[bintcbil uut'aa' = Red-shafted Flicker's feather] Coyotes Set Fires for Grasshoppers
Cahto Language

from Bill Ray (via Goddard 1909)


California Athabaskan Languages & Cultures homepage Index of Stories Goddard's translation

Cahto 1English Translation 2

---- Diidee' lhaang naahneesh teesyaa yaa'nii. ---- Many people went north, they say.
-------d"Ü.deE---;an)---na.nec---tes.ya---yaE.n"Ü
North / many / people / came / they say.
Seenchaagh lhee'kiisee-teeliit. They were going to trade at Blue Rock. 3
sen.tcaG---;eE.k"Ü.se.te#.lit
Rock large / they were going to trade.
K'aa', uulee' lheetc'oonkeet yaa'nii. They traded arrows and baskets, they say.
k'aE---u#.leE---;e.tc'o#n).ket---yaE.n"Ü
Arrows, / baskets / they traded / they say.
Beelh lheetc'oonkeeh yaa'nii. They traded ropes, they say.
be;---;e.tc'o#n).ke---yaE.n"Ü
Rope / they traded / they say.
t'ee' lheetc'oonkeeh yaa'nii. They traded blankets, they say.
t'eE---;e.tc'o#n).ke---yaE.n"Ü
Blankets / they traded / they say.
Tc'nindaash. They danced.
tc'.nu^n.dac
They danced.
Tl'ee' neesding, djiinchow yaa'nindaash yaa'nii. They danced all night until it was fully day, they say.
;eE---nes.du^n)---dj"Ün.tco#---yaE.nu^n.dac---yaE.n"Ü
Night / long, / fully day / they danced / they say.
Iidaakw tc'nindaash yaa'nii. The Wailaki danced, they say.
.dakw---tc'.nu^n.dac---yaE.n"Ü
Wailaki / danced / they say.
Tc'yankii yoo' bilh, k'aa' s'ilhtiing' milh, lhaa'haa' yiilhkai, lhaa' djiing tc'nindaash yaa'nii. They danced for a night and a day, the women with beads. (the men) with arrows and bows, they say.
tc'.ya7n).k"Ü---yo#E---bu^;---k'aE---s'u^;.t"Ün)E---mu^;---;aE.haE---y"Ü;.kai---;aE---djin)---tc'.nu^n.dac---yaE.n"Ü
Women / beads / with, / arrows / bows / with, / one / morning / one / day / they danced / they say.
Nakaa' naahneesh ch'eelee yaa'nii. Two people sang, they say.
na7k.kaE---na.nec---tc'el.le#---yaE.n"Ü
Two / people / sang / they say.
Lhaang nindaash yaa'nii, uusii' bii'tc'ee'aang bilh. Many were dancing with a severed head, they say.
;an)---nu^n.dac---yaE.n"Ü---o#.s"ÜE---b"ÜE.tce.Ean)---bu^;
Many / danced, / they say, / head / taken off / with.
---- "Kaa', kwanlhang. ---- "Well, that is enough.
-------kaE---kwu^n.;a7n)
---- "Well, / enough.
Doo-yeehee'. I am tired.
do#.ye.heE
I am tired.
Beelhkee'. It is finished.
be;.keE
It is finished.
Naidityaalh." We will go back."
nai.du^t.ya;
We will go back."
"Heeuu', chooyii-haa' nditdaash. "Yes, we will dance again.
---------------he.u#E---tco#.y"Ü.haE---n.du^t.dac
"Yes, / again / we will dance.
K'at-dee' ch'naadeeltcaang. We will eat soon.
k'a7t.deE---tc'.na.del.tcan)
Soon / we eat.
K'at-dee' naadityaa-jaa'." Let's go home soon."
k'a7t.deE---na.du^t.t.ya.djaE
Soon / let us go home."
"Naahkee lheenee'haa' naadityaash-teelhbang. "Everybody bathe so we may go back.
---------------nac.ke#---;e.neE.haE---na.du^t.t.yac.tel.bu^n)
"Swim / all, / we may go back.
Kowinsil-ee. It is warm.
ko#.wu^n.su^l.le
It is warm.
Tc'yankii nohsii' tc'eenaalhdilh. Women, comb your hair.
ts'.ya7n).k"Ü---no#c.s"ÜE---tc'e.na;.du^;
Women / your heads / comb.
Uuyaashtc kowintin-dee' noowolhkalh-bang. When it is a little cool you must go back.
o#.yacts---ko#.wu^n.tu^n.deE---no#.wo#;.ka7;.bu^n)
Little / it is cold when / you must go back.
Hainak' tsisnaa' uunaawohyooh-bang. Here in the south you must smoke yellowjackets.
hai.nu^k'---tsu^s.naE---o#.na.wo#c.yo#.bu^n)
Here south / yellowjackets / you must smoke.
Slis lhaang uudjii'olhtik-bang. You must kill many ground-squirrels.
slu^s---;an)---o#.dj"Ü.o#;.tu^k.bu^n)
Ground-squirrels / many / you must kill.
Ninkaading iintc'ee' naaighiighaalh-bang. The men must kill deer.
nu^n).ka.du^n)---in.tceE---nai.g"Ü.ga;.bu^n)
Men / deer / must kill.
Nohwaakaa shoonk' teesooh'iin-it. Look around yourselves well!
no#c.wa.ka---co#n)k'---te.so#c..nu^t
About yourselves / well / you look.
Lh'ghish lhaan-ee. There are many rattlesnakes.
;E.gu^c---;a.ne
Rattlesnakes / are many.
Doohaa' ts'ii'-bii' teeghaatc (?). Don't wander in the brush!
do#.haE---ts'"ÜE.b"ÜE---te.gatc
Not / brush in / wander.
Doohaa'-yiiheeyaash-bang. You must not go in it.
do#.haE.y"Ü.he.yac.bu^n)
You must not go in.
Noonii ntcee'-ee. The grizzlies are bad.
no#.n"Ü---n.tceE.e
Grizzlies / are bad.
Doohaa'-lhohtcaash-bang lhghaadintc. To not shoot each other keep separated from each other!
do#.haE.;o#c.tcac.bu^n)---;.ga.du^ntc
You must not shoot each other. / Keep separated.
Iintc'ee' oonoohlaah-bang. You must shoot deer.
in.tceE---o#.no#c.;a.bu^n)
Deer / you must shoot.
Saahdin-kw'aa tc'yankii shaanii naaghaadaalh-bang noohwaakw. Only the women must walk back alone, away from us.
sac.du^n).k'wa---ts'.ya7n).k"Ü---ca.n"Ü---na.gat.da;.bu^n)---no#.wakw
Alone / women / only / must walk back / away from us.
Wan bilh naaholhtkat. Some (men) will go back with you.
wu^n---bu^;---na.ho#;.t.ku^t
Some / with / you go back.
Nee' nshoon-taah noonaadiniish, nee'-kwonchaagh-taa'. "We will camp in good places, large (open) places.
---------------neE---n.co#n.tac---no#.na.du^n.n"Üc---neE.kwu^n.tcac.taE
Place / good / we camp, / place large.
Lhan-teelee naahneesh. There will be many people.
;a7n.te#.le---na.nec
Will be many / people.
Too-nshoon-ding naanohsat, naahneesh, noonk'tcin lhan-taah-haa' naahneesh yaan-mang." Camp at a place with good water, at places with lots of tarweed that people may eat."
to#.n.co#n.du^n)---na.no#c.sa7t---na.nec---no#n.k'.tcin---;a7n.tac.haE---na.nec---ya.mu^n)
Water good place / camp. / People / tarweed / much places / people / must eat."
K'ai' naakwolhyee (h?), tc'yankii-yii. "Gather hazelnuts, women!
---------------k'aiE---na.kwo#;.ye---ts'.ya7n).k"Ü.y"Ü
Hazelnuts / gather, / women.
Ninkaading-yii iintc'ee' kaintee-bang. Men must look for deer.
nu^n.ka.du^n).y"Ü---in.tceE---kai.n.te.bu^n)
Men / deer / must look for.
Wang ch'tolhdee'-jaa'. Let some of you cook.
wu^n)---tc't.to#;.de#E.djaE
Some / cook.
Tc'aang lhaan-mangjaa'. Let there be lots of food.
tc'an)---;a.mu^n).djaE
Food / let be much.
Ghilhgheel'-bilh naadityaa-kwosh. We will probably get back when it's evening.
gu^;.gel'.bu^;---nan.du^t.ya.kwu^c
When it's evening / we will probably come back.
Tc'yaankii djiingchow naanoolhkat-bang. Women, you must come when it is still fully daylight.
ts'.yan).k"Ü---dj"Ün).tco#---na.no#;.ka7b.bu^n)
Women / yet day / you must come back.
Tc'aang taahtcat-bang, lhaang lhtaahkiits." You must cook many kinds of food."
tc'an)---tac.tca7b.bu^n)---;an)---;.tac.k"Üts
Food / you must cook, / many / kinds."
---- Naasaang haidaa'ang. ---- They moved from the north.
-------na.san)---hai.daE.u^n)
---- They moved / this way.
Naanaanyiing Seenchaahkwot. They crossed Blue Rock Creek.
na.nan.y"Ün)---sen.tcac.kwu^t
They crossed / rock-large creek.
Naananyiing Yiishtcs'ilhtiinkwot. They crossed Streeter Creek???.
na.na7n.y"Ün)---y"Üctc.s'u^;.tin).kwu^t
They crossed / Ten mile creek..
"Daanshoo' naislhit Sais'antcbii'?" "Someone has burned over Sais'antcbii'?"
---------------dan.co#E---nais.;u^t---sai.sa7ntc.b"ÜE
"Who / has burned over / lower pasture?"
"Eehee, kaa', oodigee'," yaa'n yaa'nii. "That is so! Well, we will look," they said, they say.
---------------e#.he---kaE---o#.du^g.geE---yaEn---yaE.n"Ü
"That is so, / well, / we will look," / they said, / they say.
"Heeuu', tidityaa." "Yes, we will go."
---------------he.u#E---tu^t.du^t.ya
"Yes, / we will go."
Kwong' nchaagh ghilit yaa'nii, tl'oh. A large fire was burning, they say, in the grass.
---------------kwo#n)E---n.tcaG---gu^l.lu^t---yaE.n"Ü---;o#c
Fire / large / was burning, / they say, / grass.
Doo-daanshoo' yaa'lhsis yaa'nii. They saw nobody,, they say.
do#.dan.co#E---yaE;.su^s---yaE.n"Ü
Nobody / they saw, / they say.
"Naadilyiish-jaa'. "Let us rest.
---------------na.du^l.y"Üc.djaE
"We will rest.
Daanshoo'-kwosh. It is someone, I guess.
dan.co#E.kwu^c
Somebody I guess.
Kaaheesdii'iing'. We will look.
ka.hes.d"Ü."Ün)E
We will look.
Yoo'oong lhaa'haa' daanshoo' tc'gaal-'angii. Someone is walking way over there.
yo#.o#n)---;aE.haE---dan.co#E---tc'.qal.u^n).g"Ü
Over there / one / somebody / is walking.
K'aa' tc'ghileel-'angii. He is carrying arrows.
k'aE---tc'.gu^l.lel.u^n).g"Ü
Arrow / he is carrying.
Daanshaang-yii? Who can it be?
dan.can).y"Ü
Who can it be?
Kaa' kwtsintiidilh." Ok, let's run away."
kaE---kw.tsu^n.t"Ü.du^;
Come, / we will run off."
"Dooyee, Ch'siitcin kwolish-ee. "No, it seems like a coyote.
---------------do#.ye---tc'.s"Ü.tcu^n---kwu^l.lu^c.ce
"No, / Coyote / it looks like.
Aadiits tc'taang-'angii. He's eating grasshoppers.
a.d"Üts---tc'.tan).u^n).g"Ü
Grasshoppers / he eats.
Doo hang kwolish-'angii. It doesn't seem like him (a person).
do#---hu^n)---kwu^l.lu^c.u^n).g"Ü
Not / him / it looks like.
Doo-'angii. It is not.
do#.u^n).g"Ü
It is not.
Ch'siitcin kwolish-'angii. It seems like a coyote.
tc'.s"Ü.tcu^n---kwu^l.lu^c.u^n).g"Ü
Coyote / it looks like.
Kaa' kwtc'ing' kinishyiish-jaa'," tc'in yaa'nii. "Well, I will talk to him," he said, they say.
---------------kaE---kw.ts'u^n)E---ku^n.nu^c.y"Üc.djaE---tc'in---yaE.n"Ü
Well, / to him / I will talk," / he said, / they say.
"Heeuu', kwtc'ing' kwiininyiish. "Yes, you will talk to him.
---------------he.u#E---kw.tc'u^n)E---kw"Ü.nu^n.y"Üc
"Yes, / to him / you will talk.
Kwnidil'iing'. We will look at him."
kw.nu^t.du^l."Ün)E
We will look at him.
Daanjii naasolhit-kwang?" "Why have you burned the ground?"
---------------dan.dj"Ü---na.so#;.;u^k.kwa7n)
Who / you have burned?"
Doo-tc'keeneesh-'angii. "He doesn't speak.
---------------do#.tc'.ke.ne#c.u^n).g"Ü
"He doesn't speak.
Doo naahneesh 'angii. He is not a person.
do#---na.nec---u^n).g"Ü
Not / person / it is.
Hai naatc'siin-'angii. He's standing there.
hai---na.tc'.sin.u^n).g"Ü
There / he stands.
Tc'teelh'its-'angii. They run away."
tc'.te;.Eu^ts.u^n).g"Ü
They run off."
Laa'saanii kwang yaa'nii. There were five, they say.
---------------laE.sa.n"Ü---kwa7n)---yaE.n"Ü
Five / were / they say.
Ch'siitcin aadiits ch'teebiil' yaa'nii, teelee'-bii'. Coyotes were picking grasshoppers, they say, in sacks.
tc'.s"Ü.tcu^n---a.d"Üts---k'.te.b"Ül'---yaE.n"Ü---te.leE.b"ÜE
Coyote / grasshoppers / picked, / they say, / sack in.
Tsinteelhdeel' yaa'nii. They ran away, they say.
tsu^n.te;.del'---yaE.n"Ü
They ran off / they say.
Haayii tits nghindoo' yaa'nii. Their canes disappeared, they say.
ha.y"Ü---tu^ts---n.gu^n.do#E---yaE.n"Ü
Their / canes / were not / they say.
Ch'siitcing shaang kishteesnai yaa'nii, laa'saanii. Just coyotes ran away, they say, five of them.
tc'.s"Ü.tcu^n)---can)---ku^c.tes.nai---yaE.n"Ü---laE.sa.n"Ü
Coyotes / only / ran off, / they say, / five.
---- Kwaanlhang. ---- That is all.
-------kwan.;a7n)
---- All.


1. Click on highlighted words to search for them in the Dictionary/Lexical database. The top line is in the practical orthography. The middle line is in Goddard's transcription except that "underhook"/"Polish hook" is represented by "subscript left half-ring" ("underhook" is not present in the SIL IPA fonts). The bottom line is Goddard's word-by-word translation, with [occasional additions or emendations by me in square brackets].
2. Line-by-line translation by me, largely informed by Goddard's translation, but attempting to translate every sentence, and to do so more literally (within the limits of English readability).
3. gfn 240: "Such meetings for barter and social intercourse are said to have been customary between adjoining tribes in times of peace. The functions of a chief are well illustrated."

Goddard's Translation

Many people went north by Blue rock to trade.^240 They traded basket-hats, rope, and blankets. They danced all night long until it was fully day. The Wailaki danced. The women danced with beads. The men danced with arrows. They danced one night and one day. Two people sang in front of the line so many were dancing. They danced with a head they had taken.
"Well, it is enough. I am tired. I have finished. We will go back."
"Yes, we will dance again. Soon we will have a meal and then we will go home."
"All of you bathe so we may go home. It is warm. You women comb your hair. When it is a little cooler you must go back. South from here you must smoke yellow-jackets. You must kill many ground-squirrels. You men must kill deer. You must keep away from us. Keep good watch of yourselves. There are many rattlesnakes. Do not wander through the brush. The grizzlies are bad. Keep away so you will not be shot when they shoot deer. The women must walk by themselves away from us. Some of the men will go back with you. "
"We will camp in a good flat place. There will be many people. Camp where there is good water and tarweeds that the people may eat."
"You women gather hazelnuts. You men hunt for deer. Some of you cook. Let there be plenty of food. We will be back when it gets dark. You women must come back while it is still fully light. You must cook many kinds of food."
They moved down this way from the north. They crossed Blue rock creek. They crossed Ten-mile creek.
"Who has burned over Saisuntcbii?"
"That is so, we will look."
"Yes, we will go over there."
A large fire was burning there in the grass. They saw no one.
"We will rest. I suppose it is some one. We will look. Somebody is walking along over there. He is carrying arrows in his hand. It is a stranger. Come, we will run away."
"No. It looks like coyote. He is eating grasshoppers. It does not look like (a person). It is not. It looks like coyote."
"Well, speak to him," he said.
"Yes, I will talk to him. We will look at him."
"Why have you burned the ground?"
"He does not speak. It is not a person. There he stands. They are running off. "
They found there were five of them. Coyotes were picking grasshoppers in sacks. They ran off. Their canes vanished. Just coyotes the five of them went away.
That is all.


8/30/99
Sally Anderson using perl version 5.030000