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

44

The Horse Raid with the Bear Hide

Alfred Morsette

anuú naapakúhtuʾ anuú AhnuuxitUhwaáhAt wiitee- šútš
There long ago there where the villages were young men
noowitiraáNAt naawiinakuúnuʾ niikohnuhnaánuʾ.
then they went (on) the warpath however many there were.
wituxtaáʾIt číkuʾ xaawaarúxtiʾ– witiʾaatootúNAx.
The purpose was some horse– 'that I find for myself.'
witiraáNAt naawiinakuúnuʾ nuuwehnaraanátA hunaaníniʾ.
They went (on) the warpath as they went there on foot.

nooWIšitihnunáx kuúNUx uu kuuNUxkaátit.
Then they found it a bear, oh, a black bear.
nooWIši- tihkoótIt.
Then they killed it.
witiraasštIhkaʾá wehneenunuhnaanuúčI AhništanuhkoóčI
The supply was low when theirs were nearly depleted the things they had
taakáxtš na štípiiʾIt na tapáhtuʾ.
dried meat and corn balls and pemmican.

noowitiwaákoʾ áxkUx aráh šehniíʾU AhnehčítA
Then he said one: "Say," the main one the leader
niiʾAhniinakiRAxaáhNA šiišuuNUxukáWAt atíštIt kuúNUx na skarútš.
the one who led them, "skin it well the bear and the hide!"

nikunoowitIsá atíštIt nooWIšitiinukáWAt skarútš
Then that is what they did: well then they skinned it the hide,
šeenoóčI kuuNUxIhaníhtš.
the real kind a young bear.

wah niiweNAhkuraaninátA noowitiiniwáhIt wehnataahIšikú.
Now wherever they stopped to camp then he spread it out his drying it.
koxtirikaaʾiíšAt.
"I will take it home."

wewititaahIšaanúʾ.
Now it was getting dry.
wewitiskarutkaataaʾá.
The skin was getting dry.

noowitiwáčiʾ aráh nuu tineetunaáhkUx paatúh sanánat.
Then they said: "Say, there here is a village enemy, Sioux.
tiituNIhuúʾU.
It's a big village.
xaawaarúxtiʾ kaakuhnaaninoosi- čiraʾá.
Horses there is a huge number.
uu wenehnaNAhnaaneéhAs.
Oh, we have already planned it.
tiituNIhuúʾU.
It is a big village."

wah noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx AhnehčítA aráh piikaawá tIhaaxtawíkUx
Now then he said this leader: "Say, a stallion it is picketed
nuu ituunuukaríkAt.
there in the middle of the village.
wah wešitsiisiRAxAhíštA piikaawá.
Now we are going to bring it the stallion."

wituhné piikaawá.
It was nice looking the stallion.
uu witiraaNIhuúʾU xaawaarúxtiʾ.
Oh, there were many horses!

noowitiwaákoʾ AhnehčítA nawáh šiišiisiRAxwísaʾ.
Then he said the leader: "Now bring it here!"

nooWIšiteenuusiráxaʾ híNAx.
Then they brought it back at night.
wewitikatistátAt.
Now it was dark.

uu witiwaákoʾ nehčítA aráh wetAhnaawireé- hAs.
Oh, he said the leader: "Well, I have already plan- ned the way."
tinaaríčI xaakaatItkúsuʾ witíʾ piikaawá.
This big black horse it was the stallion.

noowitUsaakarikUxwaáWI iiNAhaakaratáWI.
Then he fastened it to the mouth where its mouth was.
taRAhúhtš witIhaakAhaaxtawá.
Rawhide (thongs) they were tied to the mouth.
kanawitíʾ nakučiškataWAhná.
It could not whinny.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah šuxtaakawireehaáʾAs.
Then he said: "Now you all be ready!
tinaaríčI xaawaarúxtiʾ wetaatiʾitčíštA niitineetúhkUx.
This horse I am going to turn it loose in this village.
wah xaawaarúxtiʾ wetiraniNUhatčíštA čituúʾuʾ xaawaarúxtiʾ niikohnuxwaawaáRIt.
Now the horse it is going to frighten them all the horses wherever they are standing.
nakoowitariísU nakuutuuníkUt xaawaarúxtiʾ.
Be quick to catch it a horse.
wetatohnaahnanaaxíštA xaawaarúxtiʾ.
We are going to run with them the horses."

noowitiretkAxítIt.
Then everyone was asleep.
nooWIšitiisiráxAt piikaawá niiʾAhneetUhteéhAt.
Then they led it the stallion where the edge of the village was.
nuu xaawaarúxtiʾ witiwaawaáRIt.
There horses they stood here and there.
uu witiraaNIhuúʾU.
Oh, there were many!
tinaákUx wiiteešútš nootuuNItkuuNAsareépI piikaawá na kuúNUx
This young man then he tied its tail the stallion, and bear
tiwehneskaruhnaáhNA na nikunoo- witIhaaxtáWI.
the hide that he had and he then tied it to that one (ie the stallion's tail).

nawáh šiišuuxiʾít.
"Now turn it loose!"

noowitiiʾít ituunuukaríkAt.
Then he let it loose in the middle of the village.
wah tinaaríčI xaawaarúxtiʾ wehnarinuʾaáNA kaakíʾ naku-
Now this horse when it became frightened it could not
čiškataWAhná wehnootIsUxtareépI wešohniiNIsUxtaʾiínat.
whinny when its lips were tied how they tied the lips.
na tinaaríčI xaawaarúxtiʾ noowitiraninuwaahát xaawaarúxtiʾ.
And this horse then it scared them the horses.
AhnuxtaanaxtaweeríčI xaawaarúxtiʾ xeečitáWIš
The ones that stood there picketed horses, riding horses,
wehnaraninuʾaáNA weNAhkUhaaxtákAs
when they became frightened when one would be loose
weNAhkUhaaxukátkA uu noowitIhuutuNAhwáhnaʾ xaawaarúxtiʾ wehniiNAhnanaáxI.
after it broke the rope, oh, then there was a trampling sound the horses when they ran off with them.
weNAhkUhuhtariiwaatátA niitineetUhteewaáhAt
When they ran past it where the boundary of this village was
wititawátU niišohniiNAhnátA.
there was an opening where they drove them (from the village).

wah tinawaaríčI wiiteešútš wehninaaničitawiiruútIt
Now these young men when they each mounted up,
noowitiinanáʾAx xaaNAhkúsuʾ.
then they ran off with them a big bunch of horses.

atsú tinaaríčI wiiteešútš noowituutuuníkUt štoh piikaawá.
But this young man then he caught it again the stallion.
noowitiroóʾa skarútš.
Then he took it off the hide.
noowituutiriiwaápI.
Then he folded it up.
nootiičitawiítIt na nooteéʾaʾ.
Then he mounted it and then he came.
nootootAhniraánaʾ.
Then he came in pursuit of them.

uu pítkUx niikohnuuxawé na wewitaRAhWIswáʾ
Oh, two, however many days it was and they returned
niiʾAhnuuxitUhwaáhAt niikohnuuxitUhwaáhAt nataraakíčI sáhniš.
where the villages were wherever the villages were ourselves Arikaras.
nikutiiNIštaaʾiitihUxuúkuʾ.
That is what they used to tell.
wah wewiteenani- wísaʾ xaaNAhkúsuʾ.
Now they brought them back a big bunch of horses.

wituxtaanaaNIhuúʾU nikuNAhkuutaáNA tinaákUx wiiteešútš.
It was many times his doing that this young man.
kaakíʾ číkuʾ nakuuxItkAxtíRA číkuʾ niiNAhkuusuxkaapaatštíRA tsu noowituuxAsšUhuniiwaawaʾuúxIt.
He never fasted to have been blessed by anything, but then he knew how to plan things.
číkuʾ niiNAhkuutaáNA na witunaahé na číkuʾ noowiteeraaničíšAt.
Whenever he did anything, and it was good and then he saved things.