Nettie Ruben: "Why Lightning Strikes Trees" (1957)

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[1]	chími	kun-ímthaatvu-naa-vish
	soon	3pl(>3s)-play."stick.game"-PL-FUT

They were going to play shinny.

[2]	xás	kun-ipéer	púya	íf	yâamach	p-ee-p-âanvu-tih
	then	3pl(>3s)-say.to	and.so	truly	pretty	NOMZ-2s(>3)-ITER-paint.one's.(own).face-DUR

And they said to (Horsefly), "My, your face is painted pretty!

[3]	fâat	kôok	p-ee-p-âanvu-ti	iim
	what	kind	NOMZ-2s(>3)-ITER-paint.one's.(own).face-DUR	2sg.

What did you paint it with?"

[4]

kári

xás

t-óo

piip

mán

vúra

naa

vaa

kári

xás

tá

ni-xus

chími

kan-'ápivan

pa-ni-p-âanv-eesh

then

then

PERF-3s(>3)

say

why...

Intensive

1sg.

so

then

then

PERF

1s(>3)-think

soon

1s(>3)-go.look.for

NOMZ-1s(>3)-ITER-paint.one's.(own).face-FUT

And he said, "Why, I thought I would go look for something to paint my face with.

[5]	púyava	ípaha	tá	ni-shxáxaar
	you.see	tree	PERF	1s(>3)-tear.open

So I ripped open a tree.

[6]	víri	vaa	káan	tá	ni-máh	pa-ni-p-âanvu-tih
	so	so	there	PERF	1s(>3)-see	NOMZ-1s(>3)-ITER-paint.one's.(own).face-DUR

There I found what I am painting it with."

[7]	kári	xás	ífuth	pa-kun-p-ímthaatvu-naa
	then	then	afterward	NOMZ-3pl(>3s)-ITER-play."stick.game"-PL

And afterward they played shinny again.

[8]	kári	xás	kúkuum	vúra	vaa	chí	kun-ímthaatvu-naa-vish
	then	then	again	Intensive	so	soon	3pl(>3s)-play."stick.game"-PL-FUT

Again they were going to play shinny.

[9]	púyava	kun-ípeen-tih	hôoy	iim	i-máah-tih	p-ee-p-âanvu-tih
	you.see	3pl(>3s)-say.to-DUR	where	2sg.	2s(>3)-see-DUR	NOMZ-2s(>3)-ITER-paint.one's.(own).face-DUR

So they said to him, "How do you find what you paint your face with?"

[10]	xás	kun-xús	nuu	káru	vaa	tîi	nú-kuuph-i
	then	3pl(>3s)-think	we	also	so	let...	1pl(>3)-do-IMPER

And they thought, "Let us do that too!"

[11]	pa-'ípaha	kun-íkfuukiraa
	the-tree	3pl(>3s)-grab

They grabbed the trees.

[12]	púfaat	vúra	pá-'aax
	nothing	Intensive	the-blood

There was no blood (in them).

[13]	káruma	uum	pa-'áraar	t-óo	par	xás	pa-mú-'aax	t-óo	pûux-sur
	in.fact	3.SG	the-human	PERF-3s(>3)	bite	then	the-3sPOSS-blood	PERF-3s(>3)	hold.in.mouth-off

The fact was, (Horsefly) had bit human beings, and taken out a mouthful of their blood.

[14]	víri	vaa	p-oo-p-âanvu-ti	pa-'arará-'aax
	so	that	NOMZ-3s(>3)-ITER-paint.one's.(own).face-DUR	the-human-blood

Human blood is what he painted his face with.

[15]

xás

araramvanyupsítanach

u-xus

xáyfaat

vaa

ni-piip

t-óo

piip

ípah-ak

kích

pa-ni-máah-ti

pá-'aax

then

horsefly

3s(>3)-think

don't!

so

1s(>3)-say

PERF-3s(>3)

say

tree-Locative

only

NOMZ-1s(>3)-see-DUR

the-blood

and Horsefly thought, "Let me not say it"; he said, "I find the blood only in trees."

[16]	púyava	payêem	pa-t-óo	snur	pa-'ípaha	t-óo	kfuukiraa	t-óo	sxáxaar
	you.see	now	NOMZ-PERF-3s(>3)	thunder	the-tree	PERF-3s(>3)	grab	PERF-3s(>3)	tear.open

So now when it thunders, (Lightning) grabs the trees, he rips them open.