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

48

War Story of Wet

Moccasin and Old Bull

Alfred Morsette

wah wetatunaaʾiitíštA niiNAtkuuxItkáʾU siíno
Now I am going to tell a story what I heard yet
nuxtaanawáNA niiNIštaaʾiitUxtanuhkoóčI NIhkuunaaʾiiwaawaátI.
the ones who were living the ones who had various stories when they used to tell stories.
na tiwenatunaaʾiitIhú – nikutikunuuNUxtaaʾít –
And this I am telling – he was the one who told it to me –
tiNAstaraʾó wáh nuhwakareéRA.
this one I am talking about Nice Voiced Elk.
atíʾAx kutatíš.
My father he was mine.
inaániʾ ši- tuúxA atíʾAx.
Brothers they (du) were my father.
sšúxuʾ tAhnaákIt.
Relatives we were.

wah AhnuuxitúhkUx AhnuuxitUhčituúʾU tiihéʾ táWIt
Now when the village was there when the village was combined here three
ačitaánuʾ– psíkAt weNAhkupsiʾaáNA –
tribes,– in the winter when it became winter –
noowitehtakUhkaʾíšWA tiiháʾ skaweéraaʾuʾ –
then they went into the woods as a group here (to) the west –
niiNUxtaaNIhuuníčI – nátš skaweéraaʾuʾ tinawarooʾátA.
where there was a plentiful amount – wood (to) the west here where the woods extended.

wenaraanoótA psíkAt weNAhunaahpsiʾaa- nuuxukú
When they lived there in the winter when the land usually becomes wintry,
wenakuutuNAsawiítIt wenaakooxaáʾa hawá štoh noowitIhunaaNIhuunaánuʾ.
when the ice freezes over, when it snows also again then the snow got deeper.

wah tsu sanánat taWIšaapiswaáNA wituhnaánuʾ wehneeni-
Now, but Sioux seven there were when they
WIšátA číkuʾ niikohnaaraánaʾ wehnaraanátA
went on the warpath, wherever they came from when they went
niiʾAhnuuxitúhkUx tiihéʾ iinuuxitUhpakútkUx.
where the village was here where the old village was.
wekaakuúʾUt wetutunaahnuuʾiítIt.
It is not that way now: the land is underwater.
xaawaarúxtiʾ číkuʾ nehkutaʾuútI nikuwewitiraanuúʾU tiwehnaaraána naawiinakuúnuʾ.
Horses for them to steal some that was their purpose when they came (on) the warpath.

tákuʾ kanawitiíkUx – iiʾAhnuxtaanoótA – niinuuxi- tUhnoowiisákUx.
There was no one there – where they used to live – where the village was on the edge of the bank.

haa čuwéku taaxIhtakúWA.
"Ha, I wonde r where the group has gone?"
áxkUx sanánat nikuwewitunaaʾiitíhuʾ.
One Sioux that is what he was telling.
nikuweWIšitiniinaaʾiitíhuʾ tiweNAstaraʾó wáh nuhwakareéRA.
That is what they (later) told him this one I am talking about Nice Voiced Elk.

wah – tiraáNAt.
Now – they went on.
nooWIšitihnatUhnunáx – na inoowiteehatuunúʾAt uu AhnaRAhwó.
Then they found the trail, – and there there was a wide trail, oh, where they had gone!

noowitiwáčiʾ aráh wetehnaRAhkeéNAt
Then they said: "Say, they must have camped in the woods
niinawaraaNIhuuníčI tiwenapsiʾaanú.
where the woods are thick now that it is becoming winter.
wah tuukiitoosuxtaaNAsaakáhAt.
Now let's go around the other way!
tuukiitoxtaahnaánaʾ hunaahkoo- haáhkAt.
Let's come that way (from) the north!
na inooʾiitehkuunaahnáʾAx na nehwískaʾ
And if they should chase us, and they will think:
nikuteeNAxinaánaʾ psíʾaʾ.
'You must be the ones who came Assiniboines.'
weWIšitiiNAhnaaʾuúhuʾ.
They will be blaming them."

noowituuNAsaakáhAt.
Then they went around.
noowiteeraánaʾ iiʾAhneetUhkákUx uu
Then they came where the camp in the woods was, oh,
aNAhaakaraniiwákUx Ahninaakawaakaroóku.
there being the sound of the drum as they were singing songs.
noowitiiNAh- naačiteeʾá naakuRAhWIsá teškúNIt nakuraaNI-
Then it was difficult for them for them to come to it close, for them
sAhkoókUt xaawaarúxtiʾ číkuʾ NIhkutaʾuútI.
to go into the village horses for them to steal some.

noowitiwáčiʾ – aráh nuukiitoxtaahnaanuukatáʾAt.
Then they said – "Say, let us cross (the river)!
– anuu- kiitaraahnaánaʾ anuunatskatAhkáʾU a neetee-
– Let us come over there on the other side of the river and we will
raahtaʾút xaawaarúxtiʾ.
steal them horses.
Axtóh kohnakAhunuuwaawiká- ʾIt.
Surely they must be around there in the brush."
nikuwitiwaawačiʾaáhuʾ.
That is what they were saying.

noowitinaawikawaakaroókuʾ.
Then they were imagining things (ie horses in the brush).
hawá wewiwitiiNAxatUh- kawiítikuʾ wehnaaRAhkoohaahkaʾá.
Also they were stepping in each other's tracks as they came on the prairie.
nootiRAhkaʾiíšAt wehnaRAhwaraakaátA.
Then they went into the brush as they went in the woods.
uukunoowitiraanookatáhAt nuu- natskatAhkáʾU.
Then they crossed (the ice) at another place there on the other side of the river.
noowitiRAhkeéNAt.
Then they sat in the brush.

niireetAxítIt neeteeraapóʾ.
"When they all go to sleep, then we will go."

wah noowitiitaakeéRIt.
Now then he saw them.

wah tiwehnaaheešá wiiteešútš AhnuuxunuuwaáWI
Now when morning came young men the ones going about (in the village)
weNAhkuraaničitawiiruútIt weNAhkuRAhkoohaahkoorúhkUt a
when they mounted (their horses) when they got on the prairie, and
noowitaaxuunúʾaʾ áxkUx.
there was a track coming one.
nuukuwitaáʾ anuuNAhunaanúhAt hunaahkoohaáhkAt.
It was coming from there the land over there north.
noowiteeríhIt Ahnaxwiitikú.
There was a single one its being a track.
noowitaxWIšaáʾA áxkUx Ahnaxwií- tiku.
There was a footprint one its being a track.
atsú uunakatAhkáʾU Ahnoowiteehatawá hunaá- kAt.
But on the other side there were just holes in the snow.
wewitihnaačiríkUx.
They were looking at it.
tičé tAxuúʾUt áxkUx tinaaxuunoótA na áxkUx neeneehatawá hunaákAt.
"I wonder why it is one this track and one it has holes in the snow?"

nooWIšitiitAhnaaʾiitáWI ahwenaraaNIhtšíčI.
Then they told it to them the older ones (men).

noowitihwáčiʾ Axtóh tiraapaáʾA.
Then they said: "Surely it is puzzling.
tehnaraaNI- huúʾU Ahnaaraána.
There must be many ones who came.
wititehniiNAxatUhkawiitíkuʾ.
They must be stepping in each other's tracks.
tehnóʾ saakunaawíʾuʾ aninuútA nooneehatawaáWI.
It must be a cane it being that those holes there.
wah šuxtaapóʾ niiʾaniwenaaxuunoótA.
Now go where that track goes!
číkuʾ anikohnaraáhkA.
They must be in the brush somewhere."

noowitiraaNIhtatatawiíʾAt niitiʾAhneetUhkákUx.
Then they went by it where the village was in the woods.
noowitI- huukaataʾiíšAt.
Then it went to the bank.
noowitIhuukatáʾAt.
Then it went across.
nikunoowitsuusaáhnóʾ.
Then that is what they were doing.

a čiišanaáhkA.
And here they were in the brush!
nooWIšitiiNAhnikeeríwatAt.
Then they (the Sioux) got up out of the brush.
wetAhnaNAhnaanunáx.
"We have found them."
nooWIšitiiNAhnáʾAx.
Then they chased them.

niiháʾ– nikunoowitiRAhkatáʾAt – iišinaahwaataraawíkUx.
There– then that is where they went up – where the twin buttes are there in the distance.
tehnawoohuuwaturukákUx.
One hill sits apart from the other.
nikunoowitiRAhkatáʾAt.
Then they climbed that one.
tatsuxtaaʾeéRIt.
I saw it.
AhnootikaNItčitaroswá.
There are rocks just scattered around on top.
na niiháʾ nikuwituxtaanuučítA.
And there that is where they were on top.

noowituuNAsaakawiítIt.
Then they surrounded it.
weWIšitiinačitawiraaníkUx.
They were now attacking them on (the hill).

witiinakoótIt psíʾaʾ.
He was killed by them an Assiniboine.
číkuʾ tehnux- tsawé psíʾaʾ.
There must have been among them Assiniboines.
číkuʾ nuukutehnoxtaánaʾ číkuʾ– wiitatshaánuʾ wewitiNIhkuhnaaNIštáʾU.
They must have come from there, some– Hidatsas their having befriended each other.
číkuʾ tehnuxtawéʾ psíʾaʾ.
There must have been among them an Assiniboine.
– psíʾaʾ witiinakoótIt.
– The Assiniboine he was shot by them
– witii- tehnaanunuuNUxuutaʾaáhuʾ.
– He must have had an inflated notion of himself.
číkuʾ tehnawií- tIt teškúNIt wehnaraanuučitáWI.
He must have sat down somewhere close when they were on (the hill).
witihkoótIt.
He was shot.

wah noowitihwáčiʾ kooxeeRAsawiraáʾ niitaNAsoxtšítIt.
Now, then they said: "They will come down when they begin to get hungry."

noowituuNAsakaawiiruútIt wehnihnaasštáWI.
Then they completely surrounded it when they watched them.

noowiteewakaahtáʾ.
Then they (the Arikaras) raised their voices.
wetehnaRAsákaahAt.
They must have gone down.
weWIšitii- teéRIt áxkUx wehneehUhtaawátAt niiʾAhnawaákUx.
Now they saw him one when he ran away from it where the hill was.
nooWIšitiináʾAx.
Then they ran after him
– nooWIšitihkoótIt.
– Then they killed him.
– na inooniku- witiíʾ – áxkUx – aninoóčI AhnuxtaanuučitáWI.
– And there it was he – one – (of) those ones who were on top (of the butte).

wewitihkawoótIt tšaápis.
Now they killed them six.
kanawitihneesiíšuʾ wit- suxtaánuʾ taWIšaapiswaáNA.
They did not know they numbered seven.
nawáh čituúʾuʾ wewitihkawoótIt.
Now, all they killed them.
noowiteeRAhkaaʾišwáʾ.
Then they came home.
áxkUx wewituxkaʾiišúhtA iiʾAhnawaraákUx WIšitihkoótIt haáwaʾ.
One he was going to go into the brush where the woods were; they killed him also.
wewitikohnoswá.
Now the dead were lying all around.

noowitiinaaʾiitíhuʾ.
Then they told it.
noowitiwáčiʾ niiNAhuuka- kaáxA iinawaahunáhWI
Then they said: "The one who lay at the base where the foot of the hill is
niiʾAhnaRAsakaáhAt niinooniíšA nikUšitAtkoótIt.
where they descended there where he lay that is the one we killed."
pítkUx wiítA nikuweWIšitunaaʾiitíhuʾ – na – áxkUx wešohnihwaasakú.
Two men they (du) were the ones relating it, – and – the one their (du) wounding him.

kanawituuNUxtaahé weNAhkukatistatátA weNAhkutakaáxu na
It was not good after it became dark when they fired, and
wiwitihkoótIt áriišIt haáwaʾ.
they killed each other themselves also.

wah – anináʾU – wiiteešútš – kuwituuxAxaáʾA – hukós pakúhtuʾ.
Now – that on – young man – he was named – Old Bull.
WIšitihwaasákuʾ.
They wounded him
– wewitiikaaxá.
– He was now lying inside (his lodge).
– noowi- tiwaákoʾ tatuhnuníkUx šinaatáNI.
– Then he said: "I am waiting for him my brother."

noowitihwáčiʾ tišineeNAxwéʾ.
Then they said: "We are looking for him.
šikaakatunaá- xuʾ.
We cannot find him.
kooxeewísaʾ šiitúNAx.
He will come back when we find him."

noowitiwaákoʾ anináʾU wiítA tatskáʾ aatooteéRIt.
Then he said that man: "I want that I see him.
wetikUhuNAhaásuʾ
I am dying."

noowitiwaákoʾ a či wenáʾAt áwit.
Then he said: "And here he has already gone first.
anineéRIt.
There he stands.
tikuhnuníkUx.
He is waiting for me.
atsú kunoxtíʾAt.
But I will go."

noowitIhunáhAs anináʾU wiiteešútš hukós pakúhtuʾ.
Then he died that one young man Old Bull.
tIhunáhAs.
He died.

noowitiwáčiʾ – aráh – tišinaákUx – pítkUx –
Then they said: – "Say – these (du) – two –
tišinataraʾó šohnakootíkA
the one they (du) spoke about the one whom they (du) killed
niinooniwaahunáhWI čiraátoʾ štápoʾ.
where the foot of the hill is you (pl) ought to go.
suuxAhnaaʾeéRIt.
See them!
nikukohnaáhkuʾ.
He may be the one."

tikUxuuwiraáʾAt.
They ran there.
nootiRAhwísAt iinawaákUx.
Then they arrived where the butte was.
na – inaáxA wiiteešútš– inoonikuwítiʾ – anináʾU –
And – that young man– there was the one – that one –
xUhčípaaʾA aninaraáʾU pítkUx wiítA šohnunaaʾiitIhú nikUšitAtkoó-
Wet Moccasin the story two men their (du) telling it: "We (du)
tIt – niinooniRAsakaáhAt – niinooneeRAsawiraaʾá.
killed that on – where they descended – when they came down there.
NAhuukakaáxA nikUšitAtkoótIt.
The one lying at the foot of it that is the one we killed."

a či nikUšinuhnáʾ.
And here they (du) were the ones.
a či witinata- raakoótIt haáwaʾ.
"And here we killed ourselves also."

NAtkú WIšituunapAxkáwatAt aNIšináʾU.
Barely they (du) escaped those (du).
wah WIšitihkoó- tIt haáwaʾ.
Now they (du) killed him also.

tsu wenuxtaanuučitáWI tiwenaátA áxkUx wetiičí- šIt.
But when they were on top when he went one now he was saved.
anuú šaáNAt skána.
There he went off alone.
tičé wenará.
He had nothing.
niiwekoh- niiʾót wenaátA skána – wetuNAsáʾUx –
However far it was his going alone – he was now hungry, –
wenapsíʾU wenaaNAsú nuu wenaátA.
its being wintry, his being cold there his going.
wah aniwenaátA weniitšíkA skána weteenaásuʾ na tičé nára.
Now that one going the one who was saved alone he was cold and he had nothing.

atsú sáhniš – witanuxtaáNAt čeésuʾ – naawiinakuúnuʾ.
But Arikara – they had gone themselves – (on) the warpath.
nikuwituhnaánuʾ tiwenihkawootíkA tiwenataraakawootíkA.
They numbered the same as the ones these they had killed, these we had killed.
a či áxkUx šaahčíšIt.
And here one he was alive!

wah nikuwituhnaaʾúʾ – weniNAhnaáxI – xaawaarúxtiʾ weniNAhnátA.
Now it was the same as it was – when they chased them, – the horses when they drove them.
atsú weniitšíkA xaawaarúxtiʾ witihtakaaráhAt na nookanawitiiríwatAt.
But the one who was saved a horse he was thrown off by it and then he did not get up.
a nikuwitiraačítA wehnistuuwíRIt.
And that was the reason when they slaughtered them.
tehnataraaka- woótIt aninoóči AhnuxtaanátA naawiinakuúnuʾ.
"We must have killed them," those when they went (on) the warpath.

wah anináʾU wiítA áxkUx noowewiteénaʾ skána.
Now that one man one then he came alone.
sáhniš witíʾ.
Arikara he was.
číkuʾ tehnuxtanuhkáʾIt aníšuʾ.
He must have had some edible. things
tehnuxtinaahnanuhkáʾIt.
He must have had weapons.

nuu wenaáʾa atsú tinaátA sanánat noowetíʾAt.
There as he came, but this Sioux so now he went.
nooWIšititIhunuuwaanáx.
Then they (du) found each other.
WIšitiwiiruútIt.
They (du) sat down.
nooWIši- tohnuuniiwaátI.
Then they (du) told about themselves.

noowitiwaákoʾ tačé NAxíʾ.
Then he said: "Who are you?"

noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx tatíʾ sanánat.
Then he said this one: "I am a Sioux."

atsú – neetíʾ sáhniš – čeésuʾ.
"But – I am an Arikara – myself.
tuukutatuxtaapóʾ niiNAxtaakítAt.
We went over there where your village is.
neekuraakuNAhát.
They killed us.
neekutakaaráhAt.
It threw me off.
kaakaatiríwatAt.
I did not get up.
– wekutatuutiítuʾ.
– Then I lay there as a corpse.
– a čituúʾuʾ neeraáhWA.
– And all then they went off.
– neeneetiiríwatAt.
– Then I got up.
– neeneetiínaʾ.
– Then I came.
tiku- raakawoótIt natuxtaahtíRA.
They killed us we who were together."

uunaákUx čeésuʾ noowitiwaákoʾ tikuraakuNAhát čeésuʾ.
The other one himself then he said: "They killed us, too.
neetiičíšIt.
I escaped.
nikutuhnaanáʾA.
This is the reason.
awít tineehUh- takaáhAt wenaátA atsú neeneetiitaweeroóʾaʾ.
First after one rapidly descended after he came, but I followed behind.
saxtš tikoxtaanúkUt síno kaakatuuxAxwíʾaxIt.
As soo n as my feet reached the ground yet I had not taken a step.
weneekuuči- tawiiruútIt áxkUx weneehUhtawíʾaʾ.
Now he landed on top of me another when he slid down.
wetatuuxAxwíʾaxIt na weneekUhuučitawiiruútIt a či wekohnikuhnaakeéRIt.
I had taken a step and now he was on top of me and here they must have seen us.
či kohnihnaasíštA nuuhéʾ haawíNIt.
Here they must have watched there below.

neeniitakakaahUxítIt.
"Then they began shooting.
niinakawoótIt – čituúʾuʾ.
They killed the – all.
wah wekutatuúʾUt tinátkUx.
Now I was thus (ie still) I here.
saxtš neeraapAhiíta neeneetikawátAt.
As soo n as it became quiet then I got out.
neeneetiínaʾ.
Then I did come.
– weneekoowíʾAt.
– I am tired now.
– číkuʾ kaakataakawaásuʾ.
– I have not eaten anything.
číkuʾ Ahnookaakatíra číkuʾ nakutinaahnaáhNA.
I just do not have anything, not even having a gun.
číkuʾ kaa- kAhništAhtanuhkáʾIt.
I do not have any shells.
neesítš číkuʾ kaakAhná.
A knife I do not have any."

wah nuunaákUx sáhniš noowiteeNAxú.
Now that Arikara then he gave him the meat.
wah čikiišuuxaakawáʾAs.
"Now eat some!
atsú kunoxtíʾAt.
But I will go."
noowiteeNAxú tinaákUx sanánat.
Then he gave him meat this Sioux.

wiiteešútš nooteéʾaʾ tinaákUx sáhniš tináʾU.
The young man then he came, this Arikara, this one.
noowitawísaʾ.
Then he arrived.

tsu tuunaátA sanánat tináʾU – nuu – kohnawí- sAt.
But this other Sioux this one – there – he must have arrived.
kohnunaaʾít niiwehnuutAxítIt.
He must have told it what happened.

wah nikuwitíraakUx wehnihneésš niku-
Now that is the way it was when they found out: they
WIšituhnáʾA pítkUx sáhniš.
(du) were the ones who were the cause two Arikaras.
weWIšitíʾa awiraaníhtš tišinaákUx wešinakootíkA xUhčípaaʾA.
They (du) were now older ones these (du) the ones (du) who killed him Wet Moccasin.
wah nikUšitehnuxtiraáhuʾ
Now they (du) must have been the ones who were companions
nuuxAxaáNU hukós pakúhtuʾ.
the one who was called Old Bull.
nikUšituhnáʾA šohnakootíkA.
They (du) were the ones who were the cause their (du) killing him.
šikaakuhnaaneesiíšuʾ.
They (du) did not know it.
wešinawískaʾ teeNAxíʾ paatúh tiweNAsihkootíkA a či kiiteenaákIt.
They (du) thought: "You must be an enemy this one we killed; and here he was one of us!"

wah taanikuwituutAxítIt.
Now this is what happened.
wah taanikutatuutAtkoókUxuʾ čeésuʾ
Now this is what I heard myself.