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.