Nettie Ruben: "Blue Jay As Doctor" (1957)

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

[1]	mahnûuvanach	t-u-yíkiha
	chipmunk	PERF-3s(>3)-get.sick

Chipmunk was sick.

[2]	váas	kích	u-thiv
	blanket	like	3s(>3)-lie.(of.one.thing)

She lay as thin as a blanket.

[3]	kári	xás	ta'ítam	xúus	u-'uum-áheen
	then	then	so	thought	3s(>3)-arrive-ANT

Then they doctored her.

[4]	sunyíthi	tá	kun-'íshavsip	kachakâach
	chinquapin.nut	PERF	3pl(>3s)-pay.as.fee	bluejay

They paid Blue Jay her fee with chinquapin nuts.

[5]	ansáfriik	va-'árah
	Weitchpec	3sPOSS-person

She was a Weitchpec person.

[6]	kári	t-u-'aráriihkanha
	then	PERF-3s(>3)-get.well

Then (Chipmunk) got well.

[7]	púyava	kúkuum	axmáy	t-u-yíkiha	mahnûuvanach
	you.see	again	suddenly	PERF-3s(>3)-get.sick	chipmunk

Then Chipmunk suddenly got sick again.

[8]	chími	kiik-píkaan	ansáfriik	va-'árah
	soon	2pl(>3)-go.get	Weitchpec	3sPOSS-person

"Go summon Weitchpec person!"

[9]	tá	kun-píkaar
	PERF	3pl(>3s)-go.get

They summoned her.

[10]	t-u-'áhoo
	PERF-3s(>3)-go

She came.

[11]	kári	xás	u-píip	xanpuchíniishveenach	kiik-píkaan
	then	then	3s(>3)-say	hummingbird	2pl(>3)-go.get

And (Chipmunk) said, "Go summon Hummingbird!"

[12]	chími	vúra	xánkiit
	soon	Intensive	bullhead

Let Bullhead (come too)!"

[13]	púyava	tá	kun-imfipíshriihva	pa-xus'úmaan-sa
	you.see	PERF	3pl(>3s)-come.together	the-shaman-PL

So the 'doctors' assembled.

[14]	kári	xás	xanpuchíniishveenach	u-píip	naa	vúra	na-apmán'anamahachhi-tih
	then	then	hummingbird	3s(>3)-say	1sg.	Intensive	1s-have.small.mouth-DUR

And Hummingbird said, "My mouth is too small.

[15]	hárivarih-va	véeniichva
	when-INDEF	mischief

There's been mischief sometime."

[16]	kári	xás	ansáfriik	va-'ára	u-píip	ããx
	then	then	Weitchpec	3sPOSS-person	3s(>3)-say	ugh!

And Weitchpec person said, "ããx!

[17]	fatamakêesh	kích	ára	ú-peer-eesh
	anything	only	person	3s(>3)-say.to-FUT

She'll tell a person just anything."

[18]	xanpuchíniishveenach	u-pakurîihvu-tih
	hummingbird	3s(>3)-sing.songs-DUR

Hummingbird was singing.

[19]	xás	u-pí-tih	naa	vúra	na-apmán'anamahachhi-tih
	then	3s(>3)-say-DUR	1sg.	Intensive	1s-have.small.mouth-DUR

And she said, "My mouth is too small.

[20]	kumá'ii	pa-pu-na-'ûusuru-tih-ara
	because.of	NOMZ-NEG-1s(>3)-take.off-DUR-NEG

For that reason I can't take (the disease object) out.

[21]	kachakâach	mu-véeniichva
	bluejay	3sPOSS-mischief

It's Blue Jay's mischief."

[22]	kári	xás	chanchaaksúr-ak	xás	u-'árihrupuk	kchkchkchkch
	then	then	roof-hatch-Locative	then	3s(>3)-rush.outdoors	kchkchkchkch

Then (Blue Jay) jumped out through the smokehole, "kchkchkchkch!"

[23]	u-kachakâach-hi-ti
	3s(>3)-bluejay-DENOM-DUR

She made a noise like a blue jay.

[24]	t-u-'áathva
	PERF-3s(>3)-be.afraid

She was afraid (of being exposed).