The defeat of the Pawnees by the Ponkas in 1855

Pa´thiñ ama´ itha´ugthe´xti we´nudoñ shoñ´shoñ. Ki the´thiñ A´gaha-moñwthiñ iñsh'a´ge
Pawnee / the (sub.) / throughout / made war on us / always. / And / this one / Over (them) he walks / old man /

itoñ´ge e´de na´gthe thizai´ Pa´thiñ ama´. Ki A´gaha-moñ´thiñ aka´ goñ´ gitoñ´be
his sister / but / a captive / took her / Pawnee / the (sub.). / And / Agaha-mañthiñ / the (sub.) / (an expletive) / to see his /

shoñ´ goñ´ t'e´ 'i´tha-biama´. Hoñ´egoñche´xchi ki, thiñga´-bite´ama´. Ki-hnoñ´ goñ´
at any rate / to die / he spoke of, they say. / Early in the morning / when, / he was missing, they say. / And only / (expletive) /

a´thutoñ mazhoñ´ gthiñ´ Pa´thiñ ama´. Goñ´ ga´ke a´tia´thai te shoñ´shoñ. Utoñ´nadi-hnoñ
in a straight line with / land / sat / Pawnee / the (sub.). / And / that / he passed on / always. / In a lone place regularly /

zhoñ´i te. E´githe hoñ´egoñche´xchi e´di ahi´-biama´. Uthoñ´-biama´ Pa´thiñ
he slept. / At length / early in the morning / there / he arrived, they say. / Took hold of him, they say / Pawnee /

ama´. Ea´toñ moñhniñ´, a´-biama´. Goñ´, Miñ´zhiñga ua´kizhi e´de na´gthe hni´zai;
the (sub.). / Why / you walk, / said they, they say. / And, / Girl / I am nearly related to / but / a captive / you took her; /

ki a´gudi t'e´thathai´ e´iñte e´di t'e´oñtha´the koñ´btha. E´di shi´nudoñ oñ´thate tai´ e´goñ
and / in what place / you killed her / it may be / there / you kill me / I wish. / There / dog / to eat me / in order that /

moñbthiñ´, a´-biama´. Thaxu´bewatha´-biama´ Pa´thiñ ama´. I´ a´bit'a´-biama´. Wuhu+!
I walk, / said he, they say. / Spoke in wonder they say / Pawnee / the (sub.). / Mouth / they pressed on, they say. / Really! /

t'e´ noñ´pazhi, a´-biama´. Pa´thiñ ama´ uthe´wiñkitha´-biama´, bthu´gaxti. Uthu´shiata
to die / he fears not, / said they, they say. / Pawnee / the (sub.) / assembled they say, / all. / In the center /

gthiñ´-biama´. Pi´ i´maxai´ te. Ea´toñ moñhniñ´, a´-biama´. Thu´toñxti ugtha´-ga,
he sat they say. / Anew / they asked him. / Why / you walk, / said they, they say. / Very straight / tell your (story), /

a´-biama´. Na! Miñ´zhiñga ua´kizhi e´de na´gthe hni´zai; the´thu iñ´thahniñ shki´. Ki
said they, they say. / Why! / Girl / I am nearly related to / but / a captive / you took her; / here / you had her for me / you were coming home. / And /

a´wathoñ´di t'e´thathai´ te´di t'e´oñthathai koñ´btha. E´di shi´nudoñ oñ´thate tai´ e´goñ
where / you killed her / at the / you kill me / I wish. / There / dog / to eat me / in order that /

moñbthiñ´, a´-biama´. Goñ´, Wiñ´ke te, a´-biama´. Goñ´, Thitoñ´ge ti´ hi´deata
I walk, / said he, they say. / And, / He told the truth, / said they, they say. / And, / Your sister / lodge / down-stream /

ga´hiaka´ta athiñ´, a´-biama´. Oñthi´'i taite´, a´-biama´. Gasa´ni e´ta hne´ te,
at yonder (camp) / they have her / said they, they say. / We give her to you / shall, / said they, they say. / To-morrow / thither / you go / will, /

a´-biama´. Goñ´ e´gasa´ni ki, e´ta athai´ te. E´di ahi´-biama´ ki, ni´ashiñga ama´
said they, they say. / And / the next day / when, / thither / he went. / There / he arrived, they say / when, / people / the (sub.) /

i´tha-biama´. Uthoñ´i te. Goñ´ ti´ wiñ´ e´giha athiñ´ a´ia´thai ki, uthe´wiñtha´-biama´.
found him, they say. / They took hold of him. / And / lodge / one / headlong / they had taken him / when, / they assembled, they say. /

Goñ´ t'e´th 'i´tha-biama´. Goñ´ ti´ pahoñ´ga uoñ´si ama´di ama´ ahi´-ba´zhi ka´shi;
And / to kill him / they spoke of, they say. / And / lodge / before / he alighted in / by those / the (sub.) / they did not arrive / for a long time; /

a´doñ´ oñ´thiñ t'e´tha ba´thiñ te. I´kikina´xthiñ´-biama´, pahoñ´ga t'e´the goñ´thai e´goñ.
therefore / he came very near being put to death. / Each one hastened to anticipate the rest, they say, / the first / to kill him / he desired / as. /

E´goñxti athiñ´ aka´ma. Ki A´maha-uthi´shi aka´ she´theshtewoñ´zhi gthiñ´i te; waiiñ´
Just so / they were keeping him, they say. / And / Unwilling-to-share-his-lodge-with-one / the (sub.) / not heeding at all / sat; / robe /

kigthi´pixti gthiñ´i te. Goñ´ Pa´thiñ eta´toñ-ma wiñ´ ahi´i te. Hau! ke´, shoñgaxa´i-ga.
he pulled well around himself / he sat. / And / Pawnee / those from (the other camp) / one / he arrived. / Ho! / come, / cease ye. /

Watha´te thishtoñ´, ni´ shti thatoñ´ thishtoñ´, nini´ shti iñ´ thishtoñ´, ai´ te.
Eating / he finished, / water / too / drinking / he finished, / tobacco / too / using / he finished, / he said. /

Goñ´ gi´'i 'i´tha-biama´. Thitoñ´ge atha´gthahniñ´ thagthe´ tate´, a´-biama´. Goñ´
And / to give his back / they promised, they say. / Your sister / you have yours / you go homeward / shall, / said they, they say. / And /

oñ´ba du´ba gi´thadai´ te gthe´ tate´. Goñ´ she´noñ tedi´hi ki goñ´ agthai´ te. Pa´thiñ
day / four / they pronounced to him / when / he go homeward / shall. / And / enough times / arrived there / when / so / he went homeward. / Pawnee /

noñ´ba eda´be zhu´wagtha´-biama´. Goñ´ a´gia´gthai te. Oñ´ba gthe´ba tha´bthiñ zhoñ´-xti-e´goñ
two / also / went with them, they say. / And / they passed (the other camp) on their way home. / Day / ten / three / sleep-about /

aki´i te. Goñ´ Pa´thiñ-ma zhu´wagthe aki´i te, hiñbe´, utoñ´ ge, waiiñ´,
they reached home. / And / the Pawnees / with them / reached home / when, / moccasin, / leggings / the (ob.), / robe, /

shoñ´ge shti e´kina wa'i´i te, shi gthe´wakithai´ te. Ki goñ´ edi´toñ goñ´ i´kit'athai´ te.
horse / too / equally / they gave to them, / again / they sent them home. / And / then / from that time / (expletive) / they hated one another. /

Goñ´ A´gaha-moñ´thiñ she´nuzhiñgai tedi´ te. Goñ´ waha´ba thise´ thishtoñ´i te edi´.
And / Agaha-mañthiñ / he was a young man / it was when. / And / ears of corn / to pull off / they finished / it was then. /

Xe´ thishtoñ´i te, gaxthoñ´ athai´ te. Goñ´ te´ wa´nase-hnoñ´i Ni´ubtha´tha ke´di.
To bury / they finished / when, / migrating / they went. / And / buffalo / they surrounded them regularly / Niobrara / at the. /

E´githe pa´zexchi ni´ashiñga ju´ba sigtha´-bike´ama, he´gazhi. E´githe ti´ ama´
At length / late in the evening / person / some / they left a trail in a long line / a great many. / Behold / the tents /

saki´boñwoñthai´ te. Mashchiñ´ge aka´ Pa´thiñ thoñka´ we´thai te. Miñ´ thoñ hi´dexchi
we had them side by side. / Rabbit / the (sub.) / Pawnee / the (pl. ob.) / found them. / Sun / the / at the very bottom /

te´di, e´githe, Mashchiñ´ge ti´ ama´ta i´kimoñ´thiñ athai´ e´de agi´ ama´ma, ai´ te.
when, / behold, / Rabbit / tent / to the / as a visitor / he went / but / he is coming back, they say, / said they. /

Wuñh! wuñh! ai´ te. Ni´kashiñga ama´ za'ai´ e´goñ shoñ´ge ama´ oñha´-biama´.
Wuñh! / wuñh! / he said. / People / the (sub.) / making an uproar / as / horse / the (sub.) / fled they say. /

Poñ´ka ama´ ni´kathi´xe athai´ te. Mashchiñ´ge edui´hai te. Pa´thiñ thoñka´ gthiñ´i
Ponka / the / to chase the foe / went. / Rabbit / joined in it. / Pawnee / the (pl.) / sat /

thoñ´di ahi´i te. Goñ´ e´gax ithoñ´wathai´ goñ´ edi´xti ahi´ ki, e´githe thiñgai´ te.
at the / they arrived. / And / around it / they placed them / so / just there / they arrived / when, / behold, / there were none. /

Ni´ashiñga i´kina´xthai te. Umoñ´'e 'iñ, hiñbe´, utoñ´, shoñ´ge we´koñtoñ athiñ´i
People / had hid themselves. / Provisions / carried, / moccasin, / leggings, / horse / lariat / they had /

ge´ shtewoñ´, thishnoñ´i e´goñ oñ´thai te he´gazhi oñthi´zai te. Goñ´ Waiiñ´-xu´de ama´
the (pl. ob.) / soever, / they dropped / as / they abandoned / as / a great many / we took. / And / Robe-gray / the (sub.) /

eshoñ´ ti´i. Goñ´ ni´kashiñga ama´ pahe´ bthu´ga unai´ sigthe´ shtewoñ´ we´tha-ba´zhi.
near / camped. / And / people / the / hill / all / hunted / trail / in the least / they found not. /

Goñ´ oñ´gu oñ´gathiñdi´toñ ni´ashiñga noñ´ba e´di u´wagitha´ ahi´i te, wizhiñ´the e´ti
And / we / we who moved from / man / two / there / to tell them / they arrived, / my elder brother / his tent /

te´ta. Ni´ashiñga ju´ba ga´thoñdi we´tha-biama´ e´goñ, we´naxi´tha ati´-bi e´de sigthe´
at the. / People / some / in that (place) / they found them, they say / as, / to attack them / they came, they say / but / trail /

shtewoñ´ thiñgai´; umoñ´'e bthu´gaxti wa´sha-biama´. A´doñ atoñ´ moñshniñ´ te she´toñ
in the least / there was none; / provisions / all / they snatched from them, they say. / Therefore / when / you walk / the / to that time /

shoñ´ge she´-ma wa´thakihi´de te, ai´ a´tha, u+! Hoñ´ ge´ shtewoñ´ wa´thakihi´de te,
horse / those / you watch them / will, / he says / indeed, / halloo! / Night / the (pl.) / soever / you watch them / will, /

ai´ a´tha, u+! a´-biama´. Goñ´ e´ u´wagitha ahi´-biama´ ai´ ana´'oñ. Goñ´ oñwoñ´nase-hnoñ
he says / indeed, / halloo! / said they, they say. / And / that / to tell them / they arrived, they say / they said / I heard. / And / we surrounded the herds regularly /

shoñ´shoñ. E´githe Shaoñ´ ju´ba ati´ ama´. Ki e´di oñga´hii. Ki
always. / At length / Dakota / some / came / the (sub.). / And / there / we arrived. / And /

Poñ´ka ama´ wana´she wa´xai. Wana´she ama´ ni´kagahi eda´be uki´kiai te.
Ponka / the (sub.) / police / made them. / Police / the (sub.) / chief / also / they talked together. /

Hau! shoñ´ ha, ai´. Goñ´ te´-ma ie´naxi´thai. Mu´wahe´ga-ba´zhi. Goñ´ Shaoñ´ ama´
Ho! / enough / . / they said. / And / the buffaloes / they attacked. / They shot down a great many. / And / Dakota / the (sub.) /

eda´be wana´se. Wa'iñ´ aki´i e´goñ, shkoñ´zhi gthiñ´ te´di, e´githe, Sha-i´ shoñga´gthiñ
also / surrounded the herd. / Carrying them / reached home / having, / motionless / they sat / when, / behold, / Yonder he comes / riding a horse /

wiñ´ hau, ai´. E´githe i´bahoñ-hnoñ´i. Utha´'i-bi e´ aka´ hau, ai´. Ati´ ha.
one / ! / they said. / At length / they all knew him. / Pours much water from his mouth into (something) / he / it is / ! / they said. / He came / . /

Goñ´ Waiiñ´-xu´de amata´toñ. The´xe-gaku´ aka´ e´di ahi´; e´kithe ake´. Oñwoñ´nasai,
And / Waliñ´-qu´de / from them. / Drum / the (sub.) / there / arrived; / the two were related. / We surrounded them, /

ai´ Utha´'i-bi aka´. Te-nu´ga gthe´ba-noñ´ba ki e´di noñ´ba woñ´ganasai,
said / Utha´'i-bi / the (sub.). / Buffalo bull / ten two / and / there / two / we surrounded them, /

e´de she´naoñwoñ´thextioñ´i, ai´. E´de pe´thoñbaxti-e´goñ te-nu´ga ama´ t'e´awathai´,
but / we utterly destroyed them, / he said. / But / about seven / buffalo bull / the (pl. sub.) / they killed us, /

ai´. Ki Hu´-bthoñ ama´, Ebe´-hnoñ iñte´, ethe´goñ e´goñ, wakoñ´dithe´goñ wana´'oñ
he said. / And / Fish-smeller / the (sub.), / Who only / it may be, / they thought / as, / impatiently / they hear it /

taite´. Na´zoñdazhi t'e´thai, ai´. Noñ´ge-ti´the t'e´thai, ai´. Noñba´-moñthiñ´ t'e´thai, ai´
shall. / Seeks-no-refuge / is killed, / he said. / To-run-he-starts / is killed, / he said. / Two-walking / is killed, / he said. /

Mu´xa-na´zhiñ t'e´thai, ai´. Sha´nuga´hi t'e´thai, ai´. Noñ´ba ushtai´ thoñ´zha izha´zhe awa´sitha-ma´zhi
Stuck in obliquely he stands / is killed, / he said. / Big-head / is killed, / he said. / Two / remained / though / his name / I remember them I not /

ha. Gai´: Pa´thiñ gthe´ba-noñ´ba ki e´di noñ´ba wea´naxi´thai e´de
. / He said as follows: / Pawnee / tens two / and / there / two / they attacked us / but /

she´nawathextioñ´i, ai´. Goñ´ niñ´ta oñwoñ´doñbai, zani´ giniñ´, wiñ´eshte t'a´-ba´zhi.
they were utterly destroyed, / he said. / And / alive / we saw them, / all / recovered, / even one / he died not. /

Pa´thiñ ama´ he´gazhi ame´goñ we´ahidexti wa´thiñ ahi´i, she´nawatha´-biama´. Noñba´thoñthoñ´
Pawnee / the (sub.) / a great many / they were, as / to a very great distance / they went after them, / they exterminated them, they say. / By twos /

shti t'e´wathai´ te, u´kia´watoñtoñ´ wiñ´a´xchi-thoñthoñ´ wa´xthi wa´thiñ athai´ te.
too / they killed them, / one after another / by ones / killing them / they went after them. /

Goñ´ woñ´gakizhi. Waiiñ´-xu´de-ma wachi´gaxe-hnoñ shoñ´shoñ. Wizhiñ´the aka´
And / we came together again. / Waiiñ´-qu´de the (pl.) / they danced regularly / without stopping. / My elder brother / the (sub.) /

pahoñ´ga wiñ´ t'e´the aka´. Goñ´ wa'oñ´ uhe´thai te:
the first / one / the one who killed. / And / song / they carried it around: /

Hi-ai´-o-hi+ Hi-ai´-o-hi+, Hi-ai´-o-hi+, Hi-ai´-o-hi+. U-bi´-ska
No English

shte he+ Pa-hoñ´-ga-xchi ke+, Shu´-gthe-tha´-zhi a-he+, Goñ´-ki noñ-wa-pe+,
The very first, / He did not send him home to you / And / they fear us, /

She´-na-wa´-the a-he+. Shu´de-ga´xe izhiñ´ge e´di gi´'iñ ahi´-bi egoñ´, Pa´thiñ
They were exterminated. / Cu´de-ga´xe / his son / there / carrying him / she arrived, they say / having, / Pawnee /

wiñ´ t'e´thai ke gaha´ a´toñkithai´ te. Shi wiñ´ gaha´ a´toñkithai´ te. Noñ´ba
one / he was killed / the (ob.) / upon / he caused him to tread on. / Again / one / upon / he caused him to tread on. / Two /

a´toñkithai´ te. Goñ´ Noñba´-watoñ´ izha´zhe athiñ´kithai´ te.
he caused him to tread on. / And / Two-he-trod-on-them / his name / he caused him to have it. /