XML version dated February 14, 2024. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.
89
Mice Mouth, the
Boy Pitied by the Mice
Ella P. Waters
tiwenatunaaʾiitštáNI | tiraaʾiitUxpákut. |
What I am now going to tell | it is an old story. |
iiʾAhnuuxítAt | nuuháʾI | nuuneesawatuúNU | – | Ahnuu- | xítAt |
Where the village was | there | over the hill | – | where the | village was |
wituxtawéʾ | wiináxtš. |
he was among them | a boy. |
nooxíniʾ na pítkUx | witUsuxpsiwá. |
Twelve | he had winters. |
wituxkaapaátš. |
He was poor. |
tsu | noowitIsih- | tawaawanúʾ | NAhkuwaawáʾA |
But | he used to go around the | outskirts of the village | to eat |
niinehkukUxaawaawanikú | niiʾAhneetuunoótA. |
what they threw away | where the village was (lit extended). |
noowitíʾAt | niiʾAhnaakaáWI | akanaanataáʾuʾ. |
Then he went | where a lodge was | an earth lodge. |
nuu | wituunátkoʾ | sápat | AhnačíkAt. |
There | he heard her | a woman | her crying. |
noowitiwískaʾ | wah | tičé tAxuúʾUt | NAxčíkAt. |
Then he thought: | "Now | I wonder why it is | your crying? |
čituúʾuʾ | wetAxtaaNAhpaaniíšAt. |
All | they have gone on a communal buffalo hunt." |
na | noowitíʾAt | na | noowitireekawiraʾuúhAt. |
And | then he went | and | then he moved the hide door to one side. |
tanáhaʾ | AhnuxteekawaaWIhú. |
A buffalo (hide) | there used to be as a door. |
wehnačirikaátA | na | noo- | wititkatákUx | sápat | AhnačíkAt. |
When he peeped inside, | and | there | she sat by the fireplace | a woman | her crying. |
nuukuwitUt- | wiʾúʾ. |
She was turned | the other way. |
noowitIhuúkAt. |
Then he went inside. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | tiče nuúʾUt | tiNAxčíkAt. |
Then he said: | "Why is it | your crying?" |
noowitiwaákoʾ | – | sápat | tAtčíkAt | – | tiraačítA |
Then she said | – | the woman: | "I am crying | – | it is the reason |
áNA | nuuwetiiNAhnáNAt. |
your brothers and sisters | they took them there. |
čiku niiwekohniiNAhnáNAt | aniwenaraanátA | wiítA | wenaRAhpaaniišátA. |
It is not known where they took them | those who went | men | when they went on the hunt." |
na | noowitiwaákoʾ | wiináxtš | koxtíʾAt. |
And | then he said | the boy: | "I will go. |
čukú niíhiʾ. |
Where is it? |
koxtíʾAt. |
I will go. |
koxtiitaakAsiráxaʾ. |
I will bring them back." |
na | – | kanuhneesiíšuʾ | niiweniinaaniwó | – | sápat. |
And | – | he did not know | why she was begging him | – | the woman. |
noowitíʾAt. |
Then he went. |
noowiteekaáʾ | wiináxtš. |
Then he came out | the boy. |
sápat | noowitihnaaʾiitáWI | nootiweenaaxátA | a | nootiwaákUx. |
The woman | then she told him: | "There where you go | and | there is a hill. |
tiwaawičeéʾIs. |
It is a tall hill. |
nikuwetiRAhčitawiitíštA. |
That is the one they are going to rest on. |
nikuwetinaaWIšaaníštA. |
That is where they are going to smoke. |
nikuneešiitáʾAt. |
That is the one you'll go up." |
wiítA | áxkUx | aniwenaáʾ | wiináxtš | nakaapaačíšU. |
Man | one: | "Here he comes | the boy | who is poor." |
na | – | noowitiwaákoʾ | – | wah | – | tátskaʾ– | aatooteéRIt | sAhuuwaarúxtiʾ |
And | – | then he said: | – | "Now | – | I want– | that I should see it | the holy robe." |
niiʾAhnihnaaʾiitawíhA | sápat | nikukooxihwáčiʾ | nikunoowituúʾUt. |
What she had told him | the woman: | "They will say that," | then that is what happened. |
tsu | nikunoowitiwaákoʾ | wiítA | áxkUx | tičé nuúʾUt. |
And | then that is what he said | man | one: | "Why is it?" |
šiišuuxawaraáNIt. |
"Open it up! |
tiwískaʾ– | aatooteéRIt | – | sAhuuwaarúxtiʾ. |
He wants | 'that I see it' | – | the holy robe!" |
áxkUx | wiítA | nikunoowitinihnaawiíʾAt | na | nooWIši- |
One | man | then that one gave him his consent | and | then they |
tistareečiiruúWAt | sAhuuwaarúxtiʾ. |
untied it | the holy robe. |
na | – | inooʾuukaríkAt | – | na | noowitikarós | saákAx | Ihániʾ |
And | – | there in the middle | – | and | there they were in it | mice, | young |
saákAx | AhnaRAhčiRAhpAhaátU | saákAx | – | siino | – | kanaNAhkuu- | reskuuníčI. |
mice, | their being red, | mice | – | yet | – | their not | having any fur. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wiináxtš | tinaroósI | nikutatihnaánaʾ. |
Then he said | the boy: | "These | they are the ones I came for." |
noowitiroosít. |
Then he picked them up. |
– | noowituúNAx. |
– | Then he ran. |
– | štoh | noowiteehUh- | tawiraáʾ. |
– | Again | then he came | running down (the hill). |
tiíNI | tiNAsaakaríčI | nikutiwaaxaáʾA | taNAhaa- | taakAhčiWIhnáhUx. |
Now | today | that hill is called | Scraped White | Buffalo Robe. |
sinoó | tiNAsaakaríčI | ineewaákUx | ineetuunoótA | wiisuʾ | sAhaánuʾ. |
Still | today | that hill is there | where the town is | Mandan. |
anuú | hunaahnaawíNIt | tiwaákUx. |
There | to the south | it is the hill. |
wiináxtš | iiwehneehUhtawiraáʾa | – | wehnuunáxI | – | wehnaátA | anuú | štoh |
The boy | after he came running | – | his running | – | his going, | there | again |
– | iiʾAhnatoxtaakítAt | – | ačitaánuʾ | sáhniš | anuú | witiwísAt. |
– | where the village was | – | tribe | Arikara, | there | he arrived. |
sinoó | inoowititkátakUx | – | sápat | – | na | noowitiwaákoʾ |
Still | there she was sitting by the fire | – | the woman | – | and | then he said: |
tinaroósI | ka nikuNAxuutAhnaʾíhkuʾ. |
"These | do you mean?" |
na | noowiteečítstaʾ | sápat. |
And | then she cried | the woman. |
nikutíʾIt | áNA. |
"They are the ones | your brothers and sisters. |
áNA | tíʾIt | tiweNAxiiNAhnaniWIsá. |
Your brothers and sisters | they are | these that you have brought. |
nawáh | – | šikoxteeraáʾu | – | číkuʾ niinakuunaaheéRA. |
Now | – | we will give you a way | – | something good (ie a blessing). |
tiNAxkaapaačíšU | tinooNAsawáʾUx | – | uuxaWIstaačiteeʾaáNA |
Since you are poor | since you are always hungry, | – | even if it becomes difficult |
– | niiNIhkuroosíhA | naakuunuúnuʾ | kanaaxoonaačiteeʾá. |
– | where they put it | food, | it won't be difficult for you. |
kooxiwísAt | na | IšikaawačiíʾIt. |
You will reach it | and | you'll be full." |
na | noonikuwituutAxítIt. |
And | so that is how it happened. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wah | šiišIswaátaʾ. |
Then she said: | "Now | come out!" |
na | – | noowiteswaátaʾ | – | wiítA | neeNAhtakúʾU | tinaákUx | sápat. |
And | – | then he came out | – | a man | her husband | this | woman. |
šuxwiítIt. |
"Sit down!" |
na | noowitiwiítIt | wiítA. |
And | then he sat down | the man. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | sápat | wah | áwit | kiišuuxiRAxá. |
Then she said | the woman: | "Now | first | you lead!" |
na | noowiteehuuwaátaʾ. |
And | then he jumped up. |
a | noowiteehuunukaáʾ | wiítA. |
And | then he jumped up | the man. |
haakaraxwitíniʾ | noowituxtaʾuúkUt. |
On the side of the mouth | then he struck him. |
noowitoo- | náwe | saákAx. |
There there was | an image | a mouse. |
noowitiwiítIt | wiítA. |
Then he sat down | the man. |
sapaahnáʾU | noowiteehuunukaáʾ. |
His wife | then she jumped up. |
uunakatAhkáʾU | haaka- | raxwitíniʾ | noowituxtaʾuúkUt. |
On the other side | on the | side of the mouth | then she struck him. |
a | – | noowitoonáwe | – | saákAx. |
And | – | there there was an image | – | a mouse. |
na | nikuwitiraačítA | – | šinihnéhku | wiináxtš | – | saa- | kAxaakaáwa. |
And | that is the reason | – | their calling him | the boy | – | Mice | Mouth. |
NAhaakaratáWI | saákAx | naakuunawaáWI | nikuti- | raaxaáʾA | saakAxaakaáwa. |
His mouth | mice | there being images | that is | what it means | Mice Mouth. |
na | nooWIšititwaaWIhtít | wetareešaanaaníštA. |
And | then they spoke to him: | "You're going to be a chief." |
tiNAxkaapaačíšU | kooxeereešaána. |
Since you were poor | you'll be a chief. |
natsú | wetaraáʾa | nátkAt | šikooxaanunuhtóʾ | – | tsu | – |
But | a time is coming | later | they will hate you, | – | but | – |
kanaaxoonaačiteewaahnúʾ | wešinaakohnaataraʾó | šinaakukootíkA. |
it won't be difficult for you | when they talk about you | for them to kill you. |
tsu | noowiti- | tiičiwiníhnoʾ | saákAx. |
But | you'll | change yourself (into) | a mouse. |
noowititeewíroʾ | saákAx. |
Then you'll change yourself | a mouse. |
aninooneešuunaakAtkáwoʾ | šinaakukootíkA. |
Then you'll hear them | for them to kill you. |
a | číkuʾ nuukunootíʾAt. |
And | you'll go somewhere else. |
nootuhkúxAx. |
Then you'll run away." |
nikunoowituutAxítIt. |
Then that is what happened. |
wiináxtš | tiwenawaawanú | hUhtiísuʾ | nookanawituhneereétIt. |
The boy | as he went around | finally | then he became bad. |
wiináxtš | – | áwit | – | wituu- | NUxtaahé | – | weNAhkoótA |
The boy | – | first | – | his | way was good | – | when he went |
naawiinakuúnuʾ | – | weNAhkoótA | číkuʾ weNAhkoočé | na | xaawaarúxtiʾ |
(on) the warpath, | – | when he went | when he scalped them | and | horses |
nehkohni- | WIsá | na | NAhkohnaawoóhA. |
when he arrive back | with them | and | when he gave them out. |
wituuNUxtaahé. |
His way was good. |
natsú | nátkAt | číkuʾ noowiwitohnuutaʾaáhuʾ | wiiteešútš |
But | afterwards | he had an inflated notion of himself | the young man |
wenaʾaáNA | wiiteešútš. |
after his becoming | a young man. |
tiwenatunaaʾii- | tIhú | witUsuxpsiwá | – | nooxíniʾ na pítkUx | – | nooniihiišaáNA. |
This one I am | telling about | he was winter | – | twelve | – | at the start. |
na | nooWIšitihnaataraʾoosítIt | – | weNUsuuxaawaanú | – | nii- | kananuunaahiwaáRA. |
And | then they began talking about it | – | his doing things | – | their | being bad things. |
– | ačitaánuʾ | nooWIšitihnaataraʾoosítIt | číkuʾ niišinehkuNAhuunuúʾA |
– | The tribe | then they began talking about it | whatever they should do to him |
wehnuutAhuunaawaanúʾ | niikanananuunaahiwaáRA. |
now that he was doing things | their being not good. |
na | noowitíʾAt | wiináxtš. |
And | then he went | the boy. |
– | nuu | noowitíʾAt. |
– | There | then he went. |
– | noowi- | tuuteéRIt | – | wiítA | – | niikohniíhiʾ | niikoNAhuuNAxaáʾA. |
– | Then | he saw him | – | a man | – | wherever it was, | whatever his name was. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wiítA | ahnootatiwískaʾ | saakAxaakaáwa |
Then he said | the man: | "I just wish | Mice Mouth |
šinihnéhku | aatooteéRIt. |
the one whom they call | that I would see him. |
nootatinihtóʾ. |
I just hate him. |
číkuʾ aatooteéRIt | na | nooʾaatičiRIhnaaNIšuuxítIt. |
If I should see him, | and | then I would start beating his eyes." |
tsu | wewitetkawoókuʾ | – | šeeniíʾU | – | saakAxaakaáwa. |
But | now he was hearing it | – | this very on | – | Mice Mouth. |
nuunaaríčI | wiítA | wekaakiitIsiíšuʾ. |
That one | man | he did not know him. |
atsú | noowitiwaákoʾ | saakAxaakaáwa | nikutatíʾ. |
But | then he said | Mice Mouth: | "I am the one. |
nikutatíʾ | saakAxaakaáwa |
I am the one | Mice Mouth." |
na | noowitiwaákoʾ | – | wah | tatanúhtoʾ. |
And | then he said: | – | "Now | I hate you. |
– | nuukiišuxtiš- | toósI. |
– | Put your (bow | and) arrows down over there!" |
nikunoowitirištoósI | saakAxaakaáwa. |
Then those are the arrows that he put down | Mice Mouth. |
uukunooWIšitihništoósI. |
Then they (du) put their arrows on opposite sides. |
niiʾAhnaaríčI | – | wiítA | – | kuwiteešaáʾA | – | huuhúhtš | – | wiítA | niiwešohnuutaaNIštáNI. |
That | – | man | – | he was named | – | Huhuch, | – | the man | the one with whom he was going to do it. |
kanaaseenohnánaʾA | tinaátš. |
"We will not use them | bows. |
witikoosiínišuʾ | štiwiruuhíniʾ |
We will hit each other | with fists." |
nikunoowituutAxítIt | tiweWIšitohneskeéšu | tiweWIšitohnawaaweešú | štiwiruuhíniʾ. |
Then that is how it happened: | their hitting their feces, | their hitting each other | with fists. |
na | wešinehkuxti- | wiisátA | – | saakAxaakaáwa | – | niiʾAhnanuunoósI |
And | when he was get- | ting closer | – | Mice Mouth | – | where his lay |
tinaátš | na | uunaaríčI | wiítA | huuhúhtš | noowitiRAhkUxíhAt. |
bow (and arrows), | and | that other | man | Huhuch | then he kicked them away. |
wah | – | tiwešohnuNAhwanú | – | áxkUx | šakuúnuʾ | wewitIsakuuniíšAt. |
Now | – | after they (du) had been fighting | – | one | day | the sun went down. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | – | huuhúhtš | wah | – | wetsakuʾá | ookateéWA. |
Then he said | – | Huhuch: | "Now | – | we are | even." |
tinaaríčI | huuhúhš | witiisuxkaapaačíštI | nikutawikúsuʾ | natsú | tinaaríčI |
This | Huhuch | he had been pitied by it | a hawk, | and | this |
saakAxaakaáwa | wewitiisuxkaapaačíštI | saákAx | tiwehninoóhA | waaRUxtiíʾuʾ. |
Mice Mouth | he had been blessed by it | a mouse, | the one who gave him | power. |
noowewiteewakAhuutaahUxítIt | huuhúhtš | iineetúhkUx |
Then he started hollering | Huhuch: | "That village |
šiʾaxkuusiRAxIsAhkaʾiišátA | niineetúhkUx. |
take me into the village | where the village is!" |
čituúʾuʾ | – | wehnačiRIhnaanuutawáNA | – | wehneskAhuutawáNA |
All | – | his eyes being swollen, | – | his face being swollen, |
wehnawakAhuutaáhu | noowiteeraánaʾ | wiítA. |
while he was hollering, | then they came | men. |
nooWIšitii- | siRAxIsAhkaʾiíšAt | niiʾAhneetúhkUx. |
Then they | took him into the village | where the village was. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | číkuʾ niiwekohnáʾAt | saakAxaakaáwa. |
Then said he: | "I do not know where he is | Mice Mouth. |
aniwekohnawanúʾ. |
I don't know where he is. |
wetatuuNAhuninoosíwa. |
I beat him up." |
a | – | čeésuʾ | – | nikunoowewituúʾUt | huuhúhtš |
And | – | himself | – | then that is the way he was | Huhuch, |
tiwehneskAhuutawáNA | na | wehnačiRIhnaanuutawáNA. |
his face being swollen | and | his eyes being swollen. |
na | noowitiwaákoʾ | súxtIt. |
And | then she said | an old woman. |
wituuxIsih- | tákUx. |
She lived on the out- | skirts of the village. |
sapaakIsuxtikIsíš | witúx | Isís. |
Old Woman Spider | she was, | a spider. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | koxtoohnaahnaaʾiitáWI | niiNAxkuhnaakaáNA | šiNAxkukootíkA | saakAxaakaáwa. |
Then she said: | "I will tell you | what you should do | for you to kill him | Mice Mouth." |
na | noowitiwaákoʾ | wah | áxkUx | šuxtaahIštAhkateéNA. |
And | then she said: | "Now | one (of you) | parch corn! |
wetuNAsáʾUx. |
He is hungry. |
weteewíʾAt | anuunawaawanú | iinawaanaanúhAt. |
He is tired | after his wander- ing around there | those hills. |
kaakeeksihtaʾiišaáhuʾ. |
He won't come to the out- skirts of the village. |
áxkUx | – | ahnootiRAsawáx | – | ničiíšuʾ | nakukawísAt. |
One | – | let it just be coarse | – | corn | to grind it. |
hawá | uunaaríčI | ahtiRAsápAt. |
Also | another | let it be rather fine. |
uunaaríčI | – | naáNIt | – | nootiRA- | sapaánoʾ | ničiíšuʾ. |
Another | – | really | – | make it | fine | the corn." |
noowitiwaákoʾ | – | šiišuuteéRIt | arikúsuʾ. |
Then she said | – | "You'll see it | a big horn. |
– | ničitaaríčI | nikútiʾ | saakAxaakaáwa. |
– | If it stands on a hill, | he'll be the one | Mice Mouth. |
niihUhtawiraátA | aaxunaákAx. |
When he runs down | don't run! |
atsú | štoh | číkuʾ tuukukooxeehUhkatáʾ. |
And | again | he will run up another one. |
číkuʾ tuukukooxiči- | taáRIt. |
He will stand on some | other one. |
na | štoh | – | kooxiihUhtawiraáʾAt. |
And | again | – | he will run down. |
wah | – | wetuNA- | sáʾUx. |
Now | – | he is | hungry. |
kaakiraanaʾooxíštA. |
He will not be careful. |
ahnookunooxiškariwiiʾaanúʾ | ničiíšuʾ. |
Then he'll just grab it | the corn. |
nikaroosiíkuʾ. |
He'll be taking it. |
niitaakiiWIsátA | naáNIt | naRAsapáhtU | – | wah | áxkUx | awitarístIt | – |
When he comes to it | really | the fine one, | – | now | one | quickly, | – |
áxkUx | neešUtpaNI- | šuuníkUt. |
one | you'll grab | his neck." |
wewitiitAhnaaʾiitawíhuʾ | – | súxtIt | – | niiNIhkuusaáhNA |
She was telling them | – | old woman | – | what they were to do |
šiNIhkukootíkA | saakAxaakaáwa. |
for them to kill him | Mice Mouth. |
– | noowitiwaákoʾ | – | tanuu- | nawaáhAt | saakAxaakaáwa. |
– | Then she said: | – | "The | Powers have him | ice Mouth. |
saxtš | šiišišpAxtaríkUt | neešiišeewáNIt | iinačiísA. |
As soo | n as you sever his head | you'll throw it | where the water is. |
– | neeširaapáčiʾ | – | tiNAxtaNAhnaanaátUx | wetaraakaawačiíta. |
– | You'll say: | – | 'You beings in the water, | you're going to get full.' |
– | tákuʾ kananihkuukoósA. |
– | Don't let it bite anyone |
– | wetiwaa- | RUxtíʾ. |
– | He is | holy. |
neešiišipAxoohaásAt | neešunaahnuuwáʾAx. |
When you throw the head in the water, | you'll run away. |
tanuunáwaahAt. |
The Powers have him. |
číkuʾ niinakuukaniitawiiʾátA | neeširaahnikUxkaáʾAt. |
Somewhere where there is a stone sticking out | you'll run under it (for shelter)." |
na | nikunoowituúʾUt. |
And | so that is what happened. |
iwehnaraanátA | weh- | naraanátA | – | niiʾAhnawaanaanúhAt | – |
After they had gone | when | they went | – | where the hills were, | – |
nooWIšitiiteéRIt | arikúsuʾ. |
then they saw it | a big horn. |
noowitaahčitaáRIt. |
There it stood on a hill yonder. |
noowitiihUhtawiraáʾAt. |
There it ran down (the hill). |
kanawituxtaačeéʾA | – | wehneehUhtawiraátA | – | kanawituxtaačeéʾA | na |
It was not a long time | – | after he ran down; | – | it was not long | and |
štoh | uunawaákUx | noowitiičitaáRIt. |
again | another hill | there he stood on it. |
nikuwehnuutaánu | wehnatawiraátA | ahwitiraačeéʾA | wehnatawiraátA |
As he was doing that | his going down, | it was a short while | his going down |
a | noowitiRAhkawátAt | wiítA. |
and | then they came out | the men. |
noowitikUxU- | huuwiraáʾAt | na | inoowitiihuukaataáRIt | iiʾAhnačísA. |
Then they | went running, | and | there he stood on the bank | where water was. |
na | – | inoowitiihuukaatákUx | – | AhnuxkoóčI | arikúsuʾ. |
And | – | there it sat on the bank | – | what he wore | the big horn. |
noo- | witiihuukaatákUx. |
There | it sat on the bank. |
natsú | – | saakAxaakaáwa | – | wituuxačitaáʾA | NAhuukaátA. |
And | – | Mice Mouth | – | his band was | By The Water. |
číkuʾ niikohnawákoʾ | nikuwititWIhtšuunaánuʾ. |
However they speak | that is the way they talk. |
wewitiraanitaʾiíʾIt. |
He was glad to see them. |
aa | wetikuNAsáʾUx. |
"Ah, | I am hungry. |
wetunaahé | wenatohnaakeéRIt. |
It's good | now that I see you." |
noowitiwaákoʾ | áxkUx | wiítA | wititatuhnaakaanuná. |
Then he said | one | man: | "I have a meal for myself." |
noowiteeranikaáʾ | ničištsapáhtuʾ. |
Then he brought it out | ground corn. |
ahwitiRAsáwax | wehniitAhnaaʾiitawíhA | súxtIt. |
It was just coarse | as she had told them | the old woman. |
ahwitiRAsáwax. |
It was rather coarse. |
čiríkU | ahnoowewituúta | noowitiškariwiiʾaanúʾ | AhnawáʾA | AhnawáʾA. |
Oh my, | then he just did it: | then he was grabbing it, | as he ate it, | as he ate it. |
číkuʾ kanawitiraanaʾooxiíkuʾ | a | noowitikanéʾIs. |
He was not at all careful, | and | then he ate it up. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | uunaaríčI | wiítA | čeésuʾ | wititatuhnaa- | kaanuná. |
Then he said | the other | man: | "Myself | I have a meal | for myself." |
nikunoowituúta | haawá | noowiteeranikaáʾ. |
Then that is what he did: | also | then he brought it out. |
ahwitiRAsápAt | saxtš. |
It was rather fine | a little. |
štoh | witikanéʾIs. |
Again | he ate it up. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | noowekutuhnaáʾuʾ | nikuNAsáʾUx. |
Then he said: | "It is still the way | my feeling hungry." |
noowitiwaákoʾ | áxkUx | wiítA | čeésuʾ | wititatuhnaakaa- | nuná | čeésuʾ | NAtkuwáʾA. |
Then he said | one | man: | "Myself | I have a meal for | myself, | myself | to eat." |
noowituNAsareečíWAt | naáNIt | wehnaRAsapáhtU | AhnaakaWIsáxU | ničiíšuʾ. |
Then he untied it, | really | its being fine | its being ground | the corn. |
číkuʾ kanawiti- | raanaʾooxiíkuʾ | wehnawáʾA. |
He was not at | all careful | as he ate it. |
na | noowitiškariwiiʾaanúʾ | witohnuhnaanoohtikú. |
And | then he was grabbing it, | his putting it into his mouth. |
na | noowitUtkatakUxiinihUxítIt | naraačitáWI | ničiíšuʾ | wehnaRAsapáhtU | naáNIt. |
And | then he started choking | because | the corn | its being fine | really. |
tsu | wetiraateehuúʾU | nooWIšititpaNIšuuníkUt | saakAxaakaáwa. |
But | it was already planned: | then they grabbed his throat | Mice Mouth. |
nooWIšitinatiinúkAt. |
Then they cut his neck. |
tiwešohnipAxtaríkUt | nooWIšititpAxteskunaanuuníkUt. |
When they took his head | then they took hold of him by the hair. |
a | nooWIšitiináʾAx | iihnačísA |
And | then they ran off | where water was |
šiNIhkupAxoohaásAt | atsú | ahnoowewitIhaalaawamúʾ | – |
for them to throw the head into the water | but | it was just snapping | – |
AhnaWIskáʾA | – | aatakoósA | tákuʾ | niiwekohnihpAxtaáhNA. |
its wanting | – | 'that I bite him' | whoever | held the head. |
nooWIšitihpAxoohaásAt. |
Then they threw the head into the water. |
wah | – | tiNAxtaNAhnaanaátUx | – | tiweneešiniinaákUx | číkuʾ šiNAxkúʾA. |
"Now, | – | these of you in the water, | – | here it is for you, | something for you to eat. |
noowitiinuuwáʾAx. |
Then they ran away. |
noowiteeRAhkatáʾ | niiʾAhnawaákUx. |
Then they came up | where a hill was. |
sinoó | – | kanawituxtAhčitaʾuúhAt | – | na | wehneskatáʾ. |
Yet | – | they had not reached the top | – | and | when a cloud came up. |
naaniwiísuʾ | – | wewitiRAhwísat | niiʾAhnakaniitawiiʾátA | – | nohniini- |
Immediately | – | they arrived | where a stone protruded | – | then they |
kUxkaáʾAt | na | wehniitakunaawísAt. |
ran under it | and | now it caught up with them. |
tsu | – | sapaakIsuxtikIsíš | – | wewitiitAhnaaʾiitáWI | tanuuná- | waahAt. |
But | – | Old Woman Spider | – | she had told them: | "The Powers | have him. |
tanuunáwaahAt | saakAxaakaáwa. |
The Powers have him | Mice Mouth." |
nukunoowituutAxítIt | čituúʾuʾ | nátš | kanítš |
Then that is what happened: | all | the sticks, | stones |
ahnoowewitUtkUxuunanéš | – | tiwehnaáʾa | – | tuunaawaáhAt | tsu |
they were just mixed together flying | – | as it came | – | the Powers, | but |
wewitoh- | ninikUxkaáWA | niiʾAhnakaniitawiiʾátA. |
as they | ran under it | where the stone stuck out. |
noowitiihuuNUhtáʾAt. |
Then it passed over. |
noowitiRAhkawátAt. |
Then they got out. |
wah | tiiháʾI | niišitikuusuxtaaʾiitáWI. |
Now | this | it is what they told me. |