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

98

The Boy and the Scalped Man

Ella P. Waters

pakúhtuʾ AhnuxtAhwaawanú naawiinakuúnuʾ Ah- niišapakú
Long ago when they were traveling (on) the warpath their fighting
noowitiraáNAt nataraakíčI.
then they went ourselves.
wehnakatistatateétIt noowitiinakánoʾ akAhčitapaanuúxuʾ.
When it became dark then they made a lodge a willow frame shelter.
tiwehnaRAhkaá- WI – wiítA -- WIšitištá – taroosíhUx
When they were inside – the men -- they had him – an errand man,
wiináxtš AhnaRAhkaáWI – wiítA -- nooWIšitinaáNAt wiináxtš –
a boy, those inside – men -- then they sent him the boy –
tstoóxuʾ aaxihčiranaʾá.
water 'that you bring it.'
noowitiraawiiʾót AhnačísA.
It was close by where the water was.

noowitihwáčiʾ niišuxtakásAt.
Then they said: "Go fetch water!"

noowitiihuuniriwátAt wiináxtš.
Then he jumped up the boy.
noowitikúxIt tskaNUstanaanuúxuʾ.
Then he picked it up a dried paunch (bag).
– witikúxIt.
– He picked it up.
– noowiteeWIsítIt nuu – wehnatakAsátA tstoóxuʾ–
– Then he went outside there – his going to fetch it water–
wehniinatskaaNIsšó wiítA AhnaRAhkaáWI.
when they wanted liquid the men the ones inside.

na noowitiihUhtawiraáʾAt wiináxtš niiʾAhnačísA.
And so he ran down the bank the boy where water was.
wekananiikatistátAt weNAhukaataʾiišátA niiʾAhnačísA.
It was very dark when he got to the bank where water was.
wekananiikatistátAt.
It was very dark.
wewituxčiraawít.
He had already dipped water.

a noowitiwaaWIhtít wiítA.
And then he spoke a man.
– noowitiwaákoʾ – axičiraa- wít niiháʾI.
– Then he said: – "Don't dip water right there!
– paátuʾ tUtčiinéš.
– Blood it is mixed in the water.
– tiíNI tikuraNAxhuunawíʾAt.
– Now we have ceased fighting.
tikuxtaaNAxhuunaánuʾ.
We were fighting."

na nookanawitičiraawít.
And then he did not dip water.
kanawituuteeríkuʾ wiítA niiʾAhnawaaWIhtikú.
He did not see him man the one who was talking.

a noowitíʾAt wiináxtš.
And then he went the boy.
na nikunoowitičiraa- wít niiwehnawaákA wiítA
And then that is where he dipped water where he said the man:
tuuháʾI kutuhtsé tstoóxuʾ kanaNUtčiineéšI paátuʾ.
"Over there it is better the water its not being mixed in it blood."

na noowitičiraawít na noowitičiRAhkúx.
And then he dipped water and then he set the water down.
a noowitiRAxweesítIt niiʾAhnawaaWIhtikú.
And then he began looking for him the one who was talking.
na noowitiíkUx wiítA šohninaahunáʾU.
And there he sat a man one they had scalped.

noowitiwaákoʾ wiináxtš wah tuxčiráNAt áwit.
Then he said the boy: "Now let me take the water first!
tuxčiranikatáʾAt áwit.
Let me take the water up first!"

na – noowitičiRAhkúxIt noowitičiranikatáʾAt –
And – then he picked up the water, then he carried the water up (the hill), –
noowiti- čiráNAt – anuú – niiʾAhnaakaáWI – wiítA –
then he carried the water – there – where they were inside, – men –
AhnaRAhkaáWI šohnihnuníkUx tstoóxuʾ aataraačiíka.
the ones who were inside when they were waiting water 'that we may drink.'
tiweh- načiraNAhuukátA na – noowitihčiikáwaʾ – wiítA.
When he took the water inside, and – then they each drank – the men.

na noowitiwaákoʾ wiináxtš wah tiNAxtaNAhkaáWI ka NAxtaákIt wiítA.
And then he said the boy: "Now, you inside here, are you men?"

noowitihwáčiʾ – heeʾ tAhnaákIt wiítA.– anikuweti- raačítA
Then they said – "Yes, we are men.– Now that is the reason
tiweNAtkuraahnaána naawiinakuúnuʾ.
our coming here (on) the warpath."

na noowitiwaákoʾ wiináxtš nawáh.
And then he said the boy: "Alright."

na štoh noowiteehUhkaáʾ.
And again then he came running out.
nookaakiraaʾiitáWI niiwenaraačitáWI štoh tiwenuutUhuunapitaáhAt.
Then he did not tell what the reason was again his whirling around.
noowi- teehUhtawiraáʾ štoh noowititáhpA
Then he ran down (the hill) again, then he put him on his back,
noowitirikatáʾAt wiítA niiʾAhniisuxwaaWIhtikú kanaʾaaxičiraawiíkA.
then he took him up (the hill) man the one who had told him: "Don't dip water!"
noowititáhpA.
Then he packed him.
noowitirikatáʾAt niiʾAhnaRAhkaáWI – wiítA – akAhčitapaanúxkAt.
Then he took him up where they were inside – the men – in the willow frame shelter.

tiwehnaRAhuukátA čiríkU noowiwiteenaniwaátaʾ wiítA
When he took him inside, oh my, then they all jumped up the men
AhnuxtAhkaáWI wehniiNAhninuʾaáNA tiweh- naRAhuukátA
the ones inside their having become frightened when he took him inside
wiítA wešohninaahunáʾU.
man the one who had been scalped.

wah tiiháʾI nikuwituutAxítIt wiítA wenehninu-
Now right here this is what happened the men when they
ʾaáNA wenišwačíʾA tAhnaákIt wiítA.
became frightened after they had said: "We are men."
nikuwituutAxítIt pakúhtuʾ.
That is what happened long ago.
kaakiráʾ naaʾiikáWIš.
It is not a way a tale.