Coyote and the Creation, Mescalero Apache Text :: :: University of Virginia Library

Coyote and the Creation, Mescalero Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

5. Coyote and the Creation as told by Charles Smith

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So that one was the first of all living creatures to be transformed.

(5.41)[41]
'Ákoo 'áíí 'indá'igáał'aashé dá'íłtsé 'ághádzaaná'a.
'IͅIͅshíͅndáségo, dágé k'éshdiyaghałí díík'eh, dáháí'át'éí, 'ákaa 'óondííłná'a.
Gołgóͅtóͅóͅyégo naanách'iyadááłná'ahá.
Tóik'éshdeeghalná'a.
Hach'idzíídó ch'éda'ách'ił'iͅiͅná'a.

So that one was the first of all living creatures to be transformed.
From this time on, everyone that [Coyote] looks at, whoever it is, will be changed in this way.
He walked about sadly.
He looked at the water.
He also tried in vain to speak.

[_]

(5.41) Linguistic Notes

'indá'igáał'aashé 'all living creatures'. 'indá 'life, there is life' [sometimes heard 'iindá]; 'igáał'aa 'varieties, species' [cf. note 4.34]; -shé 'side, party'.