Kutenai Tales/Coyote and Fox

by Franz Boas, Alexander Francis Chamberlain

1. Coyote and Fox

Coyote started. He saw Fox. Coyote said: "Give me your blanket. Let us be friends." Coyote said: "Let us go." Fox said: "Yes, let us be friends." Then he started. He went along. He saw people. There were many tents. Then they had a race.

Ts!ιna′x̣e· (He started) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) na·′k!ₑyoʼs. (Fox.) qake′ᵢne· (He said) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) hamatι′ktsu ("Give me) sι′t!ne·s. (your blanket.) huts!ιnʼała′ₐne· (We shall be) swυ′tᵢmo. (friends.") ta′x̣as (Then) qake′ᵢne· (said) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) hułts!ιnax̣a′ₐła. ("Let us go.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) na·′k!ₑyo (Fox:) he· ("Yes,) ta′x̣as (now) huts!ιnała′ₐne· (we shall be) swυ′tᵢmo. (friends.") ta′x̣as (Then) ts!ιna′x̣e·. (he started.) qa·na′x̣e·. (He went along.) nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) aʽqłsma′kᵢnιk!s. (people.) yu·naqa′ₐne· (Many were) aₐʽkιt.ła′e·s. (their tents.) ta′x̣as (Then) nʼιtkι′n·e· (he made) kałnux̣u′kna·m. (a race.)