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

130

Buffalo, Porcupine, and Coyote

Dan Howling Wolf

suúnuʾ – nakutákUx – noowititawiraáʾAt.
Porcupine – when he was sitting on a tree – then he went down.
nuuNAhkureewaátU nuuNAhuukatAhuúNU noowitunaahé.
When he looked over there there on the other side of the river it was nice.
noowitiwískaʾ aatAhuukataátA.
Then he thought: "I wish I might go across."

čiríkU noowititawiraáʾAt.
Oh my, then he went down.
noowitIhuukaataʾiíšAt.
Then he went to the river bank.
noowiteewakAhuutaahUxítIt.
Then he began to holler.
heeʾ tikoosšáwoʾ.
"Yes, I want to go.
ápIs tikoosšáwoʾ.
The other side I want to go."

wah – štoh – witiwaákoʾ weNAhuukaatákUx.
Now – again – he said it while he was sitting on the bank.
kunoowiteečeswaátaʾ tanáhaʾ.
Then he came out of the woods Buffalo.

witiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ hą́ą́ thaáwiʾ číkuʾ aaxwaakaá- huʾ.
He said Buffalo: "Hey, it seems that you were saying something."

heeʾ tatiWIskaaxiíkuʾ aatAhuukataátA nuuna- čiisúhAt
"Yes, I am just wishing that I might go across that water,
aatAhoókUt tsu neekunaačiteeʾaanúʾ.
that I might go in water but it is hard for me.
niikohnatuutaaníštA.
I don't know what I am going to do."

witiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ koxteeRAhuukatáʾAt.
He said Buffalo: "I will take you across."

witiwaákoʾ suúnuʾ nawáh.
He said Porcupine: "Fine."

wah šuuxuučitawiítIt.
"Now sit down on top!"

noowitiwiítIt.
So he sat down.
noowitikoosáʾAt niinaRAstaaparuúkUx.
Then he went on top where the hump is.
noowitiwaákoʾ– suúnuʾ Axtóh tiiháʾ – kaakunaáhe.
Then he said– Porcupine: "Certainly here – it is not good.
AxkuutakaaráhAt.
You might drop me.
AxkuuhuusakaaráhAt.
You might drop me in the water.
saxtš na- kUhoókUt AxkuuhuusakaaráhAt.
When y ou go into the water you might drop me in the water.
kaakunaá- he.
It is not good."

nawáh wah – tikiišuxwiítIt – pAxíniʾ niišinaatari- káWI.
"Now, well, – you sit here – on my head where my horns are!
taneešuxkoosawiítIt.
Sit down here on top!"

noowitiwiítIt suúnuʾ.
Then he sat down Porcupine.
– noowitiwaákoʾ – Axtóh kaakunaáhe.
– Then he said: – "Certainly it is not good."
na štoh wititakaáhAt.
And again he got down.

wewitiíkUx tanáhaʾ.
Now he sat there Buffalo.
wehnaákUx witiwanúʾ suúnuʾ.
While he sat he went about Porcupine.

witiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ wah noowetuhnaánuʾ a číkuʾ nii- kohnatuutaáništA.
He said Buffalo: "Now that is all, and I do not know what I am going to do.
niikohnunaáhe nataaku- RAhuukataátA.
I do not know a good way for me to take you across."

noowitiwaákoʾ suúnuʾ aa tooNUxkaáʾAt.
Then he said Porcupine: "Ah, let me go inside you!
nuu kanaaníniʾ anuunikítka.
There in the stomach there I'll be inside.
nooneškuRAhuu- katáʾAt.
Then you'll take me across.
kaakíʾ číkuʾ nakukučipeétIt.
I won't get wet."

witiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ – nootuhnaáʾuʾ.
He said Buffalo: – "That is fine.
– wah kooxikaá- ʾAt.
– Well, you must go inside."

nawáh suúnuʾ noowitikaáʾAt.
Now, Porcupine then he went inside.
tuxkaáʾAt.
"Let me go inside!"

noowewitihnukaawirá.
Now he had him inside.
nawáh wetsihnawaʾuúkUt.
"Now we have gone in the water.
na tikuhnaaʾiitawíhuʾ nawáh wetsihnawaʾuúkUt.
Tell me: 'Now now we have gone in the water.'"
nooWIšitIhawaʾuúkUt.
Then they (du) went in the water.

witiwaákoʾ suúnuʾ tinatákUx tičé noʾ.
He said Porcupine: "This one hanging what is it?"

witiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ tíʾ kariíkuʾ.
He said Buffalo: "It is a liver."

hawá tinatákUx tičé noʾ tinatákUx.
"Also this one hanging, what is it this one hanging?"

na tíʾ Axwiroóxuʾ.
"Why, it is a kidney."

wah – tinatákUx wenatuutuuníkUt – tičé noʾ.
"Now – this one hanging that I am holding – what is it?"

tíʾIt pakuuniítuʾ.
"They are lungs."

wah čiíRA čiweku NAsihwísAt.
"Now, hello, how far have we gone?"

teškúNIt wetsihnuukataWIsúhtA.
"Close we are going to reach the point."
noowitiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ wetsihnuukatawaáhAt.
Then he said Buffalo: "We have crossed.
wetsihnuučiWIhkáWA.
We are going on a sandbar."

tinaákUx tičé noʾ witiwaákoʾ.
"This what is it?" he said.

witiwaákoʾ tanáhaʾ tíʾ kataʾiítuʾ.
He said Buffalo: "It is tenderloin."

suúnuʾ witiwaákoʾ – tíʾ kataʾiitkákaʾUs.
Porcupine he said: – "It is biting meat."
– witika- taʾiitkákaʾUs – wehnawaákA.
– He bit the tenderloin – as he said it.
čiríkU tanáhaʾ – wewitii- NAhúna.
Poor thing, Buffalo – now he staggered.
teštAhweeraʾuúkUt.
Then he fell over.

tsu – suúnuʾ noowitikawátAt.
But – Porcupine then he got out.
wewitiíkUx.
Now he sat there.
– noo- witičiiwaanookUxítIt.
– Then he started butchering him.
hą́ą́ wetikoosškáwiitIt.
"Hey, I am going to get full."
witičiiwaanookUxítIt suúnuʾ.
He started butchering it Porcupine.

noowiteečeswaátaʾ – sčiríhtš.
Then he came out of the woods – Coyote.
hą́ą́ – thaáwiʾ číkuʾ weʾaaxuhnoohuNIhuúNU.
"Hey – it seems that you have had good fortune (lit have had a big way).

heeʾ tiwenetčiiwaakároʾ.
"Yes, here I'm butchering.
nawáh škUsuuxIštatataʾuúhAt.
Now, help me!"

nooWIšitičiiwaanookUxítIt.
Then they (du) began butchering.
WIšituutaaNIštát.
They finished doing it.
noowititsastoswaáWI sčiríhtš.
Then he piled up the meat Coyote.
wititsastoósI.
The meat lay there.

noowitiwaákoʾ suúnuʾ tičé kuNAsiitaaníštA.
Then he said Porcupine: "What are we going to do?"

noowitiwaákoʾ sčiríhtš hą́ą́ koosihwaákoʾ awitaRAsíniʾ awitaRAsíniʾ
Then he said Coyote: "Hey, we will say quickly, quickly
nakuwaákA tikutikoósšoʾ.
to say it, 'I want this.'
neesinitee- háxAt.
We'll name one after another (what we want).
neeseeninuhnaanuúʾIt.
We'll get the same amount."

nawáh wetuhnaawiíʾAt suúnuʾ wehnaákUx.
Now, he agreed Porcupine while he sat.
nawáh nukuwitiíkUx sčiríhtš.
Now, he sat over there Coyote.
kunohniwiítIt suúnuʾ.
Then he sat down Porcupine.

noowitiwaákoʾ awít šuxwaákoʾ.
Then he (Coyote) said: "First say it!"

witiwaákoʾ suúnuʾ kariikuú paáxuʾ.
He said Porcupine: "Liver, head."

tsu sčiríhtš awitaRAsíniʾ kaáxuʾ natiínuʾ NIšaátuʾ wiínuʾ
But Coyote quickly [said]: "Leg, neck, ribs, arms."

tsu suúnuʾ NIhúxuʾ noowewitiwaakaáhuʾ kariikuú paáxuʾ kariikuú paáxuʾ.
But Porcupine only then he was saying: "Liver, head, liver, head."

nawáh sčiríhtš – tuutaaNIštát.
Now Coyote: – "He has finished doing it.
– nawáh wet- sihtaaNIštát.
– Now we have finished doing it."

noowitiiríwatAt sčiríhtš.
Then he got up Coyote.
wah tiweneešiníhkUx kariíkuʾ na páxuʾ.
"Now here is yours liver and head.
nikutAxuxwaakaáhuʾ kariíkuʾ na paáxuʾ.
That is what you said liver and head.
číkuʾ nookaakAxiraahIšáx tuunaroswaáWI.
Then you did not name anything else those other things.
wah tiweneešiniinós.– tsu – tunaroósI – čituúʾuʾ – wekutatináʾA.
Now here are yours.– But – these others – all – they are mine."

tsu sčiríhtš noowitiwaákoʾ taanineetiniiNIšUhuu- nós.
But Coyote then he said: "I am going to leave these here awhile.
– tsu xuunakúNAt piirátš.
– But I'll go after mine children.
– wekohniita- NIsáʾUx.
– They must now be hungry."

noowitiihuununáhAs sčiríhtš.
Then he disappeared quickly Coyote.

tiwenaátA tsu suúnuʾ nootikaaRAxá.
After he went but Porcupine then he became angry.
witI- haapé.
There was a tree.
nuuwitIhaapičeéʾIs.
It was a tall tree.
nikunoowitiraanitawooxítIt tsástš.
Then he began taking that up the meat.
– nootuutaánuʾ – noowititaroósI.
– Then he was doing it: – then he laid it up there.
noowitikAhíNIt.
Then he made a fire
– wewitiwaaruusátkuʾ tsástš.
– Now he was roasting it the meat.
– tíštIt wewitiwaawaʾá.
– Well now he was eating.

nuu noowitootaaksiRAxIswaátaʾ sčiríhtš piirátš.
There then he came bringing his (family) out of the woods Coyote children.
wah taanikutiíhiʾ.
"Now this is the place."

čiríkU – inoó NIhúxuʾ – witiiskarútkUx.
Oh my, – there only – there was a raw hide!
suúnuʾ kanawitiikúxIt kariíkuʾ na paáxuʾ.
Porcupine he had not taken them the liver or the head.
WIšitiniiniíwit.
He had left them for him.

uu sčiríhtš witanuunaátoʾ tiwehnuhnaaʾeéRIt.
Oh, Coyote he did not like it when he saw it.
wah taanikuwituxtsastós.
"Now this is where the meat had lain.
wetehnaroósit.
He must have taken it
čituúʾuʾ.
all.
suúnuʾ čituúʾuʾ tehnaroósit.
Porcupine all he must have taken it."

nootiwanuuxítIt.
Then he began to go around.
číkuʾ tAxtáNAt.
"I wonder where you took it?
Axtóh kaakuneešawíhAx.
Surely there was a lot of it!"

witIhoowiisaʾiíšAt.
He went to the edge of the bank.
niinatsteéhAt nootireewaáta.
Where the edge of the water was then he looked.
niinačísA noowitaahčeekaritákUx.
Where the water was there he sat way up in a tree with a fire.
noowitaahtákUx suúnuʾ.
He sat up in it yonder Porcupine.
noowitanuhtsastawá AhnaawaaruusAtkú tsástš AhnawaawáʾA.
Then he had meat on a line as he was frying it the meat, as he was eating it.

čą́ą́ hásI nuuneehákUx.
"Hey, look, there he sits in the water.
hásI.
Look!"
noo- witiraáNAt.
Then they went.
wah nikukoxtuúta koxtunáNAt.
"Now this is what I will do: I will take it away.
wekaakunaaNAhuné suúnuʾ.
He did wrong Porcupine."

noowitohneewireéhAs.
Then he got himself ready.
noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
Then he jumped.
witIhaʾuúkUt.
He went into the water.
číkuʾ kanawituutuuʾiitíkuʾ.
He was not sinking at all.
– witeehuukatáʾ.
– He came out of the water.
– aa witiraačiteeʾaanúʾ.
– Ah, it was getting difficult.
tsu koxtiinanáʾ.
"But I will bring them."

nikunoowitIhuukaatawiíʾAt.
Then he was going along the bank.
nuuwehnaátA noo- witiikanítkUx.
As he went there there there was a rock.
– noowitikaNItkúxIt.
– Then he picked up the rock.
– noowitiwaákoʾ tinaákUx koxtUsareépI.
– Then he said: "This one I will tie it.
witikoxtuutIhtáWI.
I will tie it to my belt.
tinaákUx tatáRIš na nikunikuuNAhuuʾiítIt.
This one it is heavy and that one will submerge me."

nawáh sčiríhtš noowitooNItkaNIstakúx.
Now, Coyote then he hung the rock from his belt.
wah noowiteehuunukaáʾ.– wituutUhuunuuʾiítIt.– čiríkU wituNAhuuʾiítIt sčiríhtš.
Now then he jumped.– He quickly sank.– Oh my, it sank him Coyote.
uu witUtkaaxtaanaawaanúʾ.
Oh, he was waving his legs.
noowitiiNAhuuʾiítIt.
Then he was submerged by it.
noowitIhuučíNIt sčiríhtš.
Then he drowned Coyote.

tsu wehnaraanúʾAt piirátš aaxiituusaʾá.
But they were seated the children 'that you surface.'
čiríkU číkuʾ kanawitootuusaʾaáhuʾ.
Oh my, he was not surfacing at all.
a – či – weešaáhkot.
And – here – he had died!
či weešaahnuučíNIt.
Here he had drowned!
tiraawičeéʾA noowitootatAhnaanuu- sawáʾ sčiríhtš.
Later on then his feces rose to the surface of the water Coyote.
či weešaahnuučíNIt.
Here he had drowned!

nootireskaáʾAt.
Then the gut went in.