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

102

Bear Robe's Search for Buffalo

Ella P. Waters

wetiwenatunaaʾiitštáNIt – tiráʾ – kunaáʾuʾ
What I am going to tell now – it was the way – (of) medicine
AhnuxtAhnuupooxukú – inoó – iiʾAhnatoxtaakítAt.
when they used to enter – there – where our village was.
natsú wetatunaaʾiitíštA.
And I am now going to tell about it.
tiráʾ atípaʾ kuuNUxsAhuútš niišohniiNAhuunuúʾA.
It was the way my grandfather Bear Robe what they did to him.

noowitiinakánoʾ – akAhpaátu – akanaanataahíniʾ.
Then they erected a lodge – a tipi – in the earth lodge.
nooWIšitihkaakúx.
Then they put him inside it.
nooWIšitiinakAhnuuníNIt akAhpaátu.
Then they set fire to the lodge the tipi.
tsu nuuʾAhnuxkaákUx kuuNUxsAhuútš noowi- tiihuununáhAs.
But that one who was inside Bear Robe then he disappeared (into the ground).

nikuwitiisuusaahnuuxuúkuʾ wenehkuraaNAxwé tanáhaʾ niinakukaníškUx.
That's what they used to do when they sought them buffalo where a herd might be.

na tiwehneehuununáhAs kuuNUxsAhuútš anuú noowitíʾAt
And when he vanished Bear Robe there then he went
skaweéraaʾuʾ nuu wehnaátA čituúʾuʾ aniNAhunaanoótA.
west there as he went all the land (extending).

noowitIhunaahčitéʾ a wehnuutaweéNA čiitíʾIš tsu
Then the land was difficult, and after his remaining days four, but
wewitiraaninuʾá tsu witinaakawaakaroókuʾ kunaáʾuʾ niiʾAhnatoxtaakítAt.
they became frightened but they were singing medicine (songs) where our village was.
noowitiraaninu- ʾá tiwekanaahnaáhu kuuNUxsAhuútš.
Then they became frightened when he was not coming Bear Robe.

čiitíʾIš witUsakuúnuʾ nikunoowiteehawaátaʾ.
Four it was the day then he came up from the water.
noowitIhaakaraniiWAhnaahUxítIt.
Then the drums began beating.
noowitiroohUhtaRAhtšá NAhkaaWIhíniʾ wehninaakaroóku.
Then the way became stronger in the Medicine Lodge where they were singing.

a – noowitiwaákoʾ – kuNAhúx wah tatuhnaanaʾíhkuʾ kaakíʾ
And – then he said – the old man: "Now I mean you sho
tákuʾ nikUšiNAxkuNAhuunuúʾA šiNAxkiihuunuNAhátkA štoh.
uld not do it to someone for you to make him vanish again.
anuú tiNAhunaanoótA anuú nootíʾ NIhúxuʾ kanítš.
There this land there it is only stone.
waáwi kaakatihwísaʾ natsú neekuutIštatataʾuúhAt pitáruʾ
I woul d not have returned but it helped me an ant
iiNUstariihwaáhAt kanítš na wenikuusiRAxtariihwaátaʾ.
where the veins go rock and he led me through the vein
.
.
tiwenatihwísaʾ.
Now I have returned."

nikuwitiisuusaahnuuxuúkuʾ wenehkuraaNAxwé tanáhaʾ niiwenakukaniišátA.
That's what they used to do when they sought them buffalo where the herd went.

a – noowitiwaákoʾ – kuNAhúx – atípaʾ – nuu
And – then he said – the old man – my grandfather: – "There
číkuʾ wekaakIhunuuwá tanáhaʾ.
there are not any there buffalos.
čituúʾuʾ nuu wetiraáNAt skaweéraaʾuʾ.
All there they have gone west.
naahuunéʾ wekaakiíhiʾ niiwenaraanátA.
It is far, far off where they have gone!"