Chester Pepper: "Coyote's Gambling Song" (1957)

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Note: Bright: "The content of this story suggests that it is actually a medicine formula, to be recited by gamblers for good luck. It lacks, however, a closing remark to the effect that 'Mankind will do likewise,' which is a usual part of such formulas."

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[1]	vaa	kun-kúpha-anik	ithâan
	so	3pl(>3s)-do-ANC	once

They did this way once.

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[2]	p-eekxaréeyav	yíchakanach	koovúra	kun-pamfipishniháyaacha
	the-spirit.person	all.in.one.place	all	3pl(>3s)-come.all.together

The gods all gathered together.

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[3]	kun-pavyíhishrih-anik
	3pl(>3s)-gather.again.(pl.)-ANC

They had assembled.

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[4]	kári	xás	kun-xú-tih	chími	nú-thtiit-vunaa
	then	then	3pl(>3s)-think-DUR	soon	1pl(>3)-gamble-PL

And they thought, "Let's gamble."

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[5]	ta'ítam	kun-íthtiit-vunaa
	so	3pl(>3s)-gamble-PL

So they gambled.

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[6]	pâanpay	vaa	tá	kun-kúupha
	after.while	so	PERF	3pl(>3s)-do

Finally they did this way.

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[7]	ápap-kam	tá	kin-chífich
	one.side-side	PERF	3pl>3pl-beat

One side beat them (on the other side).

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[8]	vúra	koovúra	tá	kun-paxeep-áyaachha	pa-mukún-'uup
	Intensive	all	PERF	3pl(>3s)-win.from-well	the-3plPOSS-possession

They won all their property from them.

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[9]	vúra	tá	kin-chífich
	Intensive	PERF	3pl>3pl-beat

They beat them.

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[10]	xánahich-vari	axmáy	u-'áhoo	pihnêefich
	after.while-toward	suddenly	3s(>3)-go	coyote

In a little while, suddenly Coyote came.

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[11]	ta'ítam	kun-tárih-een
	so	3pl(>3s)-deal.cards-ANT

So they dealt him the "cards".

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[12]	xás	u-piip	naa	vúra	nini-pákuri	ni-pakúriihv-eesh	pa-ni-'éethkaanv-ahaak
	then	3s(>3)-say	1sg.	Intensive	1sPOSS-song	1s(>3)-sing.songs-FUT	NOMZ-1s(>3)-shuffle.(cards)-when

And he said, "I'm going to sing my song as I shuffle the 'cards'."

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[13]	ta'ítam	u-'éethkaanva-heen
	so	3s(>3)-shuffle.(cards)-ANT

So he shuffled the "cards".

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[14]	ta'ítam	u-pakurîihva-heen
	so	3s(>3)-sing.songs-ANT

And he sang.

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[15]	ayiyihanijanee	hanijaaneeya
	ayiyihanijanee	hanijaaneeya

"ayiyihanijanee hanijaaneeya."

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(Bright: "Coyote's song consists of these meaningless syllables, repeated over and over. No significant pitch or stress can be determined for this sequence; the word-division which is written indicates the phrasing of the melody, rather than a juncture phoneme. The phone 'j,' which has not been found in any other Karok material, is like that in English 'judge.'")

[16]	chavúra	koovúra	ixráam	u-pikyafipáyaachha	pa-'ípa	kóo	kin-páxeep-at
	finally	all	bet	3s(>3)-win.back.(in.betting)	NOMZ-PAST	as.much.as	3pl>3pl-win.from-PAST

Finally he won back all the stakes, as much as they had won away.

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[17]	p-eekxaréeyav	vúra	ixráam	u-pikyafipáyaachha
	the-spirit.person	Intensive	bet	3s(>3)-win.back.(in.betting)

He won back the stakes from the gods.

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[18]	kári	xás	u-p-vôonsip
	then	then	3s(>3)-ITER-get.up

Then he got up.

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[19]	xás	ta'ítam	u-'ípahoo-heen
	then	so	3s(>3)-go.back-ANT

And he went on again.

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[20]	púya	vaa	vúra	kich
	and.so	that	Intensive	only

So that's all.

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