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

99

The Priest Who Saved

the Arikara Village

Ella P. Waters

tiwenatunaaʾiitštáNIt tiráʾ naaʾiitUxpakúhtuʾ niiʾAh- nuutAxítIt anuú
What I'm going to tell it is an old story (of) what happened there
AhnatoxtaakítAt nuuneesawatuúNU ačitaánuʾ sáhniš.
when we were in a village over the hill tribe Arikara.

čituúʾuʾ noowitiRAhkatáWA awiraa- níhtš –
All then they had gone up (onto the prairie) the older ones –
witohniišawireehAsú – wenakupsiʾaanú
when they were preparing – as it was becoming winter
NAhkuraaWIhkaʾaáhNA.– anuú – wituNAhkaahuuniiwaáWIs
to go hunting.– There – they were left behind in the village
naaxíhUx na súxtIt na kuNAhúx.
the sick and old women and old men.

na noowiteeraawakaahtáʾ wetohnaánaʾ.
And then they all yelled: "The enemy is coming!"

tsu čituúʾuʾ skaná wituxtaanúʾAt súxtIt na kuNAhúx– na
But all alone they were living old women and old men– and
naaxíhUx tiwehnaaraawakaahtáʾa– wetohnaánaʾ tiwehnaraaninuʾaáNA.
the sick as they yelled out:– "The enemy comes!" when they became frightened.

noowitihwáčiʾ – tičé NAxuutaánuʾ.
Then they said: – "What are you doing?"
– naawiiNAhčitawíʾuʾ niišeenuxkaruxtanaáhNA karuúxuʾ.
– the leading priest the main one who had the sacred bundle the sacred bundle.

hUhtiísuʾ noowitIhuúkAt kuNAhúx a
Finally then he went into the lodge the old man and
noowituuriikakúxIt natakaruúxU načiikúxtš.
then he picked up the middle one the round one gourd.
noowiteekaáʾ a noowititáʾAt akanaanataahíniʾ
Then he came out and then he went onto it on the lodge
weNUtwiʾiiruuxitikú na noowitiraanookUxítIt.
his turning in different directions and then he began singing.

tsu – nuu – wehnohnaána – paatúh – wehnoh-
But – there – when they came to fight – the enemy – when they
naána natsú tičé nunaawóxtA wewitiiNAhninuʾá naraa-
came to fight but undoubtedly they were afraid, its
čitáWI súxtIt na kuNAhúx wituuxIsAhkAhaanúʾAt.
being the reason old women and old men it was a community.

tiwehnaraanoóku – naawiiNAhčitawíʾuʾ – nuxkaruxtanaáh-
When he was singing – the leading priest – the one who had
NA -- niikohnakaruúxIt kaakatuhneesiíšuʾ -- na –
the sacred bundle -- whichever bundle it was I do not know -- and –
čituúʾuʾ haanuútuʾ kanítš nátš – noowiteeraawakaah- tawáʾ wewitohnihnaakawaaweéšI.
all the hay, stones, sticks – then they all raised a cry as they were striking their mouths (whooping).

na nuuwehnoxtAhčitawaʾá paatúh nootiiNAhninuʾá.
And those who came on top (the bluff) to fight enemies then they became frightened.
nootihwáčiʾ sáhniš tihwaaRUxtíʾ.
Then they said: "The Arikaras they are holy."
anuú štoh noowituhnaanapitaáhAt.
And then again then they turned around.

nikuwituutAxítIt.
That is what happened.
witiiNAhnaničíšIt načiikúxtš wehnaraakaroóku.
They were saved by it the gourd when he was singing.

nootiiraaʾiitúxAt.
This is the end of the story.