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

33

The Pawnee Woman

and the Scalped Man

Alfred Morsette

wetatunaaʾiitíštA naaʾiitUxsčíri tsu sáhniš.
Now I am going to tell it a Pawnee story and Arikara.
tAhnaakItkawoókuʾ sčiíri NAhnapaaWIhtiiruukú.
We understand Pawnee when we are talking.
číkuʾ nakuwa- číʾA sčiíri na tatuhnaahneesiíšuʾ.
When they say anything Pawnees and we understand it.
a nikunií- ʾIt haáwaʾ.
And they are that way also.

nuu naapakúhtuʾ – niikohniíhiʾ – kaakatuhneesiíšuʾ.
Long , long ago – wherever it was – I do not know.
weNAhkiitúhkUx – na – noowitooNAhwísaʾ paatúh.
Where the village was – and – then they came to fight the enemy.
wehnaRAxUhuunaáNA noowitiiNAhnoosanáxtoʾ.
When there was a battle then they made it rough for them.

áxkUx suúnaaxuʾ noowituhkúxAx.
One young woman then she ran off.
noowitikUxtaawátAt wehniináče
Then she ran off from the group when they were striking them,
wehniinakawooruutíkA íhUx wehniinuuwaawaáxI.
when they were killing them off, half after they ran off in all directions.
na – tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ – noowititáhpA wiinásts.
And – this young woman – then she carried him on her back a little boy.
noowituhkúxAx nuu weNAhuusaátA.
Then she ran off there where a ravine was.

wehnakUxpaahwaahnú wewitiíhiʾ híNAx.
When she was hiding in different spots it was now night.
wehnaátA nuu iiháʾ witiʾaáhkA.
When she went then there there was a cut bank.
noowitikaáʾAt.
Then she went into it.
witAhu- naahnátA.
There was a hole (ie cave).
noowitiwiítIt wehnakaáWI.
Then she sat down after she was inside.

niiʾAhnuuxitúhkUx noowitaahkawáRIt paatúh
Where the village was then they scattered out the enemy
weNAhunuúWI – wehnihkawahIhníkA paatúh – wehniitakeéNA.
when they went around – when they made fires here and there, enemy – when they stayed overnight.
witikawáʾIt weNAhkureewaataáNA tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ.
There were fires here and there when she looked this young woman.

noowitiwískaʾ taaneetooxUhuhká.
Then she thought: "Let me stay in here awhile!
kutiraáNIš štAhwáNA na neeteekawátAt.
It is truly thus when they go and then I will get out.
číkuʾ niikohnatAhúhtA.
I don't know where I am going to go."
nikuwewitiWIskawaáwaʾ tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ.
That is what she was thinking repeatedly this young woman.

wah noowiteehuNAhwaákaʾ.
Now then there was a sound on the ground coming.
uu wi- tiihuNUhtáʾAt.
Oh, it passed by.
hawá štoh witaáʾ.
Also back it came.
hawá štoh witiihuNUh- táʾAt.
Also again it passed by.
noowituutáwi niitiʾAhnakaáWI.
Then it stopped here where she was inside.

noowitiwiítIt.
Then he sat down.
noowitUtkaxtsákUx wehnuutAx- tsákUx.
Then his legs hung down when his feet hung down.
weWIšituutAxčiríkUx tsu nuuʾAhnáka.
Now she saw his feet but she was in there.

na noowitiwaákoʾ aNAhoowiisákUx wah nikutatíʾ
And then he said the one sitting on the ledge: "Now I'm the one
šinihnéhku awičiriikáwa.
they call Sees Him Everywhere.
nikutaatAxaáʾA awičiriikáwa.
I'm the one named Sees him Everywhere
– tákuʾ niikooNAxíʾ tiNAxkaáWI na tikawátAt.
– Whoever you are you who are inside here, get out."
nikuwitiwaawaakaáhuʾ.
That is what he was saying over and over.

noowitiiríwatAt anuú štoh noowitiihuununáhAs.
Then he got up, there again then he quickly disappeared.

kanawituxtaačeéʾA štoh noowiteehuuwiraáʾ.
It was not a long time again then he came quickly.
štoh witawísaʾ.
Back he came.
noowitiwiítIt niiʾAhnawiitikú niiʾAhnuu- taánu wešiNAhkuutAxtákUx.
Then he sat down where he was sitting what he was doing when his feet were hanging.
wah tiwenétkUx.
"Now here I am.
niku- tatíʾ awičiriikáwa.
I am the one Sees Him Everywhere."
nikuwitiwaakaáhuʾ.
That is what he was saying.

tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ noowitiwískaʾ wah Axtóh
This young woman then she thought: "Now certainly
tákuʾ niinooNAxkuúʾU tiNAxiiNAhú.
whoever might you be, you coming here?
na weneškuNAsáʾUx.
And I am hungry."

wiináxtš noowitičíkAt.
The boy then he cried.
niiwekohneewítat witičíkAt wehnuNAsáʾUx wiinásts.
However old he was he cried since he was hungry the little boy.

noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ wah tákuʾ niikoo- NAxíʾ
Then she said this young woman: "Now whoever you are
awičiriikáwa – wah – wešitikuNAsáʾux natihnaáʾU wiináxtš
Sees Him Everywhere – now – we are hungry my child the boy."

aNAhoowiisákUx awičiriikáwa noowitiihuuniriwátAt.
The one sitting on the ledge Sees Him Everywhere then he jumped up.
witIhuNAhwaákAt.
There was the sound of footsteps going.
nootíʾAt.
Then he went.
tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ wehnakaáWI noowituuNAtkóʾ.
This young woman when she was inside then she heard him.

wewitiraačeéʾA noowiteehuNAhwaákaʾ štoh.
It was a while then the sound on the ground came again.
witiwiítIt.
He sat down.
noowitiwaákoʾ wah tiwenétkUx.
Then he said: "Now here I am.
nikutatíʾ awičiriikáwa.
I am the one Sees Him Everywhere.
wah– šíšaʾ.
Now– come!
tineenáxkUx číkuʾ šiNAxkUhaakawáʾAs.
Here is food, something for you (du) to eat."

tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ wewituninóʾ.
This young woman now she was afraid of him.
wah číkuʾ kaneeneešuhnaaʾúxtA aasakuriWAhteekoótI.
"Now it does not make any difference if you and I starve to death.
číkuʾ naaxkutkaapaačíštI.
He might pity me somehow."
noowitikawátAt.
Then she got out.

noowitiíkUx – wiítA.
There he sat – a man.
wiiteešUtčipiríhtš – tíʾ.
A very young man – he was.
uu witunaahiwá wiiteešútš tiiʾAhnaákUx.
Oh, he was dressed nicely young man this one here.
noowitiwaákoʾ wah šiišuuxaakawáʾAs.
Then he said: "Now eat!"

nooWIšitiwaawaaNIšítIt tinaákUx – wiináxtš – piiráʾuʾ wehnuNAsáʾUx.
Then they (du) began eating this – boy – baby since he was hungry.
uu WIšitiwaawaʾá NIšaátuʾ wešoh- neenuhnaʾá taakáxtš šinawaawáʾA.
Oh, they (du) ate them ribs what he brought for them, dried meat, as they (du) ate.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah šikoxkuutaweeráʾAt.
Then he said: "Now follow me!
kaakiíhiʾ čéstIt niinátkUx.
It is not far where I live."

nikunoowituúta tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ noowitUstatatáʾAt.
Then that is what she did this young woman: then she followed him.
uu witiisiRAxwísAt niiʾAhnaanunuunakaáWI tinaákUx tshunúxuʾ.
Oh, he arrived with her where his dwelling was this scalped man.

witiwaákoʾ taanikutátkUx.
He said: "This is where I live."

noowitiRAhnuúkAt.
Then they went inside it.
uu kanawitaaxunaahé AhnakáʾIt.
Oh, it was very nice indeed there being a fire.
noowiteeraawaniítoʾ.
It was warm there.

wah nikiišuxwiítIt.
"Now sit down right there!
wah tákuʾ wekaakAxinihwanúʾ teškúNIt.
Now there is no one of yours (ie one of your people) close by.
wetiraáhWA čéstIt ačitaánuʾ niinaáxU.
They have gone off far the tribe what you are.
naahuunéʾ wekaakiraáNAt niiwenuutAxítIt wenaraačé.
They have gone far off what happened after striking them.

nawáh šaahWIskáʾA koxtoosiráxAt.
"Now if you should want I will take you.
koxteeraapóʾ.
We will go.
xáx haáʾAx síno tiraa- núʾAt šitaRAxwéʾ.
Your mother, your father yet they (ie the family) are living there. They (du) are looking for you."

tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ noowituté wešina- waawáʾA atíštIt.
This young woman then she stayed overnight when they (du) ate well.
wah tehnúhne wiiteešútš.
Now he must have been good the young man.

noowitiwaákoʾ koosíhWA.
Then he said: "You and I will go
– koxteeraapóʾ.
– We will go.
– tsu wenétskaʾ – NAsIhkuutíRA.
– But I do want – for us to be together.
atsú – číkuʾ niiNAxkuWIskáʾA na taáxAt -- na tAxtaawátAt
And – whatever you want you will go off -- you will leave
niiNAxkuraakitúhkUx na koosihtaawátAt.
where your (pl) village is and we will separate from them.
na číkuʾ niiNAxkuWIskáʾA na tAxkuhnaʾít číkuʾ niinehkoósšo.
And whatever you might want you tell me whatever you desire."

wah weteeNAhtakuúxa.
Now he must have married her.
nooteenuusiráxaʾ niiwekohnii- nitúnoʾ
Then he must have taken her back wherever they must have made the village
štoh niiʾAhnáʾU ačitaánuʾ sčiíri.
again whatever one it was band Pawnee.
nuu noowititaʾiitíšAt tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ.
There then she went to join them this young woman.

noowitiwaákoʾ– wah taanikutAxiniináka.
Then he said:– "Now this is your home.
– xáx na haáʾAx taanikUšitiíkUx.
– Your mother and your father here this is where they (du) live.
tiRAhčíšAt.
They survived.
kaakiináčeʾ.
They were not struck.
niiNIštAxUhunoóku nikuwetíʾIt weniináče tsu
The ones making war they were the ones their being struck, but
tinaraanoótA niinaRAsaawátAt niinuuwaáxI nikutíʾIt.
these (others) the ones who separated the ones running away they are the ones."

na – tinaákUx – suúnaaxuʾ – witiwísAt.
And – this – young woman – she arrived.
na – atináʾ atíʾAx tiweneetiínaʾ.
"Why – mother, father, here I have come!"

noowitiwaákoʾ – na kaakikuʾiitáWI – na kaakiwaákoʾ
Then he (had) said: – "Do not tell on me. – Do not say:
nikUšitatiítI awičiriikáwa.
'We are the ones together Sees Him Everywhere.'"

uu – WIšititaʾiíʾIt – hiʾáxtiʾ – na – šáxtiʾ.
Oh – they (du) were glad – her father – and – her mother.
witiraasšteehuúʾU wešohniiteéRIt.
They were all happy when they (du) saw her.

noowitiwaákoʾ nuu – tatuúxAt na – neeneetikUxpaána.
Then she said: "There – I went and – I hid.
na neetuxká iiháʾ.
And I was in it there.
tAhunaahnátA.
There is a cave.
wešineekuNAsáʾUx na neešiineetikaruuWAtwaáhAt na neešiineetihwáʾ.
We were hungry, and then we got out and then we came.
šineetux- waʾá naakunaánuʾ na nakaánus.
We ate them Juneberries and chokecherries.
nikUšitatuxwaʾá.
Those are what we ate.
šitikuriWAhteekootíhuʾ.
We were starving to death."

nooWIšitihkaanúnoʾ uu wešohnawaawáʾA.
Then they cooked for them (du), oh, as they (du) ate.

wah wituxtaačeéʾA nikukooNUsuuxaawaanú tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ.
Now it was a long while her doing this this young woman.
weNAhkuraanátA inástiʾ wehnawaawanú naawiinakuúnuʾ –
When they went, her brother when he went around (on) the warpath –
nikuweNAhkuutaáNA weNAhkuuwó – natsú tinaákUx suúnaaxuʾ
when he did that when he was going, – but this young woman
noowitíʾAt čéstIt.
then she went far off.
WIšititIhunuu- waanáx wehneeNAhtakúʾU.
They (du) found each other her husband.

wah atinás wetiiwóʾ naawiinakuúnuʾ.
"Now my brother he is going (on) the warpath.
NAxkuu- tUhuuNAsštáWI.
Watch over his movements.
číkuʾ AhnoowitinakuhnaahúNAx.
Let him just find something for himself."

a noowiteéʾaʾ.
And then she came.
noowitíʾAt inástiʾ naawiina- kuúnuʾ.
Then he went her brother (on) the warpath.

aa číkuʾ kanawitiiraačitéʾ číkuʾ niiNAhkuutaáNA.
Ah, nothing was difficult for him whatever he did.
noowitIhuuNAxaNIhuúʾU – wešinihtaruuwaʾó – wehnuutaa-
Then he had a big name – when they talked about him – when he did
waanú naahukoósuʾ wenáʾU.
things a brave warrior his being.

wah – niikohniiraáʾAt – šohnuxtíRA tinaákUx –
Now, – however long the time was – their (du) being together this –
suúnaaxuʾ – tshunúxuʾ AhnuuxAxaáNU awičiriikáwa.
young woman – scalped man the one who was named Sees Him Everywhere.

wah tiwenatunaaʾiítI tiraaʾiítUx sčiíri.
Now the story that I have now told it is a story Pawnee.
atíkaʾ – tuuNUxtaaʾiitihUxuúkuʾ – wenikuRAxAhátkA.
My grandmother – she used to tell the story – when she reared me.