The Brothers, the Sister, and the Red Bird

Uki´kizhi duba´-biama´. Ena´xchi ti´gtha-biama´. Ihoñ´ itoñ´ge shti wiñ´
Brethren / four they say. / Only / they dwelt in a lodge, they say. / His mother / his elder sister / too / one /

thiñga´-biama´. E´githe izhiñ´the tha´bthiñ ama´ 'a´bae atha´-biama´. Isoñ´ga aka´
they had none, they say. / At length / his elder brother / three / the (sub.) / hunting / went, they say. / His younger brother / the (sub.) /

ti´ata gthiñ´ thiñke´ ama´. E´githe zhoñ´zhiñga si´ te i´nietha´-biama´. Ki zhoñ´zhiñga
at the lodge / was sitting / they say. / At length / splinter / foot / the / he hurt it by means of they say. / And / splinter /

thishnu´da-bi egoñ´ hiñ´t'oñ ube´toñ noñ´data ihe´tha-biama´, zhoñ´zhiñga i´nie´thai
pulled out, they say / having / fine hair / he wrapped up in / by the wall / he laid it, they say, / splinter / hurt by means of /

ke´ izhiñ´the doñ´be we´goñtha´-bi egoñ´. E´githe i´biza´-bi egoñ´ ni´ agi´atha´-biama´
the / his elder brother / to see it / wished them, they say / having. / At length / thirsty, they say / being / water / went for, they say /

nu´zhiñga aka´. Ki ti´ te koñ´gexchi aki´-bi ki shiñ´gazhiñ´ga wiñ´
boy / the (sub.). / And / lodge / the / very near to / he reached home, they say / when / child / one /

xage´ ama´ ti´ moñ´tata. Agtha´-bi ki zhoñ´zhiñga i´niethai´ kethoñ´ e´githe
crying / they say / lodge / inside. / He went homeward, they say / while / splinter / hurt by / the (in the past) / behold /

e´ aka´ma shiñ´gazhiñ´ga aka´ma. Shoñ´ shi ube´toñ-bi egoñ´ noñ´data ihe´tha-biama´.
that / was it, they say / child / it was, they say. / Yet / again / wrapped up, they say / having / by the wall / he laid it, they say. /

Aki´-bi ki izhiñ´the / oñka´ u´wagitha´-biama´. Goñ´ki, Zhiñthe´ha, si´
Reached home, they say / when / his elder brother / the ones who / he told them they say. / And, / Elder brother, / foot /

nioñ´the tethoñ´ zhoñ´zhiñga oñthoñ´nie´the ke´ bthi´ze e´degoñ shiñ´gazhiñ´ga ke´, a´-biama´.
hurt me / which (past) / splinter / which hurt / me / I took / but / a child / it lies, / said he, they say. /

Hiñda´! kage´, thiza´-ga. Oñdoñ´be ta´bashe´, a´-biama´. Ki thiza´-bi ki e´githe
Stop! / younger brother, / take it. / We see it / must, / said they, they say. / And / he took it, they say / when / behold /

miñ´zhiñga ke´ ama´. Kage´, shiñ´gazhiñ´ga shtewoñ´ wathiñ´gai thoñ´shti; u´doñxtioñ´
a girl / ti lay / they say. / Younger brother, / child / soever / we had none / formerly; / very good /

uhi´oñthe tai´, a´-biama´. Ki, Zhiñthe´ha, eda´doñoñ´the tai´ e´doñ, a´-biama´ isoñ´ga
let us bring it up, / said they, they say. / And, / Elder brother, / what shall we regard her / ? / said, they say / his younger brother /

aka´. Ki wiñ´ ga´-biama´: Shiñ´gazhiñ´ga oñgu´ta tai´, a´-biama´. Ki, Oñ´kazhi ha´.
the (sub.). / And / one / said as follows, they say: / Child / our / will, / said he, they say. / And, / Not so /

Itoñ´ge wathiñ´gai. Itoñ´geoñ´the tai´, a´-biama´. Oñ´hoñ, a´-bi egoñ´, woñ´githexti
Sister / we have none. / Let us have her for a sister, / said they, they say. / Yes, / said, they say / having, / all /

itoñ´getha´-biama´. Goñ´ki shiñ´gazhiñ´ga gaxa´-bi egoñ´ uhi´the goñtha´-bi egoñ´
had her for a sister they say. / And / child / made, they say / being / to rear her / wished, they say / having /

oñ´thexchi athiñ´-biama´. Ki wa'u´ noñ´ ama´. E´githe du´ba woñ´githe 'a´bae
very carefully / had her, they say. / And / woman / grown / they say. / At length / four / all / hunting /

atha´-biama´. Wa'u´ thiñke´ e-hnoñ´ tha´zhi ama´. Wa'u´ thiñke´ tha'e´thexti-hnoñ´-biama´
went, they say. / Woman / the one who / she only / went not, they say. / Woman / the (ob.) / always very kind to her they say /

nu´ du´ba aka´. E´githe ni´ashiñga wiñ´ ti´ te´di ahi´-biama´. Goñ´
man / four / the (sub.). / At length / person / one / lodge / at the / arrived, they say. / And /

wa'u´ thiñke´ zhu´gthe agtha´-biama´. Zhu´gthe agtha´-biama´ ki e´githe iti´nu ama´
woman / the one who / with her / he went homeward, they say. / With her / he went homeward, they say / when / behold / her elder brother / the (sub.) /

woñ´githe aki´-biama´. E´githe itoñ´ge thiñke´ thiñge´ te´ ama´. Ugi´na-bi ki
all / reached home, they say. / Behold / his sister / the / had disappeared / they say. / Sought his own, they say / when /

i´githa-bazhi´-biama´. Ki ushte´ ama´ ugi´ne atha´-bi ki, zhiñga´ aka´ ugi´ne
found not his own, they say. / And / the rest / the (sub.) / to seek his own / went, they say / when, / small / the (sub.) / to seek his own /

ahi´-bi ki´zhi shoñ´ i´githa-ba´zhi aki´-biama´. Shoñ´ noñ´ aka´ ugi´ne atha´-biama´
arrived, they say / when / yet / not finding his own / he reached home, they say. / And / grown / the (sub.) / to seek his own / went, they say /

woñ´githe. E´githe timoñ´te te eda´doñ uga´zhidextioñ´ ama´. Eda´doñ e´doñ,
all. / At length / in the lodge / the / what / shone very red through it, they say. / What / can it be? /

ethe´goñ e´goñ uga´s'iñ-bi ki e´githe wazhiñ´ga aka´ma. Goñ´ moñ´de thiza´-bi
thought he / as / he peeped, they say / when / behold / a bird / it was, they say. / And / bow / took, they say /

egoñ´ ki´da-biama´. Ki mu´shnoñ-hnoñ´-bi egoñ´ moñ´ he´gazhixti athiñ´-bi
having / he shot at him, they say. / And / missed him regularly, they say / having / arrow / a very great number / he had, they say /

e´iñte moñ´ woñ´githexti i´kida´-biama´. E´githe moñ´ te mu´thinga´-bi egoñ´
it may be / arrow / all / shot at with, they say. / At length / arrow / the / expended by shooting, they say / having /

moñ´ wiña´xchi waxu´be ga´xai thiza´-bi egoñ´ i´kida´-biama´. I´'u-biama´ moñ´
arrow / one / sacred thing / made / took it, they say / having / he shot at with it, they say. / He wounded with, they say / arrow /

ke waxu´be ke; i´'u-biama´ wazhiñ´ga toñ. Goñ´ wazhiñ´ga aka´ moñ´ ke
the (ob.) / sacred / the (ob.); / wounded with, they say / bird / the (ob.). / And / bird / the (sub.) / arrow / the (ob.) /

utha´ha agtha´-biama´. Goñ´ki nu´zhiñga aka´, Wizhiñ´the aka´ moñ´ ke te´xithe
sticking to him / went homeward, they say. / And / boy / the (sub.), / My elder brother / the (sub.) / arrow / the (ob.) / prizes his /

i´nahiñ thoñ´zha uxpa´thea´the ta´ miñke a´hoñ, ethe´goñ-bi egoñ´ uthu´he atha´-biama´.
truly / though / I lose it / will / I who / ! / thought, they say / having / following him / went, they say. /

Ki e´githe toñ´woñgthoñ a´higixti wiñ´ ededi´thoñ ama´. Goñ´ e´di ahi´-biama´
And / at length / village / a great many / one / there it was, / they say. / And / there / arrived, they say /

nu´zhiñga aka´. E´di ahi´-bi ki ni´ashiñga ama´ i´bahoñ´-biama´. She´nuzhiñ´ga du´ba
boy / the (sub.). / There / he arrived, they say / when / people / the (sub.) / knew him, they say. / Young man / four /

uki´kizhi´ biama´ thoñ´shti zhiñga´ thiñke´ ti´ a´hoñ. Waki´depi u´thai thoñ´shti e´ wiñ´
brethren / they said / heretofore / small / the one who / has come / ! / Good marksman / told about them / formerly / that / one /

ti´, a´-biama´. Ki ni´kagahi thiñke´ ui´tha ahi´-biama. She´nuzhiñ´ga du´ba uki´kizhi´-biama´
has come, / said they, they say. / And / chief / the (ob.) / to tell him / they arrived, they say. / Young man / four / brethren they said /

thoñ´shti zhiñga´ thiñke´ ti´ a´hoñ. Waki´depi u´thai thoñ´shti e´ wiñ´ ti´, a´-biama´.
formerly / small / the one who / has come / ! / Good marksman / told about them / formerly / that / one / has come, / said they they say. /

Ki ni´kagahi u´zhu aka´, Witoñ´de iñthiñ´thiñ gi´i-ga ha, a´-biama´. Goñ´
And / chief / principal / the (sub.), / My son-in-law / having him for me / be ye coming back / . / said he, they say. / And /

agi´ahi´-bi egoñ´ zhu´gthe aki´-biama´ ni´kagahi thiñke´di. Goñ´, Toñde´ha, the´thiñke´
went for him, they say / having / with him / they reached home, they say / chief / at the. / And, / Son-in-law, / this one /

miñ´zhiñga thiñke´ thagthoñ´ te ha. Ti´ eda´be wi'i´ te ha, a´-biama´. Goñ´, hau,
girl / the (ob.) / you will marry / . / Lodge / also / I give to you / will / . / said he, they say. / After a while, / well, /

zhoñ´-biama´. Miñ´zhiñga zhoñ´'oñha´-biama´ nu´zhiñga aka´. Ki nu´zhiñga aka´
they lay down, they say. / Girl / lay on they say / boy / the (sub.). / And / boy / the (sub.) /

wa'u´ wawe´maxa´-biama´. Wazhiñ´ga eda´doñ shte´shte the´ i´he gthe´ shtoñ´bazhi a,
woman / questioned they say. / Bird / what / soever / this way / passing / going homeward / have you not seen it / ? /

a´-biama´. Oñ´hoñ, si´dadi hoñ´egoñche´xchi wazhiñ´ga zhi´de wiñ´ i´he agthi´, moñ´
said he, they say. / Yes, / yesterday / early in the morning / bird / red / one / passing / had come back, / arrow /

utha´s'iñ athai´ he, a´-biama´. Goñ´, Thi´adi uthe´shna te ha. Wigthoñ´ thoñ´zha waga´shoñ
sticking to it / it went / . / said she, they say. / And, / Your father / you tell him / will / . / I marry you / though / traveling /

bthe´e ha. Agthi´ ta´ miñke ha. Goñ´ atha´-biama´ nu´zhiñga aka´. Itha´di thiñke´
I go / . / I come back / will / I who / . / And / went they say / boy / the (sub.). / Her father / the (ob.) /

ui´tha-biama´. Da´diha´, waga´shoñ athai´ he. Agthi´ 'i´thai he, a´-biama´. Goñ´
told him, they say. / O father, / traveling / he went / . / To come back / he promises / . / said she, they say. / And /

atha´-biama´ nu´zhiñga. E´githe toñ´woñgthoñ he´gashtewoñ´zhi ededi´thoñ ama´. E´di
went they say / boy. / At length / village / a very great many / there it was / they say. / There /

ahi´-biama´. Ni´ashiñga du´ba u´thai ama´ thoñ wiñ´ ti´ ha, a´-biama´. Ki ni´kagahi
he arrived, they say. / Person / four / whom they told about / one / has come / . / said they, they say. / And / chief /

aka´ na'oñ´-biama´. Ni´kagahi the´aka´ shti izhoñ´ge thiñke´ 'i´i-biama´ ha. Toñ´woñ
the (sub.) / heard it, they say. / Chief / this one / too / his daughter / the one who / he gave to him, they say / . / Town /

noñ´ba a´toñdi´ shtewoñ´ e´goñ-biama´ thoñ´zha wa'u´ thoñka´ waoñ´tha-hnoñ atha´-biama´
two / at what distance / soever / it was so, they say / though / woman / the ones who / he left them regularly / he went they say. /

ha. Itoñ´ge thiñke´ ugi´ne-hnoñ´ atha´-biama´ ha. Neu´thishoñ toñga´xti
. / His younger sister / the one who / seeking his regularly / he went, they say / . / Lake / very large /

wiñ´ wazhiñ´ga zhi´de ni´ moñta´ha a´ia´tha-bite´ama. Toñ´woñ we´duba thoñ gaxa´
one / bird / red / water / beneath / he had gone, they say. / Town / the fourth / the / aside from /

atha´-bi ki e´di ahi´-biama´ nu´zhiñga ama´. Ki e´githe itoñ´ge aka´ e´thoñbe ati´-biama´.
he went, they say / when / there / he arrived, they say / boy / the (mv. sub.). / And / behold / his sister / the (sub.) / in sight / came they say. /

Ti´nuha´, the´ i´-a he, a´-biama´. Ki noñ´pe-hnoñ´-biama´ nu´zhiñga ni´
O elder brother, / this (way) / be coming / said she, they say. / And / feared it always they say / boy / water /

ke. E´di the´ ama´ ki ni´ aka´ aki´thaha´-biama´. E´githe tizhe´be e´ te ama´.
the (ob.). / There / went / they say / when / water / the (sub.) / separated they say. / Behold / door / that / it was / they say. /

Moñ´ta ahi´-bi ki e´githe waxpa´ni-shtewoñ´-ba´zhi aka´, wa'u´ egthoñ´ge ethoñ´ba.
Inside / they arrived, they say / when / behold / they were not poor at all / the (sub.), / woman / her husband / too. /

Eda´doñ t'oñ´xti aka´ma. Goñ´ itoñ´ge thiñke´ gitoñ´be ki gi´thextioñ´-biama´.
What / they had plenty of, they say. / And / his sister / the (ob.) / saw his / when / he was very glad, they say. /

Ki itoñ´ge shti gi´thextioñ´-biama´. Ita´hoñ aka´ shti gi´thextioñ´-biama´. Moñ i´'ui ke´
And / his sister / too / was very glad they say. / His sister's husband / the (sub.) / too / was very glad they say. / Arrow / he had wounded him with /

itoñ´ge aka´ uba´tihe´the aka´ma. Thipi´ ihe´tha-bike´ama. E´githe ka´shi zhiñ´ga
his sister / the (sub.) / had hung it up, they say. / Skillfully / it had been laid up, they say. / At length / some time / little /

nazhiñ´i ki izhiñ´the thoñka´ wagi´sitha´-biama´. Hau! wihe´, agthe´ koñ´btha ha.
he stood / when / his elder brother / the ones who / he remembered them, they say. / Ho! / my sister, / I go homeward / I wish / . /

Thiti´nu awa´gisi´the ha, a´-biama´. Ki nu´ thiñke´ ui´tha-biama´ wa'u´ aka´.
Your elder brother / I remember them / . / said he, they say. / And / man / the (ob.) / she told him, they say / woman / the (sub.). /

Thita´hoñ gthe´ 'i´thee he, a´-biama´. Goñ´ ita´hoñ aka´ moñde´ zhiñ´ga du´ba gia´xa-biama´,
Your wife's brother / going homeward / speaks of / . / said she, they say. / And / his sister's husband / the (sub.) / boat / small / four / made for him they say, /

zhiñga´xchi-hnoñ´i. Tahoñ´, ga´te ashniñ´ thagthe´ te ha, a´-biama´. Tahoñ´,
very small only. / Wife's brother, / that (ob.) / you will take homeward / . / said he, they say. / Wife's brother, /

eda´doñ shkoñ´shna ki, Wat'oñ´ goñ´ koñ´btha a´hoñ, eshe´-de goñ´ ni´ utha´'oñhe
what / you desire / when, / Goods / of such a kind / I desire / ! / you say when / and / water / you put it in /

te ha, a´-biama´. Goñ´ agtha´-biama´. Moñ´ i´'ui kethoñ´ shti agtha´thiñ agtha´-biama´,
will / . / said he, they say. / And / he went homeward, they say. / Arrow / wounded with / the one (in past time) / too / having his / he went homeward they say, /

moñde´ zhiñ´ga athiñ´-bi egoñ´. Agtha´-biama´ ki e´githe ti´ ha´shi ti´i
boat / small / had, they say / having. / He went homeward, they say / when / at length / lodge / last / village /

thoñ´di aki´-biama´. Goñ´ moñde´ ke wiñ´ wachi´shka wiñ´ e´di ke´iñte ni´
at the (ob.) / he reached home, they say. / And / boat / the (ob.) / one / creek / one / there / it lay, perhaps / water /

u'oñ´ha-biama´ moñde´ ke. Moñde´ ke ni´ u'oñ´ha-bi ki, eda´doñ wat'oñ´
he put it in, they say / boat / the (ob.). / Boat / the (ob.) / water / he put it in, they say / when, / what / goods /

a´zhithoñ´thoñ moñde´ ke ugi´pixtioñ´ ama´; moñde´ ke toñga´xti gaxa´-biama´.
different kinds / boat / the (ob.) / very full of / they say; / boat / the (ob.) / very large / made it they say. /

Goñ´ thishtoñ´-bi ki goñ´ki ti´i thoñ´di agtha´-biama´. Wa'u´ thiñke´di aki´-biama´.
And / he finished, they say / when / and / village / to the / he went homeward, they say. / Woman / to the / he reached home, they say. /

Goñ´ ga´-biama´: Wita´hoñ moñde´ ga´tedi abthiñ´ agthi´. Iñsh'a´ge e´giathe´ tai,
And / he said as follows, they say: / My sister's husband / boat / in that place / I had it / I have come. / Old man / let them go after it for him, /

a´-biama´. Goñ´ agi´ahi´-bi egoñ´ athiñ´ aki´-biama´. Goñ´ iti´goñ thiñke´ moñde´
said he, they say. / And / arrived there for it, they say / having / having it / they reached home, they say. / And / his wife's father / the one who / boat /

athiñ´-biama´, wat'oñ´ ugi´pixti athiñ´-biama´ iti´goñ aka´. Goñ´ hoñ´ ki zhoñ´-biama´.
had they say, / goods / very full of / had it they say / his wife's father / the (sub.). / And / night / when / they lay down they say. /

Zhoñ´-bi ki ga´-biama´ nu´ aka´: Gasa´ni thi´shi'e´ awa´gitoñ´be koñbthe´goñ
They lay down, they say / when / said as follows, they say / man / the (sub.): / To-morrow / your husband's brother / I see them my own / I wish so /

agthe´ ta´ miñke, a´-biama´. Ki wa'u´ aka´ ga´-biama´: Da´diha´, agthe´ 'i´thai he,
I go homeward / will / I who, / said he, they say. / And / woman / the (sub.) / said as follows, they say: / O father, / going homeward / he speaks of / . /

a´-biama´. Izhiñ´the wa´gitoñ´be 'i´thai e´goñ agthe´ 'i´thai he, a´-biama´. Goñ´, Nu´
said she, they say. / His elder brother / to see them his own / he speaks of / as / going homeward / he speaks of / . / said she, they say. / And, / Man /

a´thixai ki wi´nhe-shnoñ´i ha. Uthu´ha-ga, a´-biama ni´kagahi aka´. Goñ´ wa'u´
they marry / when / they always follow them / . / Follow him, / said, they say / chief / the (sub.). / And / woman /

aka´ zhu´gthe agtha´-biama´ nu´ thiñ. Ki heba´di aki´-zhoñ-bi ki nu´ eshna´xchi zhoñ´-biama´,
the (sub.) / with him / went homeward, they say / man / the (mv. ob.). / And / one the way / reaching again, they lay down, they say / when / man / alone / lay they say, /

wa'u´ aka´ shti eshna´xchi zhoñ´-biama´. Zhoñ´'oñha-ba´zhi-hnoñ´-biama´.
woman / the (sub.) / too / alone / lay they say. / He did not lie on her at all they say. /

\nt (The rest of the myth was obtained from Frank La Fle'*che.)

Ki wa'u´ aka´, Ea´toñ e´doñ, ethe´goñ-biama´ ha. E´githe izhiñ´the wagi´si
And / woman / the (sub.), / Why / is it? / thought they say / . / Behold / his elder brother / he was saving her /

aka´ma ha. E´goñ-hnoñ´-bi ki toñ´woñgthoñ we´duba thoñ´di aki´-bi ki, ni´kagahi
for him, they say / . / So regularly they say / when / village / the fourth / at the / he arrived again, they say / when, / chief /

izhoñ´ge thiñke´ gthoñ´-biama´ ha, noñ´woñzi-a´zhi ama´ goñ, xta´theshteoñ´-biama´
his daughter / the one who / he married her, they say / . / she was not jealous / they say / as, / he also loved her they say /

goñ. Wa'u´ ushte´ aka´ noñ´woñzi-hnoñ´-biama´ ha. Aki´-bi ki wa'u´ ushte´
as. / Woman / the rest / they were all jealous they say / . / He reached home, they say / when / woman / the rest /

thoñka´ izhiñ´the wagi´'i-biama´ ha, A´doñ woñ´githe miñ´gthoñ-biama´ ha. Shetoñ´ ha.
those who / his elder brother / he gave them to his, they say / . / Therefore / all / took wives they say / . / So far / . /