so now there will be no danger of our starving, now that my little brother is killing rabbits,” she thought.

(17) êkwa tâpwê kotaka osîhtâw acosisa, nawac ê-misâyiki, "kêkway cita-ôh-miyo-nipahtât," ê-itêyihtahk. piyisk ê-kîsihtât, êkwa êwakoni ê-âpacihtât awa nâpêsis, tâpwê mâh-mihcêt nipahêw wâposwa. êkwa awa iskwêw pîkonam apahkwâson, ê-osihtât osîma cita-otâsiyit, mîna ta-oskotâkâyit. êkwa kêkâc oskinîkiw awa nâpêsis. mistahi miyosiw awa nâpêsis. êkwa êkota ôma ê-ay-ayâcik, kîtahtawê wâposwa ê-wî-kakwê-wâpamât, ê-papâmohtêt, kâ-mâtâhât pêyak apisi-môsosa.

(17) And so she made some more arrows, larger ones, thinking, “So that he can do well at killing things with them.” At last, when she had finished them, and the lad was using them, really he killed many and many rabbits. Then the woman tore pieces from the tent-covering and made something for her brother to wear as breeches and as a shirt. By this time the lad was almost a young man. He was very handsome. Then, as they dwelt there, presently, as he was walking about, trying to get sight of rabbits, he came upon the track of a dwarf moose.

(18) "kîkway awa?" itêyihtam; "mahti nika-kakwê-wâpamâw," itêyihtam.

(18) “What kind of creature is this?” he thought; “Suppose I try to get a look at him,” he thought.

(19) kîtahtawê kâ-wâpamât.

(19) Presently he saw it.

(20) "kêkway awa?" itêyihtam; "mahti kê-kî-nipahak," itêyihtam.

(20) “What kind of creature is this?” he thought; “Let me see if I can kill him,” he thought.

(21) tâpwê pimwêw; tâpwê nipahêw. ê-otihtât, namôya nisitawêyimêw kîkwaya ôhi.

(21) So he shot an arrow at it; really, he killed it. When he went up to it, he did not know what manner of beast it was.

(22) "mahti nika-kîwêhtahâw; mahti kê-nisitawêyimât nimis" itêyihtam.

(22) “Let me take him home; let me see if my big sister knows him,” he thought.

(23) kîwêhtahêw, ê-otâpêt, ê-takohtahât wîkiwâhk.

(23) He took it home, dragging it, and brought it to their dwelling.

(24) "nimisê, mâcikôcitân kîkwaya awa?" itêw.

(24) “Big sister, come, see; what sort of creature is this?” he said to her.

(25) ê-wayawît awa oskinîkiskwêw, sêmâk nisitawêyimêw.

(25) When the young woman came out, at once she recognized it.

(26) "hây hây! êkwa kê-miyo-mîcisoyahk, nisîmis! apisi-môsos awa," itik.

(26) “Splendid! Now we shall have good eating, little brother! This is a dwarf moose,” she told him.

(27) "hâh!"

(27) “Ho!”

(28) miywêyihtam.

(28) He was glad.

(29) "êkwa êwakoni kî-omaskisinit nisîmis," itwêw awa oskinîkiskwêw, ê-wiyanihât.

(29) “And from this creature my brother can have moccasins,” said the young woman, as she set about skinning it.

(30) tâpwê êwakoni môwêwak êkwa. êkosi nama kêkway êkwa wiya tâpakwêw awa iskwêw; ayis osîma êkwa nâh-nipahêyiwa wâposwa. tâpwê ôhi osihêw awa iskwêw, ê-wî-ohci-omaskisiniyit osîma.¹

ê-kî-nipâcik, ê-wâpahk, ê-waniskât awa oskinîkiskwêw, âsay namwâc nipâyiwa osîma, ê-mâcîyit. ê-pôni-âpihtâwi-kîsikâk, âsay osîma takohtêyiwa; nîso apisi-môsosa pêsiwêyiwa.

(30) So then they ate it. And now the woman no longer set snares; for now her brother continued to kill rabbits. So now the woman prepared that creature, that her brother might have moccasins of it. When they had slept, in the morning when the young woman got up, her brother was by no means still asleep, but had gone hunting. In the afternoon her brother arrived; he brought two dwarf moose.

(31) "hây hây!" itwêw awa oskinîkiskwêw; "êkosi êcika ôma êkâ kê-kî-nôhtêhkatêyahk!" itêyihtam; "êwakoni nisîmis êkwa ta-otâsiw," itêyihtam.

(31) “Splendid!” said the young woman; “And so now we shall never need to go hungry!” she thought; “Now of these creatures my brother shall have breeches,” she thought.

(32) êkosi ê-kî-kîsi-wiyanihât, êkwa iyâyaw asamêw osîma. nama wiya wîhkâc êkwa kitotik osîma, osâm ê-nêpêwisiyit ta-kitotikot, êkwa ê-oskinîkiyit.²

tâpwê mîna ê-wâpaniyik, kîkisêpâ ê-waniskât, sâsay êsa kâ-sipwêhtêyit osîma, ê-mâcîyit, êkwa wiya ôhi iyâyaw apisimôsoswayâna ê-osîhât, mitâsa ê-wî-osîhtât. ê-otâkosiniyik, ê-kîsihât, apisimôsoswayâna, kâ-takosiniyit osîma. âsay mîna nîso pêsiwêyiwa apisi-môsosa. miywêyihtam awa oskinîkiskwêw. piyis mîna tipiskâyiw. êkoyikohk ê-kîsi-atoskâtât ôhi apisimôsoswayâna, ê-pâswât. êkosi têpiskâyiki ê-kaskikwâsot, osîma ê-osîhtawât ayiwinisa.

(32) So, when she had finished skinning them and cutting them up, with zeal then she gave her brother his food. Never now did her brother address her, for he was too bashful to speak to her, now that he was a young man. Then, the next morning early, when she arose, she saw that again her brother had already gone away to hunt; she, for her part, set zealously to work preparing the hides of the dwarf moose, to make breeches. Toward evening, when she had finished tanning the dwarf-moose skins, her brother arrived. Again he was bringing two dwarf moose. The young woman rejoiced. Soon night came. By this time she had finished working the hides of the dwarfmoose, and was drying them. So then, of nights she would sew, making clothes for her brother.

(33) piyisk mîna mostoswa nipahêyiwa pêyak, ê-pêsiwâyit, "kîkway êtokê?" ê-itêyihtahk awa oskinîkiw.

(33) At last he killed also a buffalo, and brought it home, thinking, “What kind of beast is this?”

(34) awa oskinîkiskwêw ê-wâpamât, "hây hây hây!" itwêw; "êkwa nisîmis êwakoni kî-otanâskânit."

(34) When the young woman saw it, “Splendid! Splendid!” she exclaimed; “Now my brother can have this one for his sleeping mat.”

(35) êkosi itêyihtam; mâka nama wîhkâc êkwa pîkiskwâtitôwak, piko aciyaw ê-kitâpamât awa iskwêw osîma, "tâpwê mistahi miyosiw nisîmis," ê-itêyihtahk; "tâpwê miywâsin ê-kî-pê-sipwêhtahak nisîm," ê-itêyihtahk.

(35) So she thought; but now they never spoke to each other, only that the woman would look for a moment at her brother and think, “Truly, my brother is very handsome,” and, “Truly, it is well that I brought my brother off here.”

(36) tahto-kîsikâw ê-mâcît awa oskinîkiw, pisisik mostoswa mâh-misiwê ê-pêcitâpêt, hâh, mîna mayaw piyêsiwâci mostoswa, wiyâpahki êsa ê-kîsihât awa iskwêw mostoswayâna, ê-otanâskânicik, mîna ê-otakohpicik osîma, kîtahtawê kîkisêpâ ê-waniskât awa iskwêw, kêyâpic nipâyiwa osîma. ê-kiskêyimikot ê-kîsi-paminawasot, waniskâyiwa. êkosi êkwa ê-mîcisocik. ê-kîsi-mîcisocik, êkoyikohk wayawîw awa oskinîkiw, ê-nitawi-kîskatahwât asâmâhtikwa, ê-wî-osîhât asâma, mîna ê-wanihikêt, nîso ê-osîhtât wanihikana. iyikohk ê-takohtêt, ê-wâpahtahk awa iskwêw mistikwa ê-pîhtokatâyit, ê-kî-asamât, êkwa otinam ôhi mistikwa awa iskwêw, ê-tihkisahk.³

ê-kîsi-mîcisot awa oskinîkiw, ê-môhkotahk, asâma ê-osihât, êkoyikohk kiskêyihtam awa iskwêw ê-osîhâyit asâma. êkwa osîhtâw ôma pahkêkin, ê-wî-wâskâsahk awa iskwêw. tâpwê ê-wâpahk, ê-nitawâpahtahk owanihikana, pêyak tasôhêw kihîwa, êkwa pêyak nikikwa.

(36) The youth hunted every day, and dragged home buffalo always entire; as soon as he would bring a buffalo, by the next morning, the woman had already prepared the buffalo hide, for sleeping robes and robes to wear, for her brother and for herself. And then one morning, when she got up, her brother was still asleep. When he knew that she had finished cooking, he got up. So then they ate. When they had eaten, the youth went out of doors, to cut sticks for snowshoes which he intended to make, and to set traps, two traps which he had built. When he came back when the woman saw that he was bringing sticks of wood, after giving him his meal, the woman took the sticks, and melted some fat. When the youth had eaten, and was whittling the sticks to make snowshoes, then the woman knew that he was making snowshoes. Then she prepared that rawhide for cutting round the edge. Then, the next morning, when he went to look at his traps, he had trapped an eagle and an otter.

(37) "âh!"

(37) “Ha!”

(38) êwakoni mîkwana kahkiyaw otinêw. êkwa ôhi kihîwa pahkonêw awa iskwêw, ê-pâswât.⁴

(38) He took all the feathers. And the woman skinned the otter, and dried the skin.

(39) "mâskôc ê-wî-otastotinit nisîm," itêyihtam.

(39) “No doubt my brother wants a head-dress,” she thought.

(40) piyisk êkwa osîhêyiwa asâma. ê-kîsi-osîhât, êkwa awa iskwêw otinêw, ê-askimâtât ôhi asâma, ê-pâswât. êkosi ê-kîsi-pâsoyit, kîkisêpâ iyikohk mîna ê-waniskât, kayâhtê mâka mîna namôya nipâyiwa osîma, âsay ê-mâcîyit, ê-wî-ay-atoskêt wayawîtimihk, pahkêkinwa ê-ay-osîhtât, "ê-miywâsik nika-osîhtân nîkinân," ê-itêyihtahk. iyikohk ê-otâkosihk, wayawîtimihk ê-nîpawit, kîkway kâ-pêhtahk. ê-nitotahk, pôti kâ-pê-nikamoyit awiya; itêyihtam.

(40) Then he made also his snowshoes. When he had done making them, the woman took the snowshoes and threaded them with the thongs, and dried them. And so, when they had dried, when in the morning she got up, again her brother no longer slept, but had gone hunting; so she went about her work outside the lodge, tanning hides, thinking, “I shall improve our dwelling.” Towards evening, as she stood outside the door, she heard something. As she listened, it appeared that someone was singing as he came; so it seemed to her.

(41) "nisîm êtokê," itêyihtam.

(41) “I wonder if it is my brother,” she thought.

(42) ê-pîhtokêt, kiyipa âsay kisiwâk kâ-pêtwêwitamiyit. kisiwâk ê-pê-ayâyit, kîskowêyiwa. pôti osîma kâ-matwê-takosiniyit. mihta ita ê-astêyiki, êkota ê-têhciwêpinâyit otasâmiyiwa, kâ-kitoyit.

(42) When she went inside, quickly from close by came the sound of that person. When he had come near, he broke off his song. It was her brother, coming home with song. Where the faggots lay, on top there he threw his snowshoes, and as he did so, they gave a call.

(43) "êwakonik êcika kâ-pê-nikamocik!" itêyihtam awa iskwêw.

(43) “And so it is they who came a-singing!” thought the woman.

(44) pôti ê-wayawît, pisisik askêkin kâ-pêtâyit. ê-otinât, ê-wâ-wâpahtahk, pôti êsa iyâpêyisa kâ-wâpamât, êskana ê-kikamoyit, êkwa waskasîyiwa. êwakoni mâh-maniswêw, ohpimê ê-ahât. askêkin mîna ôma mihtihk têhtastâw.

(44) When she went out, he was bringing nothing but fresh hides. When she took it, and looked at it, she saw that it was the skin of a young bull, with the horns and the hoofs. These she cut off, and laid them aside. The hide she laid also on top of the firewood.

(45) "ê-wî-otakohpit êtokê," itêyihtam.

(45) “Doubtless he wants a blanket-robe,” she thought.

(46) êskana ôhi mîna owaskasîyiwa pîhtokahêw, ê-ahât. êkwa ê-kîsi-mîcisot awa oskinîkiw, otinêw ôhi êskana, iskotêhk cîki êkota ê-ahât, ê-wî-kêcikwahahk anihi oskana. piyis kahkiyaw otinam anihi oskana. piyis kawisimôw. ê-wâpahk pêyakwanohk apiw; namôya mâcîw, ê-osîhât êskana.

(46) The horns and the hoofs she brought indoors and put them down. Then, when the young man had eaten, he took the horns and placed them close to the fire, to take out the bone. At last he took all the bone. Then he went to bed. The next morning, he sat in one place; he did not hunt, but prepared the horns.

(47) êkwa awa iskwêw ôhi mostoswayâna ê-osîhât, êkwa, "nôhtêhkatêtokê!" ê-itêyimât osîma, ohtapiwinihk kâ-ôh-pasikôyit osîma.

(47) And the woman, preparing the buffalo robe, just as she thought of her brother, “He must be hungry!” even then her brother rose from his settee.

(48) êkosi êkota, "tânêhki êtokê?" itêyihtam.

(48) Then, “I wonder what is the matter!” she thought.

(49) êkwa awa oskinîkiw ê-kî-wî-kimotamawât omisa mîkisisa.

(49) But it was because that youth meant to steal his sister's wampum-beads.

(50) êkosi, "kîkway êtokê?" itêyihtam awa iskwêw.

(50) So, “What can it be?” thought the woman.

(51) piyisk kîsihêw ôhi êskana awa oskinîkiw, mîna ôhi waskasiya. ê-tipiskâk kîsihêw awa iskwêw mostoswayâna. iyikohk ê-wâpahk, êkoyikohk kikamohêw awa oskinîkiw ôhi êskana, mîna ôhi waskasîyiwa, ê-wî-otakohpit awa oskinîkiw.

(51) At last the youth finished preparing the horns and the hoofs. By nightfall the woman finished the buffalo robe. When the next day dawned, the youth attached to it the horns and the hoofs, to make him a blanket-robe.

(52) ômisi itêw omisa: "nimisê, mîkisisak cî kitayâwâwak ê-wâpiskisicik, êkwa ê-askihtakosicik?" itêw.

(52) He said to his sister, “Sister, have you wampum beads that are white, and some that are blue?” he asked her.

(53) "êha."

(53) “Yes.”

(54) êkosi awa iskwêw otinêw, ê-itisinamawât. êkwa awa oskinîkiw ê-sîkahot, ê-kîsi-sîkahot, ôhi mîkisisa ê-pâh-pôtâtât, mâh-mihcêtiyiwa kâ-wâpiskisiyit ôhi mîkisisa ôta ostikwânihk, napatê wêscakâsa kahkiyaw ê-tâpiskawât mîkisisa,⁵

tâpiskôc ê-wâpistikwânêt napatê, êkwa napatê ôhi kâ-askîhtakosiyit mîkisisa ê-itamoyit ostikwânihk, ê-mîkisistikwânêt. êkwa tâpwê miyosiw awa oskinîkiw: oskotâkay ê-pîmikitêyik, sihkosiwayâna ê-kikamoyit, mîna otâsihk ê-kikamoyiki, ê-pîmikitêyiki, mîna êkota sihkosiwayâna ê-kikamoyit, êkwa ôhi nikikwayâna ê-otastotinit, otakohpa êskana ê-kikamoyit êkwa waskasîyiwa êkota ê-kikamoyit. êkwa tâpwê miyosiw awa oskinîkiw, êkosi êkwa ê-kîsi-nânapâcihisot. êkota êkwa tahto-kîsikâw êkwa ê-mâcît, tahto-kîsikâw pêyak ê-nipahât mostoswa, piyis mistahi mîciwin ayâwak.

(54) Accordingly, she took them and handed them to him. Then the youth combed his hair, and when he had combed it, breathed upon those beads, whereupon a great many of those white wampum-beads were on his head there; he had threaded all the hairs on one side of his head with the beads, just as though his hair were white, and on the other side the blue beads were strung on his head; he was a Wampum-Head. Then truly handsome was that young man; his coat was ornamented with quill-work and with tassels of weasel skins, and some were on his breeches, and they, too, had quill-work, and they had weasel-skins on them, and he had a headgear of that otterskin, and on his robe were horns, and hoofs were on it. Then truly handsome was that youth, when in this guise he had decked himself. Then, as he hunted each day, and each day killed a buffalo, in time they had a plenty of food.

(55) kîtahtawê kinwêsk êkwa ita ita ê-ayâcik, kîtahtawê nama wiya wî-mâcîw awa oskinîkiw, pêyakwanohk ê-apit. iyâta-asamâci osîma, namôya wî-mîcisôw awa oskinîkiw, tahki ê-kâmwâtapit.

(55) Then at one time, when they had long dwelt there, then presently the youth did not care to hunt, but sat still in one place. Although she gave her brother food, the youth would not eat, but sat listlessly there.

(56) ômisi itêyihtam awa iskwêw: "kêhcinâ wîsakêyihtam nisîm," itêyihtam.

(56) The woman thought, “Surely my brother is in pain.”

(57) piyisk nîso-kîsikâw namôya nânitaw itohtêw awa oskinîkiw, tahki ê-kâmwâtapit.

(57) At last two days passed and the youth had not gone anywhere, but sat all the time inactive.

(58) kîtahtawê ômisi itêw awa iskwêw: "â nisîmis, ê-wîsakêyihtaman cî?" "kikaskêyihtamihin, êkâ ê-mîcisoyan," itêw.

(58) Then the woman asked him, “Brother, are you in pain? You make me sad, not eating,” she told him.

(59) "namôya," itwêw awa oskinîkiw.

(59) “No,” said the youth.

(60) êkosi namôya wîhtamawêw kêkway.

(60) Thus he did not tell her what it was.

(61) ê-wâpahk, mîna ê-waniskâcik, ê-kîsi-mîcisocik, "hâw, nimisê, ôma kâ-isinâkosiyân, kâ-isîhoyân, êkosi cita-isinâkosiw oskinîkiw;" "mîna otasâma êkosi ta-isinâkosiyiwa." "ôma kâ-âpihtâwi-kîsikâk, êkotê tita-ohtohtêw oskinîkiw." "ôta iskwâhtêmihk êkota kita-ahêw otasâma." "'hâw, niwîkimâkan, ê-pê-nâtitân!' kika-itik." "êkosi itiski, êkâya kitotâhkan." "ê-wî-pê-mawinêhot êwako awa oskinîkiw," itêw omisa; "niwî-mâcîn ôtê isi êkâ ê-pîsimowik; êkotê kâkikê kâ-isi-mâcîyân, êkotê nika-ohtohtân," itêw omisa; "kîspin kitotaci, nika-sâkôcihik; mâka êkâ kitotaci, êkosi nika-sâkôcihâw," itêw omisa; "kwayask âpihtâ-kîsikâki, êkospî kâ-wî-takohtêt," itêw omisa.

(61) The next morning, when they got up and had eaten, “Now then, my sister, even as I look, even as I am dressed, so a young man will look; even his snowshoes will look so. From the direction of noon that youth will come. Here by the door he will place his snowshoes. ‘Come, my wife, I have come to fetch you!’ he will say to you. When thus he speaks to you, do not address him. One who comes to challenge me is that youth,” he told his sister; “I shall hunt over here, in the direction where the sun never goes; from this direction, where always I do my hunting, from this direction I shall come,” he told his sister; “If you speak to him, he will defeat me; but if you do not speak to him, then I shall defeat him,” he told his sister. “Exactly at noon, that is when he will come,” he told his sister.

(62) êkosi ê-wawêyît, ê-mâcît.

(62) With that he went out of the lodge, on his hunt.

(63) êkwa awa iskwêw ômisi itêyihtam: "mâskôc kinwêsk ê-nîsiyâhk nisîmis, mâskôc awa êkwa ê-akâwâsit," itêyimêw osîma;⁶

ê-môhcôwit awa iskwêw, kâ-itêyimât osîma.

(63) Then the woman thought thus: “Perhaps because my brother and I so long have been alone together, perhaps now he has fallen in love with me,” she thought concerning her brother; because she was silly, she thought thus of her brother.

(64) êkosi aspin kâ-mâcîyit osîma. êkwa ê-kiskêyihtahk ê-wî-âpihtâ-kîsikâyik, pîhtokêw, ê-paminawasot awa iskwêw. ê-wî-mîcisot, mwêhci ê-kîsi-paminawasot, kîtahtawê kêkway pêhtam; âpihtâ-kîsikâhk itêhkê isi kâ-pêhtahk ê-pê-nikamoyit awiya. piyisk kisiwâk.

(64) So her brother was off hunting. When she knew that noon was at hand, she went indoors, and prepared her meal. As she was about to eat, just as she had done cooking, she heard something; in the direction of noon she heard someone who came a-singing. At last he came near.

(65) "êkosi mâna kâ-itihtâkosiyit nisîm otasâma," itêyihtam.

(65) “Even so my brother's snowshoes always sound,” she thought.

(66) kisiwâk ê-pê-ihtâyit, kîskowêyiwa. êkwa mosis êkwa pê-pimohtêyiwa. pêyakwanohk apiw. ôtê iskwâhtêmihk ê-pê-takohtêyit, otasâmiyiwa êkota âsosimêyiwa.⁷

ê-pê-pîhtokêyit, mitoni naspitawêyiwa osîma.

(66) When he had come near, he ceased from his song. And now he was in sight, walking hither. She sat still. When he came to the doorway, there he leaned upon his snowshoes. When he came inside, greatly he resembled her brother.

(67) "yâhki ay-apiw awa niwîkimâkan!" "ê-pê-nâtitân ôma!" kâ-itikot.

(67) “From of old my wife sits here! It is to fetch you I have come!” he told her.

(68) osîma ôhi kâ-isinâkwaniyiki otayiwinisiyiwa, êkosi isinâkwaniyiwa otayiwinisiyiwa. mîna ôma ostikwâniyiw êkosi isinâkwaniyiw. namôya kitotêw awa iskwêw.

(68) As looked those clothes of her brother's, so looked this person's clothes. His head, too, looked exactly so. The woman did not speak to him.

(69) âsay mîna, "wawêyî! ê-pê-nâtitân ôma! ê-wî-wîkimitân!" kâ-itwêyit.

(69) Again, “Get ready! It is to fetch you I have come!” he said to her.

(70) ômisi itwêw awa iskwêw: "namôya êkosi ê-itêyihtamân, kâ-wî-kakwê-ohpikihitân, nisîmis!" itwêw awa iskwêw.

(70) Thus spoke the woman: “It was not with the like of this in mind that I did my best to bring you up, my brother!” she said.

(71) êkosi kâ-ati-pasikôt awa nâpêw.

(71) At that the man rose to his feet.

(72) "hâw, kê-wâpahk âpihtâ-kîsikâki, nika-takosinin, ta-pê-mawinêhwak nîci-mîkisistikwân," kâ-itwêyit; "cikêmâ ani ita awiyak nama nikitotik," kâ-itwêyit, ê-ati-wayawiyit, ê-ati-otinâyit otasâmiyiwa, êkosi ê-ati-pa-postasâmêyit. mayaw ê-ati-sipwêhtêyit, kâ-ati-nikamoyit asâma. mistahi mihtâtam awa iskwêw ôhi ê-kitotât nâpêwa, âta ê-kî-wîhtamâkot osîma. pôti âpihtaw ê-otâkosik kâ-pêhtawât nâtakâm ohci ê-pê-nikamoyit asâma. êkoni êkwa osîma, mâka mîna ê-âpohtêyit. mâka mîna otasâmiyiwa ê-têhciwêpinâyit, kâ-kitoyit asâma. ê-pê-pîhtokêyit, mistahi mihtâtam ê-kî-kitotât ôhi nâpêwa. ê-kî-nahapiyit osîma, asamêw. êkwa ê-mîcisoyit, wiya atoskâtam ôhi wiyâsa kâ-pêtâyit osîma, ê-âh-akotât wayawîtimihk. iyikohk ê-kîsi-atoskêt, ê-pîhtokêt, êkwa nahastâw otoyâkaniyiwa, âsay ê-kîsi-mîcisoyit.

(72) “Very well, tomorrow at noon I shall come to challenge my fellow Wampum-Head,” he said; “Seeing that everywhere else no one ever speaks to me,” he said, and went out of the lodge, taking his snowshoes as he went, and putting them on. As soon as he started away, the snow-shoes began to sing. Very sorry was the woman that she had spoken to this man in spite of her brother's instruction. Then, in the middle of the afternoon she heard snowshoes come singing from the north. It was her brother, bringing, as always, a treat of game. When he threw his snowshoes, as always, on the wood, the snowshoes gave a call. As he came into the lodge, deeply she regretted that she had spoken to that man. When her brother had sat down, she gave him his meal. While he ate, she worked at the meats which he had brought, hanging them out of doors. When she had finished her work, she went indoors and put away her brother's dishes, for he had done eating.

(73) "nimisê, tâpwê kikitimahin, kâ-kitotat ana nâpêw," itwêyiwa; "namôya ana ê-wî-wîkimisk," itik; "hâw, takohtêci, wâpahki, pê-mawinêhoci, ôta nika-ôh-kotâwaskamikîn;" "wiya mîna êkosi ta-tôtam." "pîhtokêci, wî-mawinêhoci, 'kiya nîkân!' nika-itâw ani." "tâpwêhtawici, êkota ta-ôh-kotâwaskamikîw;" "ômê ôta kâ-apiyân, êkota cita-ôh-sâkiskwêw." "êkosi nika-kîskikwêwêpahwâw." "ostikwân ohpimê ta-pahkihtin." "otinamôhkan anima ostikwân." "êkosi ôma miyaw ôma nika-miciminên." "mâka, êkâ otinamani ôma mistikwân, kâwi ta-tâpiskopayiyiw ostikwân." "êkosi nika-sâkôcihik." "hâ, êkosi, nimisê!"

(73) “Sister, truly, you have brought me to an evil pass by speaking to that man,” he said; “His purpose is not to marry you,” he told her; “Now then, when tomorrow he comes to challenge me, at this spot I shall sink into the ground; he, in turn, will do the same. When he comes into the lodge to challenge me, ‘You first!’ I shall say to him. If he complies, there he will sink into the ground; and right here where I sit he will stick out his head from the ground. At that I shall slash off his head. He head will fall to one side. Do you then take his head. I shall hold fast to the body. But, if you do not take the head, his head will fly back into place. In this way he will overcome me. There, that is the way of it, sister!”

(74) â, sêkisiw awa iskwêw.

(74) Oh, that woman was frightened.

(75) "piyisk niya mîna êkosi nika-tôtên, ta-kotâwaskamikîyân." "nîsta êkosi nika-tôtâk." "êkosi sêmâk tita-otinam nistikwân, ta-ati-wayawîhtatât." "kîspin êkosi ispayiki, sâkôcihici, itê kâ-pahkisimohk, êkotê tita-ohtohtêw nâpêw." "kahkiyaw otayiwinisa ta-mihkwahikâtêyiwa." "êwako ana ê-wî-pê-nâtisk, ê-wî-wîkimisk." "tâpwêhtawâhkan êwako, ê-miywâtisit," itik osîma awa iskwêw; "hâh, êkosi, nimisê!"

(75) “Then I, too, shall do the same, I shall sink into the ground. He will do the same thing to me. Then at once he will take my head with him out of the lodge. If this happens, if he defeats me, then from the direction of the setting sun will come a man. All his garments will be made of red. He will come to fetch you; he will marry you. Give credence to him, for he is good,” her brother told her; “there, that is the way of it, my sister!”

(76) piyis êkosi tipiskâyiw. piyis kawisimôwak. ê-wâpahk, ê-kî-waniskât, êkwa ê-kî-mîcisocik, mitoni nânapâcihôw awa oskinîkiw, ê-wawêsit. piyisk kêkâc âpihtâ-kîsikâyik, namôya kêkway atoskâtam awa iskwêw, ê-kaskêyihtahk; ôma osîma, "mâskôc nika-sâkôcihik," kâ-itwêyit, êwako tahki ê-mâ-mitonêyihtah. piyisk âpihtâ-kîsikâyiw, âsay kâ-pêtwêwitamiyit, ê-pê-nikamoyit asâma.

(76) At last night came. At last they went to bed. In the morning, when he got up and when they had eaten, the youth made a careful toilet and put on his finery. It was almost noon, but the woman did not work at anything, for she was unhappy; she brooded without cease on her brother's words, “Perhaps he will defeat me.” At last it was noon, and already that person came noising it, snowshoes a-singing.

(77) "hêh," itêyihtam, "mitoni êcika ôma ê-kakêpâtisiyân,‘ nisîm êtokê,’ kâ-kî-itêyihtamân!" itêyihtam.

(77) “Alas,” she thought, “It is plain that I was most stupid to think, ‘Perhaps it is my brother!’” she thought.

(78) ôta ê-pê-takohtêyit oskinîkiw, ôta iskwâhtêmihk âsosimêyiwa otasâmiyiwa.

(78) When the youth arrived there, he leaned up his snowshoes in the doorway.

(79) ê-pê-pîhtokêyit, "yah, nîci-mîkisistikwân, ê-pê-mawinêhotân!" kâ-itwêyit.

(79) When he came into the lodge, “Ha, my fellow Wampum-Head, I have come to challenge you!” he said.

(80) "ahaq!" itwêyiwa osîma.

(80) “Yes!” spoke her brother.

(81) ê-kitâpamât, tâpiskôc pêyak ayîsiyiniw êkosi isinâkosiyiwa.

(81) When she looked at them, they looked like one and the same person.

(82) "hâ, kiya nîkân, nîci-mîkisistikwân!" itimâwa osîma.

(82) “Ha, you first, my fellow Wampum-Head!” her brother was told.

(83) "âh! namôya! kiya nîkân! kiya kipê-mêtawân," itwêyiwa osîma.

(83) “Ha! No! You first! It is you have come to play,” said her brother.

(84) "êha!"

(84) “Very well!”

(85) kitâpamêw. ita ê-apiyit, êkota wêh-kotâwaskamikîyit, osîma itahk ê-ohtiskawapiyit, êkota wêh-sâkiskwêyit, osîma omôhkomâniyiw ohci kîskikwêwêpahwêyiwa. itê kâ-apit awa iskwêw, êkota pahkihtin ôma ostikwân. otami-tapasîw awa iskwêw; namôya otinam. ôma ostikwân kâwi êkota tâpiskopayiyiw. êkosi pimâtisiyiwa. pê-wayawiyiwa; kâwi êkotê nahapiyiwa.

(85) She watched him. There where he sat, there he sank into the earth, and there in front of her brother as he sat, there he came sticking out his head, and her brother with his knife slashed through the other's neck. Toward where the woman sat fell that head of his. She was taken up with fright; she did not seize it. That head of his went back into place. Thereupon he was alive. He emerged from the earth; he sat down again in his place.

(86) "hâw, kiyaskoc mâka!" kâ-itimiht osîma.

(86) “There, but now it is your turn!” her brother was told.

(87) wawêyîyiwa; ita kâ-apiyit osîma, êkota wêh-kotâwaskamikîyit osîma. nêhi kâ-pê-mêtawêyit ita kâ-isi-ohtiskawapiyit, êkota kâ-sâkiskwêt osîma. ê-kîskikwêwêpahomiht osîma, itê ê-pahkihtiniyik otinam awa oskinîkiw, ê-ati-wayawît.

(87) He made ready, from where her brother sat, he sank into the earth. In front of where he sat who had come to play, there her brother stuck out his head from under the earth. When her brother's head had been slashed off, that youth took it from where it fell, and started out of the lodge.

(88) "ita nâha awiyak kî-ôh-sâkôcihit!" itwêyiwa, ê-ati-sipwêhtêyit, ê-sipwêhtatâyit ôho mistikwân.

(88) “There is the one who, of all anywhere, could defeat me!” he said, as he started to go away, taking with him that head.

(89) êkwa ma-mawimôw, ê-mâtot, osîma ostikwâniyiw ê-sipwêhtatâwiht. otinam osîma wiyawiyiw, ê-astât ohtapiwiniyihk. namôya nipiw, ê-âta-sipwêhtatâwiht ostikwân. yêhyêyiwa, ê-pa-pimisiniyit ohtapiwiniyihk. êkwa tahki ê-mâtot awa iskwêw, piyisk kinwêsk êkota ayâw, tahki ê-yêhyêyit osîma; mâka nama kêkway ostikwân.

(89) Then she lamented, weeping, because her brother's head was taken away. She took up her brother's body, and placed it upon his settee. He did not die, even though his head had been taken away. He breathed, as he lay there, on his couch. Then, weeping without respite, at last a long time that woman stayed there, her brother all the while breathing; but he had no head.

(90) êkosi kîtahtawê kâ-takohtêyit nâpêw, pahkisimôtâhk ê-ohtohtêyit.

(90) Then, at one time, there arrived a man who came from the region of the setting sun.

(91) ê-pîhtokêyit, tâpwê piko ohtapiwinihk nahapiyiwa, "ê-pê-nâtitân; ê-wî-wîkimitân," ê-itikot.

(91) When he came into the lodge, really, he sat down directly upon her couch, saying to her, “I have come to fetch you; I mean to marry you.”

(92) sêmâk nisitawêyimêw êwakoni kâ-kî-itikot osîma.

(92) At once she recognized him as the one of whom her brother had told her.

(93) "êha," itêw; "pita ka-mîcisonânaw," itêw.

(93) “Yes,” she said to him; “But first let us eat,” she said to him.

(94) tâpwê paminawasôw. ê-kîsi-paminawasot, êkwa mîcisôwak.

(94) Accordingly she cooked a meal. When she had prepared her meal, they ate.

(95) ê-kîsi-mîcisocik, "hâw, wawêyî êkwa," itik.

(95) When they had eaten, “Come, make ready now,” he told her.

(96) êkosi wawêyîw.

(96) So she made herself ready.

(97) "cêskwa pita," itêw; "pita nika-pônên, êkâ tita-âhkwacit nisîm," itwêw awa iskwêw, ê-wayawît, nêwo ê-otinât yôskihtakwa, êwakoni ê-pônât.

(97) “Wait a bit,” she said to him; “First I must put fuel on the fire, that my brother may not freeze,” said the woman, and went out of the lodge; she took four sticks of crumbling wood and put them on the fire.

(98) "haw," itwêw, ê-pakitinât, "êkâya wîhkâc âstawî!- hâw, êkosi!"

(98) “There,” she said, as she set them down, “Never go out! Well, I am ready!”

(99) wayawîw. kahkiyaw pîhcâyihk ôma wîkiwâw kâ-astêki nakatam awa iskwêw, ê-sipwêhtêcik, ê-kîwêhtahikot. êkosi nêtê, kêkâc ê-tipiskâk, takosin wîkiwâhk awa nâpêw. pôti misâyiw wîki awa nâpêw, kahkiyaw ê-mihkwahikâtêyik.

(99) She went out. The woman left behind in their lodge all the things that were there, and they departed, that man taking her with him in his home. Accordingly, over yonder, at nightfall, that man arrived at their dwelling. She saw that his lodge was a large one and that it had been made entirely red.

(100) "âh, êkota ayâ êkwa!"

(100) “Now dwell here!”

(101) tâpwê miywêyihtam awa iskwêw ê-wîcêwât nâpêwa. mistahi kakâyawisiw awa nâpêw, pisisik ê-mâcît, awa mîna iskwêw kahkiyaw kêkway ê-osîhtât. piyis kinwêsk ê-wîcêhtocik, kîtahtawê kiskêyihtam awa iskwêw ê-wî-ayâwât awâsisa, piyisk ê-misikitit. êkoyikohk awa nâpêw kiskêyihtam.

(101) Truly, the woman was glad to be with the man. The man was very industrious, hunting all the time, and the woman, too, made all manner of things. At last, when they had been married for a long time, she knew that she was going to have a child; [no translation] Then the man knew it.

(102) "hâw, namôya nika-mâcîn," itwêw; "osâm mistahi kika-atoskân." "êkwa awâsis ê-wî-ayâwat, namôya ninitawêyihtên ta-atoskêyan." "mâskôc wî-ohpikici awa awâsis kâ-wî-ayâwâyahk," itêw.⁸

(102) “Very well, I shall not hunt,” he said, “You would be working too much. Now that you are going to have a child, I do not want you to work. Perhaps the child we are to have will grow up,” he told her.

(103) "êha," itêw awa iskwêw.

(103) “Yes,” the woman answered him.

(104) tâpwê namôya mistahi ôh-atoskêw, êkâ ta-misiwanâcihât ôhi awâsisa. piyisk kîtahtawê êkwa âhkosiw awa iskwêw, ê-wî-wâpamât awâsisa. tâpwê piyisk otawâsimisiw, pôti nâpêsisa.

(104) Accordingly, from that time on she did not work much, so as not to injure that child. Then in time the woman fell ill, as she was about to see her child. Then, finally, she bore her child, and it turned out to be a boy.

(105) kîtahtawê, "tâpiskôc kotak," itêyihtam.

(105) Presently, “It seems as if there were another,” she thought.

(106) "miyâmay mîna pêyak," itêw onâpêma.

(106) “Surely there is one more,” she told her husband.

(107) tâpwê mîna êwakoni wâpamêwak. mîna êwako nâpêsis. nîsôtêwak ayâwêwak. miywêyihtam awa nâpêw, mîna awa iskwêw. êkwa nama wîhkâc mâcîw awa nâpêw, pâh-pêyak ê-pamihâcik ocawâsimisiwâwa. piyisk kinwês ita ê-ayâcik, piyisk misikitisiwak awâsisak ôki. êkwa ê-pimohtêcik awâsisak ôki, otôskwanisiwâhk môhkomâna sâkikiniyiwa ôki nâpêsisak. mitoni mâmaskâtamwak otawâsimisiwâwa ê-môhkomânitôskwanêyit. kiyipa misikitiwak. êkwa atoskêwak, awa nâpêw ê-mâh-mâcît. awa mîna iskwêw atoskêw êkwa. êkwa ôki awâsisak pisisik ma-mêtawêwak, acosisa ê-ayâcik, ê-ohci-mêtawêcik. kîtahtawê mâna namôya wâpamêw awa iskwêw ocawâsimisa kâ-kapê-kîsik. iyikohk wêtâkosiniyiki, êkoyikohk takohtêyiwa ocawâsimisa.

(107) Really, they saw this one, too. This one, too, was a boy. They had twins. The man was glad, and the woman too. Then the man never hunted, each of them taking care of one of their children. At last, when they had been there a long time, those children grew bigger. Then, when those children had begun to walk, knives grew forth from the elbows of those boys. They wondered greatly at their children's having knife-elbows. Quickly they grew up. Then they worked, as the man hunted. The woman, too, now worked. And those children always played, having arrows with which to play. Then, in time, the woman would not see her children all day. Only just before evening the children would come home.

(108) kîtahtawê, "ka-wanisininâwâw!" itêw ocawâsimisa.

(108) Presently, “You will get lost!” she told her children.

(109) piyisk misikitiwak ôki nâpêsisak. kîtahtawê mâka mîna ê-îkatêhtêyit, ê-âkawêwêyit, wî-kakwê-wâpamêw awa iskwêw okosisa.

(109) At last those boys grew to full size. Then at one time, when in their usual way they had walked off and out of sight, the woman decided to try to observe her sons.

(110) ômisi kâ-itwêyit: "hâh, nisîmis! mahti mîna nitawâpamâtân kisisinaw!" kâ-itwêyit.

(110) One of them said, “Come, younger brother! Let us go again to see our uncle!”

(111) êkoyikohk kâ-kiskisit osîma, aspin kâ-kî-kîskikwêwêpahomiht. ê-pimohtahkwêyit, aspin wîpisisiyihk kî-ati-nîpawiyiwa. êkosi isi kîwêw. namôya êkwa wî-atoskêw, ê-ay-apit, ê-mâ-mitonêyihtah aspin ê-kitimahimiht osîma. iyikohk ê-wî-tipiskâyik, kâ-takohtêyit okosisa.

(111) At last she remembered her brother, who had had his head cut off the last she had seen of him. Her sons shot arrows, and off they sailed, standing on their arrows. Thereupon she went home. She did not care now to work, but sat there, thinking of how her brother had been undone when last she had seen him. Not until nightfall did her sons come home.

(112) "kêkway ôma mâna ê-nâtamêk, kâ-kapê-kîsik êkâ kâ-takosiniyêk?"

(112) “What is it you always go after, when all day you do not come home?”

(113) mâka kiskêyimik ê-kitâpamât okosisa, aspin kâ-sipwêhtêyit, kâ-ati-nîpawiyit wîpisisiyihk.

(113) But her sons knew that she had observed them as they went off standing on their arrows.

(114) ômisi itik: "nêkâ, ôtê ôma mâna ê-itohtêyâhk, pêyak mîkiwâhp ê-ayâk, ayîsiyiniw ê-pêyakot, êkâ ê-ostikwânit, êkwa ana mâna ê-nitawâpamâyâhk, êkâ ôma kâ-apiyâhk," itik.

(114) Thus they answered her: “Mother, because we always go off there, to where there is a solitary lodge, where one man stays alone, who has no head because we visit him, that is why, as you say, we do not stay at home,” they told her.

(115) mâtôw awa iskwêw.

(115) She wept.

(116) iyikohk ê-pôni-mâtot, ômisi itêw: "nicawâsimisitik, kisisiwâw ana; nisîmis ana;" "mistahi ana ê-kî-miyosit, ê-kî-mîkisiwiyik ostikwân, mâka ê-kî-mawinêhokot wîci-mîkisistikwâna, aspin ê-kî-sipwêhtatâyit ostikwân." "kêyâpic cî yêhyêw?"⁹

(116) When she stopped weeping, she said to them, “My children, he is your mother's brother; he is my younger brother; he was very handsome, and beaded was his head, but his fellow Wampum-Head challenged him to a contest and carried off his head. Is he still breathing!”

(117) "êha; kêyâpic yêhyêw," itik okosisa.

(117) “Yes; he still breathes,” her sons told her.

(118) ômisi itwêw awa osîmimâs: "nistêsê, êwako êcika anima ôtê ôtênaw kâ-ayâk, ana pîhtêyask kâ-wîkit, êwako êcika anima ispimihk kâ-akotêk, ita kâhkâkiw kâ-akosît," itwêw awa osîmimâs: "hâ, kê-wâpahk mîna ka-nitawâpamânaw kisisinaw," itwêw awa osîmimâs.

(118) The younger brother spoke as follows: “Elder brother, plainly it appears that it is none other than that which, in the town over there, hangs aloft over the dwelling of him who lives in the centre, there where the raven sits aloft,” said the younger brother; “Come, tomorrow let us again visit our uncle,” said the younger lad.

(119) "ahaq."

(119) “Very well.”

(120) tâpwê ê-otâkosik, takosin awa nâpêw, ê-kî-mâcît. owîkimâkana ka-kâmwâtapiyiwa.

(120) At nightfall that man arrived from his hunt. His wife was sitting and brooding.

(121) "tânêhki, niwîkimâkan?" itêw.

(121) What is the matter, my wife?” he asked her.

(122) "nâ, ôki ôki kicawâsimisinawak kâ-kapê-kîsik êkâ kâ-apicik, kâ-ititân mâna, êsa ôki osisiwâwa ê-mâna-itohtêcik, êwakoni ê-âcimostawicik, kâ-ôh-kâmwâtapiyân," itwêyiwa.

(122) “Dear me, when these children of ours, as I always am telling you, stay out all day, it seems that they always go to where their uncle is, and now they have told me it, and that is why I sit and grieve,” she said.

(122a) êkosi tâpwê ê-tipiskâyik, ê-nipâcik, ê-wâpahk, kîkisêpâ âsay mîna sipwêhtêyiwa ocawâsimisiwâwa. êkwa namôya wî-kitahamawêw awa iskwêw otawâsimisa.

(122a) Then, when night came, and they had slept, then in the morning early, again their children went off. And now the woman did not care to stop her children.

(123) ê-nitawâpamâcik ôki awâsisak osisiwâwa, êkotê ê-takohtêcik, ê-kî-pônahkik, ômisi itwêw awa ostêsimâs: "hâ, nisîmis, mahti niya nîkân nika-kakwê-nâtên kisisinaw ostikwân," itêw.

(123) When those children went to see their uncle, and had come there and built up the fire, the elder boy said, “Now, younger brother, let me first try to get our uncle's head.”

(124) "êha."

(124) “Very well.”

(125) "hâ, nisîmis, kîspin pêtâyâni, kakwê-waniskâpitâhkan kisisinaw," itêw.

(125) “Well then, brother, if I come bringing it, try to pull our uncle to his feet,” he told him.

(126) "ahaq."

(126) “Yes.”

(127) êkosi ê-ati-wayawît awa oscêsimâs, êkota iskwâhtêmihk ê-ayât, "hâw, oskac ê-kî-itêyihtamân tita-omîcaskosîsiwiyân!"

(127) Then, as the elder brother was going out of the lodge, as he stood in the doorway, “Now, at the very first I did think that I should be a swallow!”

(128) tâpwê ohpihâw, ê-pimihât êkotê kâ-kî-wâpahtahk osisa ostikwâniyiw.¹⁰

êkotê ê-takohtêt, cîki mwêhci ê-ihtât, kâ-kitoyit ôhi kâhkâkiwa.

(128) Really, he rose into the air and flew to where he had seen his uncle'e head. When he got there, just as he was near, that raven croaked.

(129) êkosi awa kâ-mîkisistikwânêt wayawîw, ê-têpwêt, "kiwî-maskamikawinânaw nikâhkwâskwahikan!" ê-itwêt.

(129) At that the wampum-headed one came out of the lodge, and hallooed, crying, “Someone is trying to rob us of my lodge-emblem!”

(130) êkosi tapasîw awa omîtaskosîs, êkwa ê-nawaswâtiht, ê-kîwê-mâkohiht, ayis atimihci ta-nipahiht. êkosi piyisk takosin osîmisa ita kâ-ayâyit. êkosi pônihâw.

(130) Then that swallow fled, and was pursued and close pressed on his way home, for if he were overtaken, he would be killed. At last he arrived where his younger brother was. Then he was left alone.

(132) êkwa awa osîmimâs ômisi itêw: "tânisi tiyôtaman?" itêw ostêsa.

(132) Then the younger lad spoke to him; “How did you fare?” he asked his elder brother.

(133) "hâ, mayaw cîki ê-ayâyân, âsay kitôw ana kâhkâkiw; nimôsihikawin."

(133) “Ho, just as I got close, that raven croaked; my coming was perceived.”

(134) "kah! â, mahti niya!" itwêw awa osîmimâs.

(134) “Well! Now, let me try!” said the younger lad.

(135) êkwa awa osîmimâs wayawîw.

(135) Then the younger brother went out of the lodge.

(136) "hâw, oskac ê-kî-itêyihtamân ta-kêhkêhkowiyân!" itwêw.

(136) “Now, at the very first I did think that I should be a hawk!” he said.

(137) tâpwê kêhkêhkôwiw; ohpihâw, ê-ispihât. êkotê ê-takosihk, ispimihk ohci môskîstawêw ôhi kâhkâkiwa. kâhkâkiw awa ispî ê-wâpamât, namôya wî-kitôw, ê-kostât kêhkêhkwa. ôma ostikwân manipitam awa kêhkêhk, êkosi ê-tapasît. iyikohk wâhyaw ê-ihtât, êkoyikohk kitoyiwa. iyâta-wayawîpahtât awa, âsay wâhyaw kî-atimihâyiwa.

(137) So he turned into a hawk; he rose into the air, flying high. When he came to that place, from on high he attacked the raven. When the raven saw him, it would not croak, for it feared the hawk. The hawk snatched that head and made off in flight. Not until he was far on his way did the raven croak. Though that person came running forth from the lodge, by this time the other had flown far off on his course.

(138) "êhêhê!" itwêw; "nawaswêk, nawaswêk! kimaskamikawinânaw nôstikwânim!" itwêw.

(138) “Alas!” he cried; “Go in pursuit! We have been robbed of my head!” he cried.

(139) nanâtohk itôwiwiwak, ê-nawaswêcik. mîhkawikiw kêhkêhk; nakatêw kahkiyaw ôhi kâ-pimihâyit.

(139) They turned into all manner of creatures, as they went in pursuit. The hawk was swift; he left behind all that fly in the air.

(140) cîki ê-ihtât, ômisi itwêw: "nistêsê, yôhtêwêpina! kakwê-waniskâpis kisisinaw!" itêw.

(140) When he came near, he cried, “Brother, open the door! Try to pull our uncle to his feet!” he told him.

(141) tâpwê ê-yôhtêwêpinahk, êkwa ôhi ê-wî-kakwê-waniskânât, êkoyikohk kisiwâk êkwa ayâw.

(141) When, accordingly, the other threw open the door and made ready to pull him to his feet, by that time he was close by.

(142) "êwakwê, nistêsê! sinikohkitonêpis!" itêw.

(142) “Here it comes, brother! Rub his mouth!” he told him.

(143) tâpwê tâpiskopayiw ôma ostikwân, êkwa awa ostêsimâs ê-sinikohkitonênât. êkosi pimâtisiw. kâ-nawaswêcik ôki kahkiyaw kîwêwak. miywêyihtamwak ôki nâpêsisak ê-pimâtisiyit osisiwâwa.

(143) Truly, that head flew into place, and the elder lad rubbed his mouth. So he came to life. All those who had given chase went back. Those boys rejoiced that their uncle had come to life.

(144) "haw, kîwêtân êkwa! kîwêhtahâtân kisisinaw!"

(144) “Now then, let us go home! Let us take our uncle home!”

(145) â, wayawîwak. wîpisisa êkwa otastotina, êwakoni piko otinam awa kâ-mîkisiwiyik ostikwân, êkosi ê-wayawîcik.

(145) They stepped out of the lodge. His arrows and his head-dress, only these he took whose head was beaded, as they stepped forth from the lodge.

(146) "â, nisîmis, niya nika-pimiwihâw kisisinaw."

(146) “Now, younger brother, let me be the one to take our uncle.”

(147) "êha."

(147) “Very well.”

(148) hâ, ê-pimotahkwêt, "hâw, nisis, ôta nika-ati-nîpawinân." "kâ-wîkiyâhk âstamita kâ-sakâk, êkota nika-pahkisininân."

(148) Then, shooting an arrow, “Come, uncle, on this we others shall stand as we go. In the grove this side of where we live, there we shall come to earth.”

(149) tâpwê pimi-nîsokâpawiwak wîpisisihk. ê-otâkosik, êkota pahkisinwak, êkota ohci ê-pimohtêcik. awa iskwêw wayawîtimihk ê-atoskêt, kîtahtawê kâ-pê-sâkêwêyit osîma êkwa otawâsimisa, âyîtaw ê-pê-pimohtêcik ôki awâsisak osisiwâwa.

(149) Truly they went along, two of them standing on his arrow. Toward evening they came to earth there, and from that point walked on. As that woman was at work out of doors, presently she beheld coming forth her brother and her children, the children walking at either side of their uncle.

(150) sêmâk awa iskwêw, "hây hây! nisîmis pimâtisiw!" itêw, ê-takohtêyit, ê-atamiskawât, êkwa ê-pîhtokêcik, ê-ati-kîsitêpot awa iskwêw. kîtahtawê kâ-pîhtokêyit owîkimâkana.

(150) At once that woman said to him, “Goodness! My brother is alive!” and went to welcome him, and they went indoors and she set about preparing a feast. Presently her husband came in.

(151) "hay hay hay!" itêw; "tâpwê âyimâc niwâpamâw nîstâw!" itwêw awa nâpêw.

(151) “Splendid, splendid!” he said to him; “Truly, after long delay I see my wife's brother!” said that man.

(152) êkosi êkota ayâwak. pisisik ê-mêtawâkêcik osisiwâwa, namôya êkwa wîhkâc konita itê itohtêwak ôki awâsisak, osisiwâwa ê-wîci-mêtawêmâcik pîhcâyihk.

(152) So they stayed there. Those children did nothing but play with their uncle, and now never went off anywhere, but played with their uncle indoors.

(153) "êkâ tôtâhk kisisiwâw! mistahi kimêtawâkânâwâw!" ê-itât awa iskwêw ocawâsimisa, "hâ, namôya!" itwêw awa oskinîkiw; "kiyâm nika-mêtawâkâtikwak nitihkwatimak; êwakonik kâ-ôh-pimâtisiyân," itêw omisa.

(153) “Do not thus with your uncle! You treat him too much as your play-fellow!” said the woman to her children, but, “No!” said that youth; “Let my nephews treat me as their comrade at play; it is to them I owe my life,” he told his sister.

(154) êkosi piyisk kinwêsk ayâwak. awa nâpêw pisisik mâcîw. kîtahtawê namôya takosin. ê-wâpahk, êkâ ê-takosihk, "mahti, nitihkwatimitik, nika-nitonawâw kôhtâwiyiwâw," itêw.

(154) So at last they were there a long time. That man was always hunting. Then at one time he did not come home. When he had not arrived by the next morning, “Now, my nephews, I shall look for your father,” he told them.

(155) "ahaq."

(155) “Very well.”

(156) tâpwê nitonawêw. ita ê-mâtâhât mitihtêw; pôti êsa kâ-mâtâhâyit môswa; êwakoni mitihtêyiwa wîstâwa. pôti wâpahtam ê-osêtinayik, ê-pasahcâyik êkota, môhkiciwanipêk ê-ayâyik. êkota êsa kâ-kî-itohtêyit wîstâwa. ê-otihtahk, ita ohci kâ-wayawîciwaniyik, kâ-pê-sâkiskwêyit misi-kinêpikwa, ê-tâwatiyit, ê-otatâmikot, ê-misiwêpayihikot. awîna ôhi, êkotê kî-apiyiwa wîstâwa, namôya ê-nipiyit. wîsta namôya nipiw. wîtapimêw wîstâwa, piyis êtokê ê-tipiskâyik.

(156) So he sought him. Where he came upon his trail, he tracked him; it appeared he had come upon the trail of a moose; this moose his brother-in-law had tracked. At last he saw a hill over a ravine in which was a spring of water. To that place it seemed that his brother-in-law had gone. When he came to it, then from where the spring flowed forth, a Great Serpent thrust out its head with gaping jaws, and drew him in and swallowed him bodily. Whom did he see but his brother-in-law sitting there, alive. He, too, did not die. He sat with his brother-in-law, until it must have been night.

(157) ê-wâpaniyik, êkâ ê-takosihk, ôhi nîsôtêwak, awa ostêsimâs, "mahti nika-nitonawâw kisisinaw!"

(157) When he did not come home by next morning, of those twins the elder, “Let me go look for our uncle!”

(158) "awahê, nistêsê!" itwêw awa osîmimâs.

(158) “Be on your guard, my brohter!” said the younger lad.

(159) êkosi sipwêhtêw awa oscêsimâs. pôti ita êsa kâ-ati-mitihtâyit môswa, êkota ati-ay-itohtêw. piyisk otihtam ôma môhkiciwanipêk. cîki ê-ihtât, kâ-pê-sâkiskwêyit misi-kinêpikwa, ê-tâwatiyit, ê-otatâmikot. ê-papêtikopayihot, ôhi otôskwanihk môhkomâna kâ-sâkikiniyiki, "êwakoni nika-ôh-mâtiswâw," ê-itêyihtahk, naspâc isiwêpinam ôhi, ê-misiwêpayihiht. pôti ôhi osisa kî-apiyiwa, êkwa ôhtâwiya.

(159) Accordingly the elder brother set out. There where it appeared that his father had trailed the moose, there he walked on. At last he came to that spring. When he came near, the Great Serpent thrust forth its head, gaping, and sucked him in. When he doubled himself up, thinking of the knives that grew forth from his elbows, “With these I shall cut him to pieces,” he swung them awkwardly, and was swallowed whole. There sat his uncle and his father.

(160) êkosi mîna tipiskâyiw. ê-wâpahk, awa êkwa osîmimâs kâ-sipwêhtêt, ê-nitonawât ostêsa. pôti êsa kâ-mitihtât môswa. wîsta mitihtêw. môhkiciwanipêk ê-otihtahk, cîki ê-ayât, ôma ita kâ-ôh-pê-sâkiskwêyit misi-kinêpikwa, mâka mîna pê-sâkiskwêyiwa.

(160) Thus came another night. In the morning the younger brother set out to look for his elder brother. He came to where it appeared that he had trailed a moose. He too trailed it. When he came to the spring, as he got near to where the Great Serpent had thrust forth its head, again it thrust out its head.

(161) "êwakoni kâ-misiwanâcihikocik," itêyihtam.

(161) “This is the one who destroyed them,” he thought.

(162) ê-tâwatiyit, ê-wî-otatâmikot, pêyakwanohk nîpawiw. iyâta-tâwatiyici, namôya kî-ispayiw.

(162) As it opened wide its jaws to draw him in, he stood still in place. No matter how much it opened its jaws, it could not make him come that way.

(163) "sôhki, misi-kinêpik! tâwati! pê-wayawî!" itêw.

(163) “Courage, Great Serpent! Open your jaws! Come out a bit farther!” he said to it.

(164) iyâta-itwêyici, ê-wî-otatâmikot, namôya kaskihik. tahki ayiwâkês ê-pê-wayawiyit, "sôhki!" ê-itât, sôhki ê-tâwatiyit, papêtikopayihôw, ômisi isi âyîtaw ê-isiwêpinahk otôskwana. mitoni tâskiswêw ôhi misi-kinêpikwa. awîna ôhi, ostêsa osisa ôhtâwiya êkota ohci pê-wayawiyiwa. nipahêw ayisk ôhi; êkosi kîwêhtahêw. kîwêwak; ê-tipiskâyik takosinwak wîkiwâhk.

(164) Though he continued to encourage it to draw him in, it could not get hold of him. It kept coming out farther and farther, and he said to it, “Courage!” and it stretched its jaws as far as it could; he doubled himself up and swung his elbows out at both sides, like this. He cut the Great Serpent all to strips. Whom did he see but his brother, his uncle and his father, coming out from there! For he had slain that creature; so now he brought them home. They went home; at nightfall they arrived at their dwelling.

(165) êkwa ê-wâpahk, ômisi itwêw osîmimâs awa: "hâw, osâm kimôhcôwin, nistêsê." "namôya êsa ani kimanitôwin; pisisik kisâkôcihikawin." "nicawâc ê-itêyihtamân niya kika-ititinâwâw."

(165) Then, the next morning, thus spoke that younger lad: “Now then, you are too foolish, my elder brother. It seems that you have no manitou power; you are always being defeated. It will be better if I tell you what I have planned.”

(166) "ahaq."

(166) “Very well.”

(167) "hâw, nôhtâ, kiyawâw nikâwiy: cêskwa ayîsiyiniwak tita-ihtâwak;" "nîkân ôtê wacîhk kika-ayânâwâw;" "ka-misikitinâwâw;" "okiniyak ka-isiyîhkâsonâwâw," itêw ôhtâwiya êkwa okâwiya, "osâm ê-miyo-pimâtisiyêk" "êkwa kiya, nisisê, ôtê ê-pahkisimohk, êkotê kika-otaskîn." "'ê-mîkisistikwânêt ayîsiyiniw nikitimâkêyimik,' tita-itwêw ayîsiyiniw;" "ê-nipât, kika-wâpamik, nisisê" "êkwa niyanân: ôta nîkânês isi tita-apisîsisiwak acâhkosak; câh-cîki tita-ayâwak;" "nika-êkotôwiwinân niyanân nistês," itêw; "hâh, êkosi, niyâk!"

(167) “Well then, my father, as for you and my mother: soon there will be mortal men; in future time you will stay on the hills; you will be tall; thorn-trees you will be called,” he told his father and his mother, “because you are good beings. And you, my uncle, over here in the place of the setting sun, there you will have your habitation. ‘The man with the beaded head has taken pity on me,’ a man will say; in his sleep he will see you, my uncle. And as for us: here, a little ways ahead there will be small stars; they will be near to each other; such will we be, my elder brother and I,” he said to them; “There, that is the way of it; be off!”

(168) êkosi ôki sipwêhtêwak. waciy ê-otihtahkik awa owîkimâkana, kawipayihôwak; okinîwiwak. êkwa ôki nâpêsisak ispimihk itohtêwak, ê-acâhkosiwicik.

(168) Accordingly, those others went off. When they came to a hill, he and his wife, they threw themselves upon the ground; they turned into thorn-trees. And those boys went up aloft and turned into stars.

(169) êkosi êkoyikohk ê-iskwâk âtayôhkêwin.

(169) And so this is the end of the sacred story.

Footnotes

¹LB on ê-wih-ocit-ômaskisiniyit: The prefix ocit is probably an error.

²LB: The tabu against naming and speech between brother and sister seems to have lost its force on Sweet Grass; it is violated below in this story. The tabu is maintained on Star Blanket Reserve.

³LB on êh-tîhkisahk: If the verb is really tihkisam: “he melts it,” the object would seem to be the sticks.

⁴LB on kihîwa: Doubtless a slip of the tongue for nikikwa; so translated.

⁵CHECK tapiskahwat

⁶LB: This motif accords with the existence of the tabu.

⁷LB has ôt êskwâhtêmihk as a single word

⁸LB: Rationalized or rudimentary couvade?

⁹LB ad kêyâpi cîh: For kêyâpic cîh; so usually in close-knit phrases of rapid speech when final and initial ts come together.

¹⁰beginning of second word (ahpihyaw?) is obscured in the book.