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University of Virginia Library

Coyote and Turtle, Mescalero Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

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4. Coyote and Turtle as told by Charles Smith

4.1.

Coyote was again at home.

4.2.

His wife quickly went about preparing food for him.

4.3.

It lay on the ground before him.

4.4.

He sat there angrily.

4.5.

He was throwing the food that was lying there about.

4.6.

Then, without speaking to her, he rushed out of the door.

4.7.

Then, at his camp, his wife and his children came out.

4.8.

4.9.

Then Coyote had gone out of sight.

4.10.

4.11.

Just as [Beetle] said:

4.12.

Coyote pounced on him.

4.13.

Then he started off again.

4.14.

[Coyote] stopped before him.

4.15.

"Coyote, I [simply] sit here. I am Frog man."

4.16.

"Friend, show me the way to Old Man Turtle's camp."

4.17.

"There on the east side of that land that is floating in the middle of the water is Old Man Turtle's camp."

4.18.

"Where is there a road to it?"

4.19.

"Right there, straight ahead, there is a road across."

4.20.

"I do not know how to swim, friend."

4.21.

"Sit down right here; I'll look over there for him for you."

4.22.

Then Coyote sat down right there.

4.23.

Then Coyote lay down on his side.

4.24.

4.25.

4.26.

"Coyote, you sent for me."

4.27.

"Are you called Turtle?"

4.28.

"I am so called."

4.29.

Then [Coyote] arose.

4.30.

"Coyote, why are you coming to me?"

4.31.

"I am coming to you so you will do something for me. That is why I am coming to you."

4.32.

"Coyote, I'll do for you anything that you want. Name it!"

4.33.

"Give me tobacco.

4.34.

4.35.

Then, turning around, he jumped into the water.

4.36.

4.37.

"Coyote, now what else?"

4.38.

"Give me roasted deer ribs."

4.39.

Then he jumped into the water.

4.40.

Then, feeling very grateful, [Coyote] began to eat.

4.41.

That food that Turtle had given him [and] which remained when he had eaten:

4.42.

4.43.

"Four days from now I will come to you."

4.44.

"All right. You will come to me."

4.45.

Then, tying up that which he had given him, he started to carry it back to his camp.

4.46.

Then they began to eat.

4.47.

4.48.

Then four days had passed.

4.49.

A short time passed.

4.50.

"Coyote, we have come to you. Now prepare something for us."

4.51.

"Yes, I'll prepare something for you."

4.52.

Then he took out some tobacco.

4.53.

The [Turtle] rolled it and gave it to him.

4.54.

Then he spoke thus to his wife:

4.55.

Coyote's wife went inside.

4.56.

4.57.

Then they started to move toward [the] bag].

4.58.

Then they arose.

4.59.

Then, having arisen, they all embraced one another.

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Then Coyote lay down on his side.

(4.23)[23]
'Áshíͅ Shóͅóͅdé nanneestíͅná'a.
'Iͅiͅłhaajná'a.
Ts'isteełń chíͅ'nshtłodéńyił t'áͅshíͅ ná'gałkóͅóͅłná'a.
Goch'iͅiͅni'góńłkóͅná'a.
Tábaͅaͅjiͅ hagóͅóͅ'áájná'a.
Goch'iͅngóń'áájná'a.
'Idiͅiͅgo 'ich'iłhoshná'a.
'Ich'iłháͅná'a.

Then Coyote lay down on his side.
He fell asleep.
Turtle and Frog were swimming back.
They swam toward him.
They came out on the shore.
They stood before him.
He was fast asleep.
He was snoring.

[_]

(4.23) Linguistic Notes

Note that the four verbs in this passage referring to the actions of Frog and Turtle--viz., ná'gałkóͅóͅłná'a 'they were swimming back'; goch'iini'góńłkóͅná'a [ch'ii- here is probably a misprint. In the Apache text this word appears as goch'iͅiͅni'góńłkóͅná'a--MEC] 'they swam toward him'; hagóͅóͅ'áájná'a 'they came out'; and goch'iͅiͅngóń'áájná'a 'they stood before him'--all employ the deictic prefix go- as a 3rd person dual subject pronoun. This usage is very frequent in the Mesc. texts whereas it occurs but seldom in the Chir. texts.