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The Old Woman's Grandson, Chiricahua Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

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38. The Old Woman's Grandson as told by Duncan Belacho

38.1.

Long ago, near the time when the earth had been made,

38.2.

Then this old woman went into the town.

38.3.

Then she gave it to her grandson.

38.4.

Then he went there.

38.5.

Then the white storekeeper returned.

38.6.

Then he gave him the twenty five cents and [the storekeeper] gave him [the dog].

38.7.

Then, the next day, that old woman washed for the white people again.

38.8.

Then the boy went to the store again.

38.9.

38.10.

Then that boy went to the rich white man.

38.11.

Then this white man:

38.12.

38.13.

Then this white man spoke thus:

38.14.

38.15.

Then the white man:

38.16.

38.17.

Then this white man:

38.18.

38.19.

Then he gave him the ring.

38.20.

38.21.

Then he awoke lying with the daughter of the rich man.

38.22.

Then this girl learned about the ring.

38.23.

Then the ring had been lost to this boy.

38.24.

38.25.

38.26.

Then [the boy] said to both the little dogs:

38.27.

Then both the little dogs went to every place that the white men lived on the earth but they did not find it.

38.28.

Then only one day had passed.

38.29.

Then [to] the little dogs:

38.30.

Then the dogs searched for the ring for four days.

38.31.

Then, on the shore of the ocean, there were some Frog soldiers.

38.32.

Then one of them spoke thus:

38.33.

Then [to] the Frog chief:

38.34.

Then he gave him some [soldiers].

38.35.

Then the Black Ants came to them.

38.36.

Then the girl was asleep.

38.37.

Then one of the Mice spoke thus:

38.38.

Then he thrust his tail in it.

38.39.

Then the two dogs ran off with the ring.

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Then he thrust his tail in it.

(38.38)[38]
'Ákoo bitseeí yéideeshiizhná'a.
Gondiiyá yéisláná'a.
'Ákoo 'étoné jiislíͅná'a.
'Ákoo gostsahí goghe'shíͅ hahaataná'a.
'Ákoo kaahanájít'áͅná'a.

Then he thrust his tail in it.
And he put [his tail] against her face.
Then she sneezed.
Then the ring flew out from inside her.[2]
And it was taken away from her.

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(38.38) Linguistic Notes

1. yéideeshiizhná'a 'he thrust it into it'. yé- 'against it'; -i- > yi- 3rd person pronoun; dee- > di- ? plus si- perf., 3rd person; -shiizh > -ł- zhiizh, perf. of -ł-zhíísh 'to thrust a spear-like object' [act. tr.].

2. yéisláná'a 'he put it against it'. 3rd person perf. with 3rd person obj. of 0é-...[si- perf.]-lé 'to put a rope-like object against' [act. tr.].

3. 'étoné jiislíͅná'a 'she sneezed'. 'étoné a particle denoting the sound of a sneeze; jiislíͅ, 3a person perf. of ...[si- perf.]- laa 'to become' [act. intr.].

4. hahaataná'a 'it flew out'. 3rd person perf. of ha-hi- ...[hi- perf.]-tá 'to break out and scatter' [act. intr.]. This analysis is uncertain.

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Ethnological Note 2
The informant explained that it was hidden in her anus.