How the Rabbit Killed the Black Bears

Omaha Version, by J. LaFleche

Mashchiñ´ge ama´ ikoñ´ e´thoñba edi´ aka´ma tigthe zhu´gigthe.
Rabbit / the / his grandmother / too / there / was, they say / he dwelt in a lodge / he with his own.

Wasa´be ti´i thoñta´ tha´zhi-a he´, ikoñ´ aka´ ega´-biama´.
Black bear / village / the to / go not / . / his grandmother / the / she said that to him, they say.

Wasa´be ama´ ni´kashiñga wawe´xaxai´ he.
Black bear / the (pl.) / men / they are laughers at them / .

E´di tha´zhi-a he´.
There / go not / . / .

I´thixa´xa tai´ he.
They laugh at you / will / . / .

Wasa´be ni´kagahi thiñke´ pa´he she´hithe-thoñ´di ti´i he, a´-biama´.
Black bear / chief / the / hill / that distant the (cv.)at / he pitches his tent. / she said they say.

E´ta thazhi-a he´, a´-biama´.
Thither / go not / . / she said they say.

Egithe moñ´de gthi´za-bi ega´ e´di atha´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge.
It came to pass / bow / he took his own, they say / having / there / he went they say / Rabbit.

Wasa´be ni´kagahi thiñke´di Mashchiñ´ge ama´ e´di ahi´-biama´.
Black bear / chief / the-to / Rabbit / the (mv.) / there / arrived they say.

Tizhe´be e´di a-i´-nazhiñ´ ki xage´ gaxa´-biama´ Mashtiñ´ge.
Door / there / he came to and stood at / when / crying / he made they say / Rabbit.

Mashchiñ´ge, ea´toñ thaxa´ge a, a´-biama´ Wasa´be aka´.
Rabbit, / why / you cry / ? / he said they say / Black bear / the.

Oñ´hoñ--negi´ha--wa'u´zhiñga aka´--thine´gi--Wasa´be--thiñke´ta-- moñthiñ´-a he--ai´ e´goñ--oñthoñ´husai egoñ´--pi´ ha, a´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
Yes / O mother's brother / old woman / the / your mother's brother / Black bear / the-to / walk thou / . / she said / having / she scolded me / having / I have been coming / . / he said they say. / Rabbit / the.

E´githe noñ´de masa´niata gthiñ´-ga ha´, a´-biama´ Wasa´be aka´.
It came to pass / side of the lodge / on the other side / sit thou / . / he said they say / Black bear / the.

E´githe Mashchiñ´ge e´di gthiñ thiñke´ ama´.
It came to pass / Rabbit / there / he was sitting, / they say.

Hoñ´ ki Mashchiñ´ge a´shi atha-biama´.
Night / when / Rabbit / out of doors / he went / they say.

A´shi ahi´-bi egoñ´ tizhe´be e´gaxe´-xti zha´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
Out of doors / arrived they say / having / door / round about / very / dunged, they say / Rabbit / the.

Hau´! iñgthe´ wiwi´ta, oñ´ba wi´utoñ´ga utha´gtha'a´'a tai´ ha, a´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
Well! / faeces / my own, / day / as soon as / you give the scalp yell / will / . / he said they say / Rabbit / the.

Oñ´ba wi´utoñga e´githe ni´ashiñga he´gazhi´-xti ugtha´'a'a´-biama´.
Day / as soon as / it came to pass / person / not a few very / gave the scalp- yell they say.

Negi´ha, ni´kashiñga he´gashtewoñ´zhi shkoñ´awathai´ ha, a´-biama´. Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
O mother's brother / person / a few--not at all / they cause to us to move / . / said they say / Rabbit / the.

The´thu ske´woñ-xti azhoñ´ thoñ´zha e´be shkoñ´oñthe ta´, a´-biama´ Wasa´be aka´.
Here / a long while very / I lie / though / who / make me move / shall? / said, they say / Black bear / the.

E´de ni´ashiñga he´gazhi´-xti ugtha´'a'a-biama´ bthu´ga-xti.
But / person / not a few very / gave the scalp yell they say / all very.

Goñ´ki a´shi atha´-biama´ Wasa´be ama´, ni´kashiñga´-bi ethe´goñ-bi egoñ´.
And / out of doors / went they say / Black bear / the (mv.) / person (See Note). / thought they say / having. \xr (See Wajiñska's version.)

A´shi hi´ wi´utoñga´xti Wasa´be t'e´tha-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
Out of doors / arrived / as soon as very / Black bear / he killed, they say / Rabbit / the.

Negi´ha t'e´thithe´-xti-oñ´i, a´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
O mother's brother / they kill thee very / said, they say / Rabbit / the.

T'e´tha-biegoñ´ agtha´-biama´.
Killed him / they say / having / he went homeward they say.

Ki ti´ te´ta aki´-biama´.
And / lodge / at the / he reached home, they say.

Koñha´, Wasa´be ni´kagahi t'e´athe ha, a´-biama´.
O grandmother / Black bear / chief / I have killed him / . / he said they say.

A´xtoñ t'e´watha´the ta´.
How possible / you kill them / shall?

T'e´she te pi´bazhi he, a´-biama´.
Killing / the / bad / . / she said they say.

Koñha´, t'e´athe ha.
O grandmother / I have killed him / . / .

Oñga´the tai´, a´-biama´.
We go / will, / he said they say.

Wa'u´zhiñga e´di zhu´gthe ahi´-biama´.
Old woman / there / she with him / arrived, they say.

Koñha´, she´e ha, a´-biama´.
O grandmother / that is it / . / he said they say.

Oñ´hoñ tu´shpathoñ´, shoñ´he, a´-biama´.
Yes / O grandchild, / enough / . / said she, they say.

Pa´da-bi egoñ´ 'iñ´ agtha´-biama´.
Carved it they say / having / carrying on the back / they went homeward, they say.

Aki´bi ki Mashchiñ´ge atha´-biama´ Wasa´be shoñ´de athiñ´-bi egoñ.
Reached home they say / when / Rabbit / went they say / Black bear / scrotum / he had they say / having.

Wasa´be ti´i thoñta´ ahi´-bi ki, Mashchiñ´ge ti´ ha, Mashchiñ´ge ti´ ha, a´-biama´.
Black bear / village / the--to / arrived the say / when / Rabbit / has come / ! / Rabbit / has come / ! / said they say.

Za'e-xti-oñ´-biama´.
Uproar very they say / .

Oñ´hoñ, ati´ ha.
Yes, / I have come / . / .

I´ubtha ati´ ha, a´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
I tell news / I have come / . / said they say / Rabbit / the.

Hau´!
Well!

Mashchiñ´ge iñtha ti´ e´e ha, a´-biama´.
Rabbit / to tell news / has come / he says / . / said they say.

Wasa´be bthu´ga-xti e´di ahi´-biama´.
Black bear / all very / there / arrived they say.

A´kie´-xti ahi´-biama´ ti´ata.
Standing very close together / arrived they say / at the lodge.

Ke´, iutha´-ga ha´, a´-biama´.
Come, / tell the news / . / said they they say.

Oñ´hoñ, i´ubtha ta´ miñke ha a´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
Yes, / I tell news / will / I who / . / said they say / Rabbit / the.

Wasa´be ni´kagahi u´zhu thiñke´ ni´kashñga a´higi-xti e´di ahi´-bi egoñ´ t'e´tha-biama´, a´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´.
Black bear / chief / principal / the / person / many very / there / arrived they say / having / they killed him they say, / said they say / Rabbit / the.

Ni´kagahi oñgu´ta'e´tha-biama´, a´-biama´ Wasa´be ama´.
Chief / our / they have killed him they say, / said they say / Black bear / the (pl.).

Wasa´be ama´ bthu´ga-xti xaga´-
Black bear / the (pl.) / all very / cried

biama´. Ni´kagahi u´zhu t'e´thikithai´ hnoñka´she, shoñ´de thoñ she´e ha, a´-bi egoñ´,
they say. / Chief / principal / they killed for you / ye who are, / scrotum / the / that is it / . / said they say / having, /

we´tiñ-biama´. Hau´! Mashchiñ´ge e´oñi ha. Thixa´-ba t'e´thai-ga ha, a´-biama´.
he hit them with it, they say. / Well! / Rabbit / caused it / . / Chase him and / kill him / . / said they say. /

We´ahide´-xti-a´tahi´ uxtha´-bi egoñ´ t'e´tha-biama´. Zhu´ga bthu´ga thishpa´shpa-xti
Far away very at it arriving / overtook him they say / having / killed him they say. / Body / whole / pulled into small pieces very /

egoñ´ oñ´tha-biama´. Ikoñ´ thiñkedi ka´shi ki´-azhi ama´ Mashchiñ´ge Goñ ikoñ´
having / threw away they say. / His grandmother / the--to / a long while / reached home, not / they say / Rabbit. / And / his grandmother /

aka´ ugi´ne athe´ goñtha´-biama´. Wa'u´zhiñga aka´ uxthu´xaha thoñ´ gthi´za-bi egoñ´
the / to seek her own / to go / wished they say. / Old woman / the / woman's bag / the / took her own they say / having /

Mashchiñ´ge ugi´ne atha´-biama´. A´gudi te´di t'e´thai te toñ´be te´goñ ua´ne bthe´e
Rabbit / to seek her own / went they say. / In what place / the--in / they killed him / the / I see it / in order that / I seek it / I am going /

he, a´-biama´ wa'u´zhiñga aka´. E´di ahi´-bi egoñ´ thishpa´shpai ge bahi´-bi egoñ´
. / said she they say / old woman / the. / There / arrived they say / having / pieces pulled apart / the / picked up they say / having /

uxthu´xaha thoñ uzhi´ moñthiñ´-bi te´di, Oñ´hoñ, Mashchiñ´ge, naxi´de-thithiñ´ge. Ti´
woman's bag / the / filling / walked they say / when, / Yes, / Rabbit, / inner-ear thee--none. / Lodge /

ga´ama´ naxi´de-thiñ´gai e´goñ e´di tha´zhi-a he, ehe´ thoñ shoñ´ shi´ e´goñ ch'e´thithai.
those / they are disobedient / as / there / go not / . / I said / in the past / yet / you went / as / they killed you. /

Agtha´-biama´ wa'u´zhiñga, uxthu´xaha thoñ´ gi'iñ´-bi egoñ´. Aki´-bi egoñ´ u´zhiha
Went homeward, they say / old woman, / woman's bag / the / carried on her back they say / having. / Reached home they say / having / sack /

thoñ gamu´-bi egoñ´ Mashchiñ´ge nita-biama´. I´thoñboñ tha´zhi-a he. Ti´i thoñ
the / emptied by pouring out / having / Rabbit / alive they say. / A second time / go not / . / Village / the /

naxi´de-thiñ´gai he, a´-biama´. Mashchiñ´ge aka´, Bthe´ ta´ miñke, ethe´goñ-biama´.
they are disobedient / . / said she they say. / Rabbit / the, / I go / will / I who, / he thought they say. /

Moñ´de gthi´za-bi egoñ´ atha´-biama´ Wasa´be ti´i thoñ ahi´-bi te´di Wasa´be
Bow / took his own they say / having / went they say. / Black bear / village / the / arrived, they say / when / Black bear /

wiñ hoñ´btha-biama´. Wasa´be xage´-xti-hnoñ´ nazhiñ´-biama´. Shi, a´toñ azhoñ´
one / had a dream, they say. / Black bear / crying very habitually / stood they say. / And / why / you do it? /

a´-biama´. Hoñ´abthe´-de pi´azhi he´gazhi itha´hoñbthe´ ha. Bthu´ga-xti t'e´awathai´
said, they say. / I had a dream but / bad / not a little / I dreamed about it / . / All very / they killed us /

itha´hoñbthe´ ha. Oñ´hoñ, wi´ shti t'e´oñthai itha´hoñbthe´ ha, a´-biama´. U´oñthiñ´ge
I dreamed about it / . / Yes, / I / too / me--they killed / I dreamed about it / . / said he they say. / To no purpose /

hoñthabthe´ ha. A´xtoñ bthu´ga t'e´awa´the ta´ba. Wasa´be ama´ ni´kashiñga ena´-
you had a dream / . / How possible / all / they kill us / shall? / Black bear / the (pl.) / human beings / alone /

xti wa´thata´-biama´; a´doñ Mashchiñ´ge ni´kashiñga wi´uki´-bi egoñ´ bthu´ga-xti
very / they ate them they say; / therefore / Rabbit / mankind / sided with them, they say / having / all very /

t'e´wathe goñtha´-biama´. Wasa´be ti´i thoñ e´di ahi´-bi egoñ´ hoñ´doñ ti´i thoñ
to kill them / desired they say. / Black bear / village / the / there / arrived, they say / having / night-during / village / the /

e´gaxe-xti zha´-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´. Hau´! iñgthe´ wiwi´ta, oñ´ba soñ´ tihe´
round about very / dunged, they say / Rabbit / the. / Well! / faeces / my own, / day / distant while / approaches suddenly /

ki ugtha´'a'a´i-ga, a´-biama´. Wasa´be bthu´ga t'e´oñwoñ´the tai ha a´-biama´.
when / give ye the scalp-yell, / said, they say. / Black bear / all / we kill them / will / . / said they say. /

Wi´toñthiñ´-xti wa'iñ´aboñ ta´ miñke ha. E´kitoñ ugtha´'a'a´i-ga ha, a´-biama´.
I at the first very / I give the attacking cry / will / I who / . / At the same time / give ye the scalp-yell / . / said they say. /

Oñ´ba u´watoñga wa'iñ´boñ-biama´ Mashchiñ´ge aka´. Bthu´ga-xti ugtha´'a'a´-
Day / as soon as / he gave the attacking cry they say / Rabbit / the. / All very / they gave the scalp-yell /

biama´ ni´ashiñga ama´. Wasa´be bthu´ga a´shi ahi´-biama´. Bthu´ga-xti t'e´watha´-
they say / person / the (pl.). Black bear / all / out of doors / they came, they say. / All very / they killed them /

biama´ Wasa´be-ma´. Nu´ga wiñ miñ´ga wiñ eda´be uga´shta-biama´. Wasa´be /
they say / Black bear the (pl.). / Male / one / female / one / also / remained they say. / Black bear /

noñ´ba-ma´ Mashchiñ´ge u´thoñ-biama´. Mashchiñ´ge ama´ u´wakia´-biama´ Wa-
two the (pl.) / Rabbit / them he took hold of, they say. / Rabbit / the (mv.) talked with them they say / Black /

sa´be-ma´. Thipi´bazhi egoñ´ wagthi´shka ena´-xti wahna´te taite´, a´-biama´.
bear the (pl.). / You bad / being / insect / only very / you eat / shall surely, / said he they say. /

Wana´xi thithiñ´ge taite´. Iñ´noñha´ wine´gi eda´be thi´thate taite´. Wasa´be
Spirit / you have none / shall surely. / My mother / my mother's brother / also / they eat you / shall surely. / Black bear /

ethi´ge taite´. Moñthiñ´i ga. Shetoñ´.
they say to you / shall surely. / Walk ye. / So far. /