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

71

The Origin of the

Arikara Crazy Dog Society

Lillian Brave


suúnaaxuʾ NAhkutawiisAhkawaawanú
A young woman when she went all around among them in the village
wiiteešútš noowi- tihtaáWAt áxkUx.
a young man then he chose her one.
noowititswooxítIt híNAx.
Then he began going to see her at night.
na wewitiraačeéʾA wehnihtawaató wiiteešútš.
And now it was a long time his courting her the young man.

noowitiwískaʾ – tičé tAxuúʾUt – číkuʾ wekaakaaʾaáhuʾ
Then she thought – "I wonder why it is – he never comes
wiiteešútš šaakaričíškAt.
the young man during the day?
číkuʾ kaakaaʾaáhuʾ.
He is never coming."

weNIhkuhnuníkUx číkuʾ Ahnookanawituhniwiísuʾ nuu wehnaáʾa híNAx.
When she was waiting for him then he just never showed up, then his coming at night.

noowitiwískaʾ tíNI híNAx naaʾá neewitii- tiškAhuúnoʾ pAhaátuʾ.
Then she thought: "Toni ght when he comes I'll paint my hand with it vermillion."

pAhaátuʾ – noowitohneškAhuúnoʾ – pAhaátuʾ AhnooničiRAhpAhaatíčI.
Vermillion – then she smeared her hand with it – vermillion the one that is just red.
noowitohniškAhuúnoʾ.
Then she smeared her hand with it.

wah – tiwehnaáʾa wiiteešútš – nooWIšitohneewaʾús.
Now – when he came the young man – then they (du) lay down.
tiweWIšitohnawoósA noowitUtčiisuuníkUt.
When they (du) lay down then she put her arm around his neck.
noowituuNIštáwihAt.
Then she stroked him.
noowitikAhuúnoʾ pAhaátuʾ.
Then she rubbed it on him vermillion.
noowitiRIstaakAhuúnoʾ pAhaátuʾ.
Then she rubbed it on his back vermillion.

na tiwehnuútA wiítA hináxtIt wehnačirikaʾaáNA
And after its being a while the man early in the morning after he woke up:
wah tuxkaaʾiíšAt wehneeriwátAt wiiteešútš.
"Now let me go home!" after he got up the young man.
tiwehnaátA wewitoonaniíʾIt NIstaakíniʾ.
When he went it was marked on him on the back.

wehneehuuwiraahakú – šaakaričíškAt – sapát
When she was running to and fro – during the day – the woman
suúnaaxuʾ noowituutaakeéRIt – xaátš – tiwehnakUhuunIsAhkáhat.
the young woman, then she saw them – dogs – when they ran through the village.
xaátš kanawituuneešawíhAx.
Dogs there was a multitude of them.
áxkUx noowititawíswatAt xaátš.
One then it went through with the pack a dog.
witičiišawataáʾA.
It was white.
noowitoonaniíʾI aRIhtaakAhíniʾ.
It was marked under the foreleg.
nikutehnakAhuúnoʾ – naáNIt – pAhaátuʾ.
That is where she must have rubbed it on – really – vermillion.
pAhaátuʾ noowitičiRAhpAhastaakaáʾA.
Vermillion it was a bright red.

noowitiwískaʾ aninaaaá – a – či – nóʾ – xaátš wenikohtakúʾU.
Then she thought: "Oooh myyy, – and – here – it was – a dog the one that married me!
wenikohtakúʾU a či nóʾ xaátš.
The one that married me and here it is the dog!"

noowitiraačeéʾA wehnaákUx wehnasčiri- kúʾU.
Then it was a long time when she lived there when she was pregnant.
noowitiraataʾuúkUt nakukaráʾU.
Then it was the time to bear the child.

wehniinaʾaánu – noowitiwískaʾ číkuʾ noonateehúhtA
When she was having pains – then she thought: "Where am I ever going to go
– atináʾ na atíʾAx šikananuhneésš.
– my mother and my father so they (du) will not know it.
nuu tanáhaʾ niinaraaNAxkawooxukú noowitiwískaʾ nikukoxteéʾAt.
There buffalo where there are traps," then she thought: "That is where I will go.
nikukoxteekároʾ.
That is where I will bear them.

na noowituhneesiíšuʾ nikuwitíʾIt xaátš.
And then she knew they were the ones dogs.
noowi- tikaNIsaruuwaapásuʾ čituúʾuʾ.
Then they were moving around in her belly all.
či kanaahníʾ piiráʾuʾ.
Here it wasn't a child!
či naáxIt xaátš.
Here they were dogs!

wah tuxtipaána.
"Now let me hide it!"

nikunoowituúta.
Then that is what she did.
noowititariiwaátAt čéstIt ahwewitiíhiʾ.
Then she went through; far it was somewhat.
noowititariiwaátAt.
Then she went through.

tiwehniinaʾaánu wehnakaroóku kanawituuneešawíhAx.
When she was having pains when she was bearing them there were many of them.
tiwehnakaroóku – wah – wewitíroʾ.
When she was bearing them – now – now she bore one.
hawá – štoh – noowitíroʾ.
Also – again – then she bore one.
AhwehnuxčitáWIhu nohneesšúnahAs.
When she was counting them then she forgot (the number).
wehnakaráʾU wewitirós xaátš.
After she bore them they lay there dogs.
tiwehnuutaaNIštaátA – wewituhnaánuʾ – Ahninaʾaánu.
After she finished doing it – now that was all – her having pains.

witiiríwatAt.
She got up.
noowituhkúxAx.
Then she ran away.
noowitiniinakúxAx.
Then she ran away from them.
wewitiinaakisčeeWAhnaáhuʾ xaátš.
Now they were whining the dogs.
nuu noowitikUxIsAh- kaʾiíšAt.
There then she ran back into the village.
štoh AhnoowitiwísAt niiʾAhnaaninuu- nakaáWI.
Back then she just arrived where her lodge was.

nooWIšitiiteéRIt.
Then they saw her.
kaakesčiríkuʾ.
"She is not pregnant.
a číkuʾ nuuwetehnároʾ.
Wh y, she must have borne it somewhere else."

atsú inástiʾ niiʾAhnaákUx witiihuuwiraáhAt.
But her brother where he was he ran over there.

noowitiwaákoʾ inástiʾ hásI atítat xaátš we- wititatuhnaanunáx.
Then he said her brother: "Look, my sister, dogs I have found them for myself
– wewititatuhnaanunáx xaatš.
– I have found them for myself dogs.
tuuneéros.
They lay over there.
tikutItpsaanuúʾIt nakuhčičitiwaáRA.
They are so tiny, their being cute.
atítat, itinanaʾá na neeširána
My sister, when I bring them and you can have them,"
wehnihwiraaníkUx inástiʾ aaxinanáʾa.
when he was pestering her her brother 'that you bring them.'

kaakíʾ.
"No.
nuunooNUxtós.
Let them be!
tákuʾ kohnaáraʾA na tihnaaNA- síštA.
Whoever owns them and they can watch them."

wehnuútA – wehnuútA – áxkUx nohneéraʾ wiiteešútš.
As it went on – as it went on, – one then he brought it the young man.
aahwewitiitIsiíšuʾ sápat.
Now it just recognized her the woman.
noowi- tiiNAtsaʾiwaahaákuʾ.
Then it was licking her with its tongue.
noowiteesšuhniikhúRIt.
Then she felt embarrassed.
nohneesšuhkaapaatšá.
Then she felt pitiful.

noowitiwískaʾ aa xtóh nooweNItkukUxawaníkA xaátš.
Then she thought: "Ah, surely why did I throw them away the dogs?
a či núx wiítA – xaátš.
And here it was the man – the dog.
tsu – áriišIt tatuhnáʾA.
But – myself I am the cause."

na nikunootuúʾUt.
And then that is how it was.
nooWIšitíNAt xaátš.
Then they took it the dog.
nooWIšitiitačiraniwooxítIt čiinaniítuʾ wiiteešútš.
Then they began taking it to them soup the young man.
čiinaniítuʾ číkuʾ niinoonakuuraáčI nehkukUxawaawa- nikú
Soup whatever the things were when they were throwing away scraps:
wah nuu nišwaawaʾá xaátš.
"Now there let them eat the dogs!"

noowiteehuutawáʾ.
Then they began to grow.
– nikunoowituúta.
– Then that is what he did
– weh- naahuutawaʾá wewitihkátariiʾI.
– After they grew they were fast.
naánit wewitihkatariíʾI.
Really they were fast.

noowitiwaákoʾ hiʾáxtiʾ wah wetataraakaaʾišwóʾ niinatoxtaahnaána.
Then he said their father: "Now we are going back home where we came from.
niinoonateeraakituunúhAt wetataraaNAhwóʾ.
Wherever our village is we are going."

noowitíʾAt wehnesčiščeeWAhnaáhu.
Then he went as he was whining.
xaátš noowiti- kUxuhtatatáʾAt.
The dogs then they followed behind him, running.

či weešanaáNAt xaatš akaánuʾ.
Here they went (to) Dog Den.
nii xaatš akaánuʾ či weešeenakiráxAt.
There Dog Den here he led them there.

witiwaákoʾ hiʾáxtiʾ wah atoó wetAxiniinakúxAx piiráʾuʾ NAtsehnaanaáNU.
He said their father: "Now surely you ran from them children the ones who are ours.
wah nikukooxuúʾUt koxtirána.
Now it will be that way: I will care for them.
koxtirána.
I will care for them.
atsú anás nikuweneewanúxtA.
But your brother now that one will be around.
anás nikuwetiwanúxtA.
Your brother now that one will be around.

nikunoowituúta wiiteešútš.
Then that is what he did the young man.
nikunoowitiraatoóxAt.
Then that is the way he chose.

naa – wačéh piirátš – atítat kutAhaanáʾA xaátš wah
"Ah, – poor things, children – my sister they are hers the dogs," now
iwehnawánu haáwaʾ.
as he went around too.

noowitiwaákoʾ wiiteešútš wah – tiiháʾ – kooxi- wiítIt híNAx.
Then he said the young man: "Now – right here – you can sit down at night.
neešiitohnaaʾiitUxtaaniitawaawihUxítIt.
We'll begin teaching you the songs."

čiišanaaʾiítUx neekakUxpíNUx.
Here it was the song Doorway song.
neekakUxpíNUx.
Doorway Song.

atsú – nikuwešitataraaʾú čeésiʾ – nikuNAxkuraanaáhNA
"But – we give you that way yourself – for you to have that
weNAxkukuraahnaaNIsštáWI – weNAxkukuraahnaaNIsštáWI – piirátš.
that you will love us, – that you will love us – children.
xaátš – tíʾIt.
Dogs – they are.
tsu xaátš – nikukoxteeraahnaaʾú neekakUxpíNUx – na –
But the dog – we will give that way to you Doorway song – and –
tuuháʾ sápat nootiinaakAsšawaatoosítIt.
over there women then they begin to get lonesome."

na nikunoowituúʾUt nooWIšitinaaʾú xoosákhuunuʾ.
And so that is how it was: then they gave him the way Crazy Dog.
nooWIšitinaaʾú wiiteešútš.
Then they gave him the way the young man.
WIšititkaapaa- číštI – xaátš.
They pitied him (the brother – the dogs
– noowitiičeehaahtá – xaátš– nii- ʾAhnawaákUx.
– Then the lodge was full of the – dogs– where the hill was.
či weešaahtá xaátš nihnawaákUx.
Here it was full dogs where the hill was!
noowitootuuxíʾIt.
There were all kinds.
aa noowitootuuxíʾIt xaátš nakuu- wičeésU – na –
Ah, there were all kinds dogs, its being high – and –
kananakuuwičeésU nakučeésU na – nakutarikuúsU
its not being high (ie small), its being long and – its being short,
húNA nakúʾU – niinooNAhkuúʾU.
dachshund its being, – different kinds.
noowitiičeehaahtá.
The den was full of them.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah tsu nikuwetuúʾUt wešinatootAsštáWI.
Then he said: "Now but it will be that way our watching over you.
anuú neešikaaʾiíšAt.
There you can go home.
nuu neešiišikaaʾiíšWA átat.
There you can go home with her your sister.
atsú atát nuuháʾ wetiwanúxtA.
But your sister over there now she'll be going around.
tsu wetikuhnaahnaanuutaráʾ piiráʾuʾ
But she increased them for us babies."

nooWIšitiiNAhnaaníʾit.
Then they released him.
noowitikaaʾiíšAt wiiteešútš.
Then he went home the young man.
nuu witiwísAt wiiteešútš.
There he arrived the young man.

noowitiwaákoʾ wah atítat wešitikuraaʾú neekakUxpíNUx.
Then he said: "Now, sister, they have given me the way Doorway songs.
tsu híNAx sápat nikunooneeraakawaatoo- sítIt.
But at night women then they'll begin to get lonely.
kaakunaaheeráxtA NAxkuraahnaanáʾU.
It is not going to be good when you (pl) sing.
tsu nuuháʾ– sápat– niikooNAxuhnaahnaánuʾ nooneeraakawaátoʾ.
But there– women– however many you are then you'll get lonesome.

nawáh– nikutiraačítA wenatakuraakawaáto– šiNIskuunaakItkáʾU neekakUxpíNUx.
Now– that is why our being lonely– when we hear them Doorway songs.
nooteesšawaáta na nikuwitiraačítA.
One gets lonely and that is the reason."

noowiteekaaʾiíšaʾ wiiteešútš.
Then he came back home the young man.
noowitiiNAhnaáʾit Išáxtiʾ na hiʾáxtiʾ atítat tuxkároʾ piiráʾuʾ.
Then he told them his mother and father: "My sister she bore them babies.
áxkUx – iitaʾiítIt na – nooʾiíwa nooxiniiwaáNA.
One – if it had been joined to it, and – it would have been ten.
– wešineekuutAsškaapaátš.– nooweteeraaníhIt wešinikuroóhA naakaWAhaánuʾ.
– They have pitied me.– It is the only thing their giving me the way the fortunate way.
naakaWAhaánuʾ wetiráʾ tsu nikuwetAhnaaná
The fortunate way it is now the way, but now that is the way I own
nakuraanoóku xoosakhuúnuʾ tiwenatanuunaahneeNAhkatáxA xoosakhuúnuʾ.
to sing Crazy Dog (songs) what was laid in front of us Crazy Dog.
nikuwituhnáʾA wiiteešútš.
He is the one who is the cause the young man."

niiháʾ xaatš akaánuʾ neenikuwitiíhiʾ.
There Dog Den that is where it was.