Mamie Offield: "Coyote Trades Songs and Goes to the Sky" (1957)

Primary participants: Mamie Offield (speaker), William Bright (researcher)
Date: 1957
Project identifier: WB_KL-09
Publication details: William Bright, The Karok Language (1957), pp. 192-195, Text 9
Additional contributor: Erik Maier (annotator)

---

Text display mode: paragraph | sentence | word | word components

---

[1]	kári	xás	pihnêefich	u-'áhoo-tih	u-pakurîihvu-tih
	then	then	coyote	3s(>3)-go-DUR	3s(>3)-sing.songs-DUR

So Coyote was traveling, he was singing.

[2]	kári	xás	ú-kmar	áxak	ifápiit-shas
	then	then	3s(>3)-meet	two	young.unmarried.woman-PL

And he met two young women.

[3]	hínupa	ípat
	surprise	doe

They were does.

[4]	uumkun	káru	kun-pakúriihva
	they	also	3pl(>3s)-sing.songs

They were singing too.

---

[5]	kári	xás	u-píip	íf	yâamach	mikun-pákurih
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	truly	pretty	2plPOSS-song

And he said, "Your song is really pretty!"

[6]	kári	xás	u-píip	chími	nu-píraanv-i
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	soon	1pl(>3)-trade-IMPER

And he said, "Let's trade!

[7]	xâatik	nu-píraanva
	it's.better	1pl(>3)-trade

Let's trade."

---

[8]	kári	xás	kun-píip	pûu
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-say	no

And they said, "No."

[9]	kári	xás	kun-píip	chími	man
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-say	soon	why...

But then they said, "All right."

[10]	kári	xás	kun-ipíraanva
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-trade

So they traded.

[11]	kári	xás	pa-pihnêefich	u-'ípahoo	u-pakurîihvu-ti	pa-mukun-pákurih
	then	then	the-coyote	3s(>3)-go.back	3s(>3)-sing.songs-DUR	the-3plPOSS-song

And Coyote went on, he was singing their song.

---

[12]	kári	xás	pa-'ípat	kun-píip	p-ipshinvárihv-i
	then	then	the-doe	3pl(>3s)-say	ITER-forget-IMPER

Then the does said, "May you forget it!"

[13]	kári	xás	yíiv	t-u-'ípahoo	pa-pihnêefich
	then	then	far	PERF-3s(>3)-go.back	the-coyote

And Coyote went on a long ways.

[14]	kári	xás	u-p-ipshinvárihva
	then	then	3s(>3)-ITER-forget

And then he forgot it.

---

[15]	kári	xás	u-'áharamu-naa	ífuthkam	kúuk	u-kpêehva
	then	then	3s(>3)-follow-PL	behind	to	3s(>3)-shout

So he chased them, he shouted after them.

[16]	kári	xás	u-píip	púya	kana-p-ikshúpih-i	pa-mikun-pákurih
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	and.so	2pl>1s-ITER-teach-IMPER	the-2plPOSS-song

And he said, "Hey, teach me your song again!"

[17]	tá	na-p-ipshinvárihva
	PERF	1s-ITER-forget

I've forgotten it."

---

[18]	kári	xás	kun-íthvip
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-(two).run

And they ran.

[19]	páy nanu'ávahkam	kúuk	kun-ithvíripma
	sky	to	3pl(>3s)-run.to.(pl..subj.)

They ran to the sky.

[20]	vúra	vaa	u-'áharamu-naa-tih
	Intensive	so	3s(>3)-follow-PL-DUR

He was following them like that.

---

[21]	kári	xás	vaa	káan	u-mah	ataynamtunvêech-as
	then	then	so	there	3s(>3)-see	Pleiades-PL

Then he saw the Pleiades there.

[22]	kári	xás	u-píip	fâat	iimkun	ku-kyâa-tih
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	what	2pl.	2pl(>3)-make-DUR

And he said, "What do you do?"

---

[23]	kári	xás	kun-píip	nuu	páy	p-eethívthaaneen	itaharâan	nu-píhiroopithvu-tih
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-say	we	this	the-land	ten.times	1pl(>3)-dance.around-DUR

And they said, "We dance around this earth ten times."

---

[24]	kári	xás	u-píip	chími	kan-thívkee
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	soon	1s(>3)-go.along

And he said, "Let me go along!"

---

[25]	kári	xás	kun-píip	pûuhara	hôoy	íf	vaa	i-kuph-eesh	itaharâan	i-píhiroopithv-eesh
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-say	no	where	truly	so	2s(>3)-do-FUT	ten.times	2s(>3)-dance.around-FUT

And they said, "No, you can't do that, you will (have to) dance around ten times!"

---

[26]	kári	xás	u-píip	miník	vúra	vaa	ni-kuph-eesh
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	of.course	Intensive	so	1s(>3)-do-FUT

And he said, "Sure, I can do that!"

---

[27]	kári	xás	u-píip	chími	man	kúna	vúra	xáyfaat	ík	i-'ûurih
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	soon	why...	in.addition	Intensive	don't!	must	2s(>3)-be.unwilling

And they said, "All right, but you mustn't get tired."

---

[28]	kári	xás	u-píip	pa-pihnêefich	pishíip	ni-'árihishrih
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	the-coyote	first	1s(>3)-sing

And Coyote said, "I sing first."

[29]	ta'ítam	u-'árihishrih-een
	so	3s(>3)-sing-ANT

So he sang.

[30]	kári	xás	vúra	púva	yiiv	uum
	then	then	Intensive	not.yet	far	arrive

They hadn't yet gone very far.

[31]	kári	xás	yíth	u-p-árihish
	then	then	other	3s(>3)-ITER-sing

Then he sang a different one.

[32]	kári	xás	u-píip	matêe	kuvaan	kan-p-ihéen
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	later	kuvaan	1s(>3)-ITER-smoke

He said, "matêe kuvaan, let me have a smoke!"

(Bright: "matêe means 'wait a moment!' The meaning of kuvaan was not known to the informant.")

[33]	vúra	vaa	kun-'íhmaath-tih
	Intensive	so	3pl(>3s)-make.dance-DUR

They just kept making him dance.

[34]	kári	xás	u-píip	matêe	kuvaan	tá	na-thurirúvuukva
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	later	kuvaan	PERF	1s-urinate.all.over.self

And he said, "matêe kuvaan, I'm urinating all over myself!"

[35]	xás	vúra	vaa	kun-'íhmaath-tih
	then	Intensive	so	3pl(>3s)-make.dance-DUR

They just kept making him dance.

[36]	xás	u-píip	matêe	kuvaan	tá	nee-chnahirúvuukva
	then	3s(>3)-say	later	kuvaan	PERF	1s-shit.all.over.self

And he said, "matêe kuvaan, I'm defecating all over myself!"

[37]	xás	vúra	vaa	kun-'íhmaath-tih
	then	Intensive	so	3pl(>3s)-make.dance-DUR

They just kept making him dance.

[38]	ápap	pa-mú-traax	tá	kun-íshpaatsur
	one.side	the-3sPOSS-arm	PERF	3pl(>3s)-break.off

They pulled off his arm on one side.

[39]	vúra	vaa	kun-'íhmaath-tih
	Intensive	so	3pl(>3s)-make.dance-DUR

They just kept making him dance.

[40]	ápap	kúna	pa-mú-traax	kun-íshpaatsur
	one.side	in.addition	the-3sPOSS-arm	3pl(>3s)-break.off

They pulled off his arm on the other side.

[41]	kári	xás	kun-pi-páchish
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-ITER-throw.down

Then they threw him down.

[42]	kári	xás	káan	p-oo-tháaniv
	then	then	there	NOMZ-3s(>3)-sit

And there he lay.

---

[43]	kári	xás	u-xús	hûut	áta	ni-kupee-p-vûunih-ah-eesh
	then	then	3s(>3)-think	how	maybe	1s(>3)-MODAL-ITER-get.down.from.uphill-Modal-FUT

Then he thought, "How ever am I to get back down (to earth)?"

[44]	kári	xás	u-tvûunih
	then	then	3s(>3)-look.down.from.height

And he looked down.

[45]	kári	xás	u-yúhunih
	then	then	3s(>3)-spit.downward

And he spat down.

[46]	miník	kúnish	pu-yívu-hara
	of.course	sort.of	NEG-far-NEG

"It's not so far!

[47]	chími	kan-fithíhuunih-i
	soon	1s(>3)-go.down.feet.first-IMPER

Let me go down feet first!

[48]	pûuhara	xáy	ápsii	née-shpat
	no	let.not	leg	1s-be.broken

No, I might get a leg broken.

[49]	tîi	kan-vasíhuunih-i
	let...	1s(>3)-go.down.back.first-IMPER

Let me go down back first!

[50]	pûu	xáy	vási	née-shpat
	no	let.not	back	1s-be.broken

No, I might get my back broken.

[51]	tîi	kan-ixvâahuunih-i
	let...	1s(>3)-go.down.head.first-IMPER

Let me go down head first!

[52]	pûu	xáy	axvâa	née-shxax
	no	let.not	head	1s-be.smashed

No, I might get my head smashed."

[53]	kári	xás	u-xús	chími	vúra	kan-'asimchâak-i
	then	then	3s(>3)-think	soon	Intensive	1s(>3)-close.eyes-IMPER

Then he thought, "Let me just close my eyes!"

[54]	kári	xás	ú-kyiimshur
	then	then	3s(>3)-fall.off

So he fell off.

[55]	kári	xás	ú-kyiv	xás	vúra	xára	p-óo-kyiv
	then	then	3s(>3)-fall	then	Intensive	long.time	NOMZ-3s(>3)-fall

And he fell, and it was a long time that he fell.

[56]	púyava	káan	u-kyívish	iknûumin
	you.see	there	3s(>3)-fall.down	Burrill.Peak

He fell to earth there at Burrill Peak.

[57]	víri	vaa	vúra	káan	u-tháaniv	payéem
	so	so	Intensive	there	3s(>3)-sit	now

So he's lying there now.

[58]	pihnêefich	vaa	káan	p-oo-p-ikyívishrih-anik
	coyote	so	there	NOMZ-3s(>3)-ITER-fall.down-ANC

That's where Coyote landed.