Strong Bear and The Boxer
A story told by Dickie Moss.
howoo he’ih’ii3eeno’ nehe’ tei’ox, heetou’ boo3eti3i’;
also they told him this strong bear where it is they are fighting
nihii koo’einoxoeyoone’ ni’iitou’u,
well in the fenced circular area they called it
wootii hiikokoyoxoeni’, cii3iihi’ niitiine3eiheti3i’.
as if fenced square area inside where they knock each other around
wohei nihtesiini no’oteiht, niiseiht nihoo3oo.
wohei he was very powerful one white man
he’neen niitobeekuut nuhu’ boo’oet.
it was him he stands first [in] this fighting
“wohei,” nii3oohkoni’ “hiibeexiineyei3ihoo, heibeexiboo3oo.”
wohei they said to him you should try him you should fight him
“hoowuuni,” heehehk.
no he said
“hoowuuni.
no
neebeh’esiihiihoo, wo’ei3 heebeh- howoo neebehnoh’oo.
I might injure him or he might also I might kill him
neihoowbeetnee’eestoo.
I don’t want to do that
noh nihto’obeinoohok, wootii ho’nookeen heeto’owoot;
and if he hit me as if rock he will hit it
noh to’owoohok, noh siineihoowoe’in heetni-
and if I hit him and I really don’t know (he) will
wohoe’etwonoo3iine’etii,” he’ih’ii.
whether he would live very long he said
noh ne’nih’iisciini’owoo3i’.
and that is how they didn’t receive his agreement
“neebeh’esiiniihoo.
I might injure him
hoownee’ee3e’eenoo nuhu’ hees- nuhu’ heesno’oteihinoo,
that is not the purpose [of my power] this how this my strength
hetni’eenesiinii3einoo.
in order to go around hurting people
hoowuuni, honoot nii- niinotoonoo3ou’u neito’eino’, wo’ei3 howoo
no until I stick up for them my relatives or also
niiheniihi’, neneeninoo,” he’ih’ii.
on my own myself he said
wohei ne’nih’iisiini, nihii...
wohei that is how it was well
“hoowuuhu’ tohbiineenoo nuhu’ no’oteihiit;
not that I have been given it this power
‘oh niiheyoo nohkuusi’i’oonoo.
but on my own I grew up with it
nohkcebii’oonoo.
I was created with it
hi’in nenee’: nee’eesno’oteihinoo.
that’s it that’s how I come to be so powerful
‘oh neihoowbeeti’eenesiiniihoo nenitee.
but I don’t want to hurt him with it a person
neihoowbeeti’kocoo’o3ihe’ nenitee honoot ni’eeneecihi’woonou’u
I don’t want to kill him with it a person until I will use it to protect them
neito’eino’, wo’ei3 howoo niiheniihi’ neneeninoo.
my relatives or also on my own myself
noh nuhu’ nenee’ he’ih’iiciini’oobeeno’.
and this it they didn’t receive his agreement
“hoowuuni,” he’ih’ii.
no he said
to’obeinoohok wootii ho’nookeen heeto’owoot,
if he hit me as if rock he will hit it
noh hinee to’owoohok, ‘oh neihoowoe’in wohoe’etwonoo3iine’etii.
and that one if I hit him and I don’t know if he would live very long
noh nuhu’ nenee’ neihoowbeeti’- kookoni’koco’o3ihoo.
and this it I don’t want to kill him with it for no reason
nuhu’ no’oteheihii neenehno’oteiht.
this powerful one let him be, that powerful one
neenehiini.
let it be
neihoowbeettooto’oe- neihoowbeetitenowuunoo no’oteihiit.
I don’t want to because I don’t want it to take it from him power
wohei ne’nih’iisinihiit,; noh ne’nih’ii3eeciini’oowoo3i’.
wohei that’s what he said that’s why they didn’t receive his consent
nohuusoho’.
that’s the way it was