Illustration of the Method of Recording Indian Languages: From the First Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, Smithsonian Institution
Category: Archaeology & AnthropologyCategory: Language & CommunicationCategory: Mythology, Legends & FolkloreIndians of North America -- LanguagesLanguage EducationNative America
Produced by Carlo Traverso, William Flis, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Transcriber's note: The following symbols are used to represent
special characters:
[n] = raised (superscript) "n"
[t] = turned (inverted) "t"
[k] = turned "k"
[K] = turned "K"
[T] = turned "T"
[k=] = "k" with inferior macron
[k.] = "k" with inferior dot
[=x] = any letter "x" with superior macron
[)x] = any letter "x" with superior breve
[/x] = any letter "x" with acute accent
[.x] = any letter "x" with superior dot
[/c.] = "c" with acute accent and inferior dot
[ng] = lower-case "eng" character
[x] = Greek letter chi
['] = single (curly) closing quote
* * * * *
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.
J.W. POWELL, DIRECTOR.
* * * * *
ILLUSTRATION OF THE METHOD
OF
RECORDING INDIAN LANGUAGES.
* * * * *
FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS OF MESSRS. J.O. DORSEY, A.S. GATSCHET, AND S.R.
RIGGS.
* * * * *
ILLUSTRATION OF THE METHOD OF RECORDING INDIAN LANGUAGES.
HOW THE RABBIT CAUGHT THE SUN IN A TRAP.
AN OMAHA MYTH, OBTAINED FROM F. LAFLÈCHE BY J. OWEN DORSEY.
Egi¢e |mactciñ'ge| aká | i[k]a[n]' | ¢iñké |ená-qtci|[t]ig¢e| júgig¢á-biamá.
It came| rabbit | the | his |the st.| only | dwelt |with his| they
to pass| | sub.|grandmother| ob. | | | own,| say.
K[)i]|ha[n]'ega[n]tc[)e]'-qtci-hna[n]'|`ábae | ahí-biamá. |
And | morning very habit- |hunting|went thither|
| ually | | they say. |
|Ha[n]ega[n]tc[)e]'-qtci| a¢á-bi
| morning very|went, they
| | say
ct[)e]wa[n]'|níkaci[n]ga|wi[n]'| sí |sned[)e]'-qti-hna[n]|síg¢e|a¢á-bitéamá.|
notwith- | person | one |foot| long very as a |trail| had gone,
standing rule they say.
|K[)i]| íbaha[n] 3
| And | to know
him
ga[n]¢á-biamá.|Níaci[n]ga|¢i[n]' |[)i][n]'ta[n]|wíta[n]¢i[n]|b¢é | tá | miñke,|
wished | Person |the mv.| now | I-first |I go|will| I who,|
they say. ob.
| e¢éga[n]-biamá.
|thought they say.
Ha[n]'ega[n]c[)e]'-qtci|páha[n]-bi|ega[n]'|a¢á-biamá.|C[)i]|égi¢e |níkaci[n]ga|
Morning very| arose |having |went they |Again| it | person |
they say say. happened
| amá
|the mv. sub.
síg¢e|a¢á-bitéamá.| Égi¢e | akí-biamá. | Gá-biamá: |[k]a[n]há,|
trail| had gone, |It came| he reached |Said as follows,| grand- |
they say. to pass home they say. they say: mother,
|wíta[n]¢i[n]|b¢é 6
| I-first |I go
a[k]ídaxe |ct[)e]wa[n]'|níkaci[n]ga |wí[n]'| a[n]'aqai |a¢aí te a[n]'.|
I make | in spite | person | one | getting | he has gone. |
for myself of it ahead of me
|[K]a[n]há,| u[k]ía[n]¢e
| Grand- | snare
mother
dáxe| tá |minke,|k[)i]|b¢íze | tá |miñke|h[)a].|Áta[n]|ja[n]'|tada[n]',|á-biamá
I |will|I who,| and |I take|will|I who| . | Why | you | should? | said,
make| him do it they say
it
wa`újiñga|aka.|Níaci[n]ga| i¢át'ab¢é|h[)a],|á-biamá.|K[)i]|mactciñ'ge|a¢á- 9
old woman|the | Person |I hate him| . | said, | And | rabbit |went
sub. they say.
biamá.| A¢á-bi |[k][)i]|c[)i]|síg¢e|¢étéamá. |[K][)i]|ha[n]'|t[)e]| i¢ápe |
they |Went they| when |again|trail|had gone.| And |night | the |waiting|
say. say for
|ja[n]'-biamá.
|lay they say.
Man'd[)e]-[k]a[n]|¢a[n]|ukínacke|gaxá-biamá,|k[)i]|síg¢e| ¢é-hna[n]|t[)e]|
bow string | the | noose |he made it | and |trail| went | the |
ob. they say, habitually
|[)e]'di|i¢a[n]'¢a-
| there | he put it
biamá.| Égi¢e |ha[n]'+ega[n]-tc[)e]'-qtci|u[k]ía[n]¢e|¢a[n]| gi[t]a[n]'be|
they |It came| morning very| snare | the | to see |
say. to pass ob. his own
|ahí-biamá.| Égi¢e 12
| arrived |It came
they say. to pass
mi[n]'| ¢a[n] |¢izé | akáma. |Ta[n]'¢i[n]-qtci| u¢á | ag¢á-biamá. |
sun |the cv.|taken| he had,| Running very|to tell|went homeward,|
ob. they say. they say.
|[K]a[n]há|[)i]ndáda[n]
| Grand- | what
mother.
éi[n]te| b¢íze |édega[n]|a[n]'baaze-hna[n]'|h[)a],| á-biamá.|[K]a[n]há,|
it may |I took | but | me it habitually| . |said they| Grand- |
be scared say. mother,
|man'de-[k]a[n]| ¢a[n]
| bow string |the ob.
ag¢íze |ka[n]bdédega[n]|a[n]'baaze-hna[n]'i|h[)a],| á-biamá.|Máhi[n]|
I took | I wished, but | me it habitually| . |said they| Knife |
my own scared say.
|a¢i[n]'-bi|ega[n]' 15
| had they | having
say
[)e]'di|a¢á-biamá.|K[)i]|eca[n]'-qtci|ahí-biamá.|Píäj[)i]|ckáxe.|Eáta[n]|éga[n]
there |went, they| And |near very| arrived | Bad | you | Why | so
say. they say. did.
ckáxe|[)a].|[)E]'di|gí-ada[n]'|i[n]¢ická-g[)a]|h[)a],| á-biamá |mi[n]'|aká.|
you | ? |Hither | come and |for me untie it| , |said, they| sun |the |
did say sub.
|Mactciñ'ge
| Rabbit
aká |[)e]'di| a¢á-bi |ct[)e]wa[n]'|na[n]'pa-bi|ega[n]'| hébe | íhe |
the | there | went | notwith- |feared they| having|partly|passed|
sub. they say standing say by
|a¢é-hna[n]'-biamá.|K[)i] 3
| went habitually | And
they say.
[k]u`[)e]'| a¢á-bi |ega[n]'| mása-biamá |man'd[)e]-[k]a[n]|¢a[n]'.|Gañ'ki|
rushed |went they|having |cut with they| bow string | the | And |
say a knife say ob.
|mi[n]'| ¢a[n] |ma[n]'-
| sun |the cv.| on
ob.
ciáha|áiá¢a-biamá.|K[)i]|mactciñ'ge|aká | ábá[k]u |hi[n]'|¢a[n]| názi-biamá
high |had they | And | Rabbit |the | space bet. | hair | the | burnt they
gone, say. sub. the shoulders ob. yellow say
ánakadá-bi|ega[n]'.|(Mactciñ'ge|amá| akí-biamá.) |[)I]tcitci+,|[k]a[n]há, 6
it was hot | having.| (Rabbit |the|reached home,| Itcitci+!! | grand-
on it, they mv. they say.) mother,
say sub.
ánakadá-bi |ega[n]'.|(Mactciñ'ge| amá | akí-biamà.) |[)I]tcitci+,|
it was hot on| having.| (Rabbit |the mv.|reached home,| Itcitci+!! |
it, they say sub. they say.)
|[k]a[n]há, 6
| grand-
mother,
ná¢iñg[)e]-qti-ma[n]'|h[)a],| á-biamá.|[T]úcpa¢a[n]+,|
burnt to very I am | -- |said, they| Grandchild!! |
nothing say.\
| i[n]'na¢iñg[)e]'-qti-ma[n]'|eska[n]'+,
|burnt to nothing very I am | I think,
for me
á-biamá. |Ceta[n]'.
said, they say.| So far.
NOTES.
581, 1. Mactciñge, the Rabbit, or Si¢e-maka[n] (meaning uncertain), is
the hero of numerous myths of several tribes. He is the deliverer of
mankind from different tyrants. One of his opponents is Ictinike, the
maker of this world, according to the Iowas. The Rabbit's grandmother
is Mother Earth, who calls mankind her children.
581, 7. a¢ai te a[n]. The conclusion of this sentence seems odd to the
collector, but its translation given with this myth is that furnished
by the Indian informant.
581, 12. ha[n]+ega[n]tc[)e]-qtci, "ve--ry early in the morning." The
prolongation of the first syllable adds to the force of the adverb
"qtci," _very_.
582, 3. hebe ihe a¢e-hna[n]-biama. The Rabbit tried to obey the Sun;
but each time that he attempted it, he was so much afraid of him that
he passed by a little to one side. He could not go directly to him.
582, 4. 5. ma[n]ciaha aia¢a-biama. When the Rabbit rushed forward with
bowed head, and cut the bow-string, the Sun's departure was so rapid
that "he had _already_ gone on high."
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS MYTH.
cv. curvilinear.
mv. moving.
st. sitting.
sub. subject.
ob. object.
TRANSLATION.
Once upon a time the Rabbit dwelt in a lodge with no one but his
grandmother. And it was his custom to go hunting very early in the
morning. No matter how early in the morning he went, a person with
very long feet had been along, leaving a trail. And he (the Rabbit),
wished to know him. "Now," thought he, "I will go in advance of the
person." Having arisen very early in the morning, he departed. Again
it happened that the person had been along, leaving a trail. Then he
(the Rabbit) went home. Said he, "Grandmother, though I arrange for
myself to go first, a person anticipates me (every time). Grandmother,
I will make a snare and catch him." "Why should you do it?" said she.
"I hate the person," he said. And the Rabbit departed. When he went,
the foot-prints had been along again. And he lay waiting for night (to
come). And he made a noose of a bow-string, putting it in the place
where the foot-prints used to be seen. And he reached there very early
in the morning for the purpose of looking at his trap. And it happened
that he had caught the Sun. Running very fast, he went homeward to
tell it. "Grandmother, I have caught something or other, but it
scares me. Grandmother, I wished to take my bow-string, but I was
scared every time," said he. He went thither with a knife. And he got
very near it. "You have done wrong; why have you done so? Come hither
and untie me," said the Sun. The Rabbit, although he went thither, was
afraid, and kept on passing partly by him (or, continued going by a
little to one side). And making a rush, with his head bent down (and
his arm stretched out), he cut the bow-string with the knife. And the
Sun had already gone on high. And the Rabbit had the hair between his
shoulders scorched yellow, it having been hot upon him (as he stooped
to cut the bow-string). (And the Rabbit arrived at home.) "Itcitci+!!
O grandmother, the heat has left nothing of me," said he. She said,
"Oh! my grandchild! I think that the heat has left nothing of him for
me." (From that time the rabbit has had a singed spot on his back,
between the shoulders.)
* * * * *
DETAILS OF A CONJURER'S PRACTICE.
IN THE KLAMATH LAKE DIALECT. OBTAINED FROM MINNIE FROBEN, BY A.S.
GATSCHET.
Má[k=]laks|shuákiuk|kíuksash|[k=]á-i|gû'l[']hi|húnk[)e]lam|ládshashtat,|ndéna
Indians |in call-| the | not | enter | his | into lodge,| they
ing conjurer halloo
sha'hmóknok; | kíush toks |wán| kiukáyank |mû'luash|m[']na| kaníta| pî'sh.
to call (him)|the conjurer|red|hanging out| as sign| his |outside|"of him."
out; fox on a pole
Kukíaks |tchû'tanish|gátp[']nank|wigáta|tchél[x]a|m[=a]'shipksh.|Lútatkish 3
Conjurers|when treat-|approaching|close | sit down| the patient. | The
ing by expounder
wigáta |kíuksh[)e]sh|tcha[']hlánshna.|Shuyéga | kíuks, |wéwanuish
close to|the conjurer| sits down. | Starts |the conjurer,| females
choruses
tch[=i]k|winóta |liukiámnank| nadsh[=a]'shak |tchûtchtníshash.| Hánshna
then |join in| crowding | simultaneously |while he treats |He sucks
singing around him (the sick).
m[=a]'shish|hû'nk |hishuákshash,| tátktish | î'shkuk, | hantchípka |tc[=i]'k
diseased | that | man, |the disease|to extract,|he sucks out| then
kukuága,|wishinkága,|mû'lkaga,|[k=]á[k=]o|gî'ntak,| káhaktok |nánuktua
a small | small | small | bone | after- |whatsoever|anything
frog, snake, insect, wards,
nshendshkáne.|Ts[']û'ks|toks| ké-usht|tchék[)e]le|ítkal; |lúlp|toks|m[=a]'- 3
small. | A leg | | being | the (bad) | he |eyes|but | be-
fractured blood extracts;
shisht |tchék[)e]litat|lgû'm|shû'k[)e]lank|[k=]î'tua|lû'lpat,|kû'tash|tchish
ing sore| into blood | coal| mixing | he pours|into the|a louse| too
eyes,
kshéwa | lúlpat | pû'klash|tui[x]ámpgatk|ltúi[x]aktgi gíug.
introduces|into the|the white| protruding | for eating out.
eye of eye
NOTES.
583, 1. shuákia does not mean to "_call on somebody_" generally, but
only "_to call on the conjurer_ or medicine man".
583, 2. wán stands for wánam n[=i]'l: the fur or skin of a red
or silver fox; kaníta pî'sh stands for kanítana látchash m'nálam:
"outside of his lodge or cabin". The meaning of the sentence is: they
raise their voices to call him out. Conjurers are in the habit of
fastening a fox-skin outside of their lodges, as a business sign, and
to let it dangle from a rod stuck out in an oblique direction.
583, 3. tchél[x]a. During the treatment of a patient, who stays in
a winter house, the lodge is often shut up at the top, and the people
sit in a circle inside in utter darkness.
583, 5. liukiámnank. The women and all who take a part in the chorus
usually sit in a circle around the conjurer and his assistant; the
suffix -mna indicates close proximity. Nadsh[=a]'shak qualifies the
verb winóta.
583, 5. tchûtchtníshash. The distributive form of tchû't[']na refers
to each of the _various_ manipulations performed by the conjurer on
the patient.
584, 1. m[=a]'shish, shortened from m[=a]shípkash, m[=a]'shipksh, like
[k=]'lä'ksh from k[']läkápkash.
584, 2. 3. There is a stylistic incongruity in using the distributive
form, only in kukuàga (kúe, _frog_), káhaktok, and in nshendshkáne
(nshekáni, npshékani, tsékani, tchék[)e]ni, _small_), while inserting
the absolute form in wishinkága (wíshink, _garter-snake_) and in
[k=]á[k=]o; mû'lkaga is more of a generic term and its distributive
form is therefore not in use.
583, 2. káhaktok for ká-akt ak; ká-akt being the transposed
distributive form kákat, of kát, which, what (pron. relat.).
584, 4. lgû'm. The application of remedial _drugs_ is very unfrequent
in this tribe; and this is one of the reasons why the term "conjurer"
or "shaman" will prove to be a better name for the medicine man than
that of "Indian doctor".
584, 4. kû'tash etc. The conjurer introduces a louse into the eye to
make it eat up the protruding white portion of the sore eye.
KÁLAK.
THE RELAPSE.
IN THE KLAMATH LAKE DIALECT BY DAVE HILL. OBTAINED BY A.S. GATSCHET.
Hä | náyäns |hissuáksas|m[=a]'shitk| kálak, |tsúi| kíuks |nä'-ulakta|tchu-
When|another | man | fell sick | as |then| the | concludes| to
relapsed, conjurer
tánuapkuk.|Tchúi|tchúta;|tchúi|yá-uks|huk |shläá|kálak a g[=e]k.| Tchi
treat | And | he | and |remedy|this|finds|(that) relapsed| Thus
(him). treats; out he.
huk|shuî'sh |sápa.|Tsúi|n[=a]'sh|shu[=i]'sh|sáyuaks|hû'mtcha kálak,|tchúi 3
the|song- |indi-| And| one | song- |having | (that) of the | then
remedy cates. remedy found kind of relapsed
out relapsed (he is),
nánuk| hûk |shu[=i]'sh| tpä'wa |hû'nksht|kaltchitchíkshash|heshuamp[)e]lítki
all |those| remedies |indicate| (that) |the spider | would
him (-remedy)
gíug. | Tchúi| hû'k|káltchitchiks| yá-uka;| ubá-us | hûk |káltchitchiksam
cure. | Then | the | spider | treats |a piece of| | of the spider
him; deer-skin
tchut[)e]n[=o]'tkish.|Tsúi| húkantka|ubá-ustka|tchutá;|tätáktak | huk 6
(is) the curing-tool.|Then| by means|deer-skin| he |just the | that
of that treats |size of
(him); the spot
kálak |m[=a]'sha,| gä'tak| ubá-ush|ktû'shka| tä'tak |huk|m[=a]'sha.|Tsúi|hûk
relapse| is |so much|of deer-| he cuts|as where| he| is |Then|
infected, skin out suffering.
káltchitchiks| siunóta |nä'ds[k=]ank| hû'nk| ubá-nsh. |Tchû'yuk| p'laíta
the "spider" |is started| while | that |skin piece.| And he | over it
song applying
nétatka | skútash, |tsúi | sha|hû'nk|udû'pka| hänä'shishtka,| tsúi |hû'k 9
he |a blanket,| and |they| it | strike|with conjurer's| then | it
stretches arrows,
gutä'ga|tsulä'kshtat;|gä'tsa| lû'pí |kiatéga,|tsúi|tsul[=e]'ks|[k=]'läká,|tchúi
enters | into the |a par-|firstly| enters,|then| (it) body | becomes, | and
body; ticle
at |pushpúshuk|shl[=e]'sh | hûk |ubá-ush.|Tsúi|m[=a]'ns|tánk[)e]ni ak|waítash
now| dark it |to look at | that|skin- |Then| after |after so and | days
piece. a while so many
hû'k|pûshpúshli at|m[=a]'ns=gîtk|tsulä'ks=sitk|shlä'sh.| Tsí|ní|sáyuakta; 12
that|black (thing)| at last | (is) flesh- |to look |Thus|I | am
like at. informed;
túmi |hû'nk| sháyuakta | hû'masht=gîsht | tchut[=i]'sht;| tsúyuk | tsúshni
many | | know | (that) in | were effected | and he | always
men this manner cures; then
wä'mp[)e]le.
was well again.
NOTES.
585, 1. náyäns hissuáksas: another man than the conjurers of the
tribe. The objective case shows that m[=a]'shitk has to be regarded
here as the participle of an impersonal verb: m[=a]'sha nûsh, and
m[=a]'sha nû, it ails me, I am sick.
585, 2. yá-uks is remedy in general, spiritual as well as material.
Here a tamánuash song is meant by it, which, when sung by the
conjurer, will furnish him the certainty if his patient is a relapse
or not. There are several of these medicine-songs, but all of them
(nánuk hû'k shu[=i]'sh) when consulted point out the spider-medicine
as the one to apply in this case. The spider's curing-instrument is
that small piece of buckskin (ubá-ush) which has to be inserted under
the patient's skin. It is called the spider's medicine because the
spider-song is sung during its application.
585, 10. gutä'ga. The whole operation is concealed from the eyes of
spectators by a skin or blanket stretched over the patient and the
hands of the operator.
585, 10. kiatéga. The buckskin piece has an oblong or longitudinal
shape in most instances, and it is passed under the skin sideways and
very gradually.
585, 11. tánk[)e]ni ak waítash. Dave Hill gave as an approximate limit
five days' time.
* * * * *
SWEAT-LODGES.
IN THE KLAMATH LAKE DIALECT BY MINNIE FROBEN. OBTAINED BY A.S.
GATSCHET.
É-ukshkni| lápa |spû'klish|gítko.|[K=]ú[k=]iuk |[k=][)e]lekapkash|spû'klishla
The lake | two | sweat- |have. |To weep over | the deceased |they build
people (kinds lodges sweat-lodges
of)
yépank | käíla; | stutílantko| spû'klish, | käíla|waltchátko.|Spû'klish a
digging|the ground;| are roofed | (these) | with | covered. | (Another)
up sweat-lodges earth sweat-lodge
sha |shû'ta | kué-utch, |kítchikan[']sh|stinága=shítko;|skû'tash a|wáldsha 3
they| build |of willows,| a little | cabin looking | blankets | they
like spread
spû'klishtat |tataták s[)e]|spukliá.|Tátataks a hû'nk| wéas |lúla,|tatátaks
over the | when in it | sweat. | Whenever |children|died,| or when
sweating-lodge they
a híshuaksh|tchím[)e]na,|snáwedsh|wénuitk,|[k=]û'[k=]i|[k=][)e]lekátko,|
a husband | became |(or) the| (is) | they weep | for cause |
widower, wife |widowed, of death
|spû'klitcha
|go sweating
túmi |shashámoks=lólatko;|túnepni|waítash|tchík| sa |hû'uk|spû'klia. 6
many | relatives who | five | days | then|they| | sweat.
have lost
Shiúlakiank a| sha| ktái | húyuka |skoilakuápkuk;|hútoks| ktái |[k=]á-i tatá
Gathering |they|stones| (they) | to heap them | those|stones| never
heat (them) up (after use);
spukliû't[']hu[=i]sh.|Spúklish|lúp[)i]a| húyuka; |[k=]élpka a| át, |
having been used | Sweat |in front|they heat| heated |when,|
for sweating lodge of (them); (being)
| ílhiat |átui,
| they bring | at
(them) inside|once,
[k=]ídshna ai| î | ámbu,|kliulála.|Spû'kli|a sha|túm[)e]ni|"hours";|
pour | on |water,|sprinkle.| Sweat |then | several | hours; |
them they
|[k=]élpkuk 9
|being quite
warmed up
géka |shualkóltchuk |péniak|[k=][=o]'[k=]s|pépe-udshak|éwagatat,|
they |(and) to cool |with- | dress |only to go | in a |
leave|themselves off| out bathing spring,
|[k=]ó[k=]etat,|é-ush
| river, | lake
wigáta.|Spukli-uápka|m[=a]'ntch.| Shpótuok | i-akéwa | kápka, |skû'tawia
close | They will | for long |To make them-|they bend| young |(they) tie
by. sweat hours. selves strong down pinetrees together
sha | wéwakag | knû'kstga.| Ndshiétchatka | knû'ks a|sha |shúshata. 12
they| small |with ropes.|Of (willow-)bark|the ropes|they| make.
brushwood
Gátpamp[)e]lank| shkoshkî'l[x]a|ktáktiag| hû'shkankok |[k=][)e]lekápkash,|
On going home | they heap up | small |in remembrance| of the dead, |
into cairns stones
| ktá-i
|stones
shúshuankaptcha | î'hiank.
of equal size | selecting.
NOTES.
No Klamath or Modoc sweat-lodge can be properly called a
sweat-_house_, as is the custom throughout the West. One kind of these
lodges, intended for the use of mourners only, are solid structures,
almost underground; three of them are now in existence, all believed
to be the gift of the principal national deity. Sudatories of the
other kind are found near every Indian lodge, and consist of a few
willow-rods stuck into the ground, both ends being bent over. The
process gone through while sweating is the same in both kinds of
lodges, with the only difference as to time. The ceremonies mentioned
4-13. all refer to sweating in the mourners' sweat-lodges. The
sudatories of the Oregonians have no analogy with the _estufas_ of
the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, as far as their construction is
concerned.
586, 1. lápa spû'klish, two sweat-lodges, stands for two _kinds_ of
sweat-lodges.
586, 5. shashámoks=lólatko forms _one_ compound word: one who, or:
those who have lost relatives by death; cf. ptísh=lûlsh, pgísh=lûlsh;
hishuákga ptísh=lúlatk, male orphan whose father has died. In the
same manner, [k=][)e]lekátko stands here as a participle referring
simultaneously to híshuaksh and to snáwedsh wénuitk, and can be
rendered by "_bereaved_". Shashámoks, distr. form of shá-amoks,
is often pronounced sheshámaks. Túmi etc. means, that many others
accompany to the sweat-lodge, into which about six persons can crowd
themselves, bereaved husbands, wives or parents, because the deceased
were related to them.
586, 7. Shiúlakiank etc. For developing steam the natives collect
only such stones for heating as are neither too large nor too small;
a medium size seeming most appropriate for concentrating the largest
amount of heat. The old sweat-lodges are surrounded with large
accumulations of stones which, to judge from their blackened exterior,
have served the purpose of generating steam; they weigh not over 3 to
5 pounds in the average, and in the vicinity travelers discover many
small cairns, not over four feet high, and others lying in ruins.
The shrubbery around the sudatory is in many localities tied up with
willow wisps and ropes.
586, 11. Spukli-uápka m[=a]'ntch means that the sweating-process is
repeated many times during the five days of observance; they sweat at
least twice a day.
* * * * *
A DOG'S REVENGE.
A DAKOTA FABLE, BY MICHEL RENVILLE. OBTAINED BY REV. S.R. RIGGS.
[/S]u[ng]ka|wa[ng];|[k.]a |waka[ng]ka |wa[ng]|wa[k.]i[ng]|wa[ng]|
Dog | a; | and | old-woman | a | pack | a |
|ta[ng]ka| hnaka. |U[ng]kan
| large |laid away.| And
[/s]u[ng]ka|[k.]o[ng]| he |sdonya.|U[ng]ka[ng]|wa[ng]na|ha[ng]yetu,|
dog | the |that| knew. | And | now | night, |
|u[ng]ka[ng]|waka[ng]ka
| and | old-woman
i[/s]tinman|ke[/c]i[ng]|[k.]a| en | ya: |tuka|waka[ng]ka|ki[ng]|sdonkiye|
asleep | he thought| and |there|went:| but| old woman| the | knew |
|[/c.]a|kiktaha[ng] 3
| and | awake
wa[ng]ke,|[/c.]a| ite |hdaki[ng]ya[ng]| ape |[/c.]a|ki[/c]akse,|[/c.]a|
lay, | and |face | across |struck| and | gashed, | and |
|nina| po, | keyapi.
|much|swelled,|they say.
U[ng]ka[ng]|ha[ng][.h]a[ng]na|heha[ng]|[/s]u[ng]ka|toke[/c]a|wa[ng]| en |
And | morning | then | dog | another | a |there|
| hi, |[k.]a| okiya | ya.
|came,| and |to-talk-with|went.
Tuka|pamahdeda[ng]| ite| mahen| inina|ya[ng]ka.|U[ng]ka[ng]|taku|
But| head-down |face|within|silent| was. | And |what|
|i[/c]ante|ni[/s]i[/c]a
| of-heart| you-bad
heci[ng]ha[ng]|omakiyaka wo,| eya. |U[ng]ka[ng],|Inina |ya[ng]ka wo,|
if | me-tell, |he-said.| And, |still | be-you, |
|waka[ng]ka 3
| old-woman
wa[ng]|te[.h]iya|omaki[.h]a[ng] do,| eya, | keyapi. |U[ng]ka[ng],|
a | hardly | me-dealt-with, |he-said,|they say.| And, |
|Toke[ng]|ni[/c]i[.h]a[ng] he,| eya.
| How | to-thee-did-she, |he-said.
U[ng]ka[ng],|Wa[k.]in| wa[ng]|ta[ng]ka| hnaka e |wa[ng]mdake|[/c.]a|
And, | Pack | a | large |she-laid-away| I-saw | and |
| heo[ng] | otpa | awape:
|therefore|to-go-for|I waited:
[.k]a|wa[ng]na|ha[ng]|teha[ng]|[.k]ehan,|i[/s]ti[ng]be|se[/c]a e| en |
and | now |night | far | then, | she-asleep | probably|there|
| mde |[/c.]a| pa |timahe[ng] 6
|I went| and |head| house-in
yewaya, |u[ng]ka[ng]|kiktaha[ng]|wa[ng]ke| [/s]ta |he[/c]amo[ng]:|[.k]a,|
I-poked,| and | awake | lay |although| this-I-did: | and, |
|[/S]i,| de |tukten
| shoo,|this| where
yau he, | eye, |[/c.]a| itohna| amape, |[/c.]a|de[/c]en|
you-come,|she-said,| and |face-on|smote-me,| and | thus |
|iyemaya[ng] ce,| eye |[/c.]a| kipazo.
| she-me-left |he-said| and |showed-him.
U[ng]ka[ng],|Hu[ng]hu[ng]he!|te[.h]iya|e[/c]ani[/c]o[ng] do,|ihome[/c]a|
And, | Alas! alas! | hardly | she-did-to-you, |therefore |
|wa[k.]i[ng]|ki[ng]|u[ng]tapi 9
| pack | the | we-eat
kta ce,|eye |[/c.]a,|Mni[/c]iya wo,|eya, |keyapi.|Ito,|Miniboza[ng]na|
will, |he- | and, | Assemble, | he- | they |Now,| Water-mist |
said said, say.
|ki[/c]o wo,
| call,
ka,|Yaksa|ta[ng]i[ng] [/s]ni|kico wo,|Tahu|wa[/s]aka|kico wo,|[.k]a,|
and| Bite| not manifest | call, |Neck| strong | invite,| and, |
off
| Taisa[ng]pena
|His-knife-sharp
kico wo,| eya, | keyapi. |U[ng]ka[ng]|owasi[ng]|wi[/c]aki[/c]o:|[k.]a|
call, |he-said,|they-say.| And | all |them-he-called:| and |
|wa[ng]na|owasi[ng]| en 12
| now | all |there
hipi|heha[ng]| heya, | keyapi: | Ihopo, |waka[ng]ka| de |te[.h]iya|
came| then |this-he-said,|they-say:|Come-on,| old-woman|this| hardly |
|e[/c]aki[/c]o[ng] [/c]e;
| dealt-with;
minihei[/c.]iyapo,|ha[ng]yetu|hepiya|wa[/c]oni[/c]a|waki[ng]|wa[ng]|
bestir-yourselves,| night |during| dried-meat | pack | a |
|te[.h]i[ng]da|[k.]a| on
| she-forbid | and | for
te[.h]iya|e[/c]aki[/c]o[ng]|tuka,|ehae[/s]|untapi|kta [/c]e,| eya, |
hardly | dealt-with-him | but,| indeed |we eat|will |he-said,|
| keyapi. 15
|they say.
U[ng]ka[ng]|Miniboza[ng]na|e[/c]iyapi|[k.]o[ng]| he |wa[ng]na|
Then | Water-mist | called | the |that| now |
|ma[.g]a[/z]ukiye|[/c.]a,|a[ng]petu
| rain-made, | and, | day
o[.s]a[ng]|ma[.g]a[/z]u|e[/c]en|otpaza;|[k.]a|wakeya|owasi[ng]|
all-through| rained | until | dark; | and | tent | all |
| nina |spaya,|wihutipaspe
| very | wet, | tent-pin
olidoka|owasi[ng]|ta[ng]ya[ng]|[.h]pan.|U[ng]ka[ng]|heha[ng]|
holes | all | well |soaked. | And | then |
|Yaksa ta[ng]i[ng] [/s]ni| wihuti- 18
| Bite-off-manifest-not | tent-fast-
paspe |ki[ng]|owasi[ng]| yakse, |tuka |ta[ng]i[ng][/s]ni ya[ng]|
enings| the | all |bit-off,| but | slyly |
| yakse |nakae[/s]|waka[ng]ka
|bit-off| so that | old-woman
ki[ng]|sdonkiye|[/s]ni.|U[ng]ka[ng]|Tahuwa[/s]aka| he |wa[k.]i[ng]|
the | knew | not. | And | Neck-strong | he | pack |
|[k.]o[ng]| yape |[/c.]a|mani[ng]-|
| the |seized,| and | away |
kiya | yapa iyeya, |[k.]a|teha[ng]|e[.h]peya. |He[/c]en|Taisa[ng]pena|
off | holding-in- | and | far | threw-it. | So | His-knife- |
mouth-carried sharp
|wa[k.]i[ng]|[k.]o[ng] 21
| pack | the
[/c]okaya |kiyaksa-iyeya.|He[/c]e[ng]|wa[k.]i[ng]|[k.]o[ng]|ha[ng]yetu|
in-middle | tore-it-open.| Hence | pack | the | night |
|hepiyana| temya-
| during |they-ate-
iyeyapi,| keyapi.
all-up, | they say.
He[/c]en|tuwe|wamano[ng]| ke[/s], |sa[ng]pa|iwa[.h]a[ng]i[/c.]ida|
So that | who| steals |although,| more | haughty |
|wamano[ng]|wa[ng]| hduze, 24
| thief | a |marries,
eyapi | e[/c]e; | de |hu[ng]kaka[ng]pi do.
they-say| always; | this | they-fable.
NOTES.
588, 24. This word "hduze" means _to take_ or _hold one's own;_
and is most commonly applied to a man's taking a wife, or a woman
a husband. Here it may mean either that one who starts in a wicked
course consorts with others "more wicked than himself," or that he
himself grows in the bad and takes hold of the greater forms of
evil--_marries_ himself to the wicked one.
It will be noted from this specimen of Dakota that there are
some particles in the language which cannot be represented in a
translation. The "do" used at the end of phrases or sentences is
only for emphasis and to round up a period. It belongs mainly to the
language of young men. "Wo" and "po" are the signs of the imperative.
TRANSLATION.
There was a dog; and there was an old woman who had a pack of dried
meat laid away. This the dog knew; and, when he supposed the old woman
was asleep, he went there at night. But the old woman was aware of his
coming and so kept watch, and, as the dog thrust his head under the
tent, she struck him across the face and made a great gash, which
swelled greatly.
The next morning a companion dog came and attempted to talk with him.
But the dog was sullen and silent. The visitor said: "Tell me what
makes you so heart-sick." To which he replied: "Be still, an old woman
has treated me badly." "What did she do to you?" He answered: "An old
woman had a pack of dried meat; this I saw and went for it; and when
it was now far in the night, and I supposed she was asleep, I went
there and poked my head under the tent. But she was lying awake and
cried out: 'Shoo! what are you doing here?' and struck me on the head
and wounded me as you see."
Whereupon the other dog said: "Alas! Alas! she has treated you
badly, verily we will eat up her pack of meat. Call an assembly:
call _Water-mist_ (i.e., rain); call _Bite-off-silently_; call
_Strong-neck_; call _Sharp-knife_." So he invited them all. And when
they had all arrived, he said: "Come on! an old woman has treated this
friend badly; bestir yourselves; before the night is past, the pack of
dried meat which she prizes so much, and on account of which she has
thus dealt with our friend, that we will eat all up".
Then the one who is called _Rain-mist_ caused it to rain, and it
rained all the day through until dark; and the tent was all drenched,
and the holes of the tent-pins were thoroughly softened. Then
_Bite-off-silently_ bit off all the lower tent-fastenings, but
he did it so quietly that the old woman knew nothing of it. Then
_Strong-neck_ came and seized the pack with his mouth, and carried it
far away. Whereupon _Sharp-knife_ came and ripped the pack through the
middle; and so, while it was yet night, they ate up the old woman's
pack of dried meat.
_Moral_.--A common thief becomes worse and worse by attaching himself
to more daring companions. This is the myth.
INDEX.
Conjurers' practice 583
Dog's revenge, a Dakota fable 587
Omaha myth 581
Revenge, A dog's; a Dakota fable 587
Sweat lodges 586
Uncharted Knowledge
Wisdom From Previous Realities
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