NOTES
This myth, which is evidently of modern origin, was dictated by Betsy Joe, the only full-blood Biloxi residing in Rapides parish, Louisiana, to her daughter, Maria Johnson, ead Bankston Johnson, the husband of Maria. The man and his wife dictated it to J. Owen Dorsey, in the presence of Betsy Joe, so that the old woman might supply any omissions.
1. Utcutu (from tcu); akĭtsi, woman’s word (used by Betsy Joe), but if Bankston had been speaking in his own name he would have used akĭdĭsi.
2. Duti oxpa, “he ate, he devoured,” i. e., he ate the potato vines till he had devoured all—one of the many examples of the function performed in the Biloxi language by mere juxtaposition. See 9 (axok-yaⁿ yĕskạsaⁿ dusi ux̣nedi), 21 (dĕ taho).
5. Ani kyăˊ oⁿni kĕdiˊ xyo. The use of xyo here is peculiar, but the author suggests “must” as its equivalent. A future idea seems to be expressed.
7. nḳaˊkaⁿtcki ḳĕ. If ḳĕ be part of the word, it is from akaⁿtckiḳĕ, in which event, akaⁿtckiḳĕ=akaⁿtci; but if it be a distinct word the meaning is a mystery.
9. Ux̣nedi given; but it may have been intended for u hinedi. Ha, meaning not gained, perhaps “when.”
11. oⁿ-ha. Ha here may not be a distinct word, in which case it may form a word with the preceding syllable.
12. Yaˊñḳiⁿxnda, see iñki.
16. Anoⁿ poska iⁿsihixti mañḳi ĕdi refers to what the Rabbit said, but is merely a report of it, not the exact remark. As the myth was told among the Biloxi, this sentence was probably expressed thus: Eḳaⁿ‘ Asoⁿ poska nḳiⁿsihixti,’ ĕdi Tcĕtkanadi, “Then the Rabbit said, ‘I am in great fear of the brier patch.’”
TRANSLATION[1]
The Rabbit aided his friend the Frenchman with his work. They planted (Irish) potatoes. The Rabbit took the potato vines as his share of the crop and devoured them all. The next time that they farmed they planted corn, and this time the Rabbit said, “I will eat the roots.” So he pulled up all the corn by the roots, but he found nothing to satisfy his hunger. Then the Frenchman said, “Let us dig a well.” But the Rabbit did not desire it. He told the Frenchman that he must dig it alone. To this the Frenchman replied, “You shall not drink the water from the well.” “That does not matter. I am used to licking off the dew from the ground,” answered the Rabbit. The Frenchman
- ↑ Published also in Journal of American Folk-lore, VI, 48-49, 1898.
