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

77

Coyote and the Rotten Log

Lillian Brave

nuukuwiteetuunúʾaʾ – tsu–
The village was coming in a long procession – and–
NAhkiitunaahkáxA – tsu – nuu nootitawéʾ –
when the village was in a valley – but – there then he was among them –
sčiríhtš -- – sčirihkaapinát.
Coyote -- – Wolf.
nuu nootitawéʾ NAhkiisAhkawaawanú.
There then he was among them his wandering around in the village.

noowitiiraaNIskAxá nakoótuʾ.
Then there there was a(n old) scaffold (of) rotten logs.
uu áxkUx weh- niinoohatkú hUhtiísuʾ noowitiiNAsšawáNIt sápat.
Oh, one when it was fooling him, finally then it mesmerized him a woman.
noowitohniikatAhkaaraʾús.
Then she lay down on her back.
noowitiraačiwátAt štoh.
Then she changed again.

noowituhnuučiteéri.
Then he mounted her.
a čiišaáʾA nakoótuʾ.
And here it was a rotten log!
heeʾ nakoótuʾ čiišaáʾA tiwehnaWIskáʾA aateeʾítkA sápat.
Yes, a rotten log here it was his wanting it 'that I let her go' the woman!
noowitUtkaniitataté.
Then his penis was stuck to it.
noowitunaačiteeʾá nakukatáhAt.
Then it became im- possible for him to get away.

noowitiwaákoʾ aa tiNAxtaakituunoótA tákuʾ kiš- kuusuuxIštatataʾuúhAt.
Then he said: "Ah, you (pl) in this village, someone help me!
hásI atsú tinaaríčI wetikutkanii- ʾaáhUt.
Look, but this one she is holding onto my penis!
wekaakiwískaʾ aateeʾítkA.
She does not want 'that I let him go.'"

wewitipahNIšwápanuʾ.
Now he was hollering in a loud voice.

tsu takohnáʾU noowiteéʾaʾ.
But someone then he came.

witiwaákoʾ– wah.
He said:– "Well."
– a čiišaáʾA sčiRIhkaapinát.
– And here it was Wolf!

witirá kaatarátš.
He had it an ax.

wah – šuxkaáxIt.
"Now – split it!
tiiháʾ – šuxkaáxIt.
Here – split it!
anikuwetUtkaniiká.
There is where my penis is in it."

kutiwehnuuNIšú hUhtiísuʾ witikaáxIt.
After he was hitting it there finally he split it.

noowitikaniikawátAt.
Then he got his penis out.
čiríkU noowitiRAhpaáʾAt.
Oh my, then it was all bloody.
witiRAhpaáʾAt.
It was all bloody.

aa weteeNAxkukaniikaáxIt.
"Ah, you must have cut my penis."

kaakíʾ.
"No.
– áriišIt wetatskaáʾ.
– Itself the liquid comes out.
– áriišIt noowetatskaáʾ.
– Itself the liquid is coming out."

noowituúta wehnakawátI.– noowitiikaniikaáxIš.–
Then he did it his getting–it out.– There the penis was–cracked.–
wačéh sčiríhtš witiikaniikaáxIš.
Poor thing, Coyote there his penis was cracked.

wewitooNUtkaniičiríkUx čee aráh či weniku- raahUhkaapaátš.
Now as he looked at his penis: "Why, say, here now it really hurts me!
wenikuraahUhkaapaátš.
Now it really hurts me."

heeʾ wetehnaakaniíkAt.
"Yes, your penis must have been cut."

witiwaákoʾ Axtóh nikuwetiraačítA aniwenaRAhpA- haátU
He said: "Surely that is the reason its having a red streak
aniweNAhaahNAhpAhaátU wešohniisaačiríkUx.
the log's having a red streak," when they were (gathered) looking at the log.

witiwaákoʾ sčiríhtš wah wetAxuhnáʾA wenaRAh- pAhaátU
He said Coyote: "Now you are the cause its being red
tinaáxA wešinikuusaačiríkUx.
this one," as they were looking at the log.

wetiRAhpAhaáʾAt.
"It is red all over."

a či kohnuhnáʾA niiʾAhnuxkanii- kaáWI
And here it must have been the reason: where his penis was in it
wešinihkaaxíkA wetiRAhpaáʾAt.
where it was split it was bloody.

nikuwetiraačítA tiNAsaakaríčI či kiišúNAx nátš – nátš –
This is the reason today here when you find it wood, – wood –
šúNAx – nakuRAhpAhaátU – a nooti- wáčiʾ tinaáxA
when you find it – its being red, – and then they say: "This one
– či – nikunóʾ – sčiríhtš – Ahniš- tuúxI.
– here – this is the one – Coyote – his having copulated with it.