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

120

The Singing Coyote

Dan Howling Wolf

anuú niinatehkuxtaakunuuwaáWI naawiinakuúnuʾ
Long ago when we were traveling around on) the warpath
natehkuraakunuuwaáWI NAhkuraaWIhkaʾaáhNA AhnoowitIsá noowitiraaníNAt.
when we were traveling around as one hunted then they just did it: then they stopped to camp.

nuu wehnaraanoótA – nooWIšitiinátkoʾ – takohnaʾU wiítA Ahnaraakaroóku.
There when they camped – then they heard him – someone a man as he was singing.
witiraakaroókuʾ híNAx weNAhku- raanoóku.
He was singing at night as he was singing.

na waaštóh – noowitiitáke.
And now again – then they stayed overnight.
hawá – štoh híNAx – niikohniiRAtkAhaanawiíʾAt –
Also – again at night, – whatever hour of the night it was –
weNAhkuraanoóku nooWIšitiinátkoʾ niineeʾAhnawoóhAt.
as he sang then they heard him where the hill was (ie extended).
neeniku- witiwoóhAt.
It was there where the hill was.
nikuwitiíhiʾ.
It was there.
witiwaakuhčitaáRIt Ahnaraanoóku.
He stood on the hill crying as he was singing.

noowitiwakuunoóxIt.
Then the sound ceased
– niikohnaRAtkAhaáʾA na – híNAx wewitiwakuunoóxIt Ahnuxtaanoóku.
– Whatever night it was, and – at night now the sound ceased as he was singing.

witiwaakaáhuʾ Ahnatawiroóku nátkuʾ kooxaahkaahunaanáWA.
He was saying when he was singing the lyric: "Merely the earth will go on."
nikuwitiwaakaáhuʾ Ahnaraanoóku nátkuʾ kooxaahkaahunaanáWA.
That is what he was saying, when he was singing: "Merely the earth will go on.

noowitiraaʾoóxIt.
Then the song ceased.

aniwehnaaheešá wehnihkaniwaáhAs noowitihwáčiʾ hásI.
When morning came after they had eaten, then they said: "Look!
– itaraapóʾ čiraátoʾ niinaraanoóku.
– Let's go where he is singing.
– číkuʾ naahkuúʾUt.
– Something must be wrong."

noowitiRAhkatáʾAt – niiʾAhnawoóhAt – niiʾAhnawaanaanú- hAt.
Then they went up – where the hill was – where the hills extended.
– tiraanawiisáʾAt.
– They went along the ridge.
– noowitiRAsawiraáʾAt.
– Then they went down.
tiRAhwísAt na inoowitiišá sčiríhtš.
They arrived, and there it lay a coyote.

noowitihwáčiʾ – hásI.
Then they said: – "Look!
– tinaáxA – tineešá – nuxtaanoóku.
– This one lying – here it lies – the one that was singing."

noowitiišá – sčiríhtš – kunahUxkaahiíkuʾ.
There it lay – a coyote, – a very old one.
číkuʾ kanawi- tiiʾaáhwa.
It did not have any teeth.
niiháʾ číkuʾ nikutehniiraawiiʾót tikaahikót.
There it must have been about that time it died of old age.
nikutišwačeehUxuúkuʾ sáhniš noowitikaahikót sčiríhtš.
That is what they always used to say the Arikaras: then it died of old age the coyote.
a noowitiihaahkAxá – nuu – kunahUxkaahiíkuʾ.
And there it lay at the base of the hill – there, – a very old male.
číkuʾ kanawitiiʾaáhwa.
It did not have any teeth.

wah taanikuwituúta hawá sčiríhtš.
Now this is what it did also the coyote.