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

93

The Young Man Given

Power by the Rabbit

Ella P. Waters

wetatunaaʾiitíštA.
Now I am going to tell a story.
kaakiraaʾiítUx naaʾiikáWIš.
It is not a story a fairy tale.

iiháʾI nakiitúhkUx wiiteešútš wituxtawéʾ.
There where a village was a young man he was with them.
noowitiwískaʾ wiiteešútš wah čikiitoxkatáʾAt iinawaanaanúhAt.
Then he thought the young man: "Now let me go up one those hills!
toxčitawiítIt.
Let me sit on top!"

a noowitiiríwatAt.
And then he got up.
noowitíʾAt.
Then he went.
nuu wenaátA iinakuwaawičeésU nikunoowitiwiítIt.
There when he went where the high hill was that is where he sat down.
witiwítAt sAhuutaátuʾ.
He wore it a buffalo robe.
witireskukátAhka.
The fur side was out.

iiwehnačitákUx nookanawitiiraačeéʾA noowituuteéRIt wáRUx wehneehuuwiraaʾá.
While he sat on top it was not a long time then he saw it a rabbit as it ran toward him.
nikunoowitUtwiʾúʾ niiʾAhnaákUx wiiteešútš.
Then it faced him where he sat the young man.
na nikunoowitiihUhkaáʾAt sAhuutaátuʾ wenawiítIt.
And then it ran under that one buffalo robe when it sat down.

kanawituxtaačeéʾA noowiteéʾaʾ neétAhkas.
It was not long then it came flying an eagle.
noo- witiwiítIt.
Then it sat down.
noowitiniituNAhkatawiítIt wiiteešútš.
Then it sat down in front of him the young man.

noowitiwaákoʾ neétAhkas šuuxiʾít.
Then it said the eagle: "Let it go!
wewititatuutaʾi- wáNIt.
I have tired it for myself."

atsú AhnakaatákUx wáRUx noowitiwaákoʾ kaakíʾ.– axiwakuuniiníšIt.
But the one sitting behind him the rabbit then it said: "No!– Don't believe his words!
nikuneetUtwaaRUxtiíʾuʾ.– wah škuxtičíšAt – wáRUx weNUtwaaWIhtikú
I'm holy like that one.– Now save me!" – the rabbit as it talked to him
– wiiteešútš.
– the young man.

na noowitiwaákoʾ neétAhkas koxteeraaʾú.
And then it said the eagle: "I will give you a way.
koxtotkaapaačíštI.
I will bless you.
koxteeraaʾú šeéNIt wiítA NAxkúʾU niiNAxiniinitúhkUx.
I will give you a way prominent a man for you to be where your village is."

natsú noowitiwaaWIhtít wáRUx haáwaʾ.
And then it spoke the rabbit also.
noowitiwaákoʾ kaakiwáhNIš.
Then it said: "It is not truthful.
axuúta.
Don't do it!"

tiwehnaákUx neétAhkas wehnuhnéhku wiiteešútš
As it sat the eagle as it was asking him the young man
axkiíhA wáRUx nookanawituhnaawiíʾAt wiitee- šútš.
'that you give me the rabbit' then he refused the young man.
noo hUhtiísuʾ noowiteehuuwaátaʾ neétAhkas.
Then finally then it flew up the eagle.

noowitikawátAt wáRUx.
Then it got out the rabbit.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah wetAxkuričíšAt.
Then it said: "Now you have saved me.
wetAxkuričíšAt.
You have saved me.
waáwi kooxikuukanéʾIs aninaátA.
He wou ld have eaten me up that one.
niiwenuxwaawaákA kaakiwáhNIš.
The things that it said it was not truthful
– nikuneetuútuʾ.
– I am just like that one.
– wah koxtee- raaʾú.
– Now will give a way to you.
wiítA šeéNIt kooxíʾ čituúʾuʾ nakutakaraawaahnú na paatúh
A man prominent you will be all to be a good hunter and enemy
naraáčI – na – NAxkuraa- čeewá.
the way – and – for you to count coups.
na šeéNIt kooxeéʾa wiítA.
And prominent you will become a man.
kooxeéʾa neešaánuʾ
You will become a chief."

wah – taanikuwituutAxítIt.
Now – this is what happened.
kaakiraaʾiitUxčeéʾIs – tsu niiʾAhnuutAxítIt niiNIštaaʾiiwaawaatIhú
It is not a long story, – but what happened what they used to tell
naaníhtš sáhniš.
the old ones Arikara.