Illustration of the Method of Recording Indian Languages

How the Rabbit Caught the Sun in a Trap.

An Omaha Myth, obtained from F. LaFlèche by J. Owen Dorsey.

Egi¢e mactciñ´ge aká iʞaⁿ´ ¢iñké ená-qtci

It came to pass rabbit the sub. his grandmother the st. ob. only

ʇig¢e júgig¢á-biamá.

dwelt with his own, they say.

Kĭ haⁿ´egaⁿtcĕ´- qtci-hnaⁿ´ ‘ábae ahí-biamá.

And morning very habitually hunting went thither they say.

Haⁿegaⁿtcĕ´- qtci a¢á-bi ctĕwaⁿ´ níkaciⁿga wiⁿ´

morning very went, they say notwithstanding person one

sí snedĕ´- qti- hnaⁿ síg¢e a¢á-bitéamá. Kĭ íbahaⁿ 3

foot long very as a rule trail had gone, they say. And to know him

gaⁿ¢á-biamá.

wished they say.

Níaciⁿga ¢iⁿ´ ĭⁿ´taⁿ wítaⁿ¢iⁿ b¢é tá miñke, e¢égaⁿ-biamá.

Person the mv. ob. now I-first I go will I who, thought they say.

Haⁿ´egaⁿcĕ´- qtci páhaⁿ-bi egaⁿ´ a¢á-biamá.

Morning very arose they say having went they say.

Cĭ égi¢e níkaciⁿga amá síg¢e a¢á-bitéamá.

Again it happened person the mv. sub. trail had gone, they say.

Égi¢e akí-biamá.

It came to pass he reached home,
they say.

Gá-biamá: ʞaⁿhá, wítaⁿ¢iⁿ b¢é 6 aʞídaxe ctĕwaⁿ´

Said as follows,
they say: grandmother, I—first I go I make for myself in spite of it

níkaciⁿga wíⁿ´¢e aⁿ´aqai a¢aí te aⁿ´.

person one getting ahead of me he has gone.

[K]aⁿhá, uʞíaⁿ¢e dáxe tá minke, kĭ b¢íze

Grandmother snare I make it will I who, and I take him

tá miñke hă.

will I who .

Átaⁿ jaⁿ´ tadaⁿ´, á-biamá wa‘újiñga aka.

Why you do it should? said, they say old woman the sub.

Níaciⁿga i¢át´ab¢é hă, á-biamá.

Person I hate him . said, they say.

Kĭ mactciñ´ge a¢á-biamá. 9

And rabbit went they say.

A¢á-bi ʞĭ cĭ síg¢e ¢étéamá.

Went they say when again trail had gone.

[K]ĭ haⁿ´ tĕ i¢ápe jaⁿ´-biamá.

And night the waiting for lay they say.

Man´dĕ-ʞaⁿ ¢aⁿ ukínacke gaxá-biamá, kĭ síg¢e

bow string the ob. noose he made it they say, and trail

¢é-hnaⁿ tĕ ĕ´di i¢aⁿ´¢a-biamá.

went habitually the there he put it they say.

Égi¢e haⁿ´+egaⁿ-tcĕ´- qtci uʞíaⁿ¢e ¢aⁿ giʇaⁿ´be

It came to pass morning very snare the ob. to see his own

ahí-biamá.

arrived they say.

Égi¢e 12 miⁿ´ ¢aⁿ ¢izé akáma.

It came to pass sun the cv. ob. taken he had, they say.

Taⁿ´¢iⁿ-qtciⁿ u¢á ag¢á-biamá.

Running very to tell went homeward,
they say.

[K]aⁿhá ĭndádaⁿ éiⁿte b¢íze édegaⁿ aⁿ´baaze-hnaⁿ´ hă,

Grandmother, what it may be I took but me it scared habitually .

á-biamá.

said they say.

[K]aⁿhá, man´de-ʞaⁿ ¢aⁿ ag¢íze kaⁿbdédegaⁿ

Grandmother, bow string the ob. I took my own I wished, but

aⁿ´baaze- hnaⁿ´i hă, á-biamá.

me it scared habitually . said they say.

Máhiⁿ a¢iⁿ´-bi egaⁿ´ 15 ĕ´di a¢á-biamá.

Knife had they say having there went, they say.

Kĭ ecaⁿ´- qtci ahí-biamá. Píäjĭ ckáxe. Eátaⁿ égaⁿ ckáxe ă.

And near very arrived they say. Bad you did. Why so you did ?

Ĕ´di gí-adaⁿ´ iⁿ¢ická-gă hă, á-biamá miⁿ´ aká.

Hither come and for me untie it , said, they say sun the sub.

Mactciñ´ge aká ĕ´di a¢á-bi ctĕwaⁿ´ naⁿ´pa-bi

Rabbit the sub. there went they say notwithstanding feared they say

egaⁿ´ hébe íhe a¢é-hnaⁿ´- biamá.

having partly passed by went habitually they say.

Kĭ 3 ʞu‘ĕ´ a¢á-bi egaⁿ´ mása-biamá

And rushed went they say having cut with a knife they say

man´dĕ-ʞaⁿ ¢aⁿ´.

bow string the ob.

Gañ´ki miⁿ´ ¢aⁿ maⁿ´-ciáha áiá¢a-biamá.

And sun the cv. ob. on high had gone, they say.

Kĭ mactciñ´ge aká ábáʞu hiⁿ´ ¢aⁿ názi- biamá

And Rabbit the sub. space bet.
the shoulders hair the ob. burnt
yellow they say

ánakadá- bi egaⁿ´.

it was hot on it, they say having.

(Mactciñ´ge amá akí- biamá.)

(Rabbit the mv. sub. reached
home, they say.)

Ĭtcitci+, ʞaⁿhá, 6 ná¢iñgĕ-qti-maⁿ´ hă, á-biamá.

Itcitci+!! grandmother, burnt to nothing very I am . said, they say.

[T]úcpa¢aⁿ+, iⁿ´na¢iñgĕ´- qti-maⁿ´ eskaⁿ´+, á-biamá.

Grandchild!! burnt to nothing for me very I am I think, said, they say.

Cetaⁿ´.

So far.