Vocabulary
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ - Eagle
ᎤᏞᎢᏍᏗ -Revenge
ᎪᎯᎨᏴ - long ago
ᏥᎩᏒ - it was
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ - a man
ᎦᏃᎭᎵᏙᎯ - he hunted, was a hunter
ᎨᏒ - he was
Ꮎ - the, that
ᏧᏔᎾ - large
ᏙᏓᎸᎢ. - mountains
ᏌᏊᏃ - one
ᎤᏒ - night
ᎪᎱᏍᏗ - something
ᎤᏃᏴᎬ - making noise, a noise
ᏙᏯᏗᏢ - to, towards the outside (ᏙᏱ + ᏗᏢ)
ᎾᏍᎩᏯ - and (it being)
ᏍᏓᏯ - hard, strong, loud
ᏥᎦᏃᎸᏍᎪᎢ. - the wind was blowing
ᎰᏩᏃ - Well, now
ᎤᎦᏛᏅᏒ ukdvnvsv - he investigated it (cf. ᎠᎦᏛᎲᏍᎦ)
ᏙᏱ - outside
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎤᏩᏛᎲ - he found it/him/her
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ - an eagle
ᎤᎩᎴ - it was eating
Ꮎ - the
ᎭᏫᏯ - meat
ᎤᎧᏲᏙᏗ - for it to dry out
ᏕᎨᏛ (degetv) - pole, post, pillar (cf. ᎨᏛ)
ᎢᎦᏰᏍᎨ - repeatedly was eating it (a flexible object)
ᎠᏫ - the deer
ᎤᎾᏛ -TBD (ᎤᏛᏅ he hung it (flexible) up?)
ᎤᎾᎵᏍᏓᏴᏗ. - it was having a meal
ᏄᏓᏅᏖᏢᎾᏃ - Now without thinking, considering
ᏄᎵᏍᎨᏗᏴ - the importance
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ - the eagle
ᎢᎤᏞᎢ. – he shot (killed) it
ᏌᎾᎴ - morning
ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ - it became,
it turned into
Breakdown: ᏌᎾᎴ
ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ - When it became morning, when morning came, arrived
ᎠᏫ - deer
ᏧᏪᏅᏒ - his home
ᎢᎤᏪᏅᏎ - he went back to it (cf. ᎢᎡᎦ)
ᎾᏊᏃ - then
ᏚᏃᎯᏎᎴ - he told
ᏄᏛᏁᎸ, - what he had done
ᏄᎬᏫᏳᏒᏃ. (to) the chief
ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ - men
ᏚᏅᏎ - he delegated them to; he asked them to do it (cf. ᎦᏅᏍᎦ)
ᎤᏂᏁᏍᏗ - for them to carry/take it (cf. ᎦᏁᎠ gạ²ne³ɂa - to pick up, take a flexible object (or dead animal)
ᎤᏂᎾᎵᏍᎩᏍᏗᎢ. -for them to dance
ᎰᏩᏃ - Well now, okay
ᎤᏃᏞ -they sat (cf. ᎤᏬᏝ )
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ - the eagle
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎤᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏔᏁ -they made ready, prepared (cf. ᎠᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᎭ)
ᎾᎯᏳ - close to, near
ᎤᏒ - night
ᎤᎾᎴᏅᎯ -they began
ᎠᎾᎵᏍᎩᏍᎬ - their dance
ᎤᏔᎾ ᎤᎾᏓᏁᎸᎢ. -town house (big house)
ᏒᏃᏱᏃ - Now at night, midnight
ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ - it became, it turned into (ᏒᏃᏱ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ - (when) it became midnight, when midnight came)
ᎩᎶ - someone
ᎤᏙᎯᏎ - hollered, yelled, whooped
ᏙᏯᏗᏢ - outside
ᎠᏓᏁᎸ - the building, meeting house
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎾᏃᎵᎬᎾ - unrecognized by them
ᎨᏎᎢ. - it was
ᏓᎿᏩ ᏗᏟᎭ - warrior (wars he fights them)
ᎤᏴᏟᏞ - he entered
ᎠᏰᏟ, - the circle, center
ᎤᎴᏅᎮ - he began
ᏄᏛᏁᎵᏙᎸᎢ. - what he had done, his deeds, his exploits
ᏝᏃ ᎩᎶ - nobody
ᏱᎪᎵᎮ - knew him, recognized him
ᎯᎢᎾ - this
ᏗᏟᎭ, - warrior
ᎠᏎᏃ - however
ᏐᎢ - a different
ᏗᎦᏚᎲ - town
ᎡᎯ - he lives there
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ - a man
ᎤᏢᎢ - he killed
ᎤᏍᏆᏓᏃ -When he finished
ᏍᏓᏯ -loud
ᎤᏙᎯᏎ -he yelled
ᎠᎴ -and
ᏂᎦᏓ -everyone
ᎠᏂᏯᎥ -inside it (house, circle, room, etc.)
ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎴᎢ -they were startled, frightened, made afraid
ᏌᏊ - one
ᎦᎵᏉᎩ - seven
ᎾᏂᎥ - of them (counting marker for people)
ᏗᎦᏃᏴᎵᏍᏙᏗ - the rattles (noise makers)
ᏗᎦᏃᏴᎵᏍᏗᏍᎩ - he rattles them (see also ᎦᏃᏴᏟᏍᏗᎭ and related words
ᎤᎰᎱᏒ - he died
ᏗᏟᎭᏃ - Now the warrior
ᎤᎴᏅᎲ - he began
ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬ - his song
ᏄᏛᏁᎵᏙᎸ - of his deeds
ᎤᏍᏆᏓᏃ - and he stopped
ᏍᏓᏯ - loud (hard)
ᎤᏙᎯᏒ - he yelled, hollered
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏔᎵᏁ - a second
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ - man
ᎤᏲᎱᏒᎢ, - died
ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏃ - and now the people
ᎠᏂᏯᎢ - who were inside there
ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎸ, - were scared, frightened
ᏂᎬᏱᎵᏎᏃ - he continued, kept on
ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬ - singing
ᎢᏳᏍᏗᎭ - whenever (?)
ᏳᏍᏆᏗ - he would finish
ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬ, his song
ᏍᏗᏯ (ᏍᏓᏯ) - loudly
ᎠᏙᎯᏍᎨ - he always hollered, shouted
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ - a man
ᎠᏲᎱᏍᎩ - died
ᏂᎦᏓ - all
ᎦᎵᏉᎩ - seven
ᎢᏯᏂ - of them ((counting marker for animate)
ᏗᎦᏃᏴᎵᏍᏙᏗ - rattles
ᏗᏂᏃᏴᎵᏍᏗᏍᎩ - they were rattling them
ᏚᏂᏲᎱᏒ - they died
ᏗᏟᎭᏃ - and then the warrior
ᎤᏅᎪᏨ - he left, exited (cf ᎦᏄᎪᎦ
ᏧᎵᏏᎬ - into the darkness (cf ᎤᎵᏏᎩ)
ᏭᏕᎵᏤ. - he disappeared, went out of sight
ᎡᎵᏃ - perhaps
ᎤᏬᎯᏨ - after a long while, later
ᏴᏫ - a person
Ꮎ - that
ᎦᏃᎭᎵᏙ - the hunter
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ - the eagle
ᏧᏞ - he killed it
ᎾᏍᎩ - that one (that person)
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ - the eagle
ᏗᎾᏓᏅᏟ - they were brothers
ᎨᏎ - it was
Ꮎ - the
ᏗᏟᎭ - warrior
ᏧᏴᏟᏞ, - that killed it
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎦᎵᏉᎩ - seven
ᏯᏂ - of them ((counting marker for animate); variant of ᎢᏯᏂ
ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ - men
ᏥᏚᏂᏲᎱᏎ - they would die
ᎾᏍᎩᎾ - for, because of
ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬᎢ - the singer
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᎤᏞᎢᏍᏗ
ᎪᎯᎩᏴ ᏥᎨᏒ ᎡᎲᎢ
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎦᏃᎭᎵᏙᎯ ᎨᏒ Ꮎ ᏧᏔᎾ ᏙᏓᎸᎢ. ᏌᏊᏃ ᎤᏒ ᎤᏛᎦᏅ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎤᏃᏴᎬ ᏙᏯᏗᏢ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏍᏓᏯ
ᏥᎦᏃᎸᏍᎪᎢ. ᎰᏩᏃ ᎤᎦᏛᏅᏒ ᏙᏱ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏩᏛᎲ ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᎤᎩᎴ Ꮎ ᎭᏫᏯ ᎤᏂᎧᏲᏙᏗ ᏕᎨᏛ, ᎢᎦᏰᏍᎨ ᎠᏫ
ᎤᎾᏛ ᎤᎾᎵᏍᏓᏴᏗ. ᏄᏓᏅᏖᏢᎾᏃ ᏄᎵᏍᎨᏗᏴ ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᎢᎤᏞᎢ.
ᏌᎾᎴ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ ᎢᎤᎾᏫᏛᎮ ᎠᏫ ᎠᎴ ᏧᏪᏅᏒ ᎢᎤᏪᏅᏎ ᎾᏊᏃ ᏚᏃᎯᏎᎴ ᏄᏛᏁᎸ, ᏄᎬᏫᏳᏒᏃ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᏚᏅᏎ
ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᎤᏂᏁᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎾᎵᏍᎩᏍᏗᎢ. ᎰᏩᏃ ᎤᏃᏞ ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏔᏁ ᎾᎯᏳ ᎤᏒ ᎤᎾᎴᏅᎯ
ᎠᎾᎵᏍᎩᏍᎬ ᎤᏔᎾ ᎤᎾᏓᏁᎸᎢ.
ᏒᏃᏱᏃ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ ᎩᎶ ᎤᏙᎯᏎ ᏙᏯᏗᏢ ᎠᏓᏁᎸ ᎠᎴ ᎾᏃᎵᎬᎾ ᎨᏎᎢ. ᏓᎿᏩ ᏗᏟᎭ ᎤᏴᏟᏞ ᎠᏂᏅ ᎠᏰᏟ,
ᎤᎴᏅᎮ ᎧᏃᎮᏢᏍᎬ ᏄᏛᏁᎵᏙᎸᎢ. ᏝᏃ ᎩᎶ ᏱᎪᎵᎮ ᎯᎢᎾ ᏗᏟᎭ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᏐᎢ ᏗᎦᏚᎲ ᎡᎯ ᎠᏁᎵᏍᎨᎢ.
ᎤᏃᎮᏞᏃ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎤᏢᎢ ᎤᏍᏆᏓᏃ ᏍᏓᏯ ᎤᏙᎯᏎ ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏂᏯᎥ ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎴᎢ ᏌᏊ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᎾᏂᎥ
ᏗᎦᏃᏴᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏗᎦᏃᏴᎵᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᎤᎰᎱᏒ. ᏗᏟᎭᏃ ᎤᎴᏅᎲ ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬ ᏄᏛᏁᎵᏙᎸ ᎤᏍᏆᏓᏃ ᏍᏓᏯ ᎤᏙᎯᏒ ᎠᎴ
ᏔᎵᏁ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎤᏲᎱᏒᎢ, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏃ ᎠᏂᏯᎢ ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎸ, ᏂᎬᏱᎵᏎᏃ ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬ ᎢᏳᏍᏗᎭ ᏳᏍᏆᏗ ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬ,
ᏍᏗᏯ (ᏍᏓᏯ) ᎠᏙᎯᏍᎨ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎠᏲᎱᏍᎩ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᎢᏯᏂ ᏗᎦᏃᏴᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏗᏂᏃᏴᎵᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᏚᏂᏲᎱᏒ.
ᏗᏟᎭᏃ ᎤᏅᎪᏨ ᏧᎵᏏᎬ ᏭᏕᎵᏤ.
ᎡᎵᏃ ᎤᏬᎯᏨ ᏴᏫ ᎤᎾᏕᎶᎰᏎ Ꮎ ᎦᏃᎭᎵᏙ ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᏧᏞ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏬᎭᎵ ᏗᎾᏓᏅᏟ ᎨᏎ Ꮎ ᏗᏟᎭ ᏧᏴᏟᏞ, ᎠᎴ
ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᏯᏂ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᏥᏚᏂᏲᎱᏎ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎧᏃᎩᏍᎬᎢ.
The Eagle's Revenge
Once a hunter
in the big mountains heard a noise at night like a rushing wind
outside the cabin, and on going out he found that an eagle had
alighted on the drying pole and was tearing at the body of a deer
hanging there. Without thinking of the danger, he shot the eagle.
When morning came he took the deer and started back on the
settlement, where he told what he had done, and the chief sent out
some men to bring the eagle and arrange for an Eagle dance. They
brought back the dead eagle, everything was made ready, and that
night they started the dance in the townhouse.
About midnight there was whoop outside and a strange warrior came
into the circle and began to recite his exploits. No one knew him,
but they thought he had come from one of the farther Cherokee towns.
He told how he had killed a man, and at the end of the story he gave
a hoarse yell, Hi! that startled the whole company, and one of the
seven men with the rattles fell over dead. He sang of another deed,
and at the end straightened up with another loud yell. A second
rattler fell dead, and the people were so full of fear that they
could not stir from their places. Still he kept on, and at every
pause there came again that terrible scream, until the last of the
seven rattlers fell dead, and then the stranger went out into the
darkness.
Long afterward they learned from the eagle killer that it was the
brother of the eagle shot by the hunter.
Story from James Mooney’s “History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees”. Translation back into Cherokee by Anna Huckaby, Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center, in the Cherokee Phoenix. Transcription, formatting, and vocabulary glosses by ᏔᎻᎵ with grateful appreciation to Mary Rae for encouragement and many very helpful hints and suggestions!
