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Boas]
Kutenai Tales
31

food in the chief's tent, but nobody goes in there." The youth said: "I'll go." He was told by the old woman: "Don't go." The youth arose. He went there. He entered the chief's tent. (The chief) was asleep. (The youth) said to him: "I have entered your tent." (The chief) got up from his bed. He became a rattlesnake. (The youth) took his arrow. He struck him. He knocked him down. His wives at once became rattlesnakes, and he knocked them down. He went out again. He said: "Come in, all of you, and get meat."

The youth said: "Are there no other people?" He was told: "There is a town down the river." The youth said: "I will start." He was told: "The chief is bad." He started. He arrived at the town. There an old woman was living in a tent. He entered. He said to her: "I am hungry." He was told: "We are hungry." She took a dish. She put something into it. She gave it to him. He said to her: "I said I am hungry." He was told: "There is no food." He was told: "There is much food in that tent, but nobody goes in


naso′ᵤkᵘe·n (The chief) aₐʽkιt.ła′e·s (his tent) yunaqa′ₐne· (much) k!i′keᵢł (food,) at (but) qaₐtᵢnax̣amna′mne·. (not any one goes in.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) neᵢ (that) nιtsta′hał (youth:) huts!ιna′x̣e·. ("I'll go.") qak.ła′pse· (He was told by) neᵢs (that) tιłna′muʼs (old woman:) maₐts ("Don't) ts!ι′nanʼ. (go!") nʼowo′kᵤne· (He arose) neᵢ (that) nιtsta′hał. (youth.) qaox̣a′x̣e·. (He went there.) tιnax̣a′mne· (He entered) aₐʽkιt.łaι′se·s (the tent of) naso′ᵤkᵘe·ns. (the chief.) sak.łe′ᵢtse· (He was asleep.) qakι′łne· (He said to him:) husιłtkax̣a′mne· ("I have entered) aₐʽkιt.ła′ʼne·s. (your tent.") nʼukᵤnox̣a′mne· (He got up from his bed.) ιnqa′pte·k (He became) wι′łma·ł (a rattlesnake.) tsukᵘa′te· (He took) a′ₐʽk!e·s. (his arrow.) qanła′łte·. (He struck him.) q!akpakitx̣o′ᵤne·. (He knocked him down.) neᵢs (Then) ałtιłnamu′ʼe·s (his wives) nʼuk!ᵘiłʼιn·qapta′kse· (at once became) wι′łma·łs. (rattlesnakes.) nʼuk!ᵘiłq!akpakitx̣o′ᵤne. (One at a time he knocked them down.) ła·anax̣a′mne·. (He went out again.) qake′ᵢne· (He said:) q!a′pe· ("All) qokᵘayax̣a′keᵢł (come and get) aₐʽku′ła·k. (meat.")
Qake′ᵢne· (He said) nιtsta′hał (the youth:) ki′łu ("Are there no) aqłsma′kᵢnιk! (people) łaa′k!ła·k. (others?") qakiłι′łne· (He was told:) neᵢ ("That) k!unanmι′tuk (down river) saₐk.łuna′mne·. (is a town.") qake′ᵢne· (He said) neᵢ (that) nιtsta′hał (youth:) hułts!ιna′x̣e·. ("I'll start.") qakiłι′łne· (He was told:) saha′n·e· ("Bad is) naso′ᵤkᵘe·n. (the chief.") ts!ιna′x̣e·. (He started.) łax̣a′x̣e· (He arrived) saₐk.łunamι′sᵢne·. (where was a town) sanιt.ła′ₐse· (Where lived in a tent) tιłna′muʼs. (an old woman.) tιnax̣a′mne·. (He entered.) qakι′łne· (He said to her:) hunuwa′sᵢne·. ("I am hungry.") qak.ła′pse· (He was told:) hunuwasʼnała′ₐne·. ("We are hungry.") tsukᵘa′t.se· (She took) a′tsu·s. (a dish.) nʼoqoᵤx̣akι′nse· (She put it into it,) namatiktsa′pse·. (she gave it to him.) qakι′łne· (He said to her:) hoqᵘake′ᵢne· ("I said) hunuwa′sᵢne·. (I am hungry.") qak.ła′pse· (He was told:) ło′ᵤne· ("There is none) ku.ikᵢna′ła. (our food.") qak.ła′pse· (He was told:) neᵢ ("That) hant.łana′mke· (where tent is) yunaqa′ₐne· (is much)