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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"Now then, sit facing the east,"

(2.8)[8]

"'Ákoo'a, ha'ii'áhí bich'iͅiͅyágo ńdaa."

Niishjaaí goołndiná'a.
'Ákoo'a, Shóͅóͅdé 'ákaago neesdáná'a.
'Ákoo Niishjaaí nádiidzáná'a.
Ha'ii'áshégo nińyáná'a.
Tádídíń biganí denshndáshíné yeedahyajishná'ahá.
Tádídíń díͅíͅnyá yiłdahdiiłndiiná'ahá.
Goch'iͅiͅyóo náheeyáná'a.
Tádídíńí gotsiit'á kádahyiijaaná'a.
'Áshíͅ gondiií nanyágo káik'ee'iizoná'a.
'Ákoo gok'édeesghalná'a.

"Now then, sit facing the east,"

Owl said to him.
Then Coyote sat down that way.
Then Owl got up.
He stood on the east side.
He was holding up some pollen in his right hand.
He raised the hand holding the pollen to the four directions.
He turned around to face [Coyote].
He put pollen on the top of his head for him.
Then he marked the side of his face for him.
Then he looked at him.

[_]

(2.8) Linguistic Notes

1. denshndáshíné 'right'. denshndá 'right [as opposed to left]' [no analysis]. -shíné > -shíͅ 'from' plus the archaic'relative -é.

2. goch'iͅiͅyóo 'to face him' > go- 'him'; ch'iͅiͅ 'toward'; -yá pp.; and -go subord. encl.

3. kádahyiijaaá'a 'he put it on for him'. ká- 'for him' plus the 3rd person perf. with 3rd person obj. of dah-|...[si- perf.]-jáásh 'to put a mass on' [act. tr.; dah- 'on']. Note that the text form, a 3rd person si perfective, lacks the s- prefix. See note 1.24, §2.

4. káik'e'iizoná'a 'he marked it for him'. ká- 'for him'; -ik'e- > -yik'e- 'on it'. 'iizo, 3rd person perf. of 'i- |...[si- perf.]-zo 'to mark' [act. intr.]. 'i-| ?. In this form, the -s- of the 3rd person si- perfective merges with the initial stem consonant.