Nettie Ruben: "The Creation of Eels" (1957)

Note: Bright: "This is the only story about Across-the-Water-Widower which I was able to record; one other Karok story about him appears in Harrington, 1032a, pp.67-72. A character with a similar name is much more prominent in the mythology of the Yurok and the Hupa; cf. Kroeber, 1925, pp.73 and 134."

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[1]	ithyarukpíhriiv	u-'árihroov	u-xus	tîi	káruk	kan-vâaram-i
	Across.the.Water.Widower	3s(>3)-go.upriver	3s(>3)-think	let...	upriver	1s(>3)-go-IMPER

Across-the-Water Widower went upriver, he thought, "Let me go upriver!"

[2]	xás	kári	chavúra	yíiv	káruk	t-u-'árihroov
	then	then	finally	far	upriver	PERF-3s(>3)-go.upriver

And finally he went a long ways upriver.

[3]	xás	kun-íhyiiv-ti	hôoyva
	then	3pl(>3s)-shout-DUR	somewhere

And there was a shout somewhere.

[4]	vúra	vaa	u-'áhoo-tih
	Intensive	so	3s(>3)-go-DUR

He was traveling like that.

[5]	chavúra	yíiv	kúkuma	t-óo	hyiv
	finally	far	again	PERF-3s(>3)	shout

Finally, a long ways on, there was a shout again.

[6]	xás	u-pí-tih	na-kûush-i
	then	3s(>3)-say-DUR	2s/3s>1s-copulate-IMPER

And (the person) said, "Copulate with me!"

(Bright: "nakûushi is a distortion of nakûuthi." Cf. the footnote to sentence 61 of "Coyote's Homecoming" (WB_KL-02).)

[7]	ithyarukpíhriiv	kun-ihyûunish-tih	u-pêen-tih	na-kûush-i
	Across.the.Water.Widower	3pl(>3s)-shout.to-DUR	3s(>3)-say.to-DUR	2s/3s>1s-copulate-IMPER

Across-the-Water Widower was shouted at, (the person) said to him, "Copulate with me!"

[8]	xás	kári	u-xú-tih	yee	fâat	yáxa
	then	then	3s(>3)-think-DUR	well	what	look!

And he thought, "Well, look! What is it?

[9]	fâat	kumá'ii	pa-nee-hyûunish-tih
	what	because.of	NOMZ-2s/3s>1s-shout.to-DUR

Why is she shouting at me?"

[10]	xás	kúuk	ú-kfuukiraa
	then	to.there	3s(>3)-grab

And he grabbed in that direction.

[11]	kári	xás	u-kuth
	then	then	3s(>3)-copulate

And he copulated with her.

[12]	kári	xás	hínupa	chantírih
	then	then	surprise	tick

And there it was Tick.

[13]	vaa	káan	sú'	vúra	u-p-íkrii
	so	there	inside	Intensive	3s(>3)-ITER-live

She stayed there inside (his penis).

[14]	xás	u-'árihroov	ithyarukpíhriiv
	then	3s(>3)-go.upriver	Across.the.Water.Widower

Then Across-the-Water Widower went upriver.

[15]	xás	u-xus	yée	naa	íf	tá	na-kúha
	then	3s(>3)-think	well	1sg.	truly	PERF	2s/3s>1s-be.sick

And he thought, "Say, it really hurts me!"

[16]	kári	xás	hûut	áta	tá	ná-'iin
	then	then	how	maybe	PERF	1s-experience.something.unpleasant

And (he thought), "I wonder what's wrong with me?"

[17]	kári	xás	chavúra	puxích	t-óo	kúha
	then	then	finally	very.much	PERF-3s(>3)	be.sick

And finally it hurt him very much.

[18]	kári	xás	ú-kpaaksur	pa-mú-siish
	then	then	3s(>3)-cut.off	the-3sPOSS-penis

So he cut off (part of) his penis.

[19]	xás	úuth	u-páathkar
	then	out.to.water	3s(>3)-throw.into.river

And he threw it out into the river.

[20]	xás	u-'árihroov
	then	3s(>3)-go.upriver

And he went upriver.

[21]	chavúra	tá	yíiv	káruk	u-'árihroov
	finally	PERF	far	upriver	3s(>3)-go.upriver

Finally, he went a long ways upriver.

[22]	xás	u-xú-tih	íf	kúkuum	tá	na-kúha
	then	3s(>3)-think-DUR	truly	again	PERF	2s/3s>1s-be.sick

And he thought, "It really hurts me again!"

[23]	xás	kári	kúkuum	ú-kpaaksur	pa-mú-siish
	then	then	again	3s(>3)-cut.off	the-3sPOSS-penis

And he again cut off (part of) his penis.

[24]	xás	kúkuum	úuth	u-páathkar
	then	again	out.to.water	3s(>3)-throw.into.river

And again he threw it out into the river.

[25]	púyava	payêem	p-aakráa	vaa	pa-'úuth	u-xyakâanvu-tih
	you.see	now	the-eel	that	NOMZ-out.to.water	3s(>3)-throw.PL.into.water-DUR

So now the eels are that which he threw out into the river.

[26]	ithyarukpíhriiv	pa-mú-siish	u-vupaksúr-oo-nik
	Across.the.Water.Widower	the-3sPOSS-penis	3s(>3)-cut.off-PL.ACT-ANC

Across-the-Water Widower cut off his penis.

[27]	hínupa	chantirih-'îin	sú'	pa-tá	kun-vôonkurih	vaa	kúth	p-oo-kpaksúr-oo-ti	pa-mú-siish
	surprise	tick-TOPIC	inside	NOMZ-PERF	3pl(>3s)-crawl.in	so	because.of	NOMZ-3s(>3)-cut.off-PL.ACT-DUR	the-3sPOSS-penis

There it was Tick that crawled into him, that's why he cut off his penis.

(Bright: "Another informant offered additional information: Before Across-the-Water-Widower's meeting with Tick, men (or rather, male ikxaréeyavs) had penises long enough to wrap several times around their necks, and could copulate with a woman on the other side of the river.")