XML version dated October 16, 2025. © Douglas R. Parks, Indiana University.

66

When Bloody Hands Went

on the Warpath (Version 1)

Lillian Brave

natsú – šiNAhkuúkux štaánuʾ na – ikaániʾ
And – when they (du) lived Hands and – his grandmother
xaatAhkAhaahwarúxkAt – wačéh – wešiNAhkuúkux
by the manure piles, – poor things – when they (du) lived
šiNAhkutawé niiʾaNAhunuuwaáWI – neešaánuʾ tsu – WIšitUstawiʾiikákUx.
when they (du) were among them where they live – the wealthy, but – they (du) lived in the midst of them.
nuu – xaatAhkAhaahwarúxkAt – šiNAhkookaníkUx WIšituxkaapaátš.
There – by the manure piles – where they (du) had their lodge they (du) were poor.

atšú štaánuʾ noowitiwískaʾ aataátA naawiinakuúnuʾ.
And Hands then he wanted 'that I go on the warpath.'

noowitiwaákoʾ atikaʾ wetikoosšáwoʾ naawiinakuúnuʾ aataátA.
Then he said: "Grandma, I want to go (on) the warpath that I go."

noowitiwaákoʾ ikaániʾ kaakíʾ.
Then she said his grandmother: "No.
nootsihkaapaátš na neešinihpiiraninoósiʾ xaawaarúxtiʾ.
We are poor and you have an ugly one horse.
naaxičitáWI tAxinihpiiraninoósiʾ
The one that you ride yours is ugly."

aa – kaakíʾ tsu tátIskaʾ – aataátA.
"Ah, – no, but I want – that I go."
wewitikUsuu- ʾaanúʾ aataátA.
He was deter- mined 'that I go.'

wah hánuʾ.
"Now go on!
nikuNUsúx.
Let it be!
šuúxAt.
Go!
šuúxAt.
Go!"

hásI atíkaʾ iitiína neešuuNIsAhkawíʾAt.
"Listen, grandmother, when I come then you'll go through the village.
neešuuNIsAhkawíʾAt.
Then you'll go through the village.
neewitiišiskakAhuúnoʾ saʾúhtuʾ.
Then you can smear your face with it soot.
neewitiišuutUsuNAsareépI.
You'll tie your braids up in front (of your head).

aa wetAxaahwaawaákoʾ tiihéʾ štaánuʾ.
"Ah, how you do talk here, Hands!
hásI tsih- kaapaátš.
Listen, we are poor."

noowitiwaákoʾ kaakíʾ.
Then he said: "No.
– tatiwáhNIš atíkaʾ.
– I mean it, grandma.
– tatIskáʾ axtIhuúNU – axtIhuúNU – NAxkutuNAhkatawaawanú
– I want that you be big – that you be big, – that you go around in front
natsú tuukutsihkaatawaawanúʾ.
but we are always going around in the back.
tiíNI neétIskaʾ axtIhuúNU.
Now I want that you be big."

noowitiwaákoʾ hawáh.
Then she said: "Alright.
wah hánuʾ.
Now go on!
niišuúxAt.
Go there!"

wačéh – noowituhnánoʾ – taahiíšuʾ.
Poor thing, – then she filled it with it – parched corn.
taahiíšuʾ noowituhnánoʾ wewitanuNAsákUx.
Parched corn then she filled it with it. He had them (pouches) hanging.
wewitohnaaninikátakUx.
They were under his arm.
hawá štípiiʾIt noošohníhnoʾ.
Also corn balls then she made them (du).

noowitiwaákoʾ ikaániʾ – wah hánuʾ.
Then she said his grandmother: – "Now go on!
– niišuúxAt atinátš.
– Go there, grandson!
– tsu tsihkaapaátš.– kaneeneetuxwískaʾ axtaweétA.
– But we are poor.– I do not want it for you to go with them.
hásI tuunawaaríčI teeninuhniwá – xaawaarúxtiʾ – tsu čeéšiʾ
Look, those they have beautiful – horses, – but you
neešinihpiiraninoósiʾ – xaawaarúxtiʾ– naaxičitáWI.
yours is ugly – horse– the one you ride."

kaakíʾ tíʾ xaahiwaaraáʾuʾ.
"No, it is a beautiful horse.
kaakAxuhneesiíšuʾ.
You do not know."

nikunoowituúta.
Then that is what he did.
AhnoowititawíʾAt.
Then he just went with them.
uu noowititawíʾAt wiítA wehnaraaniRAxátA.
Oh, then he went with them men the ones going ahead.
nooWIšitihWIhuunáwaʾ.
Then they sort of left him behind.
nookanawitiwískaʾ axtáwe Axtóh nuhpii- raninoosiʾU.
Then he did not want it 'that you be among us' surely his being ugly.
na nikunoowitiisá.
And so that is what they did.

wah witiraaniíšAt tsu wačéh naaniwiísuʾ wewitačitáʾ.
Now they went over a hill, but, poor thing, just now he came on top.
witiraaniíšAt tuunawaaríčI.
They went over the hill those others.
ceésiʾ naaniwiísuʾ wewitačitáʾ.
Himself just now he came on top.
nikuwituutaánuʾ.
That is what he was doing.

nuu noowituutakunaawísAt wehnaRAhWIsátA
There then he caught up with them when they arrive there
niiʾAhnihWIskáʾA šiʾaasiiNAhnikawaawáRIt sanánat.
where they wanted 'that we should scatter them' the Sioux.
nikunoowituúta wačéh wewitiihuunatúhkAt.
Then that is what he did, poor thing: now he went last.
noowitohnirooʾá.
Then he took himself off.
noowititakaáhAt xaawaarúxtiʾ AhnuuxičitáWI.
Then he got down from the horse the one he rode.
noowiwitíʾus wehnétka.
Then he lay down his sleeping.

noowitiwaákoʾ áxkUx wiítA štaánuʾ tatIskáʾ aaxu- naaʾiikawaáWI.
Then he said one man: "Hands, I want that you tell tales."

noowitiwaákoʾ kaakíʾ.
Then he said: "No.
kaakíʾ NItkunaaʾiikawaáWI naa- wiinakuhníniʾ.
I canno t tell tales on the warpath.
kaakíʾ NItkunaaʾiikawaáWI.
I canno t tell tales."

šíšaʾ.
"Come!
hásI ákaʾ nikUšitAxUstáhkA šinakunaaʾiiwáatI
Look, your grandmother you (du) are the ones who are known for that to tell stories."

noowitiwaákoʾ kaakíʾ.
Then he said: "No.
atíkaʾ neeniiwákoʾ na kaakunaaʾiíka – NAxkuwaawanú
My grandmother she said: 'Do not tell a story – when you go all around
– naawiinakuúnuʾ.
– (on) the warpath.
kaakíʾ NAxkunaaʾiikáWI.
You can not tell tales.'"

noowitiiroohUhtákaahAt čiškookúʾuʾ AhnuxčiškoóčI.
Then he flung it down cap the one on his head.
witíʾ sčiríkA.
It was reticulum.
nuu kuwitaanawáNIt.
There he threw it way over there.
noowi- tiroóʾa nakaréštA.
Then he took it off a frying pan.
nootuuxIskukAxá.
It was on the fire.
noowi- tiroóʾa.
Then he took it off
– noowitiʾíšta.
– Then he had it in his hand.
– hoowiRAhákUx hawá nohniroóʾa.
– A ladle also then he took it
– hoowiRAhákUx nohniroóʾa.
– A ladle then he took it.
– noowiwituu- tinikatáʾus.
– Then he put it under his arm.

witihwáčiʾ tičé naraačítA tiweNAxuutaáNA.
They asked: "Why is it what you have done?"

aa – wetAxtapískaʾ – aaxunaaʾiikáWI.
"Ah, – you have wanted – 'that you should tell a story.'
kaakíʾ NItkunaaʾiikáWI
I canno t tell a story."

čiríkU tiwehnaraanáʾU.
Oh my, when he sang:

tinatistaroxtsaruuwaáWIš tiRAxUhuhkaruúwa ii a hai ra iiré, ii a
These cuts in my hair they are battles, .
hai ra.

hawá nikutatuxwískaʾ.
"Now that is what I thought.
tatuuNUxtaaninóʾ.
I was afraid of it."

noowitihčišWAhnaáwaʾ sanánat.
Then they were whistling the Sioux.
číkuʾ niinoonakuuxaWI- siihiíʾU noowitihčišWAhnaáwaʾ.
Wherever it even was then they were whistling.
nohniinaNAhkákux.
Then they were ambushed.
nohninakawoótIt íhUx.
Then they killed them half.
íhUx noowitiinakawoótIt.
Half then they killed them.

na noowitiwaákoʾ wah sí neenikutatuuNUxtaaninóʾ.
And then he said: "Now, see, that is what I feared."
tsu neštapIskáʾ aaxunaaʾiikáWI.
But you wanted 'that you tell fairy tales.'"

štoh noowitiraánoʾ wehneehAxwánu.
Again then he sang while he danced around.
noowewitii- hAxwánuʾ wehnaraanoóku.
Then he was dancing around while he was singing.

noowiteewitaʾiíta.
Then he intensified his effort.
WIšitiiNIštaanipákuʾ.
They tried to stop him.
nooNUsuxtaánuʾ štaánuʾ.
"Let that be all, Hands!
nooNUsuxtaánuʾ.
Let that be all!"

kaačíkuʾ.
"Not at all.
tAxtapískaʾ aaxunaaʾiikáWI na nikuweneeraačítA kaneeneekuurinuʾaaníštA.
You wanted 'that you tell a tale,' and that is the reason I am not going to be afraid."

nuu wenaáhkUx čiškookúʾuʾ.
There it was yonder the cap.
a či nuukiišaa- núxwat.
And here he had had long hair.
nuukuwitiiʾuxwát tsu AhnohnipAxkoóʾAt.
There he had long hair, but he just had a sore head.
noowitipAxkoóʾAt – wešohnitpAxeéRIt.
Then he had had a sore head – when they saw his head.
wačéh – noowitipAxkoóʾAt.
Poor thing, – then he had had a sore head.
číkuʾ kanawitiiʾuxwá.
He had not had any hair.
tiíNI číkuʾ nuukuwitiiNIsakUxwát.
Now he had long strands of hair.

wešohniisaakataWIhú – wačéh – noowi- tihwáčiʾ –
When they were offering him the pipe, – poor thing – then they said –
nooNUsuxtaánuʾ štaánuʾ.
"Let that be all, Hands!
– Axtóh wetikuraaka- woótIt.
– Surely they have killed (many of) us."

noowitohničiškawáNIt tiʾAhnuxčišWAhnaawaahú AhnohniraanunáhAs.
Then he put it back on his head while they were whistling as they disappeared.
čiríkU štaánuʾ noowitiraaWIhkatawíʾAt wehnaakawootikú sanánat wehnaakawootikú.
Oh my, Hands then he charged around as he was killing them the Sioux, as he was killing them.

číkuʾ nuukuwitanuuNAhwíʾAt pAxIskuúxuʾ wehnaranaáhNA.
There his were piled high scalps the ones he had.
pAxIskuúxuʾ číkuʾ anuukuwitiRAhwíʾAt.
The scalps they were piled high there.

noowitiwaákoʾ – nawáh si čituúʾuʾ wetAxuhnaahnaaʾeéRIt.
Then he said: – "Now, see, all you (pl) have seen it.
čaató čikiisuxtaáka
Do som ething!"

čituúʾuʾ wewitihpiná.
All they picked them up.

tinaákUx kutAxiíʾI.
"This it is yours.
tinaákUx kutAxiíʾI.
This it is yours."

číkuʾ nuukuwitiRAhwíʾAt pAxIskuúxuʾ.
They were piled high the scalps.

witiwaákoʾ – nawáh toxtaakaaʾišwóʾ.
He said: – "Now let's go home!
– Axtóh nooNUsux- taánuʾ.
– Surely let that be all!"

nooʾAhniRAhčituúʾa.
Then they got together.
nohneeRAhkaaʾiíšaʾ.
Then they came home.

saxtš wewitiraaNIsAhkookúhtA noowitiwaákoʾ wah áxkUx niišuuxiráxAt.
Just a s they were going to reach the village then he said: "Now one go ahead!
niišiišanuusuxtaaʾiitáWI atíkaʾ naakii- huuNIsAhkawíʾa.
Go tell her my grandma to come through the village!
wetatiínaʾ niinatuxwaákA.
I have come as I said.
wah nanuu- suuxá.
Now she can do it!
– witinanuuxIskakAhuúnoʾ saʾúhtuʾ.
– Let her smear her face with it soot!
– noowiti- nanuutIsuNAsareépI.
– Let her tie her braids up (over her forehead).
nohneehuuNIsAhkawíʾaʾ.
Then she can come through the village."

nikunoowitiisá – nehčítA – nikunoowitiraaʾiitúxtAt.
Then they did that: – the leader – then that one sent word.
WIšitihnaaʾiitáWI ikaániʾ wah wetAxiinaáhuʾ.
They told her his grandmother: "Now I am coming now.
wetAxiinaáhuʾ.
I am coming now.
wetatinaNAhwísaʾ.
We have returned.
a natš wetiwískaʾ aaxihniRAxaáhNA.
And the pole he wants for you to hold in the lead."

čitapátš AhnuxtaáhNA noowitiʾú.
A willow one that he had then he gave it to her.
nuu nikunoowituuNAsareépI.
Then they were the ones he tied.
– anuú wewitiRAhčítA.
– There they were on top.
– anuú niikohniíʾAt – čitapátš – nikunoowewitiiraáNAt pAxIskuúxuʾ.
– There however high it was – the willow – that is as high as they went the scalps.

noowitiwaákoʾ – atíkaʾ nuuneenuúxaʾ.
Then he said: – 'My grandma let her come!
– nuuneenuuxí- RAxaʾ atíkaʾ.
– Let her take the lead my grandma!'
– nikunoowituúta – wehnaraaʾiitUxtátA.
– That is what he did – when he took word.
atíkaʾ kooxeehiRAxáʾ na neeteeraahnaaNIsAh- kaʾiíšAt.
"My grandma she will come in the lead and then we'll go into the village."

na nikunoowitIsá.
And then that is what they did.
nuu wehnaraanátA nuu wehnaraanátA ikaániʾ noowiteéʾaʾ.
There when they went, there when they went, his grandmother then she came.

wah atinátš tičé weNAxuúta.
"Now, grandson, what did you do?
Ištóh nootAxuutaa- waanúx wačéh.
Again you are always doing things, poor thing."

kaakíʾ atíkaʾ.
"No, grandmother.
niinatuxwaákA ka weNAxuúta.
What I said did you do it?"

čiríkU ikaániʾ AhnoowitiiskakAhuúnoʾ saʾúhtuʾ.
Oh my, his grandmother then she just smeared her face with it soot.
noowitohnuutIsuNAsareépI.
Then she tied her braids up.

wah neenikutatuhnaanaʾíhkuʾ.
"Now that is what I was meaning.
atíkaʾ tátIskaʾ šeéNIt aáxU.
Grandmother, I want prominent that you be."

noowitiraaNIsAhkaʾiíšAt.
Then they went into the village.
– ikaániʾ – witAhiRAxáʾ.
– His grand- mother – she led.
– noowi- titáwe – štaánuʾ.
– Then he followed – Hands.
tinawaaríčI neešaánuʾ – niinoonakiíčI nehčítA wewitUtwítA.
These chiefs – different ones the leader now he was at the end.
noowewitUtwítA nehčítA wehniinaakawirátA
Then he was at the end now the leader after he had been outdone by them
tinaaríčI wačéh štaánuʾ.
this one, poor thing, Hands.

wešohniiteéRIt – čiríkU – xaakooríʾAs tiʾAhnuuxaríčI
When they saw it – oh my, – the scrubby horse this one that had been,
čiríkU číkuʾ nuukuwitiiwíʾAt.
oh my, it was so big!
tikuwitUtkaxčišpsaanuúʾIt hawá nohnaxWIstawaáWI.
It had such slender legs, also its hoofs.
čiríkU xaahiwaaraáʾuʾ.
Oh my, a beautiful horse!

ikaániʾ wešohneesAhkawáNA nuuháʾ
His grandmother when they (du) went through the village there
noowitiwaákoʾ wiitakaWAhaánuʾ wah – šiišíšwaʾ – štaánuʾ – na – ákaʾ.
then he said Lucky Man: "No – come, – Hands – and – your grandma!
šiišíšwaʾ.
Come!
nikuwešitAxkaakúxtA niiNItkaákUx.
This is where you are going to stay where I live."

na nooWIšitiinakaánu štoh haáwaʾ.
And then they gave them (du) a lodge another, too.

noowitiwaákoʾ – kaakíʾ.– tiiháʾ šikaakíʾ šiNItkukaákUx.
Then she said: – "No.– Here he and I cannot live.
šitItkaapaátš.
We are poor.
tsu šikoxtikaaʾíšWA niišinatiniinakaáWI xaatAhkAhaahwarúxkAt
But we will go home where our lodge is by the dung heaps."

noowitiwaákoʾ hawáh.
Then he said: "Alright.
wah nikukoóxuuʾUt.
Now that is how it will be.
atsú nikUšitAxwískaʾ.
But that is what you (du) want."

witakaWAhaánuʾ – nooWIšitiisaákus wačéh – štaánuʾ.
Lucky Man – then they laid the pipe before him– poor thing – Hands.
noowitIhaakírut štaánuʾ wehnaraawíšA.
Then he picked up the pipe Hands his smoking.

noowitiwaákoʾ atíkaʾ wah wetsiitaáništA.
Then he said: "Grandmother, now we are going to do it.
wetsihnuupAhúhta – niinakaákUx – wiitakaWAhaánuʾ wiitaneešaánuʾ.
We are going to go into it – where he lives – Lucky Man, the wealthy man."

nawáh nikukooxuúʾUt atinátš tsu wačéh wetsih- kaapaátš na neešuhpiiraninoósiʾ.
"Now it will be thus, grandson, but, poor us, we are poor, and you are ugly.
tiweneetooteéRIt atinátš či NAxíʾ wiitAhiwaaraáʾuʾ čiríkU wiitAhiwaaraáʾuʾ.
When I saw you, grandson, here you are a handsome man, oh my, a handsome man!"

čiišaáʾA štaánuʾ.
Here he was Hands!
tiʾAhnuxpAxkostatátA noo číkuʾ kanawituúʾUt.
Where his head had had sores there there was nothing.
noowitiisahNIščíštIt.
Then he was a fine looking person.

na nikunoowitiraačítA – tíNI tiNAsaakaríčI – niinaku- kaapaačíšU
And that is the reason – now today – the one who is poor,
na nikunootireešaána.
and he is the one who becomes a chief.
na niinakuxteešaáNU na nikunooteehatUhkáʾ.
And the one who is a chief, and then that one will come last.
kaapaačíšuʾ nikunooteehiRAxwísaʾ.
The poor one he is the one to arrive in the lead.
theenikutiraačítA AhnatohnaákA nakukaapaačíšU na nikunooteehiRAxuúkaʾ.
This here is the reason our being when one is pitiful, and then that one comes inside in the lead.
–– na – theenikuwituúta – štaánuʾ.
–– And – this is what he did – Hands.

wetireskaáʾAt.
Now the gut went in.