Coyote and Owl, Mescalero Apache Text :: :: University of Virginia Library

Coyote and Owl, Mescalero Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

2. Coyote and Owl as told by Charles Smith

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Then he went in that direction.

(2.2)[2]
'Ákoo 'ákaago hiiłteená'a.
'Ákaa yaach'íńt'iná'ago'a, Niishjaanáí dashíͅ dasidáná'a.

"Shóͅóͅdé,"

yiiłndiná'a.
'Ákoo yiͅiͅłts'áͅná'a.
'Áshíͅ dasidáná'a.
Dá'áshíͅ neesdáná'a.

"Shóͅóͅdé,"

yiiłndiná'a.

Then he went in that direction.
When he go there, [it was] only Owl sitting up [somewhere].

"Friend,"

he called to him.
Then he saw him.
He was sitting up over there.
[Coyote] sat down right there.

"Friend,"

he said to him.

[_]

(2.2) Linguistic Notes

1. hiiłteená'a 'he went'. 3rd person perf. of hi-|...[? perf.] -l-té 'to go, walk, run' [act. intr.]. This verb seems to be of more frequent occurrence in Mesc. than in Chir.

2. niishjaanáí 'only Owl'. niishjaa 'Owl' [no analysis]; -ná 'just, only'; -í relative.