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

79

Coyote and the Prairie Chickens

Lillian Brave

wah wačéh sčiríhtš tsu NAhkuriWAhteewaawanú
Now, poor thing, Coyote but when he was wandering around starving,
NAhkiisAhkawaawanú – číkuʾ aatáʾA – AhnoowitiičitáʾAt.
when he was wandering around the village – wanting'that I eat something,' – then there he just went onto (a hill).
na noo út witeeRAhkaaʾaáhuʾ.
And there prairie chickens they were dancing.

noowitiwaákoʾ AhnootatinihnaaʾiitUxtéʾ tiNAxtaNAhnaa- noókuʾ.
Then he said: "I sure like the song this one you are singing.
– tatinihnaatéʾ.– tihwáčiʾ Axtóh číkuʾ kaakiraa- čitéʾ nakuraanoóku.
– I like it.– They say surely it is not at all difficult to sing."

čiišaahWIskáʾ aatakawootíkA wehnuNAsaakAháku.
Here he wanted 'that I kill them' as they went around.

witiwaákoʾ
He said (ie sang):

út tihnaakaré čiísuʾ tihnaahnaakaré.
Prairie chickens they have nice voices, necks they are pretty.
čiísuʾ tihnaawirát.
Necks they are moving.
čiísuʾ tihnaawirát.
Necks they are moving.

uu naaʾiitUxiwaaraáʾuʾ.
Oh, a beautiful song!

čiríkU wewituuNIsaakAhaákuʾ.
Oh my, they were going around in a circle.
wenehkutuNAhkataʾiíša waáwi tičiiNIstáʾIt.
When they came in front of him he wou ld hit one on the head.
číkuʾ nuukuwiteeʾiiNAhwíʾAt wehnakawootíkA.
There was a big pile of bodies after he killed them.

witiwaákoʾ– áxkUx – út – nawáh kunooxuhnaánuʾ.
It said– one – prairie chicken – "Now that will be all.
ooxaWIstiWIhteekootIhú kaakíʾ číkuʾ šinataakuutIštatatoóhAt tsu Ahneetiraakunuuwá.
Even if you are starving we cann ot help you at all, but we'll just go about.
na šikaakiitIštatatáʾuuhAt.
Don't help him!"

nuu nootiraáʾAt nootiraáʾAt.
There then it went on; then it went on.

weNAhkuriWAhteekootIhú – wačéh sčiríhtš – niinoo-
When he was starving, – poor thing, Coyote – whatever
NAhkuuxaWIstaanoóku weNAhkuutAhnaakawaakaroóku nuuNAhkUhu-
he might sing, whatever he sang for them those going
nuuwaáWI – wáRUx na út – NAhkuutAhnaakawaa-
around – rabbits and prairie chickens – whatever he sang
karoóku hUhtiísuʾ nooWIšitiinoóhat.
for them finally then they fooled him.
číkuʾ nooWIšitiiNA- huúnuʾ nooWIšitiiNItkáNIt.
Then they did some- thing to him: then they put him to sleep.
wititkAxítIt.
He fell asleep.

nuu wehnakitkásA nooWIšitiiNUhuuninoosiwá út.
There while he lay asleep, then they abused him variously prairie chickens.
WIšitiiNUhuuninoosiwá.
They abused him variously.

wekaakAxunaahnaaheeríkuʾ.
"You (pl) are not doing a nice thing.
hásI wetatoosux- taahnaánuʾ naáNIt niinunaaʾiitUxeéRA.
Look, I sang for you (pl), really its being a good song."

noowitiwaákoʾ áxkUx út a či áriišIt tehnuxtaaʾiitUxtaʾút.
Then it said one prairie chicken: "And here himself he must have stolen the song.
tAxuxtaaʾiitUxtaʾút.
You stole the song."

tačé natuuNUxtaaʾiitUxtaʾút.
"From whom did I steal the song?"

Axtóh – NAxkuwaawanú – huutuúnuʾ – napAhnaáhUx – NAh-
"Surely – when you go around – the wind – a whistle – when
uutUhnaWAhnaahú neeširaaʾiitUxtaʾút.
the wind was whistling, you stole the song from it.
wah si áriišIt kaakAxuxtaánuʾ.
Now, see, yourself you did not sing it.
neeweeneešiWIskáʾ aataraakoo- hátkA číkuʾ aatootaánu Ištóh.
You have wanted 'that I fool them' 'that I do something' again."

sčiríhtš nooWIšitiinawíRAt haáwaʾ.
Coyote then he was beat by them also.
nooWIšitiinawíRAt.
Then he was beat by them.

nuu wehnaátA nuu wehnaátA noowitiwaákoʾ áxkUx
There after he went, there after he went, then it said one
út čuwekunáʾAt sčiRIhtšutaRAháxuʾ.
prairie chicken: "Where did he go Mischievous Coyote?"

wešohniiteéRIt noowitiiríkUx čikohnáʾU AhnáʾA.
When they saw him there he sat holding it something as he ate it.

tičé naáxa.
"What are you eating?"

kaakíʾ.
"No.
taatá – tinaákUx – taakAxkatoóxuʾ.
I am eating – this – slab of dried meat.
tuukutúxkUx.
It was over there."

a čiišaána áriišIt weNAhčirihkootaáNA
And here he ate it himself where his anus had scabbed
wewitiiNUtkataroosiNIhítkA wáRUx wehnuxwáʾA.
after having gorged himself rabbits after he had eaten them.
či nikiišaáʾA čirihkoótuʾ.
Here that is what it was: the scab of the anus!
weešaahkostakaáhAt.
Now it had fallen off!

noowitiwaákoʾ – wah šitoosuxtanáʾ nátš.
Then one said – "Now we'll bring it for you wood.
– neešiísAt.
– You'll roast it."

nooWIšiteenuhnanáʾ nátš.
Then they brought it to him wood.

noowewitUsakaanáwa čiisAhítš.
Then it was dripping the grease.

noowitiraáNAt.
Then they went.

nawáh tiweneékUx.
"Now here it is."

nooWIšitiniituNAhkatákUx – tiwehnáʾA – tiwehnáʾA.
Then they put it in front of him – as he ate, – as he ate.

Ahnoowiteečeswaátaʾ štoh pAhkátš.
Then he just came out of the brush again Kit Fox.

noowitiwaákoʾ ą́ą́ – tiNAxtaakituunúhAt – nuunaákUx štoh –
Then he said: "Ah, – you (pl) in the village, – that one again –
wetuutá – niinuutUhuunaawaanuuxukú.
he had done it – the deceitful things he always does.
tičé wenuúta tiíNI.
What has he done now?
– wah áriišIt – wewititUtčirihkanéʾIs čirihkoótuʾ.
– Now himself – he has eaten his own anus rotten anus.
sčiríhtš Ahnootíʾ aawaanúx.
Coyote he just is deceitful."

wetireskaáʾAt.
Now the gut went in.