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

8

The Man with the Sharpened Leg

Alfred Morsette

wetatunaaʾiitíštA – wiítA – witohnuxkaaxIskarookUxúku.
Now I am going to tell about it – a man – one who used to sharpen his leg.
wewitiNAhkukaaxIskaráʾU noowitUtkáxaʾ wenehkutkaákUx.
When he used to sharpen his leg then he called him his son-in-law.
wah wewititsihkUxIhaákuʾ.
"Now we will kick each other."
na nikuwituutaánuʾ.
And that is what he did.
weneh- koowiRIstaʾaánu – na noowiteéʾaʾ –
When it was becoming warm, – and then he came –
niiʾAhnuuxitUhwaáhAt niikohnaačítaaʾA aaníčI
where the villages were, whichever tribe it was whether they were
wiitatshaánuʾ aaníčI sáhniš – na– aaníčI káNIt.
Hidatsa, whether they were Arikara – or– whether they were Mandans.
taanikutiiNIštaaʾiitUxuúkuʾ.
This is what they used to tell.

wah weNAhkiitúhkUx witaawiRIstaʾaanuuxítIt hunaaneeká
Now where there was a village it was getting to be warm spring,
noowiteeWIsáʾ – anináʾU– wiítA.
then he arrive – that– man.
witirá suúnaaxuʾ.
He had her a young woman.
uu wititooxuúʾU noonuhneéRAhu suúnaaxuʾ.
Oh, she was beautiful, her being nice looking then the young woman.
na weNAhkutaʾiwanú awirítkAt na hunaaneskúhtš
And after she went among people in summer, and autumn
weNAhkiihiʾaanú natsu wetAhnaNAhwóʾ niiNAhnaNAhnaanawooxukú psíkAt.
when it was becoming, and "Now we are going where we always stay in the winter.
tsu tAhnaaWIhkaʾaahnúʾ niiháʾ.
And I am hunting there.
tiraaNIhuúNIt AxkaáʾA na NAhnunáhtš na tanáhaʾ.
There are plenty antelope and deer and buffalo.
tsu wačéh nikutAhnakaawačiíʾIt.
But, poor us, we are full."

uu – suúnaaxuʾ wešinehkutoxwó – wiiteešútš
Oh – the young woman since they liked her – the young men
AhnaraáhNA AhnaahaáʾU noowitUstatatáʾAt.
the one he had his child then he followed her.
witiraaNI- huúʾU nikuNAhkuutaánu šinehkustatatawó anináʾU suúnaaxuʾ.
There were many the ones who were doing it their following her that one the young woman.

wah áxkUx wiiteešútš noowitíʾAt.
Now one young man then he went.
na noowitiwaákoʾ aráh Axtóh – wetiraaNIhuúʾU – tinaákUx –
And then he said: "Say, surely – there are many – this –
suúnaaxuʾ – nuutaa- kAsiRAxwó.
young woman – the ones she is taking.
naawiRIstaʾaanú nookaakeewísaʾ.
When it becomes spring then he does not return.
nootIhunáhAs.
Then he disappears.
nootatiwískaʾ aatoohneésš.
I just want that I find out.
tičé tA- xuúʾUt.
I wonder what is happening?"

na nikunoowituúta wehnaátA – tinaákUx – wiítA wehnaahtakuritaawátAt.
And then that is what he did as he went – this – man when he left with his wife.
natsú wetAhnaNAhwóʾ niiNAhna- NAhnaanawooxukú psíkAt.
"And we are going now where we usually go in the winter."
tsu tinaákUx wiiteešútš noowitUstatatáʾAt suúnaaxuʾ anuú
And this young man then he followed her the young woman there
huNAhwaraákAt wehnaraanátA.
in the wooded land when they went.

noowiteéka akanaanataáʾuʾ niiʾAhnaraanawooxukú.
There was a dwelling an earth lodge where they used to stay.
na noowitiwaákoʾ wah tiwešineešiniináka kUxtaweésuʾ.
And then he said: "Now this will be your (du) lodge, son-in-law."
WIšiteeká pítkUx.
There were (du) lodges two.
uunaákUx nikutikaa- xaáhuʾ suúnaaxuʾ.
"The other one that is where she always stays the young woman.
nikutanuunáka.
That is her lodge."

nuuWIšitikaákUx tinaákUx wiiteešútš weNAhkuraawii- nátA
They (du) lived there this young man while he went hunting
wenaaranuuwaáhu NAhnunáhtš AxkaáʾA tanáhaʾ.
while he was bringing them deer, antelope, buffalo.
číkuʾ šinehkukootíkA witaraniwísaʾ tsástš.
Whenever they killed it he brought it back the meat.
uu – witikaániš.
Oh – there was plenty.
tsu witiwanúʾ – anináʾU wiítA.
But he went around – the one man.
uu witiraaNIhuúNIt taakáxtš wenehkuwaawáʾA psíkAt tiwehnapsiʾaánu.
Oh, there was ample dried meat when they ate in the winter, when it was getting cold.
uu wituhkaatAhaané niiʾAhna- raanoótA.
Oh, it was a nice meadow where they lived!
uu wituhnunané.
Oh, it was nice land!

witiwaákoʾ tinaákUx wiítA nawáh kUxtaweésuʾ witiišuu- xawireéhAs.
He said this man: "Now, son-in-law, get ready!
wewititsihkUxIháxtA.
Now we are going to kick each other.
witikoosihkUxíhAt.
We will kick each other.
na inooškoowirátA wekutAxiíʾI sápat.
And if you beat me you have her the woman.
nikuwetAxiinúxtA aniwešiNAxtíRA.
You will have that one the one you are together with."

nikunoowituúta.
Then that is what he did:
noowitiriiWAhnaáhuʾ niiʾAhnaakaáWI niišohnakaákUx.
then there was a pounding sound where the lodge was where they (du) were inside.
noowitiriiWAhnaáhuʾ.
Then there was a pounding sound.

noowitiwískaʾ wiiteešútš tičé tAxuúʾUt.
Then he thought the young man: "I wonder what it is?"
noowitíʾAt.
Then he went.
– noowitireekaríkUt.
– Then he opened the door.
– na sápat noowi- taahkaʾiíšAt niiʾAhnaanunuhnunaaníčI.
– And the woman there she went into the brush at a distance where her gardens were.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah ka wenaaxawireehaáʾAs.
Then he said: "Now are you ready?"

wehnawakaaʾaáhNA witiwaákoʾ suúnaaxuʾ wah wetuutá niinuutaánu.
When the sound was inside she said the young woman: "Now he does it that which he does.
taanikutuutaanuuxuúkuʾ atíʾAx.
This is what he does my father.
uu wetiraaNIhuúʾU wenaraanuNAhátkA tákuʾ wešiNItkuxtiRAxtáNI.
Oh, there have been many his having killed them ones that I was to be together with.
taanikutuutaánuʾ.
This is what he does."

witičirikaáʾAt – wenareekaríkUt – wehnuuteéRIt
He peeped inside – when he opened the door – when he saw him
noowitohniikaaxIskaroóku áxkUx.
as he was sharpening his leg one.
noowitUtkaxčiríškA.
Then the leg was pointed.

wah wetaatawireehaáʾAs.
"Now I am now ready.
kunoxtiraaWIhkawátAt.
I will charge right out.
wah šiisuuxuneehaáNIt.
Now be ready!
wewititsihkUxIhaákuʾ.
We'll be kicking each other."

na tinaákUx wiiteešútš noowitiihuunaWIsítIt.
And this young man then he hurried out.

noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ kaakAxkoo- tíštA aaxuuxaWIswanikú.
Then she said this young woman: "You are not going to kill him even if you were to shoot him.
kaakAxkoo- tíštA.
You are not going to kill him.
šuuNUxkúxAx.
Run away!
kaakikatariíʾI.
He is not fast."

tinaákUx – wiiteešútš– tiihuunaWIsítIt tsu wewititinaah- naná.
This – young man– he ran out, but he had his bow (and arrows).
nootuúNAx weneehUhkoohaahkaátA.
Then he ran as he ran on a flat area.

noowitiraaWIhkawátAt.
Then he came charging out.
wehnuuteéRIt wehnakaaxiskáʾIt hee čukú NAxúhtA.
When he saw him when the leg was sharp: "Hey, where are you going to go?
wah wetatakoótIt.
Now I'll kill you."
noo- tuhniraanúʾAt.
Then he chased him.
wah tinaákUx wiítA kanawituutawitaRIsčiraʾá.
Now this man he was extremely swift.
weNAhkUsunaanikUxwíhA na noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
When he hooked it (leg) in the ground and then he jumped up.
wewiteenuutunaaWIsaáhuʾ.
Now he was gaining him.

na inoowitiihaapé.
And there there was a tree.
uu witIhaaNIhuúʾU.
Oh, it was a big tree!
noo- witiwaákoʾ aráh šuúhuniʾ šiíšaʾ.
Then it said: "Hey, closer come!
too wekaakuuNIšawíhAt aninaaʾá.
Surely he's gone too far that one coming.
xuúhuniʾ.
Closer!"

wiináxtš wehneehuuNIhtatataʾiišátA na noowi- titáʾAt.
The boy when he quickly went closer to it and then he climbed it.
witikoosáʾuukUt.
He went to the top.
noowitIhapičeésa.
Then the tree got higher.

noowiteehuunukakaaʾiíšaʾ – wiítA.
Then he quickly came to the base of it – the man.
– noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
– Then he jumped up.
noowitiwaákoʾ koxteeRIšaNAhkásAt na itaroohUhtakaáhAt.
Then he said: "I'll stick your ribs and I'll jerk you down."
nikuwitiwaakaáhuʾ.
That is what he was saying.

wehneehuunukaaʾá – noowitsaahnikúxWI – niitiNA- haápI.
When he jumped, – then he stuck it in the wood – where this tree was.
– witUtkaasawí.
– The leg stuck out
– noowitunaačiteeʾá nakutakaáhAt.
– Then it became difficult for him to get down.
noowewitUstákUx.
Now he was hanging there.

na tinaákux wiiteešútš noowitiwaákoʾ tiNAhaápI wah niišuúxAt.
And this young man then it said this tree: "Now go on!
– kaakíʾ nakutakaáhAt.
– He cannot get off.
kooxuhnaawítakUx.
He will hang from here
– we- kaakičíšAt.
– He won't live.
šitatsuxkaapaačíštI tsu wekaakunaaNUhuuNIšáwihAt taanikunuutaawaanú.
We blessed him, but now he has gone the limit these things that he has been doing."

wah niišuxkaaʾiíšAt.
"Now you go home!
IšwísAt niinaakaáWI neeširaakaaʾišwó niiNAxiniinítAt.
You'll arrive where the lodge is, then you'll go home where your village is.
tsu kunooxuhnaawitákUx.
But he will hang right there."

noowitiwaákoʾ wiítA wah Axtóh škuxtoóʾa.
Then he said the man: "Now by all means take me down!
wetAxtaanoóxAt.
You are erring.
Axtóh wetatoxtAhará.
Surely I was teasing you."
nikuwitiwaawaakaáhuʾ.
That is what he was saying over and over.

natsú tinaaríčI wiiteešútš nootíʾAt niiʾAhnaanunuu- nakaáWI.
But this young man then he went where his lodge was.
noowitiwísAt.
Then he arrived there.
noowitohniinawireéhAs wehnaahtakúʾU suúnaaxuʾ na weeNUtkaákUx.
Then they readied themselves his wife the young woman and his mother-in-law.

noowitiwaákoʾ – súxtIt hąąʾ – wekaakunaaNUhuuNI-
Then she said – the old woman: "Yes – now he has gone be-
šawíhAt taanikunuutaawaanú.
yond the limit these things that he has been doing.
wah tsu neešawíRAt.
Now but you have outdone him.
wah tiʾAhnaahtehkuxtaapaáRIt.
Now let's flee!
wah parúNIt toxtaakaaʾišwóʾ.
Now quickly let's go home!"

noowitIsá noowitaRAhwísaʾ niiʾAhneétAt.
So they did it: then they arrived where the village was.
noowitiinaaʾít taanikutuutAxítIt.
Then they told it: "This is what happened.
či taanikuNUsuu- xaawaanúʾ wiítA noxWIsaahUxukú.
Here this is what he has been doing the man the one who used to come here."