XML version dated February 14, 2024. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.

6

Bounding Head and the

Four Young Women

Alfred Morsette

wetatuniiwaatíštA pAxukúkuʾ.
Now I am going to tell about him Bounding head.
Axtóh kanatsuuxeéRIt tsu – iinatUtAtkookUxuúʾA –
Surely I did not see him, but – my hearing of him –
weNAhkunaaʾiiwaa- waátI niinohnuhnaaʾiitUxuúčI.
when they tell stories as the stories of him go.

a suúnaaxuʾ witiraanúʾAt.
And young women there lived.
čiitíʾIš wituhnaánuʾ.
Four there were.
áxkUx kuwiteešaáʾA steštaáka na áxkUx steštAhkáta na
One she was named White Corn, and one Yellow Corn, and
steškápahAt – na áxkUx steešooRAhkaátit.
Red Corn, – and one Black Corn.
– wah čiitíʾIš nikuwetuhnaánuʾ.
– Now four that's how many there were.
steštaáka nikuwetiraaníhtš.
White Corn she was the eldest one.
steštAhkáta nikuuniitáwe na uunaákUx iikakúxuʾ steškápahAt.
Yellow Corn she was the second, and the other the middle one Red Corn.
steešooRAhkaátit nikuwetíʾ kaawitáhtš.
Black Corn she was the one the youngest.

wah – tiraanúʾAt nehkuraaNAhkaroóku – ničiíšuʾ.
Now – they lived there where they were planting – corn.
wah tinaákUx witiraananoókuʾ neškápahAt na tinaákUx
Now this one she was planting them red corn; and this one,
neštAhkáta na tinaákUx neštaáka na neešooRAhkaátit.
yellow corn; and this one, white corn; and black corn.

wah – wenehkunuunaanaaníčI – weNAhkuutunešwaaWIhú tsu
Now – where they had a garden – when one was hoeing it, but
tiwitiwanúʾ wiítA pAxukúkuʾ.
he went around here a man Bounding Head.
áxkUx witičiriká nikakíniʾ.
One he had an eye on the forehead.
wenehkiihuunukaaʾá anuú číkuʾ nuukuwitaanúkUt.
When he bounded into the air, there he landed somewhere in the distance.
hawá witiriiwáʾux NAhkuraaWIhkawaawanú.
Also he knew how for him to wander around hunting.

wah noowitiraatóxwoʾ – tákuʾ – aasíh- tiRA
Now, then he desired the way – someone – 'that you and I be together'
aninoóčI suúnaaxuʾ AhnaraanoótA suunawaráʾ.
these young women the ones who lived here spinsters.
– noowitikoótIt NAhnunáhtš.
– Then he killed it a deer.
– nootíRAt.
– Then he took it.
witiʾookaaʾús niiʾAhneenunuhnakaáWI.
He laid it at the entry where their lodge was.

noowiteeWIsítIt AhnaraaNIhtíšU.
Then she went outside the eldest one.
ninaá tiNAxta- NAhkaáWI tiweneešá NAhnunáhtš.
"Oh my, you inside here, here it lies a deer.
tehnaraaWIškót.
It must have suffocated."

noowitiʾiiNAhuúkAt.
Then she took the carcass inside.
noowitičiiwaánoʾ.
Then she butchered it.
noowitikaániš.
Then there was ample (meat).

wenehkurikaahtawaáhu anináʾU pAxukúkuʾ – čiraátoʾ 
When he was peeping around the one Bounding Head – 'to see
wešiNAxiiniírut wah wekaakiíša.
if you (pl) picked the body up': "Now it is not lying there.
wešitehniNAhuúkAt.
They must have taken it inside.
– wešitehnihčiiwaánoʾ.
– They must have butchered it."
– nikuwewituutAsšuúʾIt.
– That is what he was thinking.

hawá – Ištóh nikunoowituúta – hináxtIt.
Also – again so that is what he did – early in the morning.
AxkaáʾA noowitiʾookaaʾús.
An antelope then he laid it at the entry.

iikakúxuʾ steštAhkáta ee šuxtaahnaaniríwatAt.
The middle one Yellow Corn: "Oh, get up!
tiweneeʾookaaxá AxkaáʾA.
Here it lies at the entry an antelope.
tehnaraaWIškót.
It must have smothered.
tineešá.
Here it lies.
tičé NAxuhnaakaánuʾ.
What are you doing?
šiisiščiiwaánoʾ haáwaʾ.
Let's butcher it too!"
noowitikaániš.
Then there was ample (meat).

nikunoowituutaáwa niikohnuhnaanaánuʾ.
That is what he did repeatedly however many times it was.

wah tinaákUx kaawitáhtš steešooRAhkaátit noowiti- wískaʾ
Now this youngest one Black Corn then she thought:
tičé tAxuutAxitiíkuʾ nooweNAxiʾiinookaaros- waáWI NAhnunáhtš
"I wonder what is happening you (pl) carcasses lying at the entry deer,
– taapáhAt AxkaáʾA.
– whitetail deer, antelope?
tičé  tAxuúʾUt.
I wonder what it is?
čeétoʾ iitohneésiš.
I'll find out."

uu hiNAxtIhnaaNIšíšuʾ – noowitiiríwatAt – wehnačirikaáwo.
Oh, really early in the morning – then she arose – when she peeked out.
noowituuNUhuuníWIs wiítA.
Then he appeared a man.
noowitiʾiiná arikaraánuʾ.
He carried a carcass a stag.
noowitiʾookaaʾús niiʾaNAhuuwaátU niiʾAhneenunuhnuuwaátU suunawaráʾ.
Then he laid it at the entry where the entry was, where their entryway was spinsters.
noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
Then he bounded up.
anuú kuwitaaNUhuuniíšAt.
There he flew out of sight.

noowititawíʾIš inaániʾ steštaáka.
Then she tapped her her sister White Corn.
šuuxiriwátAt.
"Get up!
šuxčirikaáʾAt.
Peek out!
– naranuuwaawaáhu – tiwešiNAsiiNIšwaawáʾA
– The one bringing things – these we have eaten
tinaranuuwaáhu – a či naahuunéʾ
this one who is bringing things, – and here he is from
kanániʾ – pAxukúkuʾ.
far off (ie is not human) – Bounding Head!
či – nikúnoʾ – tinaranuuwaáhu NAhnunáhtš niiʾaninooNAxuutuúʾA.
Here – he is the one – the one bringing these things the animals whatever kind that one was.
šuxkawátAt.
Get out!
oopiínuʾ neewitiišikawaawáNIt.
Different (ones) put clothes on yourself!
neewitiišiRAhkAxiínoʾ oopiínuʾ.
Put a dress on yourself another!
neewitiišeešúhNIt.
Put moccasins on yourself."

hawá tuunaáxA steštAhkáta noowituhnaaʾiitáWI.
Also the other one Yellow Corn then she told her (that).
na steškápahAt hawá štoh nikunoowituúta.
And Red Corn also again then that is what she did.

noowitikUxuhkaawaáhAt niiʾAhneenunuunakaáWI akanaanataáʾuʾ –
Then they ran around the inside where their dwelling was earth lodge –
wehnakUxuhkaáhAt – čeehaahníniʾ.
where they ran inside – in the lodge's interior.
noowitiraanaWIsítIt.
Then they went outside.
hawá anuú naanataahíniʾ weNAhkUhuuwiraáhAt nawáh wah
Also there on the roof of the lodge as they ran: "Now, now
wetataraahnoosawísAt Axtóh číkuʾ niikohnuutaWIsúʾ pAxukúkuʾ.
we have finished truly whatever it was Bounding Head."

noowitiinuuwáʾAx.
Then they ran off.
uu číkuʾ niikohniíʾot wehnaraanátA.
Oh, it is not known how far it was where they went.
šuxteewaataánuʾ čiraátoʾ.
"Keep looking!"

tsu anináʾU pAxukúkuʾ čeésuʾ noowitarikaahtawaʾaáhuʾ.
But that one Bounding Head himself then he was peeping over the hills.
wekuwituúʾUt AhnaʾookaáxA.
It was just the same the one lying outside.
aa tičé tA- xuúʾUt.
Ah, wonder what is the matter?
čiraátoʾ itáʾAt.
Let me go.
čeétoʾ itoohneésiš.
Let me find out."

noowitíʾAt.
Then he went.
tIhuúkAt.
He entered.
sinoó witiroswá iiʾAhneenunuhkUxaáNU.
Yet there they each lay where their beds were.

noowitíʾAt iiʾAhnaáxA steštaáka.
Then he went where she lay White Corn.
noowitiwaákoʾ šuxwiísAt.
Then he said: "Move over!
wetatiínaʾ.
I have come."

noowitiwaákoʾ inaáxA suúnaaxuʾ awikaruúxuʾ naa nooNAhiínaʾ
Then she said that young woman the spirit: "Oh, farther on
niinaáxA kiišuúxAt.
where she lies go there!
niinaáxA kUšiisuusawá.
Where she lies lie with her!"

noowitíʾAt – nooNAhiínaʾ niiʾAhnaáxA – steštAhkáta.
Then he went – farther on where she lay – Yellow Corn.
hee nooNAhiínaʾ šuxwiísAt.
"Hey, farther move over!
wetatiínaʾ.
I have come."

aa nooNAhiínaʾ anuunaáxA nikiišuúxAt.
"Ah, farther on that one go to that one!"

nooNAhiínaʾ – noowitíʾAt – steškápahAt niiʾAhnaáxA.
Farther on – then he went – Red Corn where she lay.
nooNAxkuuwaawanú nooNAhiínaʾ tinaáxA kuWIšitiišuuxús.
"You going all around, farther on this one lie with her!"

noowitíʾAt – iiʾAhnaáxA.
Then he went – where she lay.
noowituúta – tákuʾ kanawi- tiišá.
Then he did it – no one lay there.
– hii tikaaRAxá.
– Hee, he became furious.
– noowitiiʾuxtoswá NIhúxuʾ.
– There there was hair lying only.

na noowitiihUhkaawaáhAt čeésuʾ niiwehniisaáhNA suúnawaraʾ.
And then he ran around inside himself what they had done the spinsters.
tiihuunaWIsítIt wehneehUhtaʾaáhNA.
He flew out as he flew onto the roof.
aa noowitaaxUhunaáNAt.
Ah, there the tracks went.

noowituúta tuuNAhnáʾAx.
Then he did it: he chased them.
číkuʾ niinooNAxkuuraah- naahUhtáNI.
"You aren't going to go anywhere!
tsu wetataraakIhtákuʾ.
But you are my wives."

wenehkiihuunukaaʾá kanawituhnaaninoosičiraʾá.
When he would bound it was an enormous distance.

tsu noowitiraneewaataánuʾ.
But then they kept looking.
uu wah wetáʾ.
"Oh, now he is coming.
wetáʾ.
He is coming.
šuxtaaNAsaRAhtšwá.
Run faster!"

wah witeenuutakunaaWIsAhíštA.
Now he was about to overtake them.

tinaákUx – naraaNIhtíšU – nooteewáNIt – šíštš.
This – the eldest one – then she threw it – an awl.
– uu tinaahwarooʾátA tiwehnawarooʾátA skačítA
– Oh, this thicket over yonder here where a thicket was thorn apples
neskoóčI uu noowiteekataʾiítaʾ pAxukúkuʾ weNAhkiihUhkataʾiíwo.
their being sharp, oh, then he came along the edge of them Bounding Head as he was flying by them.
noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
Then he bounded up.
uu – warookaríkAt – witikaʾuúkUt.
Oh, – in the middle of the trees – he dropped into the thicket.
wewitihkawaaruusaákuʾ.
Now they were pricking him.
uu wititariiwaátAt taRAhtšíniʾ.
Oh, he got across barely.

noowituúta nooteehuunukaáʾ.
Then he did it: then he jumped.
witeeNAhnanitakúxaʾ.
He gained on them.

wah wetáʾ.
"Now he comes."

wah – tinaákUx steštAhkáta – nooteewáNIt piísus.
Now – this Yellow Corn – then she threw it a comb.
uu naʾaátuʾ kanawituhnaaninoosičiraʾá niiʾaNAhunaa- noótA
Oh, cactus there was a multitude of them where the land stretched out,
neskoóčI naʾaátuʾ.
their being sharp the cactus.
witeehuunukaáʾ na noowituutiikaʾuúkUt.
He bounded up and then he landed in the middle.
uu noowitiinuuwaʾá.
Oh, then he got hurt all over.

na wititariiwaátAt.
And he passed through them.
tsu kutataraahnáʾAt.
"But you (pl) are mine."
nooteehuunukaahUxítIt štoh weNAhkiiʾátA.
Then he began bounding again as he went flying.

wah steškápahAt wetiitiiwísAt.
Now Red Corn it was now her turn.
nooteewáNIt neesítš.
Then she threw it a knife.
nuu witIhunaanúkUt.
There it landed.
noowitikaaxIškateenúkUt.
Then there were cracks.
nuu witiitareehUxuukaahaanuúhAt.
There there was a bluish valley.

teehuunawiisaʾiíšaʾ pAxukúkuʾ weNAhoowiisaʾaáhNA.
He came flying to the bank Bounding Head where he went along the bank.
noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
Then he jumped.
uu wewituxčitookúxtA.
Oh, now he was almost on the (other) bank.
noowituutIsaapiraáʾAt.
Then he rolled.
uu kuwitaahnaahkaʾuúkUt.
Oh, he fell down the cliff over there.
šeenootiwanuuxítIt.
Then he began going around.
taRAhtšíniʾ tikatáʾAt.
Barely he got up.

tsu wekaakihnunaaNUhuuNIšáwihAt suunawaráʾ wehnaraanátA.
But it was an enormous amount of ground the spinsters their going.
– nootiiNAhnáʾAx štoh.
– Then he chased them again.
– noowitiitakunaawísAt.
– Then he caught up with them.

wah kaawitáhtš wetootiiwísAt.
"Now, Last Child, it is your turn."

nooteewáNIt – naanookaʾaateérikUx – niikohnuútuʾ naanookaʾaateérikUx.
So she threw it – a mirror – whatever kind it was the mirror.
čiríkUx tstoóxuʾ tiNAhuukaahaanoótA.
Oh my, water this valley (of it)!

wewitIhuukaataʾiíšAt.
Now he got to the bank.
hee tsu koxtohnaakunaawísAt.
"Hey, but I will overtake you.
noowetAxinihnaaništaánuʾ.
That is your last arrow."
nooteehuunukaáʾ.
Then he bounded up in the air.
uu tIhaʾuúkUt.
Oh, he landed in the water.
noowitiiNAhaWIhakUxítIt.
Then the water began taking him along.
taRAhtšíniʾ noowitIhuukatáʾAt.
Barely then he went across.

uu – noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
Oh, – then he bounded up.
noowiteeraanitakúxaʾ – weNAh- kiihuunukaaʾáhu.
Then he gained on them – as he was bounding along.
tiitakunaawísAt.
He caught up with them.

wah – wewitiraaninuʾá – tinaraanátA suúnaaxuʾ.
Now – they now became frightened – these young women.
wah witiwáčiʾ atíkaʾ tiíkUx tiihéʾ.
Now they said: "Our grandma she lives here.
číkuʾ naah- tehkukunuhnaáka.
She might help us in some way."

noowitiitakaakeeríWAt.
Then she opened the door for them.

wah wetatinaakaáhuʾ.
"Now we have come.
wetikuunaahnáʾAx tinaaʾá.
He is chasing us this one coming."

wah parúNIt.
"Now quickly!"

tiikUxUhunuúkAt.
They ran inside.
witikUxUhuuniričíšAt.
They fell down.
noowitiinaaka- riwaʾuxtsaakáNIt.
Then foam was hanging from their mouths.
tIhaakeeriítIt.
The door closed.

noowititeeRAhpiraʾaahNIšítIt pAxukúkuʾ.
Then he began to go around the lodge Bounding Head.
na nuxtAhkawátAt.
"Oh, let them out!
noxtAhkaáʾ.
Let them come out!
wititatuhnaanaʾiwáNIt.
I tired them for myself.
wekutatiinaakIhtakúraʾ tinaRAhkaáWI.
They are my wives these inside."

witiwaákoʾ suxtiikIsíš kooxiíwoʾ ati- nátš weNAxkuNAhninuwaahatkú.
She said Old Woman Spider: "You must be going, my grandchildren you who are frightening mine.
na nootíʾAt.
Go on!"

wah noxtAhkaáʾ štoh.
"Now let them come out again!
wewititatuhnaanaʾiwáNIt.
I tired them for myself.
wekutatiinaakIhtakúraʾ.
They are my wives."
nikuwitiwaakaáhuʾ.
That is what he was saying.

noowitiwaákoʾ– suxtiikIsíš – NAxkuuNAhninuwaahatkú wah
Then she said– Old Woman Spider – "You who are scaring mine, now
ceésuʾ wetikuutiiwísAt witiNAtkuhnaawiinúhAt.
myself it is my turn for me to strike back."

noowitipsiʾá.
Then it became wintry.

NAxišwakAhuutaáhu na tAhuúkaʾ.
"You who were yelling, come in."

tiwakuunoóxIt.
The sound died out
– na či weešaanáNAs.
– And here he had frozen.
– uu kuwi- tiihunaawíʾAt.
– Oh, there was deep snow.
nawáh witiʾáNAs.
Now, he froze.
wešitAsiinanásIt.
"We have frozen him."

witAheéšaʾ witaawirituúkaʾ.
It was morning the heat (ie sunlight) came inside.
noowi- tiihunaakAxá – wehnaanáNAs – pAxukúkuʾ.
There he lay in the snow – his being frozen over there – Bounding Head.

wah niihéʾ kaakatsuxteésiš štoh aanaanátA
Now right there I don't know again whether they went
iiʾAhneenunuunakaáWI a číkuʾ aahnunaaničiwíNA niiʾAhnaraanátA.
where their dwelling was or whether it was a different place where they went.
wah taanikutatuhnaaʾiitUxIsiíšuʾ niitiwe- natunaaʾiítI.
Now this is the story I know this one that I have told.