XML version dated February 14, 2024. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.
96
The Young Man Who
Turned into a Snake
Ella P. Waters
pakúhtuʾ | AhnuuxunuuwaawikoóčI | iiháʾI | wituuxitúhkUx | na |
Long ago | the ones who used to be living | there | there was a village, | and |
Ahnuxtawé | wiináxtš | kananakuhnaanaawiʾuúʾA. |
there being among them | a boy | one who was not right (ie was simple-minded). |
na | wiináxtš | nooWIšitinaWAxkUxítIt. |
And | the boys | then they began laughing at him. |
atsú | – | neešáanuʾ | iiʾAhneetúhkUx | AhnuxteešaáNU | – |
But | – | the chief | where the village was | the one who was chief | – |
wituxtá | wiináxtš. |
he had him | a boy. |
– | nikuWIšituxtiraáhuʾ. |
– | These (du) were always together. |
– | atsú | uunawaawaaríčI | wiináxtš | nooWIšitihtAharaáhnuʾ | šinehkutAharaáhNA. |
– | But | the other ones | boys | then they were ridiculing him, | their making fun of him. |
atsú | piiraneešaánuʾ | – | noowitUsiráxAt | iiʾAhnanuunakaáWI | – | weNAh- |
But | the chief's son | – | then he took him | where his lodge was | – | to feed |
kukaanunoóku | – | weNAhkuraakaanuunúhA | – | AhnuxkaapaačíšU. |
him, | – | to give him food | – | the one who was pitiful. |
kutiraačítA | nooWIšituutAsšteéʾa. |
It was the reason | then they (du) got used to each other. |
nohniwaákoʾ | wiináxtš | kananuhnaanaawiʾuúʾA | -- | noowi- | tiwaákoʾ | – |
Then he said | the boy | the one who was not right | -- | then | he said: | – |
aasihwáNA | naawiinakuúnuʾ. |
"Let's go | (on) the warpath. |
– | skaná | aasihwáNA. |
– | Alone | let's go. |
nikuuneesiítuʾ | – | naRAhwó | – | naawiinakuúnuʾ. |
We are thus (ie as good as | – | the ones going | – | (on) the warpath." |
nootuhnaawiíʾAt | – | neešaánuʾ | – | NAhaáʾU. |
Then he was willing | – | the chief | – | the one who was his child. |
wiináxtš | nootuhnaawiíʾAt. |
The boy | then he was willing. |
nooWIšitíWA. |
Then they (du) went. |
nooWIšitIhuukatáWA | aninačii- | súhAt | tswaarúxtiʾ. |
Then they (du) crossed it | that | river | Missouri. |
nooWIšitIhuukatáWA. |
Then they (du) crossed it. |
naakaanuúnuʾ | šikaneetehniraaNIhúnoʾ. |
Food | they (du) must not have made much. |
nooWIšituNAsox- | tšítIt | wešinaaʾíwo | a | nooWIšituurapitaawaáhAt. |
Then they (du) began to get | hungry | as they (du) tired, | and | then they (du) turned back. |
siškaaʾíšWA. |
"Let's go home! |
wetsakuNAsáʾUx. |
We are hungry." |
na | nooWIšiteewáʾ | na | tinakoohaanoótA | nooWIšituuteéRIt. |
And | then they (du) came on, | and | (on) this flat prairie | then they (du) saw it. |
noowitiišá | WAxakúsuʾ. |
There it lay | a cottonwood (log). |
wešiNUtčiríkUx | – | nuu | – | wešinawáNA | teškúNIt |
When they (du) saw it | – | there | – | as they (du) went, | close by |
wehniihiʾaáNA | na | inoowitiíʾ | nút. |
when it got to be, | and | there it was | a snake. |
noowitiišá. |
There it lay. |
nooWIšitiraaNAxweesítIt | niiʾAhneskaátA | šinakutarii- |
Then they (du) began to look for it | where the end was | for them (du) |
waatátA | šikanaʾaatootAxoótA. |
to bypass it, | their (du) not wanting'that we step over it.' |
noo číkuʾ kanawitiíhiʾ. |
Then there was none. |
na | – | štoh | – | nikunooWIšitíWA | – | na | – | číkuʾ |
And | – | again | – | then that is where they (du) went | – | and | – | they |
šikanawitiiraahunaáxuʾ | niišiNAhkuwáNA. |
did not find any way | where they (du) might go. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | – | wiináxtš | – | kanaʾAhnuhnaanaawiʾuúʾA | wah |
Then he said | – | boy | – | the one who was not right: | "Now |
tuxkAhíNIt | na | neesihnuuníNIt | – | na | – | nátkAt |
"Let me make a fire | and | we'll burn it | – | and | – | afterwards |
neesiitAxúʾAt | na | neesíhWA. |
we'll step over it | and | we'll go on." |
nikunooWIšituúta | nooWIšitipinuhkoot- | šítIt | – |
Then they (du) did that: | then they (du) began to pick them | up | – |
naNAsapáhtuʾ | – | nátš. |
chips | – | wood. |
nooWIšitikAhíNIt | nuu | weNAhuniikú. |
Then they (du) made a fire | there | its burning. |
noowitIhuúNIt. |
Then it burned. |
noowitiʾuúkAs. |
Then it was cut. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wiináxtš | tsu | wekananuNAsáʾUx | -- | ápAs |
Then he said | the boy | yet | his being hungry | -- | both |
weWIšituNAsáʾUx | -- | atsú | witiwaákoʾ | nootohkAhaanawiré |
they (du) were hungry | -- | but | he said: | "It smells good, |
nakAhaanáWI | tsástš. |
its being the smell | meat." |
wešooNAhuuNIhníkA | nút | nikunoowituúta |
After they (du) burned it | snake | then that is what he did: |
noowiteeNIšítIt | na | noowitiihUxítIt | uunaaríčI | wiináxtš. |
then he began to eat it, | and | then he began to give it to him | the other | boy. |
na | noowitiwaákoʾ | piiraneešaánuʾ | kaakátIskaʾ | aatáʾA | skaná | iwehnuhnaanaríčI. |
And | then he said | the chief's son: | "I don't want | that I eat it," | alone | as he stood there eating. |
kohnakaawačiíta. |
He must have got full. |
noošohnuutAxúʾAt. |
Then they (du) stepped over it. |
– | nooWIšititariiwaátAt. |
– | Then they (du) went through it. |
– | nooWIšitíWA. |
– | Then they (du) went. |
WIšitUtkatiisiʾá. |
It got dark on them (du). |
nooWIšituté. |
Then they (du) spent the night. |
tiwenačirikaʾaáNA | – | wiináxtš | – | kanaʾAhnuhnaanaawiʾuúʾA | noo- |
When he awoke | – | the boy | – | who was not right | then |
witiwaákoʾ | hásI. |
he said: | "Look! |
– | škuusuuxAxweéRIt. |
– | See my feet! |
– | noowetatikaxčiRAhpAhaáIt | na | tareeʾuúxuʾ | noowetíʾIt | Axtaaníniʾ. |
– | My legs are just red | and | blue | they are | on the feet. |
kooxunaahé | itaraNAhkaahUxítIt. |
It will be good | when we begin to dance. |
witikanaxtiRAhpAhaahnoókuʾ. |
I won't have to paint myself." |
a | – | štoh | – | nuu | – | nooWIšitíWA. |
And | – | again | – | there | – | then they (du) went. |
– | wetanuhnaatéʾ | wehnatareeʾuxwaawaahnú | wehnačiRAhpAhatwaahnú. |
– | Now he liked it | when he was becoming blue all over, | when he was becoming red. |
štoh | – | nuu | nooWIšiteewáʾ. |
Again | – | there | then they (du) came. |
anuú | – | WIšitUtkatiisi- | ʾá | štoh. |
Then | – | it got dark on | them | again. |
nikunoowituhneesíš. |
Then that one knew it. |
tiwehnačirikaʾaáNA | noowitiwaákoʾ | hásI. |
When he awoke | then he said: | "Look! |
škuusuxkax- | weéRIt. |
Look at my | legs! |
noowetatitareeʾUxtaáRIt | na | pAhaátuʾ. |
I am just blue on them | and | red. |
nuuwetuúʾUt. |
It's that way. |
wekaakíʾ | witiNAtkuRAhpAhaahnoóku | itihkaahUxítIt | sihkaa- | ʾišwáNA. |
Now I nee | d not paint myself | when we begin dancing | when we | go home." |
atsú | – | uunaaríčI | – | wiináxtš | – | piiraneešaánuʾ | – | noowituh- | neesiíšuʾ. |
But | – | the other one | – | boy | – | the chief's son | – | then he | knew. |
AhwituhneesšUxaánuʾ. |
He rather suspected it. |
štoh | nuu | nooWIšiteewáʾ. |
Again | there | then they (du) came on. |
nooWIšitUtkatiisi- | ʾá. |
Then it got dark on | them (du). |
wah | štoh | nooWIšituté. |
Now | again | then they (du) spent the night. |
tiwešinačirikaʾaáNA | hináxtIt | noowitiwaákoʾ | škuusuuxeéRIt. |
When they (du) woke up | in the morning | then he said: | "Look at me! |
šitikukaxčituuʾá. |
My legs have be- come joined. |
NAtwiiraásuʾ | wetiʾaanúʾ. |
A snake's tail | it is now becoming." |
wiináxtš | piiraneešaánuʾ | wituhneesiíšuʾ | atsú | kana- | WIskáʾ | číkuʾ aatawaákA. |
The boy | the chief's son | he knew, | but | he did not | want | 'that I say anything.' |
na | noowitiwaákoʾ | koxteeruuwanúʾ. |
And | then he said: | "I will care for you." |
noowititáhpA | tiwešinakaxčituuʾaáNA | wehnaʾaanú | nút. |
Then he put him on his back | after his legs became joined | when he was becoming | a snake. |
– | wekaakíʾ | nakuúwo. |
– | He could | not go (ie walk). |
– | a | nikunoowituúta | wiináxtš | noowititáhpA. |
– | And | so that is what he did: | the boy | then he put him on his back. |
noowititáhpA. |
Then he put him on his back. |
wetihnaʾíhkuʾ | – | inaániʾ | – | noowitiwaákoʾ | škúxtAt | iinakučísA. |
He was meaning him | – | his brother | – | then he said: | "Take me | where water is! |
neškuúkux. |
Put me there." |
iiháʾI | wituxčískUx | na | nikunoowitihkúx. |
There | there was a body of water, | and | then that is where he put him. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | wiináxtš | nút | wenaʾaáNA | a |
Then he said | the boy | a snake | who had become: | "And |
nookananeenunuhnaateéʾU | – | čiwáhtš | – | tiiháʾI | koxtohnaaʾiitáWI | na |
if they don't like it | – | the fish | – | here, | I will tell you | and |
oopiínuʾ | neškuúRAt. |
another (place) | you can take me." |
piiraneešaánuʾ | náʾU | nootiRAhuukaataʾiíšAt. |
The chief's son | the one | so he took him to the river bank. |
nootiiʾít | nút | wekananiiʾaanú. |
Then he let him go | a snake | his having become. |
tiweNAhoókUt | anoowitičiisUxaahUxítIt. |
When he got into the water | then the water started roaring. |
čiwáhtš | nookanawiteenunoohnaatéʾ. |
The fish | then they did not like it. |
noowiteehawaátaʾ | štoh. |
Then he surfaced | again. |
na | noowitihkúxIt | na | noowitiwaákoʾ | piiranee- | šaánuʾ |
And | then he picked him up | and | then he said | the chief's | son |
náʾU | koxteeruuwanúʾ. |
the one: | "I will take care of you. |
koxteeruuwanúʾ. |
I will take care of you." |
a | – | štoh | – | noowiteenáʾ. |
And | – | again | – | then he brought him. |
nooteetahpiináʾ | wenatahpiinaáhNA– | nuu | – | wenaraʾá. |
Then he came packing him on his back | as he packed him– | there | – | as he brought him. |
a | – | štoh | – | noo- | WIšituté | iiʾAhnačísA. |
And | – | again | – | then | they (du) spent the night | where the water was. |
štoh | nootiiʾít | nooweNAhoókUt | weh- | naʾaáNA |
Again | then he released him | his going into the water | the | one who became |
– | wiináxtš | – | nút. |
– | the boy | – | a snake. |
noowitIhaʾuúkUt. |
Then he got in the water. |
weeNAhaʾaáhNA | na | – | štoh | – | nikunoowituutAxítIt |
After he was in the water | and | – | again | – | then that is what happened: |
weeNAhaʾaáhNA | wehnačiisUxaáhu | nii- |
when he went into the water | when the water was roaring | those |
ʾAhnaraanaátUx | nookaakeenunuhnaatéʾ. |
living in the water | then they did not like it. |
noowiteehuukatáʾ. |
Then he came to the bank. |
noowitiwaákoʾ | kaakeenunuhnaa- | téʾ. |
Then he said: | "They do not | like it. |
a | škúxtAt | anuú | iinačiisúhAt | tswaarúxtiʾ. |
And | take me | there | where the river is | Missouri! |
nikuwitAtwanúxtA | iinačísA | tswaarúxtiʾ. |
That is where I am going to go | where the water is | Missouri." |
a | štoh | noowitihtáhpA. |
And | again | then he carried him. |
noowiteenáʾ | nuu | iiʾAhnačísA | tswaarúxtiʾ. |
Then he brought him | there | where the water was | Missouri. |
noowitiiniʾít. |
Then he was put down. |
na | – | noowitiwaákoʾ | – | wah | kooxanuutAhnaaʾiitáWI | iinata- |
And | – | then he said: | – | "Now | you will tell them | where |
nuunaakítAt | nakuWIskáʾA | tooxuukatáʾAt | a | nootiwaákoʾ | wah | áNA | wešitatootAxáwoʾ. |
our village is, | if one wants | 'that I cross it,' | he | must say: | 'Now, | brother, | I'm stepping over you. |
tAhnaNAhnaanuukátawoʾ. |
We are crossing.'" |
na | nikunoowituutAxítIt. |
And | then that is what happened. |
naawiinakuúnuʾ | štaNAhwooxítIt | na nikutih- | wačiʾaáhuʾ |
"(On) the warpath | whenever you begin to go, | they must | say this: |
áNA | atíštIt | tuxtaahnaanuukatáʾAt. |
'Brother, | well | let us cross! |
tákuʾ ka- | nanuuxuučíNIt. |
Let no | one drown!' |
koxteerapakUhtaraʾóʾ. |
I will heed your words." |
nikunoowituúʾUt. |
Then that is how it was. |
noowitikaaʾiíšAt | piiraneešaánuʾ | natsú | noowitIhaʾiíšAt. |
Then he went home | the chief's son, | but | then he went in- to the water. |
wehnakaaʾiišátA | – | noowituutAhnaaʾiitáWI | – | niiwehnuutAxítIt |
After he went home | – | then he told them | – | what had happened |
wiináxtš | wehnaʾaáNA | – | nút. |
the boy | when he became | – | a snake. |
nootiwaákoʾ | ničiíšuʾ | na | taakáxtš | na šitikuhnanuuwaawáʾ. |
"Then he said: | 'Corn | and | dried meat | bring them for me!' |
koxtuhneesiíšuʾ. |
I will know it. |
na | niku- | nootihwáčiʾ | wah | áNA | tíštIt | tuxtaahnaanuukatáʾAt. |
And | this | is what they'll say: | "Now, | brother, | well | let us cross! |
tákuʾ kananikuxtaakuučíNIt |
Let no one drown!"'" |
na | weNAhkuRAhwó | naawiinakuúnuʾ | – | na | – | nooWIši- |
And | when they were going | (on) the warpath | – | and | – | then they |
teenuhnanuuwaawáʾ | – | na | – | noowiteehawaátaʾ | weNAhawaáta | šiʾaxkuuteéRIt. |
brought things for him, | – | and | – | then he surfaced, | his surfacing | 'that you (pl) might see me.' |
WIšitinaawaawaʾú. |
They gave him things. |
nikuwitsuuxitikUxuúkuʾ | na | – | atíštIt | – | noowitiraanuu- |
That is what used to happen, | and | – | well | – | then they |
katáʾAt | nanuhčitáWI | wiináxtš | wehnaʾaáNA | nút. |
crossed the water | his being the cause | the boy | who had become | a snake. |