XML version dated February 14, 2024. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.
9
The Young Woman Who
Married the Moon
Alfred Morsette
nuu | naapakúhtuʾ– | wehnaaRAhwaʾá | – | wehnaahtakuwaʾá |
Long | , long ago– | when they came | – | as they migrated this way |
niikohniíhiʾ | – | na | niiwekohnipsiwá | – | Axtóh |
wherever it was | – | and | however many winters it was | – | certainly |
kanatuhneesiíšuʾ | tsu | neetuhnaaʾiitUxsiíšuʾ. |
I don't know, | but | I do know the story. |
suúnaaxuʾ | – | noowiteeríhIt | na | – | Ahnaraná | čiitíʾIš |
A young woman | – | she was an only (girl), | and | – | she had them | four |
inástiʾ | na | hiʾáxtiʾ | na | šáxtiʾ | iwaaníRIš |
her brothers, | and | her father, | and | her mother, | her mother's brothers, |
sšúxuʾ | niiʾAhnaanunuunaanawáNU. |
relatives | the ones whom she had. |
anináʾU | suúnaaxuʾ | nooWIšitehwaakáxaʾ | takú |
That | young woman | then they came to ask for her | someone |
nehkuusuuxátA | wiítA | aasihtíRA. |
to go to her | a man | 'that we be paired.' |
kanawituhnaaʾiiwóʾ. |
She did not consent. |
kanawitiwískaʾ | šiʾaxkoohtakúʾU. |
She did not want it | 'that we be married.' |
wewitiraaNIhuúʾU | nikukohnutaNAhuunuúku | kanaNAhkuuwakUhtaraʾó. |
There were many | her treating them thus | her not favoring what they asked of her. |
nooWIšiteenunúhtoʾ | inástiʾ. |
Then they resented her | her brothers. |
na | Axtóh | kaaku- | naahé | niiNAxkuutaánu | nuu | weNAxkuutaakIseenaʾeerikú. |
"And | surely | it is | not good | what are you doing, | there | your rejecting them. |
tičé NAxWIskáʾ | aaxuutuúʾA | axkoohtakúʾU. |
What do you want | that he look like | that you have as a husband? |
ka NAxWIskáʾ | axkoohtakúʾU | páh. |
Do you want | to marry him | the moon? |
tinaáhu | páh | ka NAxWIskáʾ | – | nikuʾaaxuutuúʾA | – | axkoohtakúʾU. |
This one (coming) | moon | do you want | – | that he look like that on | – | for you to marry him? |
weNAxkuutaakIseenaʾeerikú | – | wiiteešútš | – | tiNAhunuuwaáWI |
since you are rejecting them | – | the young men | – | these going around |
tákuʾ šinakuutíRA | NIhkuhnaaNAxweekoóčI. |
someone with whom to be together | for him to provide things." |
nikuwewitihwaawačiʾaáhuʾ | wešinehkuRAhwanú | inástiʾ |
That is what they were saying repeatedly | as they reproached her | her brothers |
na | iwaaníRIš. |
and | her uncles. |
na | – | tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ | – | noowitirá | xáwos | niikohnuútuʾ. |
And | – | this | young woman | – | then she had it | a ball, | whatever kind it was. |
a | či | nikiišeenuusuxkaapaačíštI | tinaákUx | xáwos. |
And | here | this is what had blessed her | this | ball. |
tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ | noowitiwaákoʾ | nawáh. |
This | young woman | then she said: | "Alright. |
wah | číkuʾ koxtíʾAt. |
Now | I'll go somewhere. |
kaakunaahé | tišiNAxkuRAhwanú. |
It is not good | your reproaching me. |
kanee- | neetiWIskáʾ | tákuʾ axkoohtakúʾU. |
I do | not want | that anyone marry me. |
wah | číkuʾ koxtíʾAt. |
Now | I will go somewhere." |
weWIšitiinaanipákuʾ | haáwaʾ | kanaʾaaxuutaáNA | číkuʾ kanaʾaaxeétA. |
Now they disapproved | also | one not wanting her to do it, | one not wanting that she go somewhere. |
wah | – | tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ | – | noowitohneewireéhAs. |
Now | – | this | young woman | – | then she prepared herself. |
noowititahpá | xáwos. |
Then she carried it on her back | a ball. |
wewiwituutAxunána | niikohnuhnaánuʾ | xúhtš | wehnaranaáhNA. |
She had moccasins for herself | however many there were | moccasins | ones she had. |
nootíʾAt | – | anuú | – | NAhuukaawiraátA. |
Then she went | – | there | – | the east. |
nuu | wenaátA | nuu | tiwenaátA | witiihaahtawiítIt. |
There | after she was going, | there | after she was going, | it became daylight. |
wah | štoh | witikatiisiʾá. |
Now | again | it became dark. |
hawá | witAheé- | šaʾ | híNAx. |
Also | morning | came | (then) night. |
nooWIšitiinaʾiwaahakUxítIt | niinooNAhkuúʾU | waaRUxtiíʾuʾ. |
Then they began to block her path | different ones | holy beings. |
tsu | tinaákUx | xáwos | nootihnaaʾiitawíhuʾ. |
But | this | ball | then he was telling her. |
witiwaakaáhuʾ | číkuʾ axuúta. |
He was saying: | "Don't do anything! |
šooxeečiwiNIščéʾ. |
They'll deceive you. |
– | tsu | – | wetsíhWA | niiwenaákUx | páh. |
– | But | – | we are going | where he is | Moon. |
nikuwetsíhWA. |
That is where we are going." |
tinaákUx | – | suúnaaxuʾ | – | wehnaátA | noowitiinawíhAt | Itkxaánuʾ. |
This | – | young woman | – | when she went | then he overtook her | Night. |
witiinawíhAt. |
He overtook her. |
nooWIšitiwiiruútIt | wehnaWIskáʾA | aatetkAhníkA |
Then they (du) sat down, | his wanting it | 'that I put you to sleep |
aataahtakuuxaáNA | ItkAxíniʾ. |
that I might marry you | in (your) sleep.' |
noowitiwaákoʾ | – | tinaákUx | – | Itkxaánuʾ | čiitíʾIš | kooxuuNIt- | khaanaánuʾ | NAsihčirikáʾU. |
Then he said | – | this | – | Night: | "Four | the nights | will number | our being awake. |
tinetkhaánu | čiitíʾIš | inoó | xuúhuniʾ | netkAxítIt | wetataawíRAt. |
This night | four | there | before | if you go to sleep | I'll beat you. |
wetataahtakúxtA. |
I will marry you. |
wetsakučituuʾaaníštA. |
We will get married. |
tsu | inooškoowirátA | kananetkAxítIt | čiitíʾIš | tiwenaRItkhaanoósI | wah | wetAxiičíšAt. |
But | if you beat me | if you do not sleep | four | these nights, | now | you'll be saved. |
wetaáxAt | niiNAxWIskáʾA | aataátA | niikooNAxwóʾ. |
You'll go | where you want | 'that I go' | wherever you are going." |
tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ | nooWIšitikhíNIt. |
This | young woman | then they (du) made a fire. |
uuwe- | kuwitiíkUx | Itkxaánuʾ. |
He sat | on one side | Night. |
uukuwitUtwíʾuʾ | skaweéraaʾuʾ. |
He faced the other way | west. |
natsú | tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ | – | kuwitUtwiʾúʾ | – | NAhuukaawiraátA |
And | this | young woman | – | she faced thus | – | east |
wešinunaaʾiiwaawaátI | wešinačirikáʾU. |
as they (du) told stories | while they (du) were awake. |
wah | wewituuNItkhaanaánuʾ | táWIt. |
Now | the nights now numbered | three. |
táWIt | wewituteš- | taánuʾ. |
Three | the days | numbered. |
táWIt | wehnuuNItkhaanaánuʾ. |
Three | it was now nights. |
wetiNAsakúhkUx | čiitíʾIš | čiitíʾIš | wenuuNItkhaanaanuuxítIt | tinaákUx |
This day | fourth | four | when the nights began to be, | this |
suúnaaxuʾ | nooteewíʾAt. |
young woman | then she was tired. |
– | nootitkAxitikUxítIt. |
– | Then she began to go to sleep. |
– | nootees- | šItkAxitikUxítIt. |
– | Then she | began to feel sleepy. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | tinaákUx | šinaatíRA | xáwos | wah | šuuxItká. |
Then he said | this one | the one she was with | ball: | "Now | sleep! |
koxtičiríkoʾ. |
I will stay awake. |
nikUšikoxtuúta. |
He and I will be the ones to do it (ie compete)." |
wah | – | tinaákUx | – | xáwos | – | nikunoowititeewíroʾ | – | tinaákUx |
Now | – | this | – | ball | – | then he replaced that one | – | this |
suúnaaxuʾ | wešinačirikáʾU | wešohnunaaʾiiwaawaátI. |
young woman | when they (du) stayed awake | as they told stories. |
noo | – | hiiš | – | witiihiʾá. |
There | – | evening | – | it became. |
ItkhaanuukaríkAt | – | Itkxaánuʾ | – | noo- | teehuunawiiʾaaníšaʾ. |
At midnight | – | Night | – | then | he began to slacken his pace. |
nootitkAxitikUxítIt | čeésuʾ. |
Then he began to sleep | too. |
nooteewíʾAt. |
Then he tired. |
– | taRAhtšíniʾ | wewitiwaaWIhtiíkuʾ.– | tsu | tinaákUx | xáwos | wekuwituúʾUt. |
– | Barely | he was talking now.– | But | this | ball | he was thus (ie awake). |
wititaRAhčíš. |
He was strong. |
wewitAheešAhíštA | noowitiwaákoʾ | tinaákUx | Itkxaánuʾ | nawáh | wetAxkoowíRAt. |
Now when it was nearly morning | then he said | this | Night: | "Now | you have beat me. |
wetAxúhtA | niiNAxWIskáʾA | aataátA. |
Now you are going to go | where you want | to go. |
či | NAxtaRAhčíš. |
Here | you are strong. |
či | NAxi- | wáhNIš | niiNAxWIskáʾA | aataátA. |
Here | you are | certain | where you want | 'that I go.'" |
wah | witiiNUhuuníʾit. |
Now | he left her. |
nootiihaahtawiítIt. |
Then it became dawn. |
atsú | xáwos | noowitihčirikaʾaanít. |
And | ball | then he woke her. |
nawáh | wetsiinawíRAt. |
"Now | we have beat him. |
wah | parúNIt. |
Now | hurry! |
parúNIt | síšWA. |
Quickly | let's go! |
áxkUx | tuuniíWIs. |
"One | there remains. |
nikunoowetIhatúhkA | Itkxaánuʾ. |
That one is the last | Night. |
wah | šeeniíʾU | – | wetsiiteeríštA | – | niiNAxWIskáʾA. |
Now | the main one | – | we are going to see him | – | the one you want." |
na | nikunooWIšituúta | wešinawáNA | nuu | niikohniíhiʾ. |
And | then that is what they (du) did | when they (du) went | there | wherever it was. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | tinaákUx | xáwos | nawáh | wetAxuuteé- | rištA | wiiteešútš. |
Then he said | this | ball: | "Now | you are going to | see him | a young man. |
nikuwetíʾ | wešiNAxtiRAxtáNIt. |
He is the one | the one who is going to be your companion. |
wetohnuníkUx. |
He is waiting for you now. |
číkuʾ kaakiraákUx. |
There is no way (ie no obstacle). |
– | Axunaaninóʾ. |
– | Don't be afraid! |
– | nikutíʾ | niiweNAxUtwiʾuúʾA | niiNAxWIskáʾA | nikuʾaaxuútA. |
– | He is the one | where you are headed | what you want | 'that you be the one.' |
natsú | tatuhnaasíštA | tiweeNAsehwaʾá. |
"But | I am watching for the time | when we come. |
nootikatiisiʾá. |
Then it'll be dark. |
wetataahíštA | páh. |
He's going to come up | Moon. |
wenataʾá | nooteewísaʾ | wiiteešútš. |
When he comes up | then he'll come | a young man. |
nikuwitíʾ. |
He is the one." |
na | nikunoowituutAxítIt. |
And | then that is what happened. |
wah | wetAxihwísaʾ | niiNAxWIskáʾA. |
"Now | I have arrived | as you wanted. |
na | nikuneetuúʾUt. |
And | I am the one. |
tatohnuníkUx. |
I'm waiting for you. |
nikutatuhnáʾA | tiweNA- | xiína. |
I'm the one who is the cause | your coming | here. |
na | weneeškoosšteéRAt | číkuʾ wekananaaxuutaáNA | aniweNAxiína | – |
And | I am thankful for it | that you did not do anything | as you came her | – |
číkuʾ wekananaaxiraatakúxkA | -- | – | uunariišíNIt | weNAxiína |
that you did not do any- thing | -- | – | the right way (lit straight) | your coming |
niinatskáʾA | aaxuútA. |
my wanting that | that it be. |
nawáh– | tatuuNUxaʾiwaahaákuʾ | – | tinaákUx | šakuúnuʾ. |
"Now– | I was blocking his way | – | this | Sun. |
šakuúnuʾ | tatuuNUxaʾiwaahaákuʾ | – | wenakoowiRIstakaaráhAt | – |
Sun | I was blocking his way | – | when he throws heat down | – |
wenaWIskáʾA | aaxaweétA | aaxIstaáhIš | – | tstoóxuʾ– | wenatsunuuwaahátkA. |
when he wants | to tire you, | to make you thirsty | – | water– | when he has dried it up everywhere. |
tsu | nikuneetuhnáʾA | šinatoosiRAxá | šiNAxihwaʾá. |
But | I am the one who is the cause | my bringing you (du) here | you (du) who came." |
nawáh | tsu | nootuhteeriíʾa. |
Now | but | then he was spying on her. |
wah | wetsihWAhúhtA | niinátkUx. |
"Now | we are going to go | where I live. |
atíkaʾ | atípaʾ | šitohnuníkUx. |
My grandmother, | my grandfather | they (du) are waiting for you." |
noowitiisiráxAt. |
Then he led her. |
nooWIšitíWA | tuuneskoóhAt | skaRAhkatAhaáhniniʾ. |
Then they (du) went | the sky up there | in the clouds. |
noowiteenoohuuwaátaʾ. |
Then he lifted her up quickly. |
noowitIhunaanawaáhAt. |
Then there was an expanse of land. |
noowitIhunaaničíWI. |
It was a different land. |
noowiteéka | akAhpaátuh. |
There was a lodge | a tipi. |
wah | taanikutiíhiʾ. |
"Now | this is the place." |
wah | – | tinaákUx | – | suúnaaxuʾ | wešinaatíRA | tinaákUx |
Now | – | this | – | young woman | while they (du) were together | this |
wiiteešútš | wehneenuhnanuuwaáhu | tsástš | wehnihwaawáʾA | wah |
young man | while he was bringing them for her | meat | for them to eat | now |
witíʾIt | sákaaʾA | šohneenuhnanuu- | waáhu | tsástš. |
they were | stars | they who were bringing | it for her | meat. |
wah | witiwaákoʾ | tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ | wah | wetikoosša- | wíʾAt. |
Now | she said | this | young woman: | "Now | my mind is | tired now. |
nootatiWIskaaxiíkuʾ | aatakaaʾiišátA | tsu | niinatiniinítAt. |
I am just feeling like | that I should go home | but | where my village is." |
wah | – | wewitirá | – | piiráʾuʾ.– | wewitirá | – | piiráʾuʾ | wiinásts. |
Now | – | she now had it | – | a baby.– | She now had it | – | a baby, | a little boy. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wah | šikoxteéRAt. |
Then he said: | "Now | I will take you (du). |
– | číkuʾ kaakiraákUx.– | tsu | wetatiikúxtA. |
– | There is not any–obstacle.– | But | I am going to stay. |
niikooNUtkhaanaánuʾ | niikooNUsakunaánuʾ | wetatiiNAhúxtA. |
However many nights, | however many days | I am going to be coming. |
wetatiinaáhuʾ. |
I'll be coming. |
tsu | wešineetootA- | síštA. |
And | I'll watch | over you (du). |
na | tatihwísaʾ | niišiNAxkuúkUx. |
And | I'll arrive | where you (du) live. |
tsu | kaakikUhunahAsíštA. |
"But | I am not going to die. |
niikohniiraáʾAt | na | inooneehunáhAs | wetAxiNAhíštA |
However long the time is | and | if you die | you are going to come |
niitinátkUx | niitiNAt- | wanú. |
where I live, | where I go | around. |
na | tinaákUx | wiinásts | tsu | wešineeštaanuhkoočíštA. |
And | this | little boy | but | you (du) are going to have everything. |
wešikoxteéRAt. |
"Now I will take you (du). |
wah | tsu | wešitatohteeriíʾa | sinoó | šakuúnuʾ. |
Now | but | I'll spy on you (du) | yet | Sun. |
wah | wetataraahNAhnúhtA. |
Now | we are going to go. |
wetaasoohíštA. |
It is going to rain. |
tsu | wenaaRAxwéstA. |
But | he is going to look for you. |
neskakatákUx | nikuwešitAxukawiiruutíštA. |
That cloud | you (du) are going to ride on it. |
wah | – | taanikuwetAxúhtA. |
Now | – | this is where you are going to go. |
skaRAhkatAhaánuʾ | – | kooxiitIsaRAhát. |
The cloud | – | it will make him forget." |
nooWIšiteewáʾ. |
Then they (du) came. |
tsu | tinaákUx | šakuúnuʾ | wewitih- | teeriíʾa | aatAhuNAhátkA. |
But | this | Sun | now he | spied on her | 'that I get rid of you.' |
nikuwewitiWIskáʾ | aaxunáhAs | tinaákUx | suúnaaxuʾ. |
That is what he wanted | 'that you die' | this | young woman. |
tsu | tinaákUx | páh | wewitipaanaánuʾ. |
But | this | Moon | he was hiding her. |
noowiteeniwísaʾ | niikohniíhiʾ | niikohnuuxitUhwaáhAt. |
Then he brought her to it | wherever it was | wherever the village was. |
nooWIšitaaWIswáʾ. |
Then they (du) came back. |
wewituxtaasšúnahAs. |
Now they had for- gotten her. |
AhnoowituhníWIs | anináʾU | suúnaaxuʾ | štoh | wehnaaWIsá. |
Then she just appeared | that | young woman | back | when she came. |
noowitiiNAsšteehuúʾU | wešiniiteéRIt. |
Then they were happy | when they saw her. |
na | inoowituusiRAxá | wiinásts. |
And | there she led him | a little boy. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wah | šitAxkuuNUxtaanóxwoʾ | NAxuxtaa- | pačeéhu |
Then she said: | "Now | you were exaggerating mine | when you | were saying |
tinaahú | páh | nikuʾaxkoohtakúʾU. |
this coming | Moon | that I wanted it to marry me. |
taanikuwetuúʾUt. |
This is what happened. |
wah | nikuwetatuxwísAt. |
Now | that is where I went. |
tatuúxAt | niinaákUx | páh. |
I went | where he lives | Moon. |
wah | tinaaríčI | wiináxtš | nikuthaáʾ. |
Now | this | boy | he is his son. |
wah | niikohniiraačíštA | šitiitíRA | tinaaríčI | wiináxtš. |
"Now | however long it is going to be | we will be together | this | boy. |
wekaakiraačitéštA | nakuraa- | hunuuwaaNAxú. |
It is not going to be difficult | for him | to find things. |
– | kaakunaačiteewaahnúxtA. |
– | Ways are not to be difficult for him |
– | nawáh | kaakíʾ číkuʾ šiNAxkukuunaaʾiitUxtoóku | štoh. |
– | Now | you (pl) can't make any story about me | again. |
noowetuhnaánuʾ. |
That is all." |
wah | taanikunoowitiiraaʾiitúxAt. |
Now | so this is the end of the story. |
niikohnuxtaáʾAt | suúnaaxuʾ | Ahnúxwanu | nootIhunáhAs. |
However long it was | the young woman | her living | then she died. |
hawá | tinaákUx | wiináxtš | nikuwetuúʾUt | aanuuxaananiwiítIt | kaakatuuxátkoʾ. |
Also | this | boy | it was now thus: | whether he married | I did not hear. |
niikohniiraáʾAt | Ahnuxwanú | tinaákUx | wiináxtš | čeésuʾ | witIhunáhAs. |
However long it was | his living | this | boy | too | he died. |
wah | taanikutuhnaaʾiitUxúʾ | niinatuuNUxAtkookUxúku. |
Now | this is the story | the one I used to hear. |