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

35

The Seven Scalped Men

and the Hunter

Alfred Morsette

anuú naapakúhtuʾ iiʾAhnatoxtaakitUhwaáhAt nuu haa- wíNIt
Long, long ago where our villages were there below (ie south)
wiiteešútš noowitinaaWIhkaʾišwóʾ.
young men then they were going hunting.
wehnaraa- nátA witikhuNAhčéʾ.
Where they went it was rolling country.
witIhuNAhwaráʾ.
It was wooded land.
nuu wehnihkawooruutíkA NAhnunáhtš tinaaríčI wiiteešútš
There when they each killed them deer this young man
niiʾAhnuxtawé tinaaríčI wiiteešútš wehnakootíkA arikaraánuʾ noowitičiiwaánoʾ.
one who was with them this young man after he killed it a buck, then he butchered it.
na tiwehnawanú tsu uunawaawaaríčI či pakúhtuʾ weešeenaánaʾ.
And while he went around, but those other ones here long ago they had left.
wah šiišehnuunáwaʾ.
Now they had left him.

tinaaríčI wiiteešútš nootiranaawíhAt.
This young man then he packed it on his back.
tiwenaátA – nootunaahunáhAs niikohniíhiʾ – niiwekohnaraáNAt.
As he went – then he lost track of it wherever it was – wherever they had gone.
niikohnuuxítAt noowitunaahunáhAs.
Wherever the camp was then he forgot it.
nikuwetehnaraa- hiRAxá wehnaraaʾIhwaawanú.
This must have been the first time when he was going around hunting.
kaneeteeNUsunaaNIswaawiíšuʾ sinoó wenaraahiRAxaáhNA wenaraawiinátA.
He must not have known (the lay of) the land yet as he went for the first time as he went hunting.

nuu wehnaátA hiištaaNIšíšuʾ wewitikatiisiʾá.
There as he went late in the evening now it became dark.
wehnaátA noowitiwískaʾ kaakAxuhnaawíʾuʾ.
As he went then he thought: "There is no point to it.
číkuʾ  AxteéNAt hunaahčéstIt.
I might go off somewhere a distant place.
tiiháʾ číkuʾ axkuu- teéNA.
Right here I should stay overnight.
na hináxtIt neeteeraaNAxweesítIt niikohnaaxítAt.
And in the morning I will begin to look for them wherever the camp is."

na nikunoowituúta.
And then that is what he did.

tinaaríčI wiiteešútš wehnaátA noowitunaaʾiwaáhnuʾ.
This young man as he went then he imagined things.
Axtóh ihwaaWIhtiíkuʾ.
"Surely he were talking."
noowitiʾuuneéRIt.
Then he stopped.
noowiti- roósI tsástš hunaaníniʾ.
Then he lay it down the meat on the ground.

noowewiteehuuNAhtatataʾiíšaʾ wiítA.
Then he came running up beside him a man.
wewititčiríkUx.
Now he stared at him.
noowitistaakaruuwaáhAt.
Then he repeatedly went around him.
tiwehNUstaakAháku noo- witiwaákoʾ aa tinaaríčI Axtóh
As he went around him then he said: "Ah, this one surely
nootikuunawiʾaánuʾ sáhniš nakúʾU.
I am just imagining him a human to be."

noowiteewakhuutáʾ hee kaxtaríkUs čiwekunaáxAt.
Then he hollered: "Hey, One Leg, where are you?"

noowiteewísaʾ áxkUx haáwaʾ.
Then he came there one also.
pítkUx nooWIšitiiʾá.
Two there they (du) were.

wehnaaríčI noowiteewakhuutáʾ hee štaríkUs kooxeeʾaáhuʾ.
After he stood there then he hollered: "Hey, No Hand, you must be coming.
hásI tinaaríčI číkuʾ kútiʾ.
Look, this one he is something else."

áxkux noowiteewísaʾ.
One then he came.
noowituhnaanuuxítIt táWIt.
Then they numbered three.

wah štoh hee ItkhaahtaríkUs čiwekunaáxAt.
Now again: "Hey, No Ear, where are you?"

noowiteéʾaʾ.
Then he came.
noowituhnaanúʾ čiitíʾIš.
Then they numbered four.

na – noowiteewakhuutáʾ hee – siNIstaríkUs čiwekunaáxAt.
And – then he hollered: "Hey – No Nose, where are you?"

wewituhnaánuʾ šíhUx.
Now they numbered five.

hawá štoh witawakhuutáʾ čiwekunaáxAt kaxtaríkUs.
Also again he hollered: "Where are you, One Leg?"

noowiteehuuNAhtatataʾiíšaʾ.
Then he came running up beside him.
áxkUx witiikáxtA.
One he had a leg.
witeehuunukaawaʾaáhuʾ.
He was hopping all around.

wah– noowiteewakhuutáʾ– štoh – čiwekunaáxAt – štsaríkUs.
Now– then he hollered– again – "Where are you, – No Fingers?"

noowiteehuuNAhtatataʾiíšaʾ.
Then he came running up beside him.
wewituhnaánuʾ taWIšaapiswaáNA wehnawaaríčI.
They were numbering seven where they stood.

tinaaríči wiítA wehnuutačiríkUx noowiteewakhuutáʾ hee –
This man while he gazed at them then he hollered: "Hey, –
NAxkuraakunuuwaáWI – tičé nuúʾUt kanaʾaatiraah- NAhwó niinatiniinaakítAt.
you (pl) going around, – why is it that you are not going where our village is?"

wah tiʾAhnuxwaaríčI noowitiinuuwáʾAx.
Now these who stood then they ran off.
witikUxuununáhAs.
They vanished.
uu nootiraáNAt.
Oh, then they went.
na – tinaaríčI– wiítA noowitiroosít tsástš.
And – this– man then he took it the meat.

tsu wituuxIskáʾ aataroosíkA tsástš.
But he wanted 'that I pick it up' the meat.
nookana- witiirós.
There it was not lying.
wah šitAxkuunoosít tsástš tiNAxuxwaaríčI.
"Now you took mine meat, you who were here.
číkuʾ tuúʾUt.
Something is wrong!

áxkUx kanawititkhaáhtA.
One he had no ear.
pítkUx šohnakaxtari- kuúʾUs.
Two they (du) had a leg cut off.
áxkUx – AhnawihtarikuúʾUs.
One – he had an arm cut off.
uunaaríčI – kanawi- téštA.
Another – he did not have a foot.
uunaaríčI AhneštsarikuúʾUs.
Another he had no fingers.
uunaaríčI Ahnee- siNIstarikuúʾUs.
Another he had a nose cut off.
noowituutahNIšuúxiʾ.
Each one was disfigured.

noowitíʾAt niiwehnaraanátA.
Then he went where they went.

nuu – wehnaátA – noowitiihukaahaanúʾAt.
Then – as he went – there there was a river.
wehnaátA teškúNIt wehnaWIsátA noowitiiʾaáhkA.
When he went, close as he went, there there was a cut bank.
noowitinaa- noókuʾ AhnuhwakaaniWIsú iiʾAhnatsteéhAt.
Then they were singing the sound coming from there where the edge of the water was.

wituutáwi tinaaríčI– wiiteešútš – na noowititawiraáʾAt.
He stopped this– young man, – and then he went down.
nuu wehnuhnaačiriikawaáWI inoowitUstaákA.
There while he was looking all around there it was protruding.
noowituhnakAstaákA.
A root stuck out.
noowituutaWIšíhkUt.
Then he pulled it.
noowitireekaríkUs na inoowitiinaanoókuʾ.
Then the door opened and there they were singing.

witanaanúʾAt wehnuutačiríkUx Ahninaanoóku tinaraanoótA.
They sat when he gazed at them as they were singing these.

na noowitiwaákoʾ tinaraaʾiitúxkUx nikuwetAxinaaʾiítUx kaxtaríkUs
And then he said: "This song this is your song, No Leg."

wewitiihuuniriwátAt wenehkiihuunukaáhu AhnakaxtáWI áxkUx.
Now he jumped up as he was hopping the one with a leg one.

wah tinaraaʾiitúxkUx nikuwetAxinaaʾiítUx štaríkUs.
"Now this song it will be your song, No Hand."

noowitinaánoʾ štoh.
Then they sang again.
noowitaRAhkaaʾaáhuʾ.
Then they were dancing.

atsú nohnaákUx Ahnaraanoóku neesiNIstari- kuúsU nikuwitiraanoókuʾ.
And the one sitting there the one singing the one who had no nose he was the one singing.
wešohniiteéRIt hee wetAhuúkaʾ štoh.
When they saw him, "Hey, he has come inside again."
WIšitiitawatatawiiruútIt Ahnuxtaanoóku.
They all piled on him the one who was singing.

noowitIhuúkAt tinaaríčI wiiteešútš.
Then he went inside this young man.

noowitiwiítIt niiʾAhnakáʾIt.
Then he sat down where the fire was.
witikáʾIt čeehaanuukaríkAt.
There was a fire in the middle of the room.
inoowitiirós tsástš Ahnuxta- naáhNA.
There it lay the meat what he had had.
witiRIšaatItkátA.
A rib was roasting over the fire.

áxkUx noowitiiríwatAt.
One then he got up.
noowitiwiítIt.
Then he sat down.
hawá uunaákUx.
Also another.
na nootiraaniriwátAt.
And then they got up.
nootiraanáWA.
Then they sat around.
noowititaapeera- wiítIt Ahnuxtaanoóku neesiNIstarikuúsU.
Then he sat upright as he sang the one with no nose.

noowitiwaákoʾ – wetAxkuraahnaanunáx.
Then he said: – "Now you have found us.
– šeenootuúʾUt wešinatAhúNAx.
– It was planned that we found you.
– nikutatuhnaahnaáNIt.
– We are the ones.
– wenoonaahunáhAs niiwenaraanátA NAxuxtaahtíRA niiNAxuxtawé.
– You lost your way where they went when you (pl) were together where you were among them.
teškúNIt tAxtaakítAt.
Close by your village is.
tsu nikUšiineetotkáxaʾ.
But we are the ones who called you.
nootatiraahnaakúx.
Then we set things down.

a či NAxtaahukoóʾUs.
"And here you are a warrior!
a či NAxíʾ wiítA.
And here you are a man!
wekaakAxkuunaahninóʾ.
You are not afraid of us.
na tatuhnaahnaaNIšteenaahawá tiweNAhnaNAhnaanoótA.
And we are all deformed (lit askew) we who are sitting around here.
nuu tatuxtaakunuuwá naa- wiinakuúnuʾ a neekuraakuNAhát.
There we were all going (on) the warpath and they killed us.
na tinaRAtkAhaaNAhú neekuhnaakaapaatštíRA tiweNAhnakunuuwaáWI.
And this night that comes it pitied us while we were going around.
wah tiiháʾ nikutAhnaNAhnaanúʾAt.
Now here this is where we are staying."

wah tiwešinatotkAxá taanikuwetAxkunuhnaakaa- níštA.
"Now our calling you here this is what you're going to do for us.
hee– číkuʾ aataraahnaawíšA– naaWIškaánuʾ.
Oh,– we want to smoke– tobacco.
tiraačitéʾ.
It is scarce.

uuháʾ naraanoswaáWI kaakiraačiteéʾIt.
"Other things they are not scarce.
wah nikuweši- tatotkaapaačíštI.
Now those are the powers we'll give you.
wah wetaaxIsawaaWIhúxtA takú NIhkuraʾaáNA.
Now you're going to doctor anyone who aches.
tinaroósI kunaáʾuʾ nikutAxihnanaahíštA.
These medicines you are going to use them.

na paatúh naraáčI wekaakoonaačitee- waahnúxtA.
"And enemy the ways of now the ways are not going to be difficult for you.
wetAxtaanuhkáʾIt naawiinakuúnuʾ na paatúh -- čituúʾuʾ
You will now have those ways the warpath and enemy -- everything
wetAxuhneesšúxtA niinakuutaáNA.
you are going to know what to do.
atsú nehnakunuuwá.
And we'll be around.
šikoxtootAsíštA.
We'll watch over you.
niiNAxkoótA na tAhnakunuuwá na šitatooteérikuʾ.
Wherever you go and we will be around and we will be seeing you.

wah taanikuwetátskaʾ NAxkukunuhnaakaáNA tikuraa- kAsšóʾ –
"Now this is what I want for you to do for us: we desire it –
naaWIškaánuʾ – číkuʾ aataraahnaawíšA.
tobacco – that we may smoke some.
tiraakaapaátš tiNAhnaNAhnaanoótA.
It is scarce (for) these of us here.
kaakikuunaahnaačiteewaahnúʾ.
Things are difficult for us.

tinaroósI tsástš šineetohnanáʾ.
"This meat we did bring it for you.
tineéros.
Here it is.
weneešaakawaasíštA.
Now you are going to eat."

a nikunoowituutAxítIt nooWIšitihnaakaaNUhkúx.
And that is what happened: then they set food before him.
nooWIšititčiraawít tstoóxuʾ.
Then they dipped it for him water.

hee číkuʾ waáwi koxkuunaahnaaWIšá.
"Hey, you would ha ve smoked from us.
tiraačitéʾ naaWIškaánuʾ kaakAhnaNAhnána.
It is scarce: tobacco we do not have it.
na nikuweneeraačítA tiwe- šinatoosiRAxá
And that is the reason our bringing you here
číkuʾ nikuNAxkukunuhnaakaáNA NAtkuraahnaa- wíšA.
for you to do something for us that we may smoke.
wah wešitoosiRAxúhtA niiNAxiniinítAt.
Now they are going to take you where your village is."

noowitIhaakawáʾAs.
Then he ate.

nooWIšitihnaakawaakarookUxítIt.
Then they began to sing songs.

tinaraaʾiitUxtoósI wetAxiriíʾux.
"These songs now you know them.
wekaakoonaačitee- waahnúxtA.
Now things shall not be difficult for you.
niiNAxkuWIskáʾA na tAxuúta.
Whatever you want and you'll do it.
kaakiraačitéstA.
It is not going to be difficult."

wah IškaniwaáhAs tinaraanoótA wiiteešútš šikooxoosiráxAt
"Now after you have eaten, these young men they will take you
niiNAxiína niiNAxiniinítAt.
whence you came where your village is.
wah číkuʾ naahnooxiraatAhkáWI IšWIsátA iinataraa- kítAt.
Now you must not divulge anything when you arrive where our vil- lage is.
a číkuʾ Ahnookaakiwaákoʾ tatsuuxaakeéRIt.
Do not just say anything: 'I saw them.'
Axtóh wekaakatunaakiwá.
Surely we are not good now.
wetatuhnaakIšteenaáhAt.
We are disfigured.

tsu Itkxaánuʾ tehnaWIskáʾ NAtkuuxUhuunaakunuu- waáWI.
"But Night he must have thought that we should live awhile yet.
nikuunaátaʾ niiwešinatanuutaáNA.
It is his plan what we have done for you.
atsú číkuʾ naahnookaakikuraahtaraʾóʾ.
But you must just not mention us at all.
šikooxooNAtkoókuʾ tinaraanoótA číkuʾ nišwaakaahUxítIt.
They will be hearing you these whatever you start to say.
noo nikiišuutaáNA na noonuhnaánuʾ na
Then if you do that, and then that will be all, and
nooniraawíʾuukAs niiwešinatotwaákA.
so it'll be the end of the way what we have told you.
wah štoh kaakíʾ nakuútA.
Now again it cannot be.

wah suuxá niiwešinatoonaaniwó čeésuʾ.
"Now do it what we ask of you yourself!
naaWIškaánuʾ.
Tobacco.
šinoosiRAxkaaʾiišátA šwísAt čiitíʾIš niiha- weéNA
When they take you home when you arrive four when days have passed
štaawíreehAs neešiinanáʾ na skaná šiínaʾ.
when you are ready, you will bring it and alone you will come
– na tákuʾ noošikaakawáʾ.
– Don't come with anyone else
– taanikiišiinanáʾ.
– Bring it thus.
tiiháʾ nikiišiinaniwísaʾ naaWIškaánuʾ.
Here bring that to this point the tobacco.
wah niikoh- nuuNUxtaaʾiíWIs na šiteeraaʾú.
Now whatever remains of the way (ie power) and we will give it to you."

nooWIšiteenuusiRAxkaáʾ – tinaákUx – wiiteešútš.
Then they (du) took him outside – this – young man.
kanawituxtaačeéʾA nooWIšitiisiRAxwísAt iiʾAhneétAt.
It was not a long time, then they (du) arrived leading him where the village was.
tsástš WIšitiisuxtaná.
The meat they (du) carried it for him.

wehnuxtaaninuʾá wešinehkukoótIt paatúh šinehkUhunáx.
They became fearful that they had killed him, the enemy that they had found him.
číkuʾ wehnaahkuuxá.
"Perhaps he's lying (dead) somewhere.
weteeNAhúnahAs.
He must be dead.
wešitehnihkoótIt.
They must have killed him."

AhnoowitIhuúkAt.
Then he just went inside.
haa tikuuxuNAhaásuʾ noo- šiNAxkukuuhuunáwa.
"Hey, I was getting lost after you left me there.
– weneetiinaWIswísaʾ.
– Now I have finally come back
– weneetaaWIs- taahnaanunáx.
– Now I have finally found you (pl)."

wah niiwekohniiraawiiʾót noowitiwaákoʾ atíʾAx naaWIškaánuʾ tikoosšóʾ.
Now sometime later then he said: "My father, tobacco I want."

nawáh – hiʾáxtiʾ noowitihnanóxtoʾ –
Now – his father then he mixed it for him, –
niikohnuxtsaweekáʾIt naaWIškaánuʾ tiíNI – tiwenaRAsawé
whatever kind there as among us tobacco today – this that we have
– uuxapáhAt niikohnuutuúʾIt Ahniisuxtaneešikú uuxapáhAt wenehkuhnanéškA.
– kinnikinnik whatever kind it was what they used to mix kinnikinnik when they mixed it.

tinaákUx wiiteešútš nootiráNAt.
This young man then he took it.
nootíʾAt niiwehnaraanoótA wekUšinehnaáʾU wešinitkaapaatštíRA.
Then he went where they were their son the ones who had pitied him.
tiwísAt tiwenačíkAt.
He arrived as he cried.
nooWIšiteenuunawáʾ.
Then they embraced him.

wah šiišuúkaʾ.
"Now come in!"

WIšitiisiRAxuúkAt.
They took him inside.

wah tiweneéros naaWIškaánuʾ niiNAxuxtaapIskáʾA iiNAxtapačíʾA
"Now here it is the tobacco that which you wanted as you said."

uu witiraasšteehuúʾU.
Oh, they were glad.
noowitinaanookUxítIt číkuʾ  wehnaRAhkaáhu wehninaahuuNAsšteehuúNU wehninaawíšA.
Then they began to sing while they were dancing their being thankful after they smoked.

wah wekutuhnaaʾúʾ wešininaanaawoóhA.
Now it continued now their giving them to him.
taaniku- kooxuúta.
"This is what you will do.
taanikutAxuutaáništA čikiisaWI- hú.
This is what you are going to do when you are doctoring.
taanikutíʾ NAxkuwaákA.
This is wha t you will have to say."

nawáh wewitiroohuuNIhuúʾU wešinitkaapaatštíRA.
Now it was a great thing when they pitied him.
wah taanikuneewakUhteéhAt šinikunuuNUxtaaʾiitihUxukú.
Now this is the end of his words, what they used to tell me.

na noošiteenoosiráxaʾ.
And then they took him back.
štoh tawísaʾ.
Back he arrived.
na tinaákUx wiiteešútš noowitiʾá naahukoósuʾ wehnaraahu-
And this young man then he became a warrior when he found
nuuwaaNAxú wehNAhaananiwiítIt.
things when he married.
wekaakunaačitee- waahnúʾ – xaataʾuútuʾ – paatUhkaráhNIš
Now things were not difficult for him – horse stealing, – enemy hunting
wenaačee- waáhu na weneesawaaWIhú.
when he counted coups on them and when he was doctoring.
tákuʾ nehkuraʾaáNA nooWIšititkáxaʾ a –
When someone became ill then they called him and –
nookanawitiiraačeéʾA – NAhku- naaheereétIt.
then it was not a long time – when he would become well.
tákuʾ nehkukaaxapítkA na kanawitiiraačeéʾA NAhkunaaheereétIt.
Someone when his leg was broken and it was not a long time when he would be well.

wah – wituxtaačeéʾA Ahnuxtawé – Ahnuxwaa- wanú na noowitikaahuunawísAt.
Now – it was a long time his being among us – his going around, and then he reached old age.

wah – taanikutiiraaʾiitúxAt – niinatuuxItkookUxúku.
Now – this is where the story ends – what I used to hear.
tákuʾ nootiwáčiʾ sčiíri tinaaʾiitUxuúkuʾ.
Some they say Pawnees they tell the story.