Yaas: "How Fish were Transformed" (1930)

Note: This text has been retranscribed in current spelling and some translations have been changed to better reflect Karuk sentence structure and the meaning of certain Karuk words .

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[1]	kun-ípaanik	koovúra	yúruk	ithyáruk	kun-ipkêevishrih-anik
	3pl(>3s)-say.(ancient)	all	downriver	across	3pl(>3s)-be.transformed-ANC

People used to say that they [the Salmon] were all transformed in the land across the sea.

[2]	koovúra	váa	kári	kun-íkshuup-hanik	kumá-kuusrah	pa-kári	kun-'ípak-tih-eesh	kumá-kuusrah
	all	so	then	3pl(>3s)-point-ANC	3sPOSS-sun	NOMZ-then	3pl(>3s)-come.back-DUR-FUT	3sPOSS-sun

And all [the Salmon] fixed the month, the month they will come back.

[3]	kúna	úum	pa-hôotah	yâak	nu-'ípak-ahaak	hínupa	ta-pu-'ára	íin-ara
	in.addition	3.SG	NOMZ-late	good.place	1pl(>3)-come.back-when	surprise	PERF-NEG-person	exist-NEG

If we came back late to the good place, humankind would not exist.

(Harrington's translation is "If they would come back at the wrong time, the world would come to an end." It has been changed here to better reflect the Karuk sentence structure.)

[4]

ishyâat

ú-paanik

yaas'ára

vúra

u-'aapúnmu-tih-eesh

yakun

pa-'îin

yíth

u-kupee-xák-ahi-tih-eesh

pa-tá

ni-p-ikrêe-haak

nani-'îin

king.salmon

3s(>3)-say.(ancient)

rich.person

Intensive

3s(>3)-know-DUR-FUT

you.see

the-falls

other

3s(>3)-MODAL-make.noise-Modal-DUR-FUT

NOMZ-PERF

1s(>3)-ITER-live-when

1sPOSS-falls

Salmon said: “Human will know the water will sound different in the falls when I am in there, in my falls.

[5]	náa	ni-'ípak-tih-eesh	xátikrupma	ú-thvuuy-ti	itrôopahaan	pa-kúusrah
	1sg.	1s(>3)-come.back-DUR-FUT	springtime	3s(>3)-be.named-DUR	fifth.month	the-sun

I will always come back in the spring, the month is called the fifth month (March).

(Harrington's translation is "I will always come back in the spring, the month is called March." It has been changed here to better reflect the meaning of the Karuk.)

[6]	ikrívkihaan	xásik	arara	îin	ná-'aam-tih-eesh
	sixth.month	then.(future)	human	TOPIC	2s/3s>1s-eat-DUR-FUT

In the sixth month (April), Human will eat me.

(Harrington's translation is "In April Human will eat me." It has been changed here to better reflect the meaning of the Karuk.)

[7]	kári	xas	sápxiit	ú-paanik	"pa-yáv	îin	ná-'aam-tih-eesh
	then	then	steelhead	3s(>3)-say.(ancient)	"NOMZ-good	TOPIC	2s/3s>1s-eat-DUR-FUT

Then Steelhead said: “A good person will eat me.”

[8]	xás	pimaníh'aama	ú-paanik	"naa	vúra	pishîich	yaas'ára	îin	ná-'aam-tih-eesh
	then	summer.salmon	3s(>3)-say.(ancient)	"1sg.	Intensive	first	rich.person	TOPIC	2s/3s>1s-eat-DUR-FUT

Then Summer Salmon said: “Human will eat me the first thing (when I get there).”

[9]	káru	uum	achvúun	ú-paanik	"naa	vúra	pishîich	yaas'ára	îin	ná-'aam-tih-eesh	pa-ni-'îipma-haak
	also	3.SG	hookbill.salmon	3s(>3)-say.(ancient)	"1sg.	Intensive	first	rich.person	TOPIC	2s/3s>1s-eat-DUR-FUT	NOMZ-1s(>3)-return-when

And Hookbill said: “Human will eat me the first thing, when I get there.”

[10]	káru	akraah	uum	ú-paanik	"naa	káru	pishîich	ni-'ípak-tih-eesh	xátikrupma
	also	eel	3.SG	3s(>3)-say.(ancient)	"1sg.	also	first	1s(>3)-come.back-DUR-FUT	springtime

And the Eel said: “I will also get there first in the spring.”