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Boas]
Kutenai Tales
19

11. Coyote and the Manitou with the Hat

Coyote went along. He saw a manitou having a hat made of belly fat. He touched it. He took a piece off. He ate it. Again he broke a piece off. Again he ate it. He was told: "Go away." He was told: "You hurt me." Coyote went off.

12. Coyote and the Ducks[1]

Coyote with his two children went along. There was a lake. He saw many ducks. He said to his children: "Cry!" The children cried. They cried thus: "My father's brothers-in-law!" Coyote cried thus: "My brothers-in-law!" One Mallard Duck said to his children: "Listen! a manitou is crying." Mallard Duck said: "Go to him (and listen to) what he is talking about." One of them went ashore. He came to Coyote. He said to him: "What do you refer to when you cry?" Coyote said: "Come ashore, all of you!" All the ducks came ashore. He pulled out their feathers. Enough.


11. Coyote and the Manitou with the Hat

Qa·na′x̣e· (He went along) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.) nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) nϋpι′k!as (a manitou) k!ayukᵘa′ₐes· (having a hat) aₐʽkowuma′łqaₐps. (made of belly fat.) qunya′x̣ₐne·. (He touched it.) qasιł·ukᵘι′n·e·. (He took a piece off.) ι′kᵢne· (He ate it.) łaqaιł·ukᵘι′n·e·. (Again he took a piece off.) ła.ι′kᵢne·. (Again he ate it.) qak.ła′pes· (He was told:) yu′wa. ("Go away.") qak.ła′pse· (He was told:) hιnʼupła′pᵢne·. ("You hurt me.") ts!ιna′x̣e· (He went off) skι′n·ku·ts. (Coyote.)

12. Coyote and the Ducks

Qa·na′x̣e· (He went along) skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote) nʼasma′łne· (with two) x̣ałe′es (his children) skιkq!nu′kse·. (to where was a lake.) nʼu′px̣ₐne· (He saw) yunaqa′pse· (many) kia′qłaʼs. (ducks.) qakι′łne· (He said to) x̣ałe′e·s (his child:) e′łanʼ. ("Cry!") ιła′n·e· (He cried) neᵢ (that) łka′m·u. (child.) qało′ᵤkᵤne· (He cried thus:) ałska′t!e·s ("His brothers-in-law) katι′tu. (my father!") skι′n·ku·ts (Coyote) qało′ᵤkᵤne· (cried thus:) ałka′skat. ("My brothers-in-law!") nʼok!we′ᵢne· (One) kanq!usqwe′ᵢkak (Mallard Duck) qakι′łne· (said to) ałaqa′łt!e·s (his children:) tsιn ("Only) k!‵pałterᵢx̣a′keᵢł. (listen ye!) nϋpι′k!a (A manitou) sιłʼx̯ła′n·e. (is crying.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) kanq!usqwe′ᵢkak (Mallard Duck:) qunamι′łkeᵢł ("Go to him) qa′psins (what) k!u′pske·. (he talk about.") k!o′k!we· (One) tsinałʼupa′x̣e·. (went ashore.") łax̣a′x̣e· (He came to) skι′n·ku·ts·. (Coyote.) q!a′pe· ("All) upka′keᵢł. (come ye ashore.") q!a′pe· (All) nʼupka′x̣e· (came ashore) kia′qła. (the ducks.) q!a′pe·′s (All) łu′ʼnte· (he removed) aₐʽkιnqoa.ι′se·s. (their feathers.) ta′x̣as. (Enough.)


  1. See p. 160.