Sitting Coyote
Tewaa...
Hattepaa 'ehin... Wenak tewaa... Peyapaches! |
There was
A coyote. He was sitting. That's all! |
Note: This was apparently Ted Couro's response when linguist Margaret Langdon first asked him to tell a story.
Going to Mesa Grande
Metenyaally, maaykally,
'enaamh Tekemakem. 'Enaak 'iipay 'ewuph. Tenayem 'enekewaykh. Pily nyuk hunn, 'enaamh 'epehemachh, maaykally 'epemaannh. 'Ekurem 'enaahs Tekemakem 'enaavek. Metenyaally kupilly 'equll apesiiwhs. 'Enaak 'enekewaykh 'enyaam. |
Tomorrow, in the morning,
we will go to Mesa Grande. We will go and see people. In the evening we'll come back. Now it is already dark, we'll go and sleep, and in the morning we'll get up. We will go far if we go to Mesa Grande. Tomorrow the day will be very long. We will go and come back early. |
Lost Horses
" 'Uuch mema'wiich temam?"
"Umaaw, 'enyehatt 'ehemay ta'ams. Maach mewuuwh umaawa?" "Heyally puy kuttapvi tenams." "Pily nyewayh umaaw. Maayem naam kinemi." "Nekewayk nyewaam naamkuhs." "Nyaapum 'epuwk 'aamhs." |
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing, I'm just looking for my horses. You haven't seen them?" "They were just around there by the creek." "They're not there now. I wonder where they went." "They must have gone back home." "Then I'll go back." |
The Chief Sends Runners
"May'pay keyewip!
'Uuch 'iih ta'waas. 'Iikwiich chepapem 'ar. 'Iikwich peyaach 'ehinch waamhs maaykaam. Kenaak 'aaw kaaraaw, kepshuw, tekenyeway. Nyamepeshuwk 'iiwaarm 'epuwk 'ekenaam meyiphs." Nyaapum puwks, kway'paayvech puwkch wiiches: " 'Emuuch nyachepakem, maach maamhs, meyipa, Baltasaar!" |
"Listen up you people!
I'm about to say something. I want four men. This man alone will go at dawn. Go and make a fire, wait, and stay there. After you wait for me for a while, I'll come back and you'll hear me call you." Then he comes back, the chief comes back and says: "When the Bighorn Sheep comes out, you will go, you hear, Baltazar!" |
Notes:
may'pay: "You people", this is what it looks like when you put me- before 'iipay, "people".
'uuch: Can mean "something", like "maap" can mean "someone", etc.
'iih ta'waa: "I'm about to say." -h on a verb plus "tewaa" means "is about to", "is going to", or "was going to".
chepapem: In the recording, he says, " 'iikwiich kwaatrr" (cuatro).
'ehinch: 'ehin "is one" plus -ch: Means "alone".
tekenyeway: The imperative of "tenyeway", meaning "stay".
nyaapum puwks...: This part was originally said in English.
'emuu: "Bighorn Sheep", the name of the constellation Orion's Belt.
chepak: "Comes out", meaning "rises", of celestial bodies.
Baltasaar: Couro seems to use the name "Baltazar" for any given character.
This sounds like it should be part of a larger story, but this is as far as the recording goes.
may'pay: "You people", this is what it looks like when you put me- before 'iipay, "people".
'uuch: Can mean "something", like "maap" can mean "someone", etc.
'iih ta'waa: "I'm about to say." -h on a verb plus "tewaa" means "is about to", "is going to", or "was going to".
chepapem: In the recording, he says, " 'iikwiich kwaatrr" (cuatro).
'ehinch: 'ehin "is one" plus -ch: Means "alone".
tekenyeway: The imperative of "tenyeway", meaning "stay".
nyaapum puwks...: This part was originally said in English.
'emuu: "Bighorn Sheep", the name of the constellation Orion's Belt.
chepak: "Comes out", meaning "rises", of celestial bodies.
Baltasaar: Couro seems to use the name "Baltazar" for any given character.
This sounds like it should be part of a larger story, but this is as far as the recording goes.