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Page:Kutenai Tales.djvu/23

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8
Bureau of American Ethnology
[Bull. 59

He went along. Coyote made many turns. Then Coyote became tired. He asked for the help of the manitous. He said to them: "Tell me, what shall I do? Grizzly Bear is pursuing me." He was told by one of them: "I shall be a river." He was told by another one: "I shall be a tree." He was told by another one: "I shall be a tent. Then when Grizzly Bear comes, you will come out, you will say to him, 'Dead![1] you wish you could bite me.'" A tree was bobbing up and down. He said to him: "I shall hold the tree with my feet." He held it with his foot. (The Bear) walked across the water. He just came to the middle. He was in the middle over the water. Coyote let go of the tree [with his foot]. Then it bobbed up and down again. Grizzly Bear fell into the water. He was drowned. Enough.

5. Coyote Goes Visiting

Coyote had a tent and was married to Dog. He told his children: "Over there is the tent of your uncles; they are never hungry; you


łałqa·′tse· (many turns) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) ta′x̣as (Then) nuk.łu′kᵤne· (became tired) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nʼakmι′ʼnte·. (He asked for the help of the manitous.) qakι′łne· (He said to them:) tsx̣a‵nata′pkeᵢł ("Tell me,) kaₐs (what) kułʼaqa′ke·n (shall I do?) skanuta′pᵢne· (he pursues me) k.ła′wła. (Grizzly Bear.") k!o′k!we·s (By one) qak.ła′pse· (he was told:) ka′min ("I) hutsx̣ałʼι′n·e· (shall be) aₐʽkιnmi′tuk. (a river.") k!o′k!we·s (By one) qak.ła′pse· (he was told:) ka′min ("I) hutsx̣ałʼι′n·e· (shall be) aₐʽkιts!ła′e·n. (a tree.") k!o′k!we·s (By one) qak.ła′pse· (he was told:) ka′min ("I) hutsx̣ałʼι′n·e· (shall be) aₐʽkit.ła·′nam. (a tent.) ta′x̣as (Then) hι′nʼwa·m (when he comes,) k.ła′wła (Grizzly Bear) hιn·tsłʼa·kax̣a′ʼmne·. (you will come out.) hιntsqakι′łne· (You will say to him,) ιpna′mne· ('some one dead) kιnqa′łwiy (you wish) kιnts!ι′t!x̣ₐnap. (you will bite me.'") wane′ᵢse· (Moved up and down) aₐʽkιts!ła′e·ns. (a tree.) qakι′łne· (He said to him:) hu‵tsawi‵tsιkι′n·e· ("I shall hold with my feet) ιn (the) aₐʽkιts!ła′e·n. (tree.") na·wιtsιkι′n·e·. (He held it with the foot.) nu·łqanka·qoq!ᵘnu′ne·. (He climbed across water.) qa·łʼιn (Just) qayaqa′woᵤs (in the middle) qa‵skaqo·qᵤnu′n·e·. (he was on the middle of it on the water.) pιsιkι′n·e· (He let go with the foot) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote) aₐʽkιts!ła′e·ns. (the tree.) ta′x̣as (Then) ła·wane′ᵢne·. (it moved again.) nonaqυ′n·e· (He fell into the water) k.ła′wła. (Grizzly Bear.) nʼupυ′qᵤne·. (He was drowned.) ta′x̣as. (Enough.)

5. Coyote Goes Visiting

Kqa·ni′t.ła (There being a tent) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) ksa·łe′ᵢte·t (He was married to) x̣a′ₐłtsins. (Dog.) kqa·′ke·ł (He told) ałaqa′łt!e·s (his children:) neᵢs ("That) sa·nit.ła′ₐne· (there is the tent) ałhatsanι′skeᵢł (your uncles,) at qahuwa′sₐne· (they are never hungry,)


  1. An exclamation similar to "Confound it!"