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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. 
Then:
 38.10. 
Then that boy went to the rich white man.
 38.11. 
Then this white man:
 38.12. 
Then this boy:
 38.13. 
Then this white man spoke thus:
 38.14. 
Then the boy:
 38.15. 
Then the white man:
 38.16. 
Then the boy:
 38.17. 
Then this white man:
 38.18. 
Then the boy:
 38.19. 
Then he gave him the ring.
 38.20. 
Then this boy:
 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. 
The boy:
 38.25. 
Then:
 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 gave him some [soldiers].

(38.34)[34]
'Ákoo baa'ń ndilná'a.
'Ákoo kiͅ nzhóní si'áͅí binájiist'iná'a.
'Ákoo Lóó'sts'oͅoͅsé siláádoí bijoosndeená'a.
'Ádíń 'it'éekéń biłdahdeestł'óͅná'a.
'Ákoo Chíͅ'istłodé Lóó'stsoͅoͅsé siláádo ch'édégoda 'ádaandáná'a.
'Ákoo daanádéńtaní ghá'ii'áńyá ch'édahighákáná'a.
Then he gave him some [soldiers].
And they surrounded the beautiful house that lay there.
Then the Mouse soldiers helped them.
This girl had locked up [the house].
Then the Frog [and] Mouse soldiers didn't know what to do.
And they tried in vain to go through the keyhole of the door.
 
[_]
(38.34) Linguistic Notes

1. binájiist'iná'a 'they surrounded it'. 3a person perf. of 0-ná-...[si- perf.]-t'é 'to stand in a line around' [act. intr.]. The theme: 'to stand in line, to be strung in a line'.

2. lóó'sts'oͅoͅsé 'mice'. Cf. lóó'stso 'wood rats' and lóó'stsontsai 'oppossum'. lóó's- ?; ts'oͅoͅsé is probably related to -á-ni-...-ł-ts'oͅoͅsé 'to be slender' [imp. neut. intr.].

3. biłdahdeestł'óͅná'a 'she had locked it up'. 3rd person perf. of 0-ł-dah-di-...[si- perf.]-tł'ó 'to lock up, to tie up' [act. intr.]. The theme means 'to tie up, to bind' and it is usually transitive. I do not understand this form.

4. ghá'ii'áńyá 'the keyhole'. ghá-, 'through' plus 'ii'áń 'hole'.

5. ch'édahighákáná'a 'they tried in vain to go through'. ch'éda- 'in vain' plus 0-ghá-ni-...[ni- perf.]-ká 'several go through' [act. intr.].

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