Vocabulary
ᎡᏘ ᎢᏴᏃ - e:ti:yvhno - a long time ago
ᏥᎨᏎᎢ - tsige:se:'i - that it was
ᎢᎾᎨ - i:nage - forest, woods
ᎠᏁᎯ - ane:hi - they live (there)
ᎢᎾᎨ ᎠᏁᎯ - i:nage ane:hi - the forest dwellers (wild animals)
ᏓᎾᏟᏃᎮᏍᎨᎢ - danahli:nohe:sge?i - they were talking
ᏍᎩᏃ - sgihno - at that
ᎢᏴᎯ - i:yvhi - time
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - rabbit
ᏃᎴ - no:le - and
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏖᎴᎢ - - unada:nte:le?i - they decided (thought)
ᎤᎾᎵᏙᎩᏯᏍᏗ - u:nahlto:gi?iyahsdi - to race each other (ahli=run + atokiya=race)
ᎢᎾᎨᎢᏃ - i:nage:?ihno - in the woods
ᎡᎯ - e:hi - lives
ᎢᎾᎨᎢᏃ ᎡᎯ - the forest dweller (the animal)
ᏧᏓᎩᏴ - tsuda:kiyv - winner of the race, who won
ᏧᏲᏂ - tsuhyo:ni - antlers
ᏧᏱᏗ - tsu:hy(i)di - to get them (long things); to receive them, recipient
ᎨᏎᎢ - ge:se:?i - was, would be
ᎯᎠᏃ ᎢᏴ - hi?ahno i:yv - now at this time
ᏧᏲᏂ - tsuhyo:ni - antlers (horns)
ᏧᏬᏚᎯ - tsuwo:dúhi - beautiful
ᎠᏁᎵᏍᎨᎢ - ane:lisge?i - they thought, considered
ᎢᎾᎨ ᎠᏁᎯ - i:nage ane:hi – forest dwellers
ᎤᎾᎵᏙᎩᏯ - unahli:tokiya - when they raced (ahli=run + atokiya=race)
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᏚᏓᏘᏰᎢ - duda:ki:ye?i - he won (defeated him)
ᎠᏫᏃ - ahwi:hno - and the Deer
ᏚᏓᏒᏁᎢ - duda:sv:ne?i - he won (them) (base verb unknown)
ᏧᏲᏂ - tsuhyo:ni - the antlers
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - rabbit
ᏙᏯ (ᏙᏳ) - do:hya (do:hyu) - very
ᎤᏔᎵᎰᏎᎢ - uta:lihose?i - angry
ᏓᎬᏯᏤᏘᏎᎵ - dagvyatsetsheli - I will get even, get revenge cf.
ᎠᏤᏤᎭ (RRD)
ᎤᏛᏁᎢ - udvne?i – he said
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - rabbit
ᎤᏓᏅᏖᎯᏐᎰ ᎾᏃ - uda:nte:hihso:ho?na:hno - and after thinking, considering
ᏖᎸᎳᏗ - te:lv:la:di - grapevine
ᏭᎾᎩᏎᎢ - wu:nagi:se?i - he (went and) got it (flexible)
ᏐᏉ - so:gwo - one
ᎢᏣ - i:tsa - side
ᎤᏍᎦᎵᏥᏙᎴᎢ - u:sgahltsidole?i - he bit it continously
ᏧᎵᎦᎵᏍᎢᏕᎾ - tsuli:gali:side:na - on the point of breaking
ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁ - nuhl:sda:ne - it became
ᎦᏅᏅ - ganv:hnv - road
ᎢᏣ - i:tsa - side / towards
ᎤᏅᏁᎢ - unv:ne?i - he placed it
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ - tsihsduhno - and so rabbit
Ꮟ - si - again
ᎤᏓᎾᏫᏗᏍᎨᎢ - u:dana:wi:di:sge?i - he was jumping
ᏃᎴ - no:le - and
ᎠᏍᎦᎵᏥᏙᎮᎢ - asgahltsi:dohe?i – he was biting it
ᏖᎸᎳᏗ - te:lv:la:di - grapevine
ᏍᎩᏃ - sgihno - that
ᎾᏛᏁᎵᏍᎬᎢ - nadv:nelisgv?i – he was doing (it)
ᎤᎷᏤᎢ - ulu:tse?i - he came, arrived
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
Ꮩ ᎭᏛᏁᎭ - (ga)do: hadv:neha - what are you doing?
ᎠᎪᏎᎴᎢ - agose:le?i - he was asked
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᏙᏳᏃ - do:hyuhno - very
ᏓᏍᏓᏯ - dasda:ya - are strong
ᏕᏥᏅᏙᎬ - detsi:ndo:gv - my teeth
ᎤᏛᏁᎢ - u:dvne?i - he said
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᏰᎵᏉᏃ - ye:li:gwo:hno - perhaps, maybe
ᏱᏕᏥᎦᎳᎦ - yide:tsigala:ga - I could bite/cut into
ᎯᎠ - hi:a - this
ᏖᎸᎳᏗ - te:lv:la:di - grapevine.
ᏩᎾᎯᏃ - wa:nahi:hno - very easily
ᏚᎦᎵᏎᎢ - du:gali:se?i - he broke it
ᎠᏎᏃ - asehno - but, however
ᎤᎵᏍᏓᎩᏓ - uhlsdagi:da - bitten
ᏂᎨᏒᎾ - nige:svna - it wasn't
ᎢᏣ - i:tsa - towards, side
ᎤᎵᏍᏓᎩᏓ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎢᏣ - the unbitten side, towards where it was unbitten
ᎤᎵᏍᏓᎩᏎᎢ - uhlsdagi?se?i - he bit
ᎤᎪᏩᏛᎭᏃ - ugohwtv:hahno - now when he saw it
ᎢᏳᏍᏗ - iyuhsdi - what (that which)
ᎾᏛᏁᎲ - nadv:nehv - he had done
ᏥᏍᏚ t- tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᎤᏁᎵᏙᏙ - unehldo?di - to try it
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎤᏕᎶᎰᏌ - ude:loho:sa - when he saw, found out, learned
ᏥᏍᏛ - tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᎣᏏ - ohsi - good
ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁᎲ - nuhlsda:nehv - he was becoming
ᎤᎵᏍᏗ - uhlihsdi - quickly
ᏭᎾᎩᏎᎢ - wu:nagi:se?i - (went and) got it (flexible)
ᎡᏆ - e:gwa - large
ᏖᎸᎳᏗ - te:lv:la:di - grapevine
ᎦᏅᏅᏃ - ganv:hnv:no - in the road
ᎠᏰᎵ - aye:li - (in the) middle
ᏍᏉ - -sgwo: - also (suffix, attached to )
ᎦᏅᏅᏃ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᏉ - also in the middle, center of the road
ᎤᏅᏁᎢ - unv:ne?i - it was lying
ᎠᏫᏃ - ahwihno - Deer
ᏭᏓᎾᏫᏛᎮᎢ - wudana:wi:dvhe?i - he jumped
ᏃᎴ - no:le - and
ᏭᏍᎦᎵᏤᎢ - wuhsgahlitse?i - he bit there
ᏖᎸᎳᏗᏐ - te:lv:la:di - the grapevine
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ - tsihsduhno - Rabbit
ᏐᏱ (ᏐᎢ) - so:yi - same as
ᏄᏛᏁᎸ - nudv:nelv: - what he had done
ᏫᏄᏛᏁᎴᎢ - winudv:nele:?i - did the same
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎤᏄᎸᏁᎢᏉ - unu:lvne?igwo - he just couldn't do it cf. ᎤᏄᎸᎲᏍᎦ (RRD)
ᎠᏍᎪᎵᏉᏃ - ahsgo:ligwohno - his head
ᎤᏩᏌ - u:wa:sa - only
ᎤᏍᎫᏱᏍᏓᏁᎢ - u:skuhyisdane?i – it hit his head
ᏖᎸᎳᏗ - te:lv:la:di - the grapevine
ᏥᏍᏈᏍᏓᏃ - tsgwi:sdahno - several (many)
ᎢᏴᏩᎦᏗ - iyuwa:kdi - times
ᎤᏁᎵᏔᏁᎢ - unehltane:i – he tried
ᏧᎦᎵᏍᏗᏳ - tsugali:sdi:yu - to break them
ᎠᏫᏃ - ahwihno - and the Deer
ᎤᏄᎸᏁᎢ - unu:lvne?i - he couldn't, was unable; he failed
ᎣᏂᏃ - o:hni hno - the end
ᎣᏂᏃ - i:tsa - toward
ᎨᏒᎢ - ge:sv?i - it was
ᎣᏂᏃ ᎣᏂᏃ ᎨᏒᎢ - towards the end
ᎥᎦᏂᏚᏍᏗ - vga:niduhsdi - let me see them
ᏕᎯᏅᏙᎬᎢ - dehi:ndogv?i - your teeth
ᎤᏛᏁᎢ - u:dvne?i - he said
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎾᎪᏩᏘᏍᎬᎾ - n-agohwtisgv:-na – he couldn't see (he was without seeing it)
ᎢᏳᏍᏗ - iyuhsdi - what (that which) ᏂᏗᎦᎵᏍᏓᏂᏒ - nidigahlsdani:sv - was going to happen, about to happen
ᏓᏥᎪᎵᏰᎴᎢ - datsigo:liyele?i - they were looked at, examined
ᏕᎦᏅᏙᎬᎢ - dega:ndogv?i - his teeth
ᏕᎯᏅᏙᎬᎢᏃ - dehi:ndogv?ihno - your teeth
ᏗᎬᏲᏓᎢᎥᎡᏗ - digv:yodaiv?edi - I need to sharpen them
ᏙᏳᏃ - dohyu:hno - very
ᏗᎪᏍᏗᏳᎵ - digo:sdiyuhli - are blunt, dull
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᏍᎩᏃ - sgihno - that (the afore mentioned)
ᎢᏳᏍᏗ - iyuhsdi - reason
ᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ - sgihno iyusdi - because of this; for this reason, so this is why
ᎪᎰᏍᏗ (ᎪᎱᏍᏗ) - gohohsdi - something, anything (NC variant of ᎪᎱᏍᏗ gohuhsdi)
ᎦᏣᎵᏍᏓᎩᏍᏗ - gatsahlsdagisdi - you are able to bite (ga- + infinitive means "ability to" CED Grammar p.321)
ᏂᎨᏒᎾ - ni-gesv-na - was without, un-
ᏥᎩ - tsi:gi - it is
ᎦᏣᎵᏍᏓᎩᏍᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᏥᎩ - you are unable to bite
ᏍᎩᎾ - sgi:na - with that
ᎾᏥᏪᏎᎳ - na:tsiwe:se:la - having been told
ᎠᏫ a- hwi - Deer
ᏄᏕᎮᎸᎾ - n-udehe:lv:-na - couldn't refuse (not in references. "differ"?)
ᎨᏎᎢ - ge:se?i - was
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ - tsihsduhno - so the Rabbit
ᏅᏯ - nv:ya - rock
ᎬᏗ - gvhdi - using it / with it
ᎤᎴᏅ - ule:nv - he began (cf.
ᏕᎪᏔᎵᏒᎢ - dego:talishv?i - to sharpen them (W - ᎬᏟᎭ kdliha)
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᏓᎦᏅᏙᎬᎢ - dega:ndogv?i - teeth
ᏚᏬᏓᎸᎮᎢᏃ - duwodalvhe?ihno - he ground them down (not in references)
ᎠᎭᏳᎬ - ahayu:gv - gums
ᎾᎢ - na?v - near / close to
ᏩᏍᏗ - wahsdi - end, edge (ᎠᏍᏛᎢ)
ᎡᎯᏍᏗ - ehihsdi - it hurts, it's hurtful, it's painful
ᎤᏛᏁᎢᏃ - u:dvne?ihno - he said
ᎤᏦᏱᎳ - u:tso:hyila - as he cried
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎡᎯᏍᏙᎢᏃ - ehihsdo?ihno - it hurts
ᏂᎪᎯᎸ - nigohi:lv - all the time (always)
ᏙᎪᏍᏓᏱ - digo:sda:yi - sharp
ᏂᏕᎦᎵᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ - nide:gahlsdisgv?i - when they become
ᎤᏛᏁᎢ - u:dvne?i - he said
ᏥᏍᏚ - tsihsdu - Rabbit
ᎪᎯᏃᎢᏴ - go:hihno?iyv - a little while later
ᎩᎳ - ki:la - until
ᏃᏗ - no:di - now
ᎭᏥᏓᎩ - ha:tsdagi - you bite
ᎠᎪᏎᎴᎢ - ago:se:le?i - he told him
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏎᎢᏃ - uhsgwanigo:se?ihno - he was surprised
ᎠᏫ - ahwi - Deer
ᎪᎰᏍᏗ(ᎪᎱᏍᏗ) - gohohsdi - anything (nothing)
ᎬᏩᏥᏍᏓᎩᏍᏗ - gvwa:tsdagihsdi - couldn't bite
ᏂᎨᏒᎾ - nige:sv:na - negative participle (without, it could not be)
ᎨᏒᎢ - gesv?i -past tense
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ - tsihsduhno - Rabbit
ᎤᎵᏍᏓ - uhlihsda - quickly
ᏄᏪᏎᎢ - nu:we:se?i - said
Ꭷ - ka - interjection, "Hey!"
ᏃᏗ - no:di- now
ᏕᎬᏯᏤᏥᏏ - degv:yatse:tsi:si - I got even with, got revenge on you (ᎠᏤᏤᎭ)
ᎤᏛᏁᎢ - u:dvne?i – he said
ᏍᎩᏃᎢᏴ sgihno?iyv - at that time
ᏌᎷᏱ salu:yi - bushes
ᏭᏕᎵᏤᎢ - wude:litse?i - disappeared into, went out of sight (ᎤᏕᎵᎦ)
ᏍᎩᏃ - sgihno - so this
ᎢᏳᏍᏗ - iyuhsdi - like this
ᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ - sgihno iyusdi - because of this; for this reason, so this is why
ᎯᎪᎯᏥᎩ - hi:gohi:tsigi - to this day
ᎠᏫ a- ahwi - Deer
ᏧᏆᎶᎦ - tsu:gwalo:ga - leaves
ᏃᎴ - no:le - and
ᎧᏁᏍᎦ - kane:sga - grass
ᎤᏩᏌ - uwa:sa - only (it’s the only thing)
ᎬᏩᎩᏍᏗ - gv:wagihsdi – he is able to eat (neutral)
ᏧᏍᏗᏳᎵ ᏕᎦᏅᏙᎬ ᎠᏫ
ᎡᏘ ᎢᏴᏃ ᏥᎨᏎᎢ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎠᏁᎯ ᏓᎾᎵᏃᎮᏍᎨᎢ. ᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏴᎯ ᏥᏍᏚ ᏃᎴ ᎠᏫ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏖᎴᎢ ᎤᎾᎵᏙᎩᏯᏍᏗᏳ. ᎢᎾᎨᎢᏃ ᎡᎯ ᏧᏓᎩᏴ ᏧᏲᏂ ᏧᏱᏗ ᎨᏎᎢ. ᎯᎠᏃ ᎢᏴ ᏧᏲᏂ ᏧᏬᏚᎯ ᎠᏁᎵᏍᎨᎢ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎠᏁᎯ.
ᎤᎾᎵᏙᎩᏯ ᎠᏫ ᏚᏓᎩᏰᎢ. ᎠᏫᏃ ᏚᏓᏒᏁᎢ ᏧᏲᏂ. ᏥᏍᏚ ᏙᏳ ᎤᏔᎵᎰᏎᎢ. ᏓᎬᏯᏤᏤᎵ ᎤᏛᏁᎢ ᏥᏍᏚ.
ᎤᏓᏅᏖᎯᏐᎰ-ᎾᏃ ᏖᎸᎳᏗ ᏭᎾᎩᏎᎢ. ᏐᏉ ᎢᏣ ᎤᏍᎦᎵᏥᏙᎴᎢ. ᏧᎵᎦᎵᏏᏕᎾ ᏄᎵᏍᏓᎾ ᎦᏅᏅ ᎢᏣ ᎤᏅᏁᎢ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ Ꮟ ᎠᏓᎾᏫᏗᏍᎨᎢ ᏃᎴ ᎠᏍᎦᎵᏥᏙᎮᎢ ᏖᎸᏩᏗ. ᏍᎩᏃ ᎾᏛᏁᎵᏍᎬᎢ ᎤᎷᏤᎢ ᎠᏫ. "Ꮩ ᎭᏛᏁᎭ?" ᎠᎪᏎᎴᎢ ᏥᏍᏚ. “ᏙᏳᏃ ᏓᏍᏓᏯ ᎦᏥᏅᏙᎬᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏁᎢ ᏥᏍᏚ. “ᏰᎵᏉᏃ ᏱᏕᏥᎦᎳᎦ Ꭿ ᏖᎸᎳᏗ." ᏩᎾᎯᏃ ᏚᎦᎵᏎᎢ. ᎠᏎᏃ ᎤᎳᏍᏓᎩᏓ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎢᏣ ᎤᎳᏍᏓᎩᏎᎢ.
ᎤᎪᏩᏛᎭ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎾᏛᏁᎲ ᏥᏍᏚ ᎤᏚᎸᎮᎢ ᎤᏁᎳᏙᏗ ᎠᏫ. ᎤᏕᎶᎰᏌ ᏥᏍᏚ ᎣᏏ ᏄᎳᏍᏓᏁᎲ ᎤᎵᏍᏗ ᏭᎾᎩᏎᎢ ᎡᏆ ᏖᎸᎳᏗ. ᎦᏅᏅᏃ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᏉ ᎤᏅᏁᎢ. ᎠᏫᏃ ᏭᏓᎾᏫᏛᎮᎢ ᏃᎴ ᏭᏍᎦᎵᏤᎢ ᏖᎸᎳᏗ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᏐᏱ ᏄᏛᏁᎸ ᏫᏄᏛᏁᎴᎢ ᎠᏫ. ᎤᏄᎸᏁᎢᏉ. ᎠᏍᎪᎵᏉᏃ ᎤᏩᏌ ᎤᏍᎫᏱᏍᏓᏁᎢ ᏖᎸᎳᏗ. ᏥᏍᏈᏍᏓᏃ ᎢᏳᏩᎦᏗ ᎤᏁᎳᏓᏁᎢ ᏧᎦᎵᏍᏗᏳ. ᎠᏎᏃ ᎤᏄᎸᏁᎢ. ᎣᏂᏃ ᎢᏣ ᎨᏒᎢ “ᎥᎦᏂᏚᏍᏗ ᏕᎯᏅᏙᎬᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏁᎢ ᏥᏍᏚ. ᎠᏫᏃ ᎾᎪᏩᏘᏍᎬᎾ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏂᏗᎦᎵᏍᏓᏂᏒ ᏓᏥᎪᎵᏰᎴᎢ ᏕᎦᏅᏙᎬᎢ. "ᏕᎯᏅᏙᎬᎢᏃ ᏗᎬᏲᏓᎸᎡᏗ. ᏙᏳᏃ ᏗᎪᏍᏓᏳᎵᏳ," ᎤᏛᏁ ᏥᏍᏚ. “ᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎪᎰᏍᏗ ᎦᏣᎵᏍᏓᎩᏍᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᏥᎩ.” ᏍᎩᎾ ᎾᏥᏪᏎᎳ, ᎠᏫ ᏄᏕᎮᎸᎾ ᎨᏎᎢ.
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᏅᏯ ᎬᏗ ᎤᎴᏅᎮ ᏕᎪᏔᎵᏍᎬᎢ ᎠᏫ ᏕᎦᏅᏙᎬᎢ. ᏚᏬᏓᎸᎮᎢᏃ ᎠᎭᏳᎬ ᎾᎥ ᏩᏍᏘ. "ᎡᎯᏍᏗ, ᎡᎯᏍᏗ!" ᎤᏛᏁᎢᏃ ᎤᏦᏱᎳ ᎠᏫ. "ᎡᎯᏍᏙᎢᏃ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᏗᎪᏍᏓᏱ ᏂᏕᎦᎵᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ," ᎤᏛᏁᎢ ᏥᏍᏚ.
“ᎪᎯᏃ ᎢᏴ ᎩᎳ ᏃᏗ ᎭᏓᏍᏓᎩ,” ᎠᎪᏎᎴᎢ ᎠᏫ. ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏎᎢᏃ ᎠᏫ ᎪᎰᏍᏗ ᎬᏩᏥᏍᏓᎩᏍᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎨᏒᎢ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᎤᎵᏍᏓ ᏄᏪᏎᎢ, "Ꭷ ᏃᏗ ᏕᎬᏯᏤᏥᏏ,” ᎤᏛᏁᎢ. ᏍᎩᏃᎢᏴ ᏌᎷᏱ ᏭᏕᎵᏤᎢ.
ᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎯᎪᎯᏥᎩ ᎠᏫ ᏧᏆᎶᎦ ᏃᎴ ᎧᏁᏍᎦ ᎤᏩᏌ ᎬᏩᎩᏍᏗ.
Why Deer's Teeth Are Blunt
There was a time when animals could talk to each
other. At this time, Rabbit and Deer decided to have a race. This
race was to determine which animal would win the prestige of wearing
antlers. Antlers were very attractive to the animals during this
era.
The race began and Deer easily won the prize. This made Rabbit very
angry and he decided to get even.
Rabbit after some thought got a grapevine and began to chew it on
one side. When it was almost broken he stretched it across a trail.
Rabbit continued to jump and bite at the grapevine. While doing so,
Deer came along and asked Rabbit what he was doing. "My teeth are so
strong I can bite this into two parts", said Rabbit. This he did
very easily. Of course, Rabbit bit the side that had not been
bitten.
Deer seeing this said he wanted to try. According to plan, Rabbit
quickly got a big vine, and stretched it across the trail. Deer
jumped and bit at the vine exactly as Rabbit had done. It was to no
avail. The grapevine only knocked him on the head. He continually
tried several times, but couldn't break the vine. Finally, Rabbit
said, "Let me see your teeth."
Deer, not realizing the coincidence, let Rabbit see his teeth. "No
wonder you can't bite anything. Your teeth are too dull. Let me
sharpen them for you," said Rabbit. With such a good suggestion,
Deer couldn't refuse as he was not going to be outwitted by Rabbit.
Rabbit got a rough stone and began to file Deer's teeth. He
continued to file until they were almost down to the gums. "It
hurts, it hurts!" cried Deer. "It always hurts when they begin to
get sharp," replied Rabbit.
After awhile, Rabbit told Deer to begin biting. To his surprise,
Deer could not bite anything. Very rapidly, Rabbit said, "Now we're
even," and jumped into the bushes.
To this day, Deer can eat only leaves and grasses.
Based a story that originally appeared in the Journal of Cherokee Studies. Transcribed, redacted, and updated by ᏔᎻᎵ.
