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

154

Bounding Head and

the Four Young Women

Esther Perkins

suúnaaxuʾ witiraanúʾAt.
Young women they lived.
kuwiteešaáʾA áxkUx steš- taáka steštAhkáta – na
She was named one White Corn Woman; Yellow Corn Woman; – and
– steškápahAt.
– Red Corn Woman.
na NAhatUhkáWI kuwiteešaáʾA skaawítA.
And the last one she was named Last Child.

wehnaraanoótA naraatawé tiwehnaawiRIstaʾaánu tákuʾ noowitiiriwátAt.
Where they lived maybe when it was becoming summer, one then she got up.
wewitiitiiwísAt NAhkuraakaanunáʾU.
It was her turn to cook a meal.
noowitiiriwátAt steštaáka.
Then she arose White Corn.

tiwehnaaWIsítIt inoowitiiʾookaaxá anii- páhAt.
When she went outside there there lay at the door a calf.
– noowitiírut.
– Then she picked it up
– noowitiraanitaʾiíʾIt wehnaroo- hunuukátA.
– Then she was glad when she took it into (the lodge).

noowituunukáWAt.
Then she skinned it.
noowitičiraahánoʾ wenihwaawáʾA.
Then she boiled it as they ate it.
skaawítA kanawitiwískaʾ aatakúxIt.
Last Child she did not want 'that I take (a piece of) it.'

na – štoh – noowitikatiisiʾá – a – tiweNAheešá
And – again – then it became dark, – and – when daylight came
na inoowitiiʾookaaxá aniipáhAt tanáhaʾ.
and there there lay by the door a calf buffalo.
hawá witiroohunuúkAt steštAhkáta.
Also she took it inside Yellow Corn.
noowituunukáWAt tsu skaawítA kanawitiiʾá.
Then she skinned it, but Last Child she did not eat it.

hawá steškápahAt nikuwewituúta haáwaʾ.
Also Red Corn now she did that also.

wah noowitiwaákoʾ skaawítA nawáh wetAxuhnaahnaa- wiíʾAt.
Now then she said Last Child: "Now you (pl) are willing."

noowitihwáčiʾ tičé náraʾ.
Then they said: "What is it?"

nohniwaákoʾ wetaaWIsAhíštA.
Then she said: "Now he is going to come.
witiišuxtaaka- wireéhAs.
Get yourselves ready!
wetohnaakeeRIšWIsAhíštA wiítA.
He is going to come here to see you a man."

wewituutAxtaanúʾAt.
Now they just sat there.
tičé natuhnaakaaníštA.
"What are we going to do?"

witiwaákoʾ skaawítA – witiišuuNUxtaakará.
She said Last Child: – "Comb your hair!
– skúnaʾ niiširaaNAhkaawaáWI pAxčiisiísuʾ.
– Pillows put them under yours the shed hair!"

nikunoowitiisá.
Then that is what they did.

na tiwehnakatiisiʾaáNA noowitIhunaniiWAhnaáwaahuʾ wehnaaWIsá.
And after it had become dark there were thumping sounds on the ground when it arrived.
noowitiriiWAhnaawaáhuʾ oowátkAt.
Then there were thumping sounds outside.

noowitiwáčiʾ tičé noʾ.
Then they said: "What is it?"

noowitiwaákoʾ skaawítA tatohnaahnaaʾiitawíhuʾ.
Then she said Last Child: "I have been telling you (pl).
nikutíʾ.
That is the one.
wetAxuhnaahnaawiíʾAt.
You have been willing.
nikutiraačítA kaakatuhnaaʾiíwoʾ.
That is the reason I did not give in.
kaneeneetuhnaawiíʾAt.
I was not willing."

wewitiraačeéʾA noowitiwaákoʾ steštaáka škuusuxteekaríkUt.
It was now a long time later then he said: "White Corn, open the door for me."

noowitiwaákoʾ steštaáka kaneeneetuutaaníštA.
Then she said White Corn: "I am not going to do it."

tuuneéša steštAhkáta.
The other one lay there Yellow Corn.

noowitiwaákoʾ steštAhkáta škuusuxteekaríkUt.
Then he said: "Yellow Corn, open the door for me!"

kukanawituunáwiʾ.
She did not move at all.

noowitikUxiriwátAt.
Then she jumped up.
– na noowitiwaákoʾ skaawítA – we- tataraahNAhkaawaawíštA.
– And then she said Last Child: – "Now we are going to put them under (the pillows).
wetatoonaahnuu- waaxíštA.
We are going to run away."

noowitiraáNAt iiʾAhnuxkawáʾIt.
Then they went where the fireplace was.
áwit Ahnuxka- wáʾIt noowitiwaʾuuneéRIt.
First where the fireplace was then they stopped.
noowitUtkUxuhtaakáhAt.
Then they ran around it.
weNUtkUxuhtaakáhAt noowitikUxhuununáhAs hunaaníniʾ.
After they ran around it then they vanished in the ground.

wah– wehnaaWIsá anináʾU – šikanawitiisuxteekaríkUt áwit.
Now– when he arrived the one – they had not opened the door at first.
wehnaaWIsá noowitiwaakuuneéRIt.
When he arrived then he stood there talking.
wi- tiwaakookaaʾaaNIšítIt.
He began walking at the door as he talked.
škuusuxteekaríkUt.
"Open the door for me!
nuuneéša steštAhkáta tatohnaaʾiitawíhuʾ škuusuxtee- karíkUt.
You lying there, Yellow Corn, I am telling you: Open the door for me!"

noowitiwaákoʾ tuuneéša steškápahAt.
Then she said: "You lying there, Red Corn!"

noowitiwaákoʾ steškápahAt nuuneéša steštaáka.
Then she said Red Corn: "You lying there, White Corn!"

noowitiriiWAhnaawaáhuʾ.
Then there were thuds.
nitsíniʾ witíʾAt.
Backwards he went.
noowitunee- kawikataʾuúkUt.
Then he went against the door.

pAxčiísiisuʾ witihwaaWIhtiíkuʾ.
The shed hair they were talking.
tákuʾ kanawituxkaá- kUx.
There was no one in the room.

noowitiihUhkataʾuúkUt.
Then he bounced against it.
noowitireekaríkUt.
Then he opened the door.
nuu- kuwitipAxúkUt čeehaanuukaríkAt.
The head went over there in the middle of the room.

wehnapáxkUx noowiteehuunukaáʾ iiʾAhnakUxaáhkUx.
Where the head was then he jumped up where the bed was.
witiihUhčitaʾuúkUt.
He jumped up on it.
wehnapAxčitaʾaáhNA tákuʾ kanawitiišá.
When the head was on top no one lay there.

noowitiwískaʾ pAxukúkuʾ nuu weteeNAxčitaʾií- šAt
Then he thought Bounding Head: "There she must have gone onto it
steštAhkáta niinanuhkUxaáNU.
Yellow Corn where her bed is."

štoh noowiteehuunukaáʾ.
Again then he jumped up.
noowitipAxčitaʾiíšAt niiʾAhnanuhkUxaáNU steštAhkáta.
Then the head went onto the top where her bed was Yellow Corn.
čituúʾuʾ noowituúta na tákuʾ nookanawitiišá.
All then he did it and no one lay there.
číkuʾ kanawitiiraahunaáxuʾ.
He could not understand (why it was).

noowitikaawiítIt wehnapáxkUx.
Then he sat down inside when the head was sitting.
noo- witiihaahtawiítIt.
Then it became daylight.
noowitiraaNAxweesítIt.
Then he began to look for them.

tičé nuúʾUt tiNAxihwaaWIhtikú.
"Why is it your talking here?
tákuʾ kaneeneešiišá.
No one is lying there.
tákuʾ kaneeneešikaákUx.
No one is inside."

noowiteeranuuWAtwaahUxítIt kUxaahníniʾ.
Then he began to lift things up on the bed.
Ahnoowiti- raanunuuwaanáx – pAxčiisiísuʾ – wehnišwaaWIhtikú.
Then he just found them – shedded hair – the ones who had been talking.

wehnuutáxkUx AhnoowitooNAxwá saʾúhtuʾ iiʾAhnaroswaáWI.– noowituutuhtaakáhAt.
As he just sat there there just were tracks (in) the soot where they lay.– Then he raced around it (the fireplace).
– uu kuwitiiʾuxwát.
– Oh, the hair was long.
noowituutuhtaakáhAt na witii- hUhkaáʾAt noo
Then he went around it quickly and he went underneath there
suúnaaxuʾ niiwehnaraanátA niiwehnaraanátA.
the young women where they had gone, where they had gone.

na – noowitiwaákoʾ – skaawítA nawáh wetatakuhnaahni- raánaʾ.
And – then she said – Last Child: "Now he is chasing us.
wetatuhneesiíšuʾ wetatakuhnaahniraánaʾ.
I know it. He is chasing us."

nuu witiRAhkawátAt – niikohniíhiʾ – hunaaníniʾ.
There they got out – wherever it was – in the ground.
a noowitiRAhkawátAt.
And then they got out.

nuu wehnaraanátA – tákuʾ – noowitičirikaskáWI na
There as they went, – someone – then she looked back and
noowitiwaákoʾ nuu weneénaʾ.
then she said: "There he is coming!"

wewitakunaaWIsíštA.
He was about to catch up with them.

noowitiwaákoʾ steštaáka wah toxtaapaʾuuneéRIt.
Then she said White Corn: "Now let's stop!"

witiwaʾuuneéRIt.
They stopped.
– noowitiškaáʾAt.
– Then she put her hand in it.
– noowiti- káWAt piísus.
– Then she took it out a comb.
noowiteewáNIt.
Then she threw it.
tiwehnaawaníkA čirikU – piísus – noowitiskáʾIt –
After she threw it, oh my, – the needles – they were sharp –
wehnawaáWI – wehnaa- kaawaʾá piísus.
where they grew – as they sprouted the needles.
číkuʾ nuukuwitiiraakateéhAt.
It was a wide area.
číkuʾ nuu- kuwitiiraáʾAt.
It was a wide area.

noo wah toxtaapóʾ.
Then: "Now let's go!"

noowitiraáNAt.
Then they went.

na tuunaaʾá noowiteehuuwaátaʾ.
And the other then he bounded up.
wehneehuuwaáta štoh nooNAhiínaʾ – huunískAt – naʾuxwaáWI noowitiʾuxtAhkataté.
When he jumped again farther on – on the end – his hair then the hair got caught.
wehnaʾuxtAhkatateéNA wehneeʾátA noowitipAxúkUt
After the hair got caught as he flew then the head dropped
niiʾAhnawaáWI piísus.
where they were growing the needles.

noowitikatataswanuuxítIt.
Then he began to struggle.
wehnawanú wehna- wanú noowititariiwaátAt.
As he went around, as he went around then he got out of it.
wewituutáxkUx na štoh noowitíʾAt.
Now he just sat and again then he went.

anuú – wehnaátA suúnaaxuʾ – wehnakUxUhuuwiraá-
And then – as she went the young women – while they were
tA noowitiiwaákoʾ wetaáʾ.
running there then she said: "He comes!"

wewititakunaaWIsúxtA – štoh – na noowitiiwaákoʾ
He was about to overtake them – again – and then she said
steštAhkáta wah toxtaapaʾuuneéRIt.
Yellow Corn: "Now let's stop!"

witiwaʾuuneéRIt.
They stopped.
na – noowitikáWAt šíštš – a noowiteewáNIt.
And – then she took it out an awl – and then she threw it
– noowiteekaawaáʾ.
– Then they sprouted.
– číkuʾ nuukuwitiiraaka- teéhAt.
– They were so wide.
číkuʾ nuukuwitiiraáʾAt.
They were so long.

noowiteehuunukaáʾ štoh.
Then he bounded up again.
noowitiʾuxtsakaáhAt.
Then the hair dropped down.
wehnaʾuxtsakaáhAt noowitiitawiínit.
When the hair fell down, then it stopped him.

wehnaʾuxtanooʾaáhnu – niiʾaNUsuuxaáNA – áwit wititariiwátAt.
As he was taking the hair off – as he had done – previously he got out of it.
– wititariiwátAt.
– He got out of it.
– wewituutáxkUx wehnaawiʾeečiwatakú na štoh noowitíʾAt.
– Now he just sat there while he was resting, and again then he went.

wewiteehuuwaataáhuʾ.
He was now bounding up.
witeepAxuuwaátaʾ weNAhkoótA.
The head jumped up as it went.

niikohniiraawiiʾót noowitiwaákoʾ neečiwíNA wetaáʾ.
Sometime later then she said another one: "He comes!
wetehnaatariiwaátaʾ.
He must have come across it."

noowitiwaákoʾ steškápahAt wah toxtaapaʾuuneéRIt.
Then she said Red Corn: "Now let's stop!"

na – noowitikáWAt – nanookaʾaateeríkUx witinakoo- teerikú.
And – then she took it out – a glass to look at oneself.
– noowiteewáNIt.
– Then she threw it.
– wehnaawaníkA čiríkU tstoóxuʾ uu číkuʾ nuukuwititskateéhAt.– číkuʾ nuukuwitiiraáʾAt.
– When she threw it, oh my, water, oh, the water was so wide!– It was so long!
na noowitiraáNAt.
And then they went.

nuu wehnaraanátA wehnaaʾá nootuutuxtsawiítIt uúxuʾ wehnuutuxtsawiítIt.
There as they went as he came then the hair hung down hair as the hair hung down.
noowitiRAhčipeétIt.
Then it got wet.
noowitita- wiínit.
Then it stopped him.

wehnačiinanooʾaáhnu tstoóxuʾ witIhuukaata- wiítIt.
While he was taking the water out the water he sat by the edge of the water.
– noowitiwískaʾ – witiitoxpAxtaawaahíšIt.
– Then he thought: – "Let me dry my hair!"

weNAhuukaatákUx witipAxtaawaahíšIt na štoh noowiteehuuwaátaʾ.
As he sat by the edge of the water he dried his hair and again then he bounded along.

nuu wehnuutaakAhniraanátA noowitiwáčiʾ wah wetaáʾ.
There while he was chasing them then they said: "Now he comes."

skaawítA noowitiihuuniráxAt.
Last Child then she ran ahead.
wetAxuhnaahnaawiíʾAt.
"You (pl) were willing.
wetaáʾ.
Now it comes!"

wewitiitakunaaWIsúxtA.
He was going to overtake them.
áxkUx nuukuwitaah- niráxAt na šuúhuniʾ na šuúhuniʾ
One she was far ahead (of the others), and close, and close
noowititihnaa- náwe.
they were behind each other.

tiwehniiNAhčirikaskawíhA steštaáka nikuwitIhiRAxá.
When they looked back, White Corn she was the first one.
weNAhaakaareétIt – nikuwitihkanéʾIs – steštaáka.
When it opened its mouth – she was the one eaten up – White Corn.

noowituhkUxuuniíWIs táWIt wehnaraanátA.
Then there remained running three as they went.

wah niikohniiraawiiʾót – wehniitakunaaWIsátA – štoh
Now after a while, – after he overtook them – again,
nikuwitihkanéʾIs steštAhkáta.
she was the one eaten up by him Yellow Corn.

anuuwehnaraanátA – štoh – wah pítkUx wešituuniíWIs.
Then as they went – again – now two they (du) remained.

noowitiitunaawísAt steškápahAt.
Then it overtook her Red Corn.
na witiihuuniráxAt skaawítA.
And she ran far ahead Last Child.
tiwehnakaskawíhA nuukuwitehnatUhkáʾ inaániʾ.
When she looked back there she came far behind her sister.
tiwehnakaskawíhA noowitihkanéʾIs steš- kápahAt haáwaʾ.
When she looked back then she was eaten up Red Corn also.

wehnareeWAtwaáhNA inoowitiíʾAt wiítA.
As she looked around there he went a man.
noowitaá- NAt wiítA.
He went there at a distance a man.
číkuʾ tehnuxtaaWIhkaʾá wiítA.
He must have been out hunting the man.

na witiwaákoʾ sáhniš tikuhniraánaʾ.
And she said: "A person he is chasing after me.
tikuh- niraánaʾ.
He is chasing after me."
witawakuutaʾaáhuʾ.
She was yelling.

wiítA noowituutáwi wehnitčiríkUx.
The man then he stopped when he looked at her.

noowitiwísAt na noowitiwaákoʾ tičé nuúʾUt.
Then she arrived, and then he said: "What's the matter?"

noowitiwaákoʾ sáhniš tikuhniraánaʾ.
Then she said: "A person he is chasing me.
suuxeéRIt.
See him!
nuu weneénaʾ.
There he does come!
wetiinakanéʾIs táWIt.
He has eaten them up three."

noowitiwaákoʾ wiítA wah šíšaʾ.
Then he said the man: "Now come!"

na nooWIšitíWA.
And then they (du) went.
aahkawíkAt witiihíʾ.
A cliff there was.
noo- witikaNIhnoóʾa.
Then he took a stone.
noowitiriwiísAt kanítš.
Then he moved it the stone.
nooWIšitI- huúpA.
Then they (du) went inside.
noowitireekáWI kanítš štoh.
Then he shut the door the stone again.

wewituutáxkUx suúnaaxuʾ.
Now she just sat there the young woman.
kananeewíʾAt.
She was so tired!

wehnareeWAtwaáhNA – nooWIšituuteéRIt – xaátš.
When she looked around – then she saw them (du) – dogs.
nooWIšitiiʾookatákUx xaátš pítkUx.
They (du) were sitting against the wall dogs two.
iiʾAh- nareekáWI áxkUx witiíkUx na uunakatAhkáʾU áxkUx witiíkUx.
Where the door was one it sat there and on the other side one it sat there.

wiítA noowitiwiítIt.
The man then he sat down.

tsu wehnaawiʾeečiwátAt – suúnatš – Ahnoowitétkoʾ
But when she rested – the girl – then she just heard it
wehnaaWIsá witipAxunaniiwaakúkUt wehnaʾookaaʾaáhNA.
when it arrived: there was the thud of the head on the ground as it went around outside.

noowitiwaákoʾ suúnatš wah wetawísaʾ.
Then she said the girl: "Now it has arrived.
wetawísaʾ.
It has arrived.
nikutíʾ aninaʾookaaʾaáhNA.
That is the one the one outside the door."

noowiteewakaraanúʾaʾ šuxteekaríkUt.
Then he called out: "Open the door!
šiišuxkaaráʾ.
Throw her out!
wetuuníWIs.
Now she is left.
šiišuxkaaráʾ.
Put her out!"

wewituutáxkUx.
Now he just sat there.
wewitiinawiʾooxíNIt.
It was all quiet.

noowitiwaákoʾ wiítA tineešá neesítš.
Then he said the man: "Here it is a knife.
nuunaákUx šuxkawaásAt
That one stab it!"

noowitiiriwátAt suúnaaxuʾ na noowitiirút neesítš.
Then she got up the young woman, and then she took it the knife.
noowitikawaásAt nuunaákUx xaátš.
Then she stabbed it that one dog.

noowitiwaákoʾ tinaáxA neesítš šuxkawaásAt uunaákUx.
Then he said: "This knife stab it the other one!"

noowitikawaásAt.
Then she stabbed it.

áxkUx witíʾ kuúNUx.
One it was a bear.
nohniʾá.
Then it became.
áxkUx witiʾá WAxtás.
One it became a wildcat.
weWIšituutáxkUx.
Now they (du) just sat there.

noowitiwaákoʾ wiítA wah šuxkatáhAt.
Then he said the man: "Now get away!
šuxkatáhAt.
Get away!
koxtiihuunaWIsitíNIt.
I will throw her go out."

wah wetAtwiísAt.
"Now I have moved.
wetAtwiísAt.
I have moved."

noowitireekaríkUt wiítA.
Then he opened the door the man.
čiríkU tišinúxkUx nooWIšitiraawiiNUhuunaWIsiruútIt WAxtás
Oh my, these (du) then they (du) went charging outside the mountain lion
na kuúNUx.
and the bear.
noowitireekáWI.
Then he shut the door.

wewitiraačeéʾA– nooWIšiteeʾookaaʾišwáʾ – aNIšináʾU.
Sometime later– then they (du) came to the door – those (du).
WAxtás na kuúNUx – nooWIšitiwískaʾ – šiʾaa- tAhuupáNA.
The mountain lion and the bear – then they (du) wanted – 'that we (du) enter.'
– noowitireekaríkUt wiítA.
– Then he opened the door the man.
– nooWIšitee- huupáʾ.
– Then they (du) entered.

wešooNAhuupaʾá weWIšituutáxkUx.
After they (du) came in they sat there.
noošohnuutIš- taʾiwaahakUxítIt.
Then he began to stroke them (du).
tiwehnareekaríkUt noowitiiʾuxtós NIhúxuʾ uúxuʾ.
When he opened the door there lay hair, only hair.
tišinaákUx weWIšitipAxkanéʾIs.
These (du) they (du) had eaten the head up.

nuu wešohnakaákUx noowiteewiʾeečiwátAt anináʾU suúnaaxuʾ.
There while she stayed with him, then she rested that young woman.
noowitunaaʾít niiʾAhnaraačitáWI wehnihnaawiiʾátA – anuuháʾI
Then she told him what the reason was when they had relented – there
– wešohnihkanuuwaáhAs niiʾaNUsuuxAhnanuuWIswanú.
– when they ate everything up the things he was bringing to them.
– witiwaákoʾ – nootatiní- hIt – číkuʾ kaakatuuNUxá.
– She said: – "I was the only one: – I did not eat anything of his.
– na neetUsuuxAh- naaʾiitawíhuʾ kanaNIhkuroswaakaroóku.
– And I was telling them that they shouldn't be picking up things."

číkuʾ pítkUx kooNUsuuxé.
Perhaps two it must have been days.
noowitiwaákoʾ wah tuxkaaʾiíšAt.
Then she said: "Now let me go home!"

noowitiwaákoʾ – wiítA wah – tišinaákUx šuxtaáWAt áxkUx.
Then he said – the man: "Now – these (du) choose one!
koxteeʾú áxkUx šiNAxkukaaʾišwáNA.
I will give it to you one for you (du) to go home."

noowititaáWAt – WAxtás.
Then she chose it – the mountain lion
– noowitiinú neesítš.
– Then she was given it a knife.
– wah suúnaaxuʾ noowitikaaʾiíšAt.
– Now the young woman then she went home
– na štoh noowitikaaʾiíšAt.
– And again then she went home.

nuu wehnaátA noowitiikaníškUx wáh.
There as she went there there was a herd elk.

noowituhnaʾít škuusuxkoótIt.
Then she told it: "Kill it for me!"

noowitikawaásAt na noowitiʾá WAxtás.
Then she stabbed it, and then it became a mountain lion.
noowitiraawiíNAt.
Then it charged.
noowitipAxkoohaásAt niiʾAhnaRItkutáWI.
Then it caught its head with its tail.
noowitikoótIt.
Then it killed it.
noowiteetaaRUxtáʾ suúnaaxuʾ iiʾAh- naákUx.
Then it dragged it the young woman where she was.
suúnaaxuʾ noowitičiiwaánoʾ.
The young woman then she butchered it.
noowitii- sAtkUxítIt čeekAhíniʾ.
Then she began to roast it over the fire.

tuunaákUx nikuwitiʾá niiʾAhnuuNUxiíWIs.
That other one that one ate it what had remained.

nikuwituutAxítIt.
That is what happened.