“The Coyote and the Snake”(Recording & Reading By: Barbara Salvatore) |
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“The Coyote and the Snake”
- Once upon a time, a snake lay across a well traveled path by all animals.
Pahangadi, wes’a ka u’he kidi zhan, wanitama bthuga u’he ke
a’nange nan te.
- The Coyote came to him and said, “Why don’t you lie further off the path?”
Mikasi aka, “e’ta a’hi bigan,” abiama.
- “If I step over you, you shall die,” said the Coyote.
“Awizhade ti di, tha-t’e ta’nike,” abiama Mikasi aka.
- “This path is not big enough for the both us,” said the Snake.
“U’he ke wetanga azhi,” abiama Wes’a aka.
- “It is you that must go around to the other side,” said the Snake.
“Thi u’thushi manthinga,” abiama wes’a aka.
- The Snake and the Coyote did not agree, and they began to argue.
Wes’a aka Mikasi ethanba, i’e akikitha.
- “Whew!” said the Coyote, “do as I say, move out of the way!”
“Bah!” abiama Mikasi aka, “wi e’gipe, gudiha ga!”
- “It is you, that must leave this path to go to the other side,” said the Snake.
“Thi u’he ke, u’thishan manthinga,” abiama wes’a aka.
- “Well, I shall step over you and you shall die,” said the Coyote.
“Ki, awiansi tamike, ganki, tha-t’e tanike,” abiama Mikasi aka.
- “No,” said the Snake, “when a person steps over me, he usually dies.”
“Ankazhi,” abiama Wes’a aka, “atan niashinga agazha’de
wimikedi, t’e nan.”
- Yes, I will die. Let us see which one has told the truth,” said the Coyote.
“Anhan, wi a’t’e tamike, a’wiwan xti i’e ke e’ganxti ta’te,”
abiama Mikasi aka.
- Then, the Coyote suddenly stepped over the Snake.
Ganki, Mikasi aka, sabazhixti wes’a ke agazhade athai te.
- When he stepped over, the Snake bit him on the foot.
Ganki agazhade athai ti–di, wes’a ka si–te thaxtai te.
- “Aho,” said the Coyote, “you shall die, as I have stepped over you.”
“Aho,” abiama Mikasi aka, “tha t’e ta’nike, a’wigazhide.”
- The Snake replied, “now you shall die.”
Wes’a aka abiama, “itan thi tha t’e ta’nike.”
- Then, the Coyote departed and went on his way.
Ganki, Mikasi aka atha, biama.
- As he went, he said, “Whew! My body feels different. I am fat.”
Atha bidan, “zhuga ke azhi bthin, anshin.”
- The Coyote stretched his neck as far as he could to examine his back.
Mikasi aka, nanka ke kigthi wagazu ki.
- He looked at himself all over, and gave the “scalp-yell” often.
Shi kitanba be, ganki, hu “thahegabazhixti” gaxai te.
- After a while, he was breathing hard with his mouth wide open.
Ganche ki, niute texi, i’te ya’thixa.
- His mouth was dry, so he found a pond to satisfy his thirst.
i’te, bize gan, ne ti–di ni thatan te.
- When he looked into the pond to take a drink,
Ne ti–di ni thatan, ki, kitanbai,
he saw that his face and body was swollen.
inde than ibai ki zhuga shti ibai.
- The Coyote yelled in pain, “the Snake told the truth!”
Mikasi aka ni’e xti hutan, “wes’a ka wike uthai.”
- His entire body was swollen and his skin was tight.
Zhuga ke bthuga ibai.
- The Coyote seated himself in a sheltered place warmed by the sun.
Mikasi, aka u’gthin ki’gaxa, mi i shtide gthin.
- He coiled himself as far as possible, just like a snake does.
Kigthibuta gthin, wes’a ma ga’xe naninte.
- It was there that he fell into a deep sleep and never awoke, he died.
E’di zhant’e ikithazhi-te abiama.
- It was because of this event between the Coyote and the Snake,
I’utha e’ditan, Mikasi–Wes’a u’thai,
they say, that when snakes bite four-legged animals,
abiama, atan wes’a aka wa’nita zhibe duba athin ma,
their entire bodies swell and they die.
zhuga iba nan, ganki t’e nan, abiama.
- End of story.
Shan, e’nan.
