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

22

The Young Man Who

Was Given Elk Power

Alfred Morsette

wetatunaaʾiitíštA.
Now I am going to tell a story.
tiraaʾiitUxtaáNIš weNAtkunaaʾiiwaátI.
It's a true story the story I am telling.

wah – wiiteešútš – noowitIhaananiwiítIt wešohnaatíRA suúnaaxuʾ.
Now – a young man – then he got married the one he was together with young woman.

wah sišpaaníšWA skaweéraaʾuʾ.
"Now let's go on a hunt (to) the west!"

niikohnuuxitúhkUx kaakatuhneesiíšuʾ.
Wherever the village was I do not know.

weWIšitehtakUhuNAsačiwaápi.
Now they (du) gathered together their gear.
xaátš WIši- tiraná.
Dogs they (du) had them.
nooWIšitíWA.
Then they (du) went.

uu – niikohniíhiʾ huNAhwaraákAt – nooWIšitiwiiruú- tIt.
Oh, – wherever it was in wooded country – then they (du) camped.
WIšitanuunáka akanaaNAsatwiíʾAt na akAh- paátuh
They (du) had a lodge a wall tent or a tipi
aanakaáNU niikooNUsuuxakaánuʾ.
whether the lodge was, whatever type of lodge it was.

na tinaákUx – wiiteešútš – weNAhkuraaʾIhwaawanú
And this – young man – when he would go around hunting
wenaakuranuuwaáhu – NAhnunáhtš – tanáhaʾ AxkaáʾA na
when he was bringing them back – deer, – buffalo, antelope, and
tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ weNAhkutaakAxkawaakaroóku hawá
this young woman when she'd be making dry meat, also
NAhkooRUtkaroóku skarútš
when she would be tanning them hides
weWIšitinaawireehAsú psíkAt nikuteeNUsuuxaáhuʾ
while they (du) were getting ready for it wintertime, that must have been the way
hunaaneeskúhtš nišwačeehUxúku.
in the fall they used to say.

wah tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ – NAhkukaákUx –
Now this young woman – while she was inside –
Ahnoowiteewísaʾ wiítA.
then he just arrived a man.
noowitiwaákoʾ wah šíšaʾ.
Then he said: "Now come!
tatootuníʾaʾ.
I have come after you."

tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ wewituutáxkUx.
This young woman now she just sat there.
niikohniiNAhuúnuʾ noowitiitIsaruuwaahát.
Whatever happened to her he made her forget everything.
nootUstatatoóhAt tinaákUx wiítA.
Then she followed him this man.
nooWIšitíWA.
Then they (du) went.
číkuʾ niišikohnutuúna wešinawáNA.
It is not known where it was their (du) going.

tinawaaríčI – xaátš – táWIt – wituhnaánuʾ.
These – dogs – three – they numbered
– wewitinoohaa- naánuʾ.
– Now they were getting angry.
witiraanaxtawíkUx.
They were tied up.

na tinaaríčI wiiteešútš noowiteewísaʾ hiíš.
And this young man then he arrived back in late afternoon.
nootaraniwísaʾ tsástš – na – nookanawitiíkUx naahtakúʾU.
Then he brought it meat, – and – she was not there his wife.

čukú taáxAt.
"I wonder wherd you are?
– naaxkUsuxtáʾAt nátš.
– Maybe you went after it wood."
– wehnareewaawatíRA naaxkuxtakásAt.
– As he looked all around, "Maybe you went after water."
kukanawitiiwanúʾ.
She was not there.

noowitiraanaxtaríkUt – tinawaaríčI – xaátš.
Then he untied them – these – dogs.
tičé wenuúʾUt.
"What is it?"
natakuraahnanaáhNA čuwekunáʾAt.
The one who keeps us where did she go?"

tinawaaríčI xaátš wewitiiNIsčiščíkAt.
These dogs they were whining.
nuukuwitiraáNAt skaweéraaʾuʾ.
They went that way the west.
wehnaraanátA witiwaraateéhAt.
As they went there was the edge of the woods.
wewituhnaanáwi.
Now they stopped.

noowitiwaákoʾ tinaaríčI wiiteešútš wah wetatuhneésiš.
Then he said this young man: "Now I know.
wah či wenáʾAt.
Now here she went."

nootíʾAt.
Then he went.
witiraanaxtáWI tinaákUx wiiteešútš we- nawaawanú wenačíkAt
He tied them this young man as he went around as he cried
wehnaRAxwé naahtakúʾU.
as he looked for her his wife.

noowitiišá.
There it lay.
wáh witíʾ weNAhkuraačeéNU NAh- kuúxA.
An elk it was its being a long time its lying there
– witičištós.
– Bones lay there
– witičištós.
– Bones lay there.
witipáxkUx AhnaarikawaáWI.
The head sat here, the horns being on it.

noowitiwískaʾ – tAxihwačeehUxuúkuʾ– wáh tAxwaaRUxtíʾ.
Then he thought: – "They always say:– 'Elk you are holy.'
číkuʾ naaxkukutkaapaačíštI.
Perhaps you might pity me.

nootitkAxtiRAxítIt niiʾAhnaáxA wáh Ahnačiš- toósI wenačíkAt wehnateeRAhpiraʾaáhNA.
Then he began to fast where it lay the elk its bones lying there as he cried as he went around it.

uu witeesšawísAt.
Oh, he was satisfied.
noowitohníʾus wehnétkA.
Then he lay down, as he slept.

witanó witihtawíʾIš.
The man he touched him.
wah wetatiínaʾ nataakuhnaa- ʾiitawíhA.
"Now, I have come for me to tell you.
tatuhneesiíšuʾ niiNAxtaaNAxwé.
I know what you seek.
NAxiiNAhtakúʾU tAxtAxwéʾ.
Your wife you seek.
kaakIhunáhAs NAxiiNAhtakúʾU.
She isn't lost your wife.
tsu taaniku- nuutaawaanúʾ.
But this is what he has been doing.
uu wekaakuuNIšawíhAt.
Oh, he has gone too far!
kuuNUxkaátit nikútiʾ.
A black bear he's the one.
suúnaaxuʾ wetohkúxIt.
Young woman he took yours.
atsú číkuʾ kaneenii- NIštookúkuʾ siíno.
But he has not laid a hand on her yet.
nikuwetuhnáʾA tiwe- niisiRAxátA.
He's the one who is the cause this one taking her away.
– niiháʾ tiíkUx.
– There he lives.
– tiiʾót niinaá- kUx.
– It is far where he lives.
nikuwetuutaawaanúʾ.
That is what he does.
sápat nuutaakIsiRAxwó kaakanuuneešawíhAx sápat.
Women ones whom he takes he has a great number of them women.

wah – tiweNAheešahIštáNIt – witiišuxtačiwaapí.
"Now – tomorrow – gather things for yourself!
witiišiišawiroosaráʾ.
Make them light for yourself!
wah šuúxAt.
Now, go!
šuxkaaʾiíšAt.
Go home!
IšWIsátA haáʾAx neešuhnaʾít naakuhnáʾU čišWAhnaáhUx
When you arrive your father you'll ask him to make it for you a whistle
wáh iiNUtwakaʾuúʾA wáh.
elk, one that is like the sound of it an elk.
tiriiʾúx haáʾAx.
He knows how your father.
na pítkUx niihé.
And two it will be days.

čiitíʾIš niihaweéNA neešiišíhwaʾ šinaaxáNI.
"Four after the days pass you'll come with him your brother.
áNA kaakiiwiroohuúʾU.
Your brother he is exceedingly powerful.
neešiišíhwaʾ.
You'll come with him.

uu – tiwaaRUxtiiNIhuúʾU – wenoonaáhNA sápat.
"Oh, – he is greatly holy – the one who has yours woman.
atsú wešineetotwiʾaahníštA čeésuʾ.
But we are going to fall for (ie help) you too.

wah parúNIt nikiisuúxa.
"Now, quickly do that!
šuuxičinaanuúna.
Hurry!"

tinaákUx – wiiteešútš – noowitešwíʾaxIt.
This – young man – then he started out.
nootíʾAt niiʾAhnanuunakaáWI.
Then he went where his lodge was.
noowitiraanaxtaríkUt xaátš.
Then he untied them dogs.
witiroos- waakároʾ xúhtš.
He took them up moccasins.
nuu nooteéʾaʾ.
There then he came.
híNAx noowita- wísaʾ niikohnuuxitúhkUx.
At night then he arrived wherever the village was.

noowitohníʾus.
Then he lay down.
wehnaáxA tiihaahtawiítIt.
As he lay it became daylight.

hiʾáxtiʾ noowitiwaákoʾ – wah šuuxiriwátAt.
His father then he said: – "Now get up!
– NAsehnaáʾU wetehnaawísaʾ.
– Our child He must have come back.
skurúxuʾ šikanee- niítI
Our daughter-in-law she is not with him."

na tinaáxA sápat šáxtiʾ nootiiríwatAt.
And this woman his mother then she got up.
witi- raakaanunookUxítIt.
She began to cook.

WIšitihčirikaʾaanít.
He was awakened by them.

wah čiíRA.
"Now hello!
tičé nuúʾUt.
What is the matter?"

witiwaákoʾ– wah taanikutuutAxítIt.
He said:– "Now this is what happened.
– kuúNUx wetikuh- taʾút sápat.
– A bear it stole mine woman.
taanikuwenuúʾUt.
This is what was.

wah atíʾAx šuuxičinaanuúna.
"Now, father, hurry!
parúNIt škuusúxtoʾ čišWAhnaáhUx čišwakataráh.
Quickly make it for me a whistle, a double whistle!
tičé šiniitAhnehkUxuúkuʾ.
What do they call it?"

tinaákUx wiitanó witirookUxítIt.
This one the father he began making it.

witiwaákoʾ natAhaáʾU wetAhneéhAs.
He said: "My son, I have finished.
tiweneéša.
Here it is.
uu tuhčišwakaré.
Oh, it has a good sound!"

wah wešitAtWAhúhtA inaániʾ.
"Now he and I are going to go my brother."

noowitiwaákoʾ – koosíhWA.
Then he said: – "We will go.
– inaániʾ koosíhWA.
– My brother he and I will go.
niikohniíhiʾ koosiiNAxwíʾAt.
Wherever it is we will go looking for her."

na – nooWIšitíWA – nuu – wešohnawáNA – inaániʾ
And – then they (du) went – there – as they (du) went – brothers
tišinaákUx wiiteešútš šikananiíʾA siíno.
these (du), young men their (du) being yet.

nooWIšitiwísWA niiʾAhnaakaáWI.
Then they (du) arrived where the lodge was.
– wekuwituúʾUt – tinaros- waáWI.
– It was thus (ie the same) – these things.
nooWIšitiwaaruusItkUxítIt taakáxtš.
They (du) began to cook it over the fire dried meat.

tinaákUx wiiteešútš noowitíʾAt.
This young man then he went.
witiwaákoʾ siináNI tuuxUhuúNAt iinakákUx wáh.
He said: "Brother, let me go awhile where it is in the woods the elk!"

noowitíʾAt.
Then he went.
noowitiwísAt wehnačíkAt híNAx.
Then he arrived while he cried at night.
witAheesAhíštA inoowitiíkUx.
In the morning here he sat.

noowitiwaákoʾ Axtóh tunaahé niiweNAxuutaáNA.
Then he said: "Certainly it is good what you have done.
číkuʾ kaakiraanoswá.
There is nothing in the way.
wenuunaahé áNA wešiNAxihwaʾá wešiNAxiítI.
It is good your brother that you (du) have come your (du) being together.
wah kaakiraačitéštA.
Now it isn't going to be difficult.

wešitAxWAhúhtA áNA.
"You (du) are going to go your brother.
tiikIšiišúxWA skaweéraaʾuʾ.
You (du) go this way west!
iinuhnunaneéRA tihUsAhaahkoohaahkAxá.
Where the land is nice there is a creek on the level ground.
áNA neešuhnaa- ʾiitáWI naakuhnuníkUx.
Your brother you tell him to wait for you.
niiháʾ neešíʾAt nuu hunaanuu- karíkAt na neešičišWAhnáʾ.
There you go there in the middle of the land and you'll blow the whistle.
tIhuNAh- waráʾ.
It's a wooded area.
neešičišwáhnaʾ.
You'll blow the whistle.
hawá Ištóh.
Also again.
táWIt šiičišWAhnaáwaʾ.
Three (times) you'll sound it!
nuunaraahatUhkáWI neešIhoowiisaʾiíšAt niinakákUx niinaakAhkáWI.
Then after the last time you go to the edge of the creek where she is where the den is in the woods.

wah – naraánaʾ suúnaaxuʾ.
"Now – they will come the young women.
NAxihtakúʾU– kukooxIhiRAxá naraána.
Your wife– she will be in the lead when they come.
nuu neešiišíhwaʾ.
Then you (du) will come.
tsu uunawaaríčI neešuutAhnaaʾiitáWI nakuRAhwáNA niineenunuunitUhwaáhAt.
But the others you will tell them to go where their villages are.

tsu naahíštA.
"But he is going to come.
– wetoonaaxíštA.
– He is going to chase you
– uu nikutohniráʾA NAxiiNAhtakúʾU.
– Oh, he is after that one your wife!
nikutuutAsštáhkA.
That one is his favorite.

wah šiišihwáʾ.
"Now you (du) come!
šuuxičinaanuúna nii áNA wenaákUx wenohnuníkUx.
Hurry where your brother his being where he awaits you!
weWIšititAxihWIswaa- híštA kuuNUxkaátit.
You (du) are going to come against (ie fight) each other the black bear."

noowitíʾAt wiiteešútš.
Then he went the young man.
noowituhnaaʾiitáWI inaániʾ – wah síšWA.
Then he told him about it his brother – "Now come!
– wetsiiNAxWIhúhtA natiiNAhtakúʾU.
– We are going to go look for her now my wife."

nooWIšitíWA niikohniíhiʾ nuu niikohnahUsA- haahkoohaahkAxá.
Then they (du) went wherever it was, there wherever the creek on the level land was.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah inaániʾ taaneešuuxUhúhkUx.
Then he said: "Now, brother, you stay here for a while!
čiraátoʾ Ahneewaáta
Let me look!"

nootíʾAt.
Then he went.
tsu wetirá čišWAhnaáhUx niiʾAhna- waákA.
But he now had it the whistle as he had said.
witičišwáhnaʾ.
He blew it.
uu hawá Ištóh.
Oh, also again.
noowitiwiísAt.
Then he moved closer.
hawá Ištóh nikuwituúta weNAhkuWIsátA noowitičišwáhnaʾ.
Also again he did that: as he moved closer then he blew it.

teškúNIt kanawituxtaawičeéʾA noowiteekUxuhčeswaátaʾ
Close it was not a long time then they came running out of the woods
sápat suúnaaxuʾ.
women, young women.
naahtakúʾU nikuwitIhíRAxa.
His wife she was the one in the lead.

uu wetikoosšawíʾAt.
"Oh, I am tired in spirit.
kaweNAxiinawásaʾ.
Did you finally come?
wah tikuutIsaruuwaahát.
Now my mind went blank.
neekuuWIsxá nuu neetiíkUx tiiháʾ.
When I revived there I was here!"

wah parúNIt síšWA.
"Now, quickly let's go!"

noošiteewáʾ naahtakúʾU wešineehuuwiraawaʾá.
Then they (du) came his wife as they (du) came running.
tikaskáWI.
He looked back.
nuu witeénaʾ kuuNUxkaatItkúsuʾ.
There it came from afar the big black bear.

tsu – uunawaaríčI suúnaaxuʾ – noowitikawáRIt
But – the other ones the young women – then they scattered
niikohneenunuunitUhwaáhAt wehnaRAhwaawáNA.
wherever their villages were as they each went in different directions.

atsú tinaákUx kuuNUxkaátit nikunootiináʾAx skána wešineenuhniraána.
But this black bear then it chased this one alone as it was chasing them.

noowitiwaákoʾ wiiteešútš wah nikiišuuxiráxAt.
Then he said the young man: "Now you go ahead there!
niišuúxAt
Go on!"

tinaákUx – wiiteešútš – wehnaáʾa WIšiteenuutunaawísaʾ kuúNUx.
This – young man – as he came it overtook them (du) the bear.
uu kuúNUx kanawituhnaaninoosičiraʾá.
Oh, the bear it was huge!
noowi- teenitakúxaʾ wenehkiihuunukaaʾá.
Then it gained on them when it would jump.

nooWIšiteeWIswáʾ iiʾAhnaákUx inaániʾ.
Then they (du) arrived where he was his brother.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah šuuxaahkaʾiíšAt parúNIt.
Then he said: "Now go down the bank quickly!
šuuxaah- kaʾiíšAt.
Go down the bank!
wah šitatuutaáništA.
Now it and I are going to do it."

tinaákUx wiiteešútš nootuutUhuunapítaahAt.
This young man then he swung around.
nišwačee- hUxuúkuʾ wewitinakooWIhuNAhátkA.
They used to say when one would fling himself down.
wewiwiteeWIhuNAhát weNAh- kiičiwiniitaáNA.
Now he flung himself down as he changed form.
– a – inoowiteéRIt – wáh – wehneečiwinii- taáNA.
– And – there he stood – an elk – after he changed.
– uu kanawituuNIšawíhAx wáh.
– Oh, he was huge the elk!
– nooWIši- tuúta kuúNUx.
– Then they (du) did it the bear.
hawá nikukananuúʾUt kuúNUx.
Also it was the same the bear.
witiRIhuúʾU kuuNUxkúsuʾ.
It was big a big bear.

tinaákUx – wáh – wenehkooriiNAhwiíʾa noowitiratihkásIt kuúNUx.
This – elk – when he lowered his horns, then he pierced its neck the bear.
noowituusunaanikUxwaáWI weNAhkuwanú weNAhkuwanú
Then he stuck them into the ground as he went around as he went around,
hawá kuúNUx wenehkišwiiNAsaʾiwaáhu.
also the bear as it was digging its claws into him.
Ahnihtawaapiikú noowitiiNIskaruhnoóʾa – tiwešinaapakú
As it was scratching him then it tore his hide off – as they (du) were fighting
– tiwešinaapakú.
– as they (du) were fighting.

noowitiihuuniriwátAt – tinaákUx – wáh.
Then he jumped up – this – elk.
– anuú – kuWIši- teeNAxtAhweeroohaásAt kuúNUx.
– And there – he threw it down on the ground the bear.

wah wewiteeʾíwoʾ.
Now he was tiring.
noowitiwaákoʾ tinaaríčI– wáh – na wiiteešútš wah inaániʾ wetikoowíʾAt.
Then he said this– elk – and young man: "Now, brother, I am tired."
noowewitaraawii- núʾaʾ.
Then he came char- ging at it.
Ištóh noowitiniisunaanikUxwaáWI weNAhkuratihkásAt –
Again then he stuck his (horns) into the ground when he pierced its neck –
natihníniʾ – weNAhkuraawikúxkUx.
in the neck – when it was pinned down.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah nikutatskáʾ axwaákA niiweNAxwaákA.
Then he said: "Now that is what I wanted for you to say what you just said."
tsu noowiwiteeWIhuNAhát uunaaríčI.
And then he threw himself on the ground the other.
noowitiʾá tanáhaʾ aniítš šiniitAhnéhku.
Then he became a buffalo, a calf they call them.
nikuwitíʾ čiitíʾIs weniitapsiwaahnuuxukú tanáhaʾ.
That one was four its being winters the buffalo.

teewiríWI tinaaríčI kuúNUx.
Now he ran into it this bear.
nuu witirestAh- karuúWAt.
There he took its intestines out.
nuukuwitanuutUhuunapitaáhAt.
There at a distance he swung around.
nooteé- ʾaʾ.
Then he came.
nootiiruukUxítIt čeésuʾ.
Then he began to hook it himself.

noowitiwaákoʾ– kuúNUx wah – naahuunéʾ wešitAxkoo- wíRAt.
Then it said– the bear: "Now – at last you (du) have beat me.
či šikananaaxiwiroohuúʾU ápIs.
Here you (du) are indeed strong both!
tatuuxískaʾ koxtoonuhčitáʾAt – atsú– wešineškoowíRAt.
I thought I would outdo you – but– you (du) beat me.
nawáh wah šitAx- koowíRAt.– anišiisuusiráxAt sápat.
Now, now you (du) beat me.– You (du) take her the woman.
– aa nikutatuxtóxwoʾ tinaákUx sápat.
– Ah, I prize that one this woman.
– atsú wetAxkoowíRAt.
– But you've beat me
– tsu weneškUhuNAhát.
– And you've killed me.
wekaakiraačeéʾA nakukUhunáhAs.
It will not be long before I am dead.
wah aniišuxtaapóʾ.
Now you (pl) go on!"

nooWIšitoosiráxaʾ iiʾAhnaakaáWI.
Then they (du) brought her where the lodge was.
witinaatačiwaapí.
They gathered things.
noowiteeRAhkaaʾiíšaʾ.
Then they came back home.
nuu witaRAhwísaʾ niiʾAhnuuxítAt.
There they arrived where the village was.

nootiinaaʾít taanikutuutAxítIt.
Then they told about it: "This is what happened.
tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ – witištAhunáhas kuúNUx.
This woman – it eloped with her a bear.
– tsu tišinaákUx wešitoosiRAxwísaʾ štoh.
– But these (du) they (du) brought her back."

wah taanikuwituhnaaʾiitUxúʾ.
Now this is how the story is.
atíkaʾ nikutikuu- NUxtaaʾiitihUxuúkuʾ.
My grandmother that is the story she used to tell me.
táWIt nikutuhnaánuʾ šinikuuNUxtaaʾiitihUxukú niiwenatunaaʾiítI.
Three (times) it numbered that their having told me the story what I have told.