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

50

War Story of He Stands Sideways

Alfred Morsette

wetatunaaʾiitíštA.
Now I am going to tell a story.
nikutíʾ atíʾAx Snowbird nuuNUxtaaʾiiwaatIhú.
It was one my father Snowbird one he used to tell.
wetatuhwakuuniitíštA Ištóh wenuuNUxapakuuniiwaátI
I am going to repeat his words again, when he used to repeat their words
sanánat wenuxtaʾiwaawanú wáh nuhwakareéRA.
the Sioux when he used to go around among them Nice Voiced Elk.
wah neenuunaaʾít áxkUx sananaapičirikarúx šiniisuxtehkUxúku.
Now he told it one, Blind Sioux what they used to call him.
xunáNIš teéRIt nikuwituuxAxaáʾA šiniisuxtehkUxúku.
Standing Soldier he was named that what they used to call him.

hiʾáxtiʾ witíʾ sáhniš – atsú – šáxtiʾ witíʾ swaátuh.
His father he was an Arikara – but – his mother she was a Sioux.
wah tinaákUx wiítA waahaweéRIt kuwituuxAxaáʾA.
Now this man Stands Sideways he was named.
wah – itáhniʾ šohneenuuxIhtakúʾU sanánat – na wenuuta-
Now – his sister after she married him a Sioux, – and her in-
kaákUx witsuxtaánuʾ šíhUx.
laws they numbered five.
tinaákUx wešinaatíRA suúnaaxuʾ šohnitkaákUx
This one the one she married the young woman her brothers-in-law
wituhnaánuʾ čiitíʾIš wešinehkutharaáhNA – anináʾU –
they numbered four, when they teased him – the one –
waahaweéRIt nuuxAxaáNU šinehkutharuhkoóčI wenuutakaákUx –
Standing Sideways the one named when they teased him, his male in-laws –
he – niinoonehkuu- wačeéhu wah tuuxUhuunaawiíNAt.
hey – when they said things: "Now let me go hunting for a while!
čikiitiisuuxUhuunáʾ tsástš tinaákUx – niinoošinehkuhnéhku.
Let me bring some for him finally meat this one!" – As they called him different names.
– číkuʾ kananii- riiwáʾux číkuʾ nakuraaNAxwé.
– "He does not know how to look for anything."
nikuwewitiwaawačiʾaáhuʾ šinehkutharaáhNA.
That is what they were saying when they teased him.

niikohnaRItkhaáʾA sanánat tiʾAhnuuxituunoótA noowiteewakaáhtaʾ
Whatever night it was Sioux where this village extended then one cried out:
xaawaarúxtiʾ wetehnihtaʾút.
"The horses they must have been stolen.
xaawaarúxtiʾ wetiinanáʾAx.
The horses they must have been run off.
tUhkaákaʾ tehná- ʾIt.
Crows they must be.
nuukutuhnaaNAhwiʾúʾ skaweéraaʾuʾ.
They are headed over there west."

noowitinaaničitawiiruútIt.
Then they mounted (their horses).
nooWIšitihnatúNAt.
Then they tracked them.

wah tinaraanoótA wenuutakaákUx waahaweéRIt noowitiwaákoʾ
Now these his male in-laws (of) Standing Sideways then he said:
atítat nooNUsúx.
"Sister, do not let it be!
aaxinihnaawiíʾAt tinaákUx wiítA nakoótA.
Do not allow him this man to go!
kaakiinaaninoowáʾ tinaraanoótA sáhniš.
They are not afraid these Arikaras.
kaakAhnapIskáʾ číkuʾ aaxinaʾaáNA šiNIhkukoo- tíkA.
We do not want 'that you get hurt' for them to kill him.
číkuʾ nootuutAxiruútikuʾ.
Anything might happen.
na kaakinihnaawiíʾAt nakoótA.
Do not permit him to go."

wah tinaákUx weneeNAhtakúʾU noowitiwaákoʾ inaániʾ
Now this one the one now married to her then he said: "My brothers
teeNUsuxtaánuʾ čiitíʾIš tsu nikuwetíʾ šíhUx
they must have numbered four, but he is the one now fifth,"
wenitkaákUx tiwaahaweéRIt.
their in-law He Stands Sideways.

wehnuNAhwó – uu – witiraawitariíʾIs wehninaawireéhAs.
When they were going after them, – oh, – they were quick when they were ready.
wehnaraaničitawiítIt uu tiraa- NIhuúʾU sanánat.
After they mounted, oh, there were many Sioux.

noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx tiwaahaweéRIt wah atítat tátskaʾ
Then he said this He Stands Sideways: "So, sister, I want
NItkoótA niiwenuNAhwó.
for me to go where they are going after them.
tatskáʾ aatoohnaaweerikú niikooNIsaapaahníštA tiwenuhnaanátA.
I want that I see them whatever they are going to do where they have gone after them."

noowitiwaákoʾ itáhniʾ wah tatoonaanipákuʾ.
Then she said: "Brother, now I do not want you to do it.
wah tsu kooxíʾAt.
Now but you can go.
tinaaríčI xaawaarúxtiʾ kutatiíʾI.
This horse it is mine.
šitikuʾú niiwešinikoskurúxU.
They gave it to me my female in-laws."

aa witikatariíʾI – tinaaríčI xaakaatít – xaakaatít nuhneeRAhú.
Ah, it was swift – this black horse, – a black horse its being nice looking.
witarikaskatákUx.
It had a white spot on the forehead.
uu tuhné.
Oh, it was nice looking.
witikatariíʾI.
It was swift.

wah nikukooxiičítA.
"Now that is the one you will ride."
noowitiitawíreehAs tinaákUx wiítA.
Then she readied it for him this man.

wiwiteewíroʾ naawiinakuúnuʾ nootiičitawiítIt tinaaríčI xaakaatít.
He changed himself (for) the warpath. Then he mounted it this black horse.

kanawitaaxiraáhNIš tinaaríčI xaakaatít weh- nuunáxI witikatariíʾI.
They were certainly truthful: this horse when it ran it was swift.
wewituutakunaaWIsúhtA tinaraanoótA tUhkaákaʾ.
Now he was about to catch up with them these Crows.

a či weešeenikatáʾAt.
And here they had run up.
kananiiwaanaaNIsánax niiʾaNAhunuuwaáWI.
The terrain was rough indeed where they go around.
na nuu AhnaNAhčitaʾuúkUt tehnakaNItwé.
And there when they reached the top there must have been a rock.
uukaríkAt AhnoowiteehátA.
In the middle there was a hole.
a či weešaNAhkaáʾAt tUhkaákaʾ xaawaarúxtiʾ wehneenaa- nuunáwa.
And here they went in it the Crows, the horses when they left them.
noowitiiwaáRIt.
There they stood.
nuukutuNAsawóʾ.
They were climbing it over there.

nuukuwititakaáxuʾ niinaahkaNItweerákUx čitAhaahníniʾ.
Over there is where there was shooting where the stone sat at a distance on top.
nootiRAsawóʾ phiináNIt nehkišwaawitawó.
Then they (the Sioux) were going up slowly as they crawled up.

wah – tsu – tinaákUx – tiwaahaweéRIt –
Now – meanwhile – this – He Stands Sideways –
wehnaWIsátA nootiihUhtákaahAt.
when he arrived then he jumped off (his horse).
kAšiniitIsiíšuʾ wewitohnaawiráʾU paatúh –
They did not know him after he had disguised himself an enemy –
naaWIhtaakaNAhkAxiíʾ – wewitohnaRAhkAxiináʾU.
a capote – after he had put it on himself.
ništAhkatAxá witíʾ AhnaraáhNA.
A breechloader it was the one he had.

weneehUhkataátA wah nikutíʾ
When he was climbing up quickly, "Now he is the one,"
AhnihwaaWIhtiiruukú sanánat.
as different ones were talking Sioux.
tinaákUx tiwaahaweé- RIt noowitiihUhčitáʾAt – a –
This He Stands Sideways then he quickly went on top – and –
či weešaahka- woóʾAt tUhkaákaʾ tiʾAhnaʾiinoósI.
here they were all dead now the Crows these dead bodies lying.
weešehkawoótIt.
They had been killed.

a či – áxkUx – neešeeníhIt tiʾAhnaatakaáxI- šunaáhu.
And here – one – there was a single one this one who was shooting at them.
a či neešeeníhIt.
And here there was a single one.
tsu tuuhéʾ tiʾAhnaʾiinoósI weešaahkoohnós.
But over there these dead bodies lying there were dead bodies.

atsú tinaákUx tiwaahaweéRIt noowiteeraawiiNUhuu- NIsawaátaʾ
But this He Stands Sideways then he aggressively jumped over it
niitiʾAhnaákUx – Ahnaapanikú – AhnaaRAhkataáhu.
here where he sat – the one shooting at them – while they were coming up.
tinaákUx – tiwaahaweéRIt – nooteenaáWI.
This – He Stands Sideways – then he approached from behind.
noowitUtpAxteskunaanuuníkUt.
Then he grabbed his hair.
noowitipaNIšúkAt.
Then he cut his throat.

nooteeraawiinuhkaáʾ čiríkU witohnihkUxa- waníkA sanánat.
Then he came aggressively out of it, oh my, as they threw themselves back the Sioux.
na inoonikuwitíʾ wehnarooʾaáhNA AhnuxpAxwítAt.
And there he was the one when he removed it what he had worn over his head.
na inoonikuwitíʾ tiwaahaweéRIt.
And there he was the one He Stands Sideways.

tinaákUx nikuwitIhuuNAxaáʾA kuúNUx tinaákUx wiítA wenitkaákUx.
This one he was the one named Bear this man his male in-law.

wešiniiteéRIt či nóʾ sáhniš.
When they saw him, "Here he is the Arikara."

anináʾU wiítA aNUtkaákUx witIhuuNAxaáʾ kuúNUx niikohnáraʾ.
That one man his male in-law his name was Bear, whatever kind it was.

nikutíʾ NAxUtkaákUx.
"That one is your male in-law.
hásI suuxeéRIt.
Look, look at him!
a či nikunóʾ NAxUtkaákUx.
And here that one is your in-law.
tičé wetAxuúta.
I wonder what he did?"

a či tiwenaraawiiNUhunuukátA – uu – wewitiitAhnaa- wiinirúhkukuʾ.
And here after he charged into it – oh – they were sing- ing praising songs for them.
nooteeraánaʾ.
Then they came.
noowitinaaniči- tawiiruútIt wešiniináče tUhkaákaʾ.
Then they were riding on horses after they counted coups on them the Crows.
nooteeraánaʾ iiʾAhnuuxitúhkUx sanánat.
Then they came where the village was Sioux.

wah anináʾU nikuweWIšitihtaraʾóʾ sáhniš niiwehnuutaánu
Now that one he is the one they talked about the Arikara what he had done
– wehnaraaWIhkaátA – niiʾAhniiNIštaaninó kanaʾaateeWIsátA Ahniišakawootikú.
– when he charged in it – where they were afraid 'that I should not go there' their killing them.
a či áxkUx neešeeníhIt tUhkaákaʾ.
And here one it was a single one a Crow.
číkuʾ tehnariiʾúx Ahnatakaaxíku číkuʾ kanawitiiriwaníkuʾ.
He must have known how to shoot: he did not miss at all.

atsú tinaákUx sáhniš tiwaahaweéRIt witičiwiNIščéʾ wenaraaWIhnuukátA.
But this Arikara He Stands Sideways he tricked him when he charged into it.
a či šaahkawoóʾAt tiwenaʾii- noósI wenaraaWIhkaátA.
And here they were dead where the corpses lay when he went charging through.
nootikoótIt tiwenaanaawíhA.
Then he killed him when he came from behind.
tipaNIšúkAt.
He cut his throat.

nikuwewitinaataraʾóʾ wehnaaraána sanánat.
That is what they talked about when they came (back) the Sioux.
wehnaRAh- kaaʾiišá nikuWIšitihtaraʾóʾ anináʾU sáhniš.
When they came home he is the one they talked about that Arikara.

noowitiwaákoʾ -- anináʾU kuúNUx nikuʾaáNU kuuNUxwáhAt
Then he said -- that Bear whether that one was Red Bear
na kuuNUxkaátit -- noowitiwaákoʾ anináʾU sanánat ha ánas taanikutuúta.
or Black Bear -- then he said that Sioux: "Ha, your brother this is what he did.
wenaraanuučitáWI wešinaatawiraaniwiítIt nikuraahNAhwanikú
When they were on top when we attacked them, when they were shooting at us,
kaakíʾ  NIhkuuriwaníkA.
he could not miss.
– nootihwaasákuʾ NIhkuuwaníkA.
– Then he was wounded when he shot him
– čiríkU ahnooweniraawiinuhkawátAt nikuteeNAxíʾ.
– Oh my, when he just charged out, 'You must be the one'.
a či kohnóʾ ánas aninaákUx
And here it must have been your brother that one,
wenapaNIšukátkA wenaraa- wiinuhkaʾá naanataáhiniʾ.
after he had cut his throat after he came charging out on the roof.
neeneekuraahnikawaawáRIt.
He scattered us.
a či niikohnóʾ anináʾU ánas
And here he must have been the one the one your brother,
wehnaraahunáʾU wenapaNIšukátkA anináʾU tUhkaákaʾ.
when he scalped him when he cut his throat that one Crow."

wah – niiNUsuuxakaákUx – noošikanawitihtharaahNIší- tIt.
Now – his male in-laws – then they were not about to tease him.
– noowitiwaákoʾ anináʾU wiítA – waahnooNUsuxtaánuʾ tišiNAxtharaáhNA.
– Then he said that man: – "Now let that just be all your teasing him.
wetatakuraakawíRAt.
He has outdone us."

na šiiniiNIštaanipákuʾ kanaʾaaxeétA.
And they were opposed to it wanting'that you not go.'
taanikuwenuúta.
"This is what he did.
wah tatakuraakiikAhuričít tiNAxtAhnaanoótA.
Now he has shamed us these of us here.
hawá štoh číkuʾ šooxuhnaʾít.
Also again don't say anything to him!
wah anináʾU taanikutuúta šohniisuxtéhku tiwaahaweéRIt.
Now that one this is what he did," the one they called He Stands Sideways.

xunáNIš teéRIt číkuʾ nikutéhnox hiʾáxtiʾ.
Standing Soldier that must have been the one his father.
wah anináʾU – tinaákUx tiwaahaweéRIt tákuʾ ahnoowekana-
Now that one – this He Stands Sideways, no one has taken
niihuuNAxAhkUxíku tiNAhunuuwaáWI sáhniš.
the name these living Arikaras.
tinaákUx waRUx- kaatít ipáhniʾ nikútaʾ.
This Black Rabbit his grandfather that one was his.
Francis Young Axtóh ka nuhneesiíšuʾ.
Francis Young surely he does not know it.
tačé nihnaaʾiitawaawíhuʾ.
No one tells him that.

wah – taanikuwituutAxítIt – naapaatúh atíʾAx
Now – this is what happened – the enemy way (ie war story) my father
wáh nuhwakareéRA wenakukunuunaaʾiiwaawaátI.
Nice Voiced Elk what he used to tell me.
wah taanikutuuNUxtaaʾít.
Now this is what he told.