Phoebe Maddux: "How Western Yellow-Bellied Racer was Transformed" (1932)

Note: This text has had some minor retranscriptions from Harrington's published version to reflect modern spelling. The translations have not been altered from Harrington's version.

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[1]	uknîi
	once.upon.a.time

Uknîi.

[2]	ata háriva	kun-'áraarahi-tih-anik
	always	3pl(>3s)-live.(pl.)-DUR-ANC

They were living (there).

[3]	xás	yítha	îim	u-vôonupuk
	then	one	outdoors	3s(>3)-leave.house

Then one went outside the house.

[4]	xás	u-xus	tîi	káruk	kan-vâaram-i
	then	3s(>3)-think	let...	upriver	1s(>3)-go-IMPER

He thought: "Let me go upriver."

[5]	kári	xas	yiimúsich	t-u-'áhoo
	then	then	little.ways.off	PERF-3s(>3)-go

Then he went a short way.

[6]	chími	axmay	húut	t-u-'iin	máruk	u-tápichraa
	soon	suddenly	how	PERF-3s(>3)-experience.something.unpleasant	uphill	3s(>3)-slip.up.from.downriver

Then behold he slipped in upslope direction.

[7]	xas	yúruk	kuna	u-tápichrup
	then	downriver	in.addition	3s(>3)-slip.downriver

Then he slipped in downriver direction.

[8]	xas	káruk	kuna	u-tápichroov
	then	upriver	in.addition	3s(>3)-slip.upriver

Then he slipped in upriver direction.

[9]	xas	sáruk	kuna	u-tápichfak
	then	downhill	in.addition	3s(>3)-slip.down.from.uphill

Then he slipped in downslope direction.

[10]	xas	asiv-súruk	su'	u-tápichkaa
	then	cave-under	inside	3s(>3)-slip.to

Then he slipped in under a rock.

[11]	ée	if	ôok	asa-yâamach	u-tháaniv
	oh!	truly	here	rock-pretty	3s(>3)-sit

"Oh, what a nice looking rock lying here."

[12]	xas	u-'êechip	pa-'as	pa-'asa-yâamach
	then	3s(>3)-pick.up	the-rock	the-rock-pretty

Then he picked it up, that rock, that pretty rock.

[13]	xas	xára	vura	u-'êeth-ithun	pa-'as
	then	long.time	Intensive	3s(>3)-carry-around	the-rock

Then he packed that rock around.

[14]	xas	âapun	u-p-thárish
	then	on.the.ground	3s(>3)-ITER-put.down

Then he set it down on the ground again.

[15]	xas	u-xus	tîi	matêe	kan-pútyiinkach-i	páy	pa-'asa-yâamach-ak	vúra	uum	yâamach	pa-'as
	then	3s(>3)-think	let...	later	1s(>3)-defecate.on-IMPER	this	the-rock-pretty-Locative	Intensive	3.SG	pretty	the-rock

Then he thought: "Let me do just a little bit of job on this nice rock, it looks so nice."

[16]	xas	u-pútyiinkach
	then	3s(>3)-defecate.on

Then he did just a little bit of job on it.

[17]	tîi	matêe	kan-ip-vínaxsun-ach-i
	let...	later	1s(>3)-ITER-lick.off-DIM.(verbs)-IMPER

"Let me taste it by sticking out my tongue.

[18]	yáehaeh
	well

Well.

[19]	amayáa-'ishar
	good-tasting-extremely

It tastes good.

[20]	tîi	pay	kich	xas	kumatêeshich	kuna	kan-pútyiinkach-i
	let...	this	only	then	still.more	in.addition	1s(>3)-defecate.on-IMPER

Let me do a little bit more of job on it."

[21]	xás	kúkuum	u-p-vínaxsun-ach
	then	again	3s(>3)-ITER-lick.off-DIM.(verbs)

Then he tasted it again by sticking out his tongue.

[22]	ée	aaf	kuna	u-pákat
	oh!	excrement	in.addition	3s(>3)-take.a.taste

"Oh, it tastes like manure."

[23]	v-oo-kúphaa-nik
	so-3s(>3)-do-ANC

He did thus.

[24]	apsunmunukich	xas	u-párihishrih-anik	vaa	vura	kaan	asiv-súruk	u-tápichkaa-nik
	racer.snake	then	3s(>3)-be.transformed-ANC	so	Intensive	there	cave-under	3s(>3)-slip.to-ANC

Then he turned into apsunmunukich (snake species) right there, he went in under the overhanging rocks.

[25]	kupánakanakana
	the.end

Kupánakanakana.

[26]	chéemyaach	ík	vúra	ishyâat	i-mshîinaa-vish
	quickly	must	Intensive	king.salmon	2s(>3)-shine.this.way.upriver-FUT

Shine early, Spring Salmon, hither upriver.

[27]	nani-vási	vúrav	eekiniyâach
	1sPOSS-back	just	straight

My back is straight.

[28]	chéemyaach	ík	vúra	atáychukinach	i-'úunuprav-eesh
	quickly	must	Intensive	young.brodiaea.plant	2s(>3)-sprout.up-FUT

Grow early, Spring Cacomite.