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

58

The Mysterious Snake

Seen by Short Bear

Alfred Morsette

wah koxtunaaʾít atípaʾ nuuNUxtaaʾiiwaawaatihUxukú
Now I will tell it my grand- father (one of) the things he used to tell
wiiteešútš AhništaaWIhkAhunuuwaaWIhú.
young men when they were going around hunting.
WIšituxtiraáhuʾ wiiteešútš.
They (du) were always together a young man.
kutuuxAxaáʾA kuuNUxíšuʾ.
He was named Bear Paw.

nooWIšitiraaʾíhWA nuunatskatAhkáʾU
Then they (du) went hunting the other side of the river
niiʾAhnuuxitUhnoowiisákUx ačitaánuʾ– táWIt niinaataraʾoohú.
where the village was on the edge of the bank tribes– three the ones they talk about.
nooWIšitIhuukatáWA ani- náʾU šohnaraaWIhkaʾaáhNA.
So they (du) crossed the river that one as they went hunting.
tehnuxtaaNIhuúʾU AxkaáʾA aniNAhunaanoótA haáwaʾ čítUx sAhaánuʾ.
There must have been many antelope that land also Beaver Creek.

nuu wešohnakoohaahkawaawanú niiwešoh- naawaʾá witIsakUhteerípiRIt.
There as they (du) went about on the prairie where they (du) were coming it was afternoon.
noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx aráh taasišwiiruútIt.
Then he said this one: "Say, let's stay here!
anuunahUshaanoótA NAhnunáhtš taRAhčesWAtwaahUxuúkuʾ hiíš.
That coulee over there deer they usually come out of the woods in the evening.
číkuʾ naahtsehkukoótIt.
Perhaps we might kill one."

nooWIšitičitawiiruútIt.
Then they (du) sat down on top.

noowitatsUhiínaʾ.
Then a rain came.
uu wititsUhiiNIhuúʾU wehnaatsUhiína.
Oh, it was a big rain when it rained!

na noowitiwaákoʾ wešiNItčitákUx niišinatUtčiriNAh- wiʾuúʾA
And then he said: "As we sat on top where our eyes were pointed
čikohnáʾU tikoohaahkákUx.
something it sat on the prairie.
nootuhkoohaáne.
It was a nice (ie flat) prairie.
nootitsapísuʾ tuukuNIsaakaríčI na wenatsUhiihtoókUt neešiineetikUxtawiraáWA.
It was shining (with) the sun facing the other way and as the rain came down we ran down (the hill).
WAxtaaká tihUshaanúʾAt.
Birch there was a coulee.
weši- tItkawaáRIt.
We were standing in the trees.
uu titsUhiiNIhuúʾU nawaawaapIsú hawá waaRUxtí naWAhnaahú.
Oh, it was a heavy rain, its lighting, also its thund ering.
naáNIt Ahnootihnunaanaʾiwaníkuʾ.
Really the ground was just shaking.
číkuʾ teškúNIt tehnoóxaʾ.
Something close by it must have come.

wah tiweneehaanaáNA wenatsUhiiNUhuuNUhtaátA číkuʾ teeNAhneewaáta.
"Now after it cleared up after the rain had passed over I must have looked off.
anuú neskoóhAt niinatsUhiihteéhAt nakatistatátA
There (in) the sky where the border of the storm was its being dark
niiwenatsUhiinátA čikohnáʾU nootuu- tUhuunaawaanúʾ.
where the rain was going, something then it was swinging around.
thaáwiʾ haáxtš.
It looked like a string.
haáxtš tuutUhuunukaáʾiwoʾ.
The string it was swinging.
neeniihuununáhAs.
It quickly disappeared.

wešitatuutAxwaáRIt.
"Now we stood there.
nookaneeniíkUx iiháʾ čikohnáʾU nuxkoohaahkákUx.
Then it was not there anything its having been on the prairie.
neešiineetiihuuwiraáWA na inootIhunaahnátA.
We ran over and there there was a hole.
číkuʾ šikaakAhnaawičirikaáʾAt číkuʾ nii- nakuútA.
We did not notice anything whatever it was.
tsu neešiineetIhuukatáWA niinuuxitúhkUx.
But we crossed the water where the village was.

nikuneeniiwaawáciʾ aráh taatsuuxeéRIt nút.
"They were saying that: 'Say, I saw it a snake.
tehnuxkawataakUxuúkuʾ na nootaahwiítIt.
It used to come out and it sat down over there.
níkUs nakUxunuuwaáWI kásuʾ číkuʾ nakiihuuNIhtatataweétA nookanawiteewiʾooxítIt.
Birds as they flew around, a meadowlark when it flew by then it had not started to tire.
noowitunaačiteeʾá naakiihuuwaáta na noowitihkanéʾIs.
Then it was difficult for it for it to fly up and then it ate it up.
wah nikutehnóʾ.
Now it must have been that one.
tehniinawikúxIt waarúxtiʾ.
It must have snatched it up Thunder.'"

nikutištaataraʾoóhuʾ.
That is what they used to talk of.
tehnuxtaawaaRUxtíʾ aniNAhunaanoótA.– atsú wetiraahunuuwaáhAs.
It must have been holy that ground.– But the ways have disappeared.
aniiháʾ nikunuuxunuuwaawíhuʾ naáNIt čitUx sAhaánuʾ wenux- taanawaawáNA.
here that is where they used to be really Beaver Creek where they (the people) used to live scattered around.

wah taanikutikunuuNUxtaaʾít atípaʾ.
Now this is what he told me my grandfather.