Pecwan Jim

"Upriver Coyote" (1907)

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

Text identifier: T8
Speaker: Pecwan Jim
Primary documentation: A. L. Kroeber
Translation: A. L. Kroeber, Yurok Myths (1976), pp. 404-406 (myth T8); cf. Kroeber field notebook 71, pp. 41, 43
Manuscript source: A. L. Kroeber, Yurok field notebook 74, pp. 35-50, T. T. Waterman, Yurok field notebooks 82, pp. 25-32, and 83, pp. 5-9; cf. Kroeber notebook 71, p. 42
Audio source: Keeling catalog #24-1015, Hearst Museum of Anthropology, UC Berkeley

Yurok audio:  
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  1. Weet ko wey-kom', 'we-sek', "Weet kee shoo hoo-lem' 'oohl."
    He finished it, thinking, "This is how people will live."
  2. Weet ko wey-kom' kes-kee 'we-raa-yoy 'we-tet-ko-nek'.
    He finished it, the downhill creek's ravines.
  3. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o soo-nok's, 'we-sek',
    So he thought thus, thinking,
  4. "Mos weesh-tue' kee 'uep-yekw-che-nee sook mo-cho kee mok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    "It will not be right if they do not have water.
  5. Kwe-lekw weesh kee mehl hoo-le'-mehl kee 'woo-le'-mehl.
    That is what they will live with so they will live.
  6. Kwe-lekw weesh ko 'uep-yuech so-no-wohl kee-kee 'wo-'oh-kwek' 'ue-pa-'aa-nah."
    It will be right for them to have water."
  7. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o le's, "Chuuehl kee ye-gook' mehl wee'."
    So he thought, "Well, I will go for it."
  8. 'O meyrkwe-chol' 'o wee', te-ma meyrkwe-chol'.
    He went everywhere there, in vain he went everywhere.
  9. 'Ee mok'w wo 'o lekw-sue' k'ee pa-'ah.
    The water was not found.
  10. 'O soo-nok's, 'we-sek',
    He thought thus, thinking,
  11. "Hee', kues tue' weet kee 'we-soo hoo-le'-mek' 'oohl?
    "Hee', how will people live?
  12. 'Ohlkue-mee kwe-lekw wee' keehl pyuech son' 'woo-le'-mek' 'oohl mo-cho kee 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah kee-kee 'woo-le'-mek'."
    Because it will be good for people's living if they have water so they will live."
  13. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o yoh-pe-chok'w (...) k'ee 'we-reeek-'ew, k'ee te-wo-lee 'we-reeek-'ew, weesh-tue' 'o yoh-pe-chok'w.
    So he circled the world along the edge of the ocean, he circled around there.
  14. Keech 'e-la nes-kwe-chol' k'ee kwen pech-kuek nee-mok'ws 'wo-'o lek'ws k'ee pa-'ah.
    He went far upriver, and the water was never found.
  15. Heer-keeks 'e-ma kee laay' so puel, tue' so-ne-nee mee wo 'wek'ws.
    Inland he went downriver, but he never found it.
  16. Kyekw-sen 'e-la nes-kwe-chol' k'ee kwen pue-lekw.
    He arrived downriver.
  17. Tue' weesh tue' kem 'ap 'o le-gol'.
    Then he also went around downriver.
  18. "Nek kwe-lekw weesh-tue' mehl he-gook' mos kee pyekw-che-nee so-ne-nee 'oo-le'-mehl mo-cho' kee nee-mok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah kee-kee 'woo-le'-mek' 'oohl 'o 'wes-'o-new.
    "This is why I am going around because it won't be good for them to live if they have no water when they arrive in this world.
  19. Peesh tue' wee-tee' nee mehl he-gook', 'ne-sek', kee 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah."
    That is why I go around looking, thinking, they will have water."
  20. Peesh weesh-tue' noohl 'o le-gol.
    So they went.
  21. Keech te-ma meyrkwe-chol'.
    He went all over for a long time.
  22. Noohl 'o soo-nok's 'we-sek', Hehl!
    Then he thought, "Hey!
  23. Wo-no-ye-'eek kem kee soo-to-lek'.
    I'll go up to the sky.
  24. Wo-no-ye-'eek kem kee 'o neee'-no-wok' k'ee pa-'ah.
    I will look for water in the sky."
  25. Peesh weesh-tue' wo-no-ye-'eek 'e-la nes-kwe-chol'.
    So he arrived in the sky.
  26. Te-ma 'ap 'o le-gol'.
    For a long time he went about.
  27. Te-ma meyrkwe-nee soo-tok'w kem 'o wo-no-ye-'eek.
    For a long time he went all over the sky.
  28. Kwe-see kem nee-mee wo 'ue wek'ws 'o wo-no-ye-'eek.
    But he didn't find it in the sky.
  29. Noohl 'o soo-nok's 'we-sek', "Chuehl tue' pech-kuek kem kee soo-to-lek' laahee-won."
    Then he thought, "All right, I'll go far upriver along the sky."
  30. Pech-kuek 'e-la sloy-chol', pech-kuek 'o 'we-te-po-nek' 'wehl-ke'-mah.
    Far upriver he descended, far upriver where a ladder stood.
  31. Peesh tue' weesh 'e-la nes-kwe-chol' k'ee mer'-wer-mery-ker-nee k'ee pa-'ah.
    He arrived where the river (now) begins.
  32. Tue' weesh-tue' 'e-la nes-kwe-chol', 'ap hem', "Nek kwe-lekw weet mehl he-gook'.
    He arrived, and said, "Well, I will go for it.
  33. Keech te-ma meyrkwe-chook' 'o 'wes-'o-new, wo-no-ye-'eek kem keech te-ma laa-yek'.
    I have been everywhere in the world, and I also went through the sky.
  34. Tue' nee-mok'w wo lekw-sek' wee' k'ee pa-'ah.
    And I haven't found the water.
  35. So-ne-nee soo-no-sek', 'ne-sek', mo-see' kee 'uep-yuech sook mo-cho kee mok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    I think this way, thinking, it's not right if they don't have water.
  36. Kwe-lekw weesh keehl pyekw-che-nee so-no-wohl 'o'-loo-le-kweesh 'ol' kee 'woo-le'-mehl 'o 'wes-'o-nah mo-cho kee 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    It will be right for people for them to go about in the world if they have water."
  37. Peesh kwe-see so ne-wom' wen-chokws 'o pech-kuek wey' k'ee mer'-wer-mery-ker-nee k'ee pa-'ah.
    And saw a woman at the place where the river now begins.
  38. Tue' weesh-tue' 'o ne-wom' wen-chokws.
    That's where he saw a woman.
  39. Weesh-tue' 'o kor-pe'w wen-chokws.
    The woman lived alone there.
  40. 'O lem', Nek kwe-lekw weet mehl he-gook' nee-mok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah kee wee' keech 'we-laa-tet-ko-nek'.
    He said, "I went around and there's no water where the river stretches.
  41. Nee-mee me-geehl k'ee nee 'we-raa-yoy laa-tet-ko'hl.
    The ravine is dry."
  42. 'O lem', Hes?
    She said, "Is that so?
  43. Kwe-lekw to' kee 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    Well, they will have water.
  44. Kwe-lekw wee' ne-kee' kee yoh-kue-mek' kee 'wo-'oh-kwek' 'ue-pa-'aa-nah."
    I will fix it that they have water."
  45. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o lem', "Chuuehl, wee' 'o kee soo-tol' 'o yo' kue mer'-wer-mery-ker-nee 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    So he said, "All right, she will go where the water comes from.
  46. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o soo-tol'.
    So she went there.
  47. 'O lem', "Kwe-lekw kue nek 'ne-wes-kwe-lohl kee mer'-wer-meryk'.
    She said, "It will flow from my body.
  48. Wee-tee' kee yoh-kue' 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    That's how their water will be made.
  49. Kue nek 'ne-wes-kwe-lohl kee mer'-wer-meryk'."
    It will flow from my body."
  50. 'O lem', "Chuuehl wee' 'o chekch-'es."
    He said, "All right, sit here."
  51. Weet 'o soo-tol' kee kue me'-wo-mek tet-ko'hl.
    She went to where the ravine begins.
  52. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o sloy-chol'.
    There she went down.
  53. Peesh kwe-see weesh-tue' 'er mer'-wer-meryk'.
    That was the headwaters.
  54. Keech 'o ket-'ue'-lo-gehl.
    It formed a lake.
  55. 'O lem', "Peesh weesh-tue' kee yoh-kue' 'ue-pa-'aa-nah."
    She said, "I'll make their water."
  56. Peesh kwe-see 'o loo-loh-peen'.
    Then she stirred it (the water).
  57. 'O lem', "Kwe-lekw kee nue-mee meyrkwe-nee k'ee too-me-nee.
    She said "It will be all over.
  58. Kee wee' hlke-lo-nah tue' weesh-tue' kee nue-meech-yue mer'-wer-meryk', kee nue-meech-yue 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    It will flow from everywhere on earth, they will have water everywhere.
  59. To' kee heer-kew nee wee' te-get-ko'hl.
    There will be ravines inland.
  60. Kee kem kee 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah, kee che-gee mer'-wer-meryk'."
    They will have water, water will come from all over."
  61. "Mos kee nee ye-go-lem', 'wee-tue' kee son' kee 'ok'w 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.'"
    (Others said:) "You shouldn't say 'it will come to pass that they will have water.'"
  62. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o loo-loh-peen' 'o pe-gah-soy.
    Then she stirred it and blew it.
  63. Wee-tue' kem 'o loo-loh-peen' pue-leek 'we-so pah-soy.
    Then again she stirred it and blew downstream.
  64. 'O new kwe-see keech 'ee mer'-wer-meryk' so puel.
    And she saw it flowing downstream.
  65. Keech 'o loh-kue' 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    Their water had been made.
  66. 'O le's, Heee, pech-kue 'o se-gep!
    He thought, "Heee!" Upriver Coyote did.
  67. Wee-tue' keech nee mok'w 'we-ne-puyo-nah.
    There is no salmon.
  68. Mo-see' kem kee 'wes-kuye-nek' mo-cho kee mok'w 'we-ne-puyo-nah k'ee wee' keech 'we-raa-yoy.
    It won't be good if this river (lit., this waterway that now passes by here) has no salmon.
  69. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o le's, k'ee kues hoh-kuem' kue pa-'ah,
    Then the one that made the water thought,
  70. "Chuuehl, 'ohl-kue-mee kwe-lekw wee-tue' son' mo-see' kee 'uep-yekw-che-nee sook mo-cho kee mok'w 'we-ne-puyo-nah."
    "All right, because it won't be right if there are no salmon."
  71. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o soo-nok's, 'we-sek', "Kwe-lekw to' ne-kee' kee 'ne-muech hoh-kue-mek' (…)
    So this is how she thought, thinking, "I myself am the one who will make it.
  72. Wey-kee' kee 'we-ne-puyo-nah."
    It was accomplished that there will be salmon."
  73. "Hehl yok 'we-soo serk-see-nes!"
    "Look there! Tear out from there!" (said Upriver Coyote).
  74. Yo' wee-tue' kue o' ket-'ue'-lo-gehl weesh-tue' keech 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    And she did so from the lake where there was water.
  75. Peesh wee-tue' yo' 'o ket-'ue'-lo-ge-nee.
    And then another lake was there.
  76. Peesh weesh-tue' 'er nerr-mery-pery'.
    Then he sang.
  77. Pech 'o se-gep 'o nerr-mery-pery'.
    Upriver Coyote sang.
  78. Peesh tue' weet 'er nerr-mery-pery'.
    He sang.
  79. Weesh-tue' 'e-mehl nerr-mery-pery':
    This is what he sang:
  80. We-nos, re-gok!
    "Come, trout!"
  81. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o loh-kue'.
    So he made it.
  82. Cheen-kuen son' kol' 'o pe-to-yop' 'o woh-pue kue re-gok.
    Many trout started to come in the water.
  83. Kue 'ue-wer-yerk wey-pey-yer-kwek', kue se-gon' kol' 'o sa-'a-wor 'o woh-pue.
    When he finished singing, they looked like shadows in the water.
  84. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o s'ue'-lo-gen', noohl 'o s'ue'-lo-gen'.
    The lake was opened, then it was opened.
  85. 'O lem', "Chuehl s'ue'-lo-gen'.
    He said, "All right, it has been opened.
  86. Kwe-lekw wo' keet 'we-ne-puyo-nah," hem' pech 'o se-gep.
    They are becoming salmon," said Upriver Coyote.
  87. Cheen-kuen son' pue-le-kuek 'o lo-'o-mah tue' k'ee nee re-gaa-yoy.
    They started to run downriver in the small creeks.
  88. Kem tue' che-gee nee lehl-ke-nee', 'we-sek', "Wee-tue' kee shoo 'oo-leem' k'ee 'we-re-gaa-yoy.
    He threw them in, thinking, "Thus they will be in the creeks.
  89. Weesh-tue' kem kee nee le-gem' 'we-ne-puyo-nah
    In them will go their salmon.
  90. Wek k'ee che-gee nee pkwer-gery-keen kee too-mok-see'hl, 'ohl-kue-meesh keehl pyekw-che-nee soo hoo-le'-mehl mo kee 'ok'w 'we-ne-puyo-nah."
    It (the salmon) will be everywhere that water flows into the river, because they will live well from it if they have salmon."
  91. Peesh weesh-tue' 'o soo wey-kom'.
    So that is how he finished it.
  92. Keech 'oo-leem' 'we-ne-puyo-nah.
    Now they had salmon.
  93. Nue-mee kee too-mok-see'hl kue che-gee nee mer-ner-mer-nery-ker-nee wee' che-gee le-gem' 'we-ne-puyo-nah.
    They will go everywhere that water winds, salmon will go everywhere.
  94. Peesh-tue' weesh-tue' kwel nee muech hoh-kuem' pech-kue 'o se-gep 'wo-'oh-kween kue 'we-ne-puyo-nah.
    So Upriver Coyote himself made it that they have salmon.
  95. Yo' kue kwen-kuem' kue yo' kue pa-'ah 'woh-kue'.
    That water there was made.
  96. Wek kwe-lekw kue kye-kwen mer'-wer-mery 'ue-mey' wo-'oo-teesh hoh-kuem' kwe-lekw 'ue-pa-'aa-nah.
    Here the daughter of the headwaters made their water.
  97. 'Ue-wes-kwe-lohl mer'-wer-meryk', tue' wee-tue' 'ue-pa-'aa-nah k'ee wek 'we-raa-yoy.
    From her body issued the water of this river.
  98. Peesh wee' tue'.
    So that is how it is.