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

103.


The Grave of the Old Man

with Bad Feelings

Ella P. Waters

tiwenatunaaʾiitštáNIt tiraaʾiítUx naaʾiitUxpakúhtuʾ niiniiNIštaaʾiiwaawaátI
What I am going to tell it is a story an old story what they used to tell
nuxtaanawáNA naaníhtš.
the ones who lived older ones.

áxkUx wiítA – weNAhunáhAs – wenakootIhú noo-
One man – when he was dying, – when he was dying, then
witiwaákoʾ šiškukúxkA – na tákuʾ kaakuutáwi wenakiihi-
he said: "Where they bury me – don't anyone stop after it
ʾaáNA hiíš wenakukatiisiʾaanú – natsú – na tiraáNAt.
has become evening as it becomes dark, – but – just go on.
číkuʾ oopiínuʾ nootiitUhwiítIt.
You should camp somewhere else.
kaakatuuNAsškawíre.
I do not have good feelings."

wah tiwehnaraanátA sáhniš ačitaánuʾ witihneesiíšuʾ nii kuNAhúx AhnawaákA.
Now when they went Arikara tribe, they knew it that the old man what he said.

atsú – tiwehnaraanátA – wewitIsakUhtawiraáʾAt.
But – while they went – now the sun went down.
hiís wewitiihiʾaanúʾ.
Evening it was now becoming.
wetuuNIškhaáNAt.
It was now twilight.

noowitiwaákoʾ šehnuúxU nehčítA waxtóh wetikatiisiʾaánuʾ.
Then he said the main one who was the leader: "Surely it is getting dark.
taatakuusuxtaaké.
Let's stay overnight here!
hináxtIt na nooteeraapóʾ niinatohnaahNAhwiʾuúʾA.
Early morning and then we will go on where we are headed."

nikunoowitiisá noowitiinakAhkawaakároʾ híNAx wehnaRAhWIsátA.
Then they did that: then they put up their tents at night when they arrived.

kanawituxtaačeéʾA noowitIhuutUhtaʾuúkUt.
It was not long then the wind came up.
čituúʾuʾ nátš kanítš na noowewitikUxaáhuʾ wehniinakAhwaawirítkA.
All sticks, stones, and then they flew around their knocking lodges down.
noowitiinitUhčiiruuwátAt wehniiNAhninuʾaáNA.
Then they broke camp after they became fearful.

atoó tatohnaahneesiíšuʾ.
"Surely we know it.
kuNAhúx tatakuhnaapaku- NAxéʾ niinawaákA tiiháʾI kananaatakuhnaakeeNIhú.
The old man he warned us what he said here we are not to stay overnight."

na štoh noowitiinitUhčiiruuwátAt.
And again then they broke camp.
witiinakaNAhčii- ruuwátAt na noowitiraáNAt.
They broke camp and then they went on.
áWAx wituúʾUt kuNAhúx niiʾAhnuxwaákA nikukooxuúʾUt.
Left behind it was thus, the old man as he had said: "It will be that way."