Susie of Wechpus

Menstruation medicine (recorded) (June 23, 1902)

Writing system: no hyphens | hyphens
Display style: paragraph | sentence | look-up

Text identifier: SW2
Speaker: Susie of Wechpus
Primary documentation: A. L. Kroeber
Edition: Andrew Garrett, unpublished
Manuscript source: A. L. Kroeber, Yurok field notebook 42, pp. 42rev-47rev; transcribed with the assistance of Weitchpec Frank; click here to view PDF
Audio source: Keeling catalog #24-548, Hearst Museum of Anthropology, UC Berkeley
Note: In the transcription, note that successive pages of "SW2.pdf" are actually facing pages in Kroeber's notebook; lines are sometimes drawn from one page to an adjacent one to indicate insertion.
Note: This edition is incomplete.

Yurok audio:  
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  1. Kues ke'l, wo-no-ye-'eeks 'ue-me'y?
    [Girl:] "Where are you, daughter of the sky?
  2. Nek kwe-lekw nee ko nee yo ge-gook'.
    I have been wandering around.
  3. Keech 'o me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes-kwehl.
    People are afraid of my body.
  4. Keech nee-mok'w nue mehl 'e-la mes-kwe-lek' 'o'-loo-le-kweesh 'o'l.
    There is no village dweller who can make medicine for me.
  5. Nek kwe-lekw keech ma yoh-pe-chook' k'ee 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol e-kaahl-ko-me
    I have gone around men stepping (in the ground)
  6. Keech me-la he-gook' nee kee exkwuen
    I went about way off"
  7. 'Aa-wokw, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol!
    [Daughter of the sky:] "Alas, human being!"
  8. To kwe-lekw keech na-'a-mee ye-gook' To so-neen keech me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    [Girl:] "I have been walking for a long time because people are afraid of me.
  9. Kwe-lekw 'ee yo 'o keech nee-nee ye-gook' 'ee nee kaap-'o-leehl, keech so-nee-nee hlmey-yor-kwek' k'ee mekw-chee-wo.
    I have just been walking around here in the brush because Indians (all) fear me.
  10. K'ee nue mekw-chee-wo kem keech hlmey-yor-kwo'
    Indians (all) fear me
  11. Wee-tue kem keech mee' noo-le-nee laa-yek' k'ee nee le-gaa-yekw, so-neen keech me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    I can't go on the trails because people are afraid of me.
  12. Weet kem keech noo-le-nee mehl 'ahs k'ee mehl 'ahs-pee-ma, so-neen keech me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    I can't drink what they drink because people are afraid of me."
  13. Tue 'aa-wokw, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol, hehl cho' kwe-les mo-kee mehl nee chpa-re-son (?)
    [Daughter of the sky:] "Alas, human being, you better see him
  14. Chuehl nee hee-moo-rech, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol, 'O Ke-go woh-pek (?) ? nes-kwech...
    Hurry up, human being, 'O Kego the water gone
  15. Kee-kee k'e-nes-kwe-chook', 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    You will return, human being.
  16. Kwe-lekw we kee nep ne-woh-pa' seen ee ko-'op.., 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    ... You see me standing here, human being.
  17. kee kwon (?) cho ue-ne-goue-na (?) 'ne-pe-ko-yek.
    [Girl:] "I have lots of blood."
  18. Tue kwe-lekw, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol, 'aa-wokw.
    [Daughter of the sky:] "Alas, human being.
  19. To kwee-le keech na-'a-mee he-gook'.
    I have gone about long.
  20. Hehl neee'-no'-wos 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol, yo wook-seehl 'o 'ue-ket-'ue'-lo-gehl
    Look over here, human being in the middle lake.
  21. kue wes-'o-nah 'O Ke-to kol ch'ee-gol keech qa ay ko-yohl qa-laa-yekws
    sky middle lake You can see like saliva that is ...
  22. mue kweehl noohl weesh-tue ol 'ahs-pee'-mehl k'ee nue mehl tuue-wo-mehl
    That's where they drink the money
  23. Wo-'eek e-tue noohl weesh-tue ol 'ahs-pee'-mehl k'ee ner-yer-mertr, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    that is this one, that's where game yet drink, human being.
  24. Kwe-lekw weesh-tue keech 'o me-ney-kwe-noo-me'l 'ue'-wes.
    That's why people are afraid of my body.
  25. tuye kwen cho kwe noh-pe-wom 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol 'o'-le-peek kee-kee 'oo-luuekw-seyhl
    any place you go in the money will be in the house
  26. 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol 'o'-le-peek k'ee cheeek-cheeek yee kwen cho ka noh-pe-wo'm
    human being, in the house, money that is where you enter
  27. Tue' 'o'-le-peek kee-kee 'oo-luuekw-seyhl k'ee cheeek-cheeek.
    and money will be in the house
  28. seee-ga wee keehl (?) 'ne-me-ney-kwe-no (?) 'ne'-wes.
    You need not be afraid of me.
  29. Tue chuehl to cho' nee yee-moo-rey-yo'm, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol, kwe-lekw to wee kee tue so-no-wo'm, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    Hurry, human being, you will be that way, human being.
  30. yee kwen cho k'e-noh-pe-wo'm tue 'o'-le-peek kee-kee 'oo-luuekw-seyhl, tue 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol kee chpee koh-chee yer-'er-mer-chek'.
    any place you enter, will be in the house, Indians, I will dive only once.
  31. pue-le-kuech 'o so 'er yer-'er-mer-wer-chek' 'o'-le-peek... mee-kee kee k'e-nes-kwe-chook'.
    sink down river, come home!
  32. kee 'O Ke-go woxkee k'e-nes-kwe-chook' mee k'ee kee k'e-nes-kwe-chook' yee kwen cho k'e-noh-pe-wo'm tue 'o'-lep kee kee o.. k'ee cheeek-cheeek
    when you come to 'O Kego you will come, any place you enter, you will enter money
  33. seee-ga wee keehl k'e-me-ney-kwe-noo 'ne'-wes.
    much they will not fear you.
  34. hee nee nuek'-wo nes-kwe-chook', 'o'-loo'-le-kwee-shol, kwel keech eesh nee-nee ye-gook'.
    I come back, village dweller, go around.
  35. Keech so-nee-nee hlmey-yor-kwoo-me'l 'ue'-wes, keech mok'ws nue mehl 'e-lo mes-kwe'l, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    Thus people are afraid of her, there is nobody who can make medicine for her, Indian.
  36. Tue wee-tee' hee-nue ke mehl nes-kwe-chook', 'ne-sek', To' keech hee-nee ye-ge-see-pa', 'Aa-wokw!"
    That's the reason I come, thinking, You will think about me, Alas!"
  37. "Kwe-lekw hee-nuues nee mehl he-gee': Wee-tue keech so-no-wok', keech ko chpue-ro-wok'. tue wee-tue mehl so-no-wok' nee ko nee yo ge-gook' tue kee nee le-gaa-yekws
    "Well, somebody told me: I have become this way, I am menstruating. This is why I am wandering around on the trails.
  38. kem keech mee' noo-le-nee ye-gook'
    I never went around
  39. so-neen keech hlmey-yor-kwoo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    because people are afraid of me.
  40. we'yk-'oh tue kem keech mee' noo-le-nee 'ahs-pee-me(k') keech mee' noo-le-nee mehl 'ahs-pee'm k'ee mehl 'ahs-peem
    Now I never drink / I never drink what men use
  41. so-neen keech hlmey-yor-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes k'ee mekw-chee'-woo wee-tue ke-mee hlmey-yor-kwo'(pa) k'ee 'ne-mekw-chee'-woo-lem
    because they fear me, the men, they fear me, myself the men
  42. So-neen keech me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    Thus people are afraid of me.
  43. hehl chyewk he neee'-no'-wos so-neen keech me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    now gone look here because people are afraid of my body.
  44. Kee ne-wo'm ko-lo ch'ee-gol keech kaai-ko-yol k'ee 'we-laa-ye-kwee-so-no
    You will see like saliva scratched scars the trail
  45. mo kwe-lekw weesh-tue chpee 'o ko-ma 'ahs-pee'-mehl k'ee nue mehl tuue-wo-mehl k'ee nue 'we-go-rew
    because it's where that which makes you glad (money) and arrows only still drink.
  46. Tue wee' 'o ko-ma 'ahs-pee'm.
    That's where they still drink.
  47. Tue kwe-lekw wee-tee' 'o ko mehl 'o ket-'ue'-lo-gehl, mo-kee 'we-lerh-per-yehl.
    That's why there is a lake there, it is its saliva.
  48. Wee-tue noohl wee-tue kuen 'o we-sah-pew
    That's where you will wash.
  49. To kwe-lekw keech na-'a-mee ye-go'm, 'o-loo-le-kwee-shol, 'aa-wokw.
    Twice you have gone, human being, alas.
  50. Keech ma yoh-pe-chook' 'ee 'wes-'o-nah.
    I went around in the sky.
  51. Tue kwe-lekw wee-tee' noohl keet nee k'e-gook', 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol, so-nee-nee keech hlmey-yor-kwoo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    That's where you going, human being, because they fear you so, village dweller.
  52. Tue kwe-lekw keech ma yoh-pe-chook' k'ee 'oo-le-kwehl e-kahl-kue-me
    I have gone around the world
  53. Tue kwe-lekw noohl wee-'eeet ka 'e-la nes-kwe-chook' 'O Ke-go woh-pee
    That is when I arrived across 'O Kego
  54. mee kee-kee k'e-nes-kwe-chook' k'ee k'er-wer-hler-weryr
    then you will arrive in 10 days
  55. yee (?) kwen cho k'e-noh-pe-wo-me (?), tue 'o'-le-peek 'ee kee 'oo-luuekw-sey k'ee nue mehl tuue-wo-mehl, k'ee cheeek.
    Wherever you are married, what people are always happy about will enter the house, money.
  56. 'O'le-peek 'ee kee 'oo-luuekw-seyhl yee kwen cho k'e-nes-kwe-cho'l 'o yo'.
    It will enter the house wherever you come.
  57. Se-ga (?) wee keehl 'ne-me-ney-kwe-noo-me-lek' 'ne'-wes.
    For that reason nobody will be afraid of me.
  58. Kwel to wee kee so-no-wo'm, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol.
    You will be the same way, village dweller.
  59. yee kwen cho kaa ? noh-pe-we'm e, tue 'o'-le-peek 'ee kee 'oo-luuek-seyhl (?) k'ee cheeek.
    wherever you are married, money will enter the house.
  60. Chuehl nee yee-merk'-ses, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol!
    Hurry, village dweller!
  61. Kee chpee koh-chee yer-'er-mer-we-chek'!
    You will dive only once.
  62. So pue-lek.. chuehl nee yee-merk'-ses, 'o'-loo-le-kwee-shol!
    Hurry downriver, village dweller!