Kutenai Tales/Coyote and Locust 1

by Franz Boas, Alexander Francis Chamberlain

2. Coyote and Locust^[1]

I shall carry you." He said to him: "Don't, we shall be brothers." Coyote started. He carried Locust. The two went. He saw Grizzly Bear coming. Locust said: "Put me off." He was put off. There was a cliff, on the edge of which he staid. (Grizzly Bear Woman) arrived, and (Locust) scared her, and (Grizzly Bear) fell down. Coyote went back. He went around. He reached the place where Grizzly Bear lay. He ate her. He took her out of the fire. He took the meat and the fat. He ate. He tied it up. Coyote started. He carried Locust. He went along. He saw Grizzly Bear (Man) coming. Locust said: "Put me off." Coyote said: "It is my turn. Let me scare him." (Grizzly Bear) arrived. Coyote became a stump. Grizzly Bear arrived. He said: "Let me bite him." He saw it was Coyote. Coyote said: "I am Coyote. Let us start." He knew where Locust was. Coyote said to Grizzly Bear: "Will you eat grease?" Grizzly Bear said: "Yes, I'll eat it." Coyote untied what he was carrying. He gave it to him. (Grizzly Bear) saw it. Grizzly Bear said: "Did you not see an old woman? She must have passed here." Coyote said that he had not seen anything. Coyote said: "It is Beaver, therefore it is fat." Grizzly Bear said: "It is not Beaver." Coyote said: "You ought to have said, 'It is the old woman.' " Coyote started to run. Coyote was going along. (Grizzly Bear) pursued him. Grizzly Bear thought: "First let me bite the little one." Grizzly Bear thought he was on the right trail. "Later on, after I have bitten him, I will bite (this one)." Grizzly Bear started. He pursued Coyote. Coyote went along. He was tired. He chased him around the tree. He fell down and thrust his hand into a (buffalo) horn. Coyote pursued Grizzly Bear. He overtook him. He struck him. Coyote turned back.

ka′tsa·. (my younger brother.) a‵tutsx̣ałx̣onι′sᵢne·. (I shall carry you.") qak.ła′pse· (He said to him:) maₐts ("Don't!) huts!ιn·ała′ₐne· (we shall be) tsa′ₐtιmo. (brothers.") ts!ιna′x̣e· (He started) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nałx̣o′ᵤne· (He carried) aₐʽkuk.łako′wumʼs. (the Locust.) qa·nakι′kᵢne·. (The two went.) nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) k.ła′włas (Grizzly Bear) ska′se·. (coming.) qake′ᵢne· (He said) aₐʽkuk.łako′wum (Locust:) pιsx̣o′ᵤnu. ("Put me off!") pιsx̣o′łne· (He was put off) sιn·υmu′k!se· (where was a cliff,) ι′nta·s. (at edge.) qaosaqa′ₐne·. (There he staid.) wa′x̣e·. (He arrived.) naq!max̣o′ᵤne·ts (He scared her and) wa‵t!mιta·ktse′ᵢte·. (made her fall down.) ła·qanx̣a′x̣e· (He went back) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) qakx̣ałaka‵me·nqa·′tse·. (He went around.) qaox̣a′x̣e· (He reached) qa·kqa′pse· (where lay) k.ła′włas. (Grizzly Bear.) nʼι′kᵢne·. (He ate it.) ła.upkak!o′ᵤne·. (He took it out of fire.) tsukᵘa′te· (He took) aₐʽku′łaₐks (meat) aₐʽq!u′taₐłs. (fat.) nʼι′kᵢne·. (He ate.) nʼιtuk!sa′ₐne·. (He fried it.) ts!ιna′x̣e· (He started) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nałx̣o′ᵤne· (He carried) aₐʽkuk.łako′wumʼs. (Locust.) qa·na′x̣e·. (He went along.) nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) ska′se· (coming) k.ła′włas. (Grizzly Bear.) qake′ᵢne· (He said) aₐʽkuk.łako′wum (Locust:) pιsx̣o′ᵤnu. ("Put me off.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) ła·ts ("In turn) ka′min (I) huts!ι‵sιnłhaq!max̣o′ᵤne·. (I myself shall scare him.") qaox̣a′x̣e· (He arrived) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nʼιnqa′pte·k (He became) aₐʽqułu′k!pko. (a stump.) qawaka′x̣e· (He arrived) k.ła′wła. (Grizzly Bear.) qake′ᵢne· (He said:) hułʼι′t!x̣a. ("Let me bite him.") nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) nʼι′nse· (it was) skι′n·ku·ts·. (Coyote.) qake′ᵢne· (He said:) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) hunʼι′n·e· ("I am) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) hułts!ιnax̣a′ₐła. (Let us start.") nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He knew) sa.usaqa′pse· (where was) aₐʽkuk.łako′wumʼs. (Locust.) qakι′łne· (He said to him) k.ła′włas (to Grizzly Bear) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) kιntsx̣a′łʼe·k ("Will you eat) aₐʽq!u′tał. (grease?") qake′ᵢne· (He said) k.ła′wła (Grizzly Bear:) he· ("Yes,) hutsx̣ałʼι′kᵢne·. (I will eat it.") nʼaqte′ᵢte· (He untied) ka′łx̣o· (what carried) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) namatι′ktse·. (He gave it to him.) tseᵢka′te·. (He saw it.) qake′ᵢne· (He said) k.ła′wła (Grizzly Bear:) kιnqa.upx̣a′ke·ł ("Did you not see) tι′łna (an old woman?) nas (Here) qa‵kiłqaha′x̣e·. (she must have passed.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote) łu·′ne· (nothing) ła·tseᵢka′te·. (he saw.) qake′ᵢne· (He said) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) nʼι′n·e· ("It is) sι′n·a (beaver,) słaqałsι′kᵢne·. (therefore it is fat.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) k.ła′wła (Grizzly Bear:) qa.ι′n·e· ("It is not) sι′n·a. (beaver.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote:) x̣manqake′ᵢne· ("Ought you to have said,) nʼι′n·e· ('It is) tι′łna. (old woman.'") no·tsιnqkupekι′me·k (He started to run) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) qana′x̣e· (He went along) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) mιtyax̣na′pse·. (He pursued him.) qałwi′yne· (He thought) k·ła′wła. (Grizzly Bear:) hu′paₐks ("First) hułsłʼι′t!x̣a (let me bite) na (this) ktsaqu′na. (little one.") qałwi′yne· (He thought) k.ła′wła (Grizzly Bear) ksu‵kqanmι′te·k. (he was on right trail.) ta′x̣ta ("Later on) hunułʼιt!x̣a′mi·ł (after I have bitten him) kutsx̣ałʼιt!x̣a. (I'll bite him.") ts!ιna′x̣e· (He started) k·ła′wła. (Grizzly Bear.) mιtya′x̣ₐne· (He pursued) skι′n·ku·ts·. (Coyote.) qa·na′x̣e· (He went along) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nukᵘłu′kᵤne·. (He was tired.) aₐʽkιts!ła′e·ns (A tree) na‵kamιnła‵tnota′pse·. (he chased him around it.) qanax̣u′ne· (He fell down;) qanaq!ałeᵢx̣o·′me·k (he thrust his hand into) aₐʽku′qłe·ʼs. (a horn.) mιtya′x̣ₐne· (He pursued) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote (subj.)) k.ła′włas. (Grizzly Bear (obj.).) łax̣anx̣o′ᵤne·. (He overtook him.) qanła′łte·. (He struck him.) ła·łuqᵘałqa′tse· (He turned back) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.)

1. See No. 57, p. 140.