The coyote and the snake -- an Omaha myth

Mi´kasi ama´ toñ´de a´thita´xti atha´-biama´. Da´doñ une´goñ moñthiñ´-bi
Coyote / the (mv. sub.) / ground / crossing by the nearest way / went, they say. / Something as he sought it / walked, they say, /

ki, saba´zhixti ni´kashiñga wiñ´, "Noñshtoñ´ga ha´," a´-biama´. "Wiñoñ´wa
when / very suddenly / person / one / O stop walking / ! / said, they say. / Which one /

ete´doñ," ethe´-goñ-bi egoñ´, uthi´xida´-bi ki, i´tha-bazhi´-biama´. Shi eta´ha atha-biama´.
can it be? / he thought, they say / as (+having) / he looked around, they say / when, / he did not find him, they say. / Again / further / went, they say. /

Ki "Oñthoñ´betoñ´-ga ha´," a´-biama´. Ki Mi´kasi aka´ i´tha-biama´
And / Pass to one side of me / ! / said, they say. / And / Coyote / the (sub.) / found him, they say. /

We´s'a. "Shi+shte! the´ moñbthiñ´ thoñ´zha, ebe´-shtewoñ i´petoñ koñ´btha-ma´zhi. Thi´
Snake. / Fie! / this / I walk / though, / who at all / I pass to one side of him / I wish I not. / You /

gaxe´ titha´-ga! Uhe´ ke iñ´thikoñ´-ga!" "The´ moñbthiñ´ thoñ´zha, e´be wiñ´
to one side / pass! / Path / the (lg. ob.) / give me room! / This / I walk / though / who / one /

e´bthikoñ te´ a´hoñ, ebthe´goñ-shtewoñ´-ma´zhi ha," a´-biama´ We´s'a aka´. "E´goñ
I give him room / will / ! (in soliloquy) / I think at all I not / . / said, they say / Snake / the (sub.). / So /

ki´shte a´winoñ´ge ta´ miñke ha," a´-biama´ Mi´kasi aka´. "E´goñ ki´zhi, that'e´
even if / I run on you / I / who will / . / said, they say / Coyote / the (sub.). / So / if / you die /

tate´," a´-biama´ We´s'a aka´. "A´xtoñ at'e´ ta´doñ. U´t'e oñthiñ´ge," a´-biama´
shall surely / said, they say / Snake / the (sub.) / How possible / I die / shall? / Cause of death / me -- none / said, they say /

Mi´kasi aka´. "Ke´, oñ´gazha´da-ga! Zha´thiñoñki´tha-ga," a´-biama´ We´s'a aka´.
Coyote / the (sub.). / Come / step over me! / Do it in spite of me! / said, they say / Snake / the (sub.). /

Ki Mi´kasi aka´ a´gazha´da-biama´. Ki We´s'a aka´ thaxta´-biama. Ki Mi´kasi
And / Coyote / the (sub.) / stepped over him, they say. / And / Snake / the (sub.) / bit him, they say. / And / Coyote /

aka´ nie´-shtewoñ-ba´zhi-biama´. "A´wate´e a. A´wigazha´de ki at'e´ tate´, eshe´
the (sub.) / pained at all not, they say. / Where is it / ? / I stepped over you / if / I die / shall / you said /

thoñ´shti. A´wate at'e´," a´-biama´ Mi´kasi aka´. Goñ´ i´thoñboñ´ i´a-bazhi´-bi egoñ´,
heretofore. / Where is it / I die / said, they say. / Coyote / the (sub.). / And / a second time / he spoke not, they say, / as (+having) /

atha´-biama´ Mi´kasi ama´, toñ´de a´thita´xti. Goñte´-goñ ki, wachi´shka wiñ´ ahi´-biama´.
went, they say / Coyote / the (mv. sub.) / ground / across by the nearest way. / After sometime / when / stream / one / he reached, they say. /

Ki nitha´toñ ta´-bi egoñ´, ni´ ke doñ´ba-bi ki, niu´watheki´e kitoñ´ba-biama´.
And / to take a drink / was about, they say, / as (+having), / water / the (lg. ob.) / he looked at they say / when / reflection in the water / he saw himself, they say. /

Ki shiñ´xti kitoñ´ba-biama´. "Xa-e´! e´gimoñ-ma´zhi-noñ-moñ´ thoñ´shti.
And / very fat / he saw himself, they say. / Whew! / I never was so / heretofore. /

Oñshiñ´ itha´nahiñ´ a" a´-bi egoñ´, kigthi´t'oñ-shteoñ-noñ-biama´. Ki thatoñ´-bi egoñ´,
Me fat / I truly / ! / said, they say / as, / he felt himself all over even (?) often, they say. / And / he drank, they say, / as (+having) /

shoñ´ atha´-biama´. Goñ´te kizhi, "Azhoñ´toñthoñ´thiñge itha´nahiñ a´hoñ," a´-bi
still / he want, they say. / A while / when / I am sleepy / I truly / ! (in soliloquy) / he said they say /

egoñ´, xa´de bazoñ´ zhoñ´-biama´. Ki shoñ´shoñ t'e´ ama´, i´baxti. Ki shetoñ´ ha.
as (+having) / grass / pushing in among / he lay, they say. / And / always / he died, they say, / much swollen. / And / so far / . /