Lost Arrow -- Part 4

134

Lost Arrow had walked in a big circle.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• hatháíne' -- he's walking
• ne Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow
• niyönishe'ö -- for a long time
• waathwatáse' -- he turned him self around

135

Many days had gone by, and each day was colder as he journeyed northward and then veered toward the east.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• wai -- indeed
• uhë'syönyö' -- day after day
• uthuwætátye' -- it's getting colder
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• te'kææhkwææhkökwá -- northward
• hathaine'skwa' -- he was walking
• ta unë -- so then
• tkææhkwitkë'skwá -- eastward
• waathaine'sék -- he kept going

136

He was hurrying now, hardly taking time to find anything to eat.

• únë -- now
• shô -- just
• teu'saiê -- he's hurrying
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• teunöktút -- he had no time
• tha'kwistë' -- nothing
• aaakhwihsák -- he might look for food

137

He could not find the song anywhere, and he was sure that it must have come home while he was gone.

• te'katkahu -- nowhere
• téúkê -- he didn't find it
• ne húênö' -- his song
• ta unë -- so then
• íé -- he thought
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• ha'tekakôt -- have to
• sakáyö' -- it returned
• thsiatháíne' -- while he was walking

138

One evening just before dark Lost Arrow saw his own familiar ridge ahead of him.

• thúha -- nearly
• únë -- then
• wa'u'kææ -- night came
• húkê -- he saw it
• ne Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow
• ne uköwöte' -- the ridge
• he thë'tyôtak -- at where he used to live
• ne úêtô -- up ahead

139

He hurried forward almost certain he would find his song at home.

• nae -- indeed
• teu'saiê -- he was hurrying
• aaashëöwi' -- he might find it
• ne húênö' -- his song
• he thë'tyôtak -- at where he used to live
• hunöhsút -- his house

140

When he came to his own clearing he stopped short.

• he teyuhatakwête' -- at the clearing
• thsááyö' -- whe he got there
• huë'he'ö -- he stopped

141

His little house had fallen in.

• hunöhsutkêô' -- his ex-house
• uiwëthwë -- it is destroyed

142

There was hardly anything left of it at all.

• tha'kwistë' -- nothing
• únë -- now
• te'uköhsuhtö -- it does not remain

143

The rain and snow had destroyed everything he had left behind.

• ha'téyô -- all sorts of things
• uiwëthwë -- it is destroyed
• kakwékö -- everything
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• na'u't -- what
• niatka'waskwa' -- he was leaving behind

144

But most disappointing of all was that his song was nowhere to be found.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• shô -- just
• hukwëtææ'ö -- he was disappointed
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• te'katkahu -- nowehere
• te'kaënôyë' -- there's no song

145

Lost Arrow stood there with his shoulders drooping.

• ne'hu -- there
• hátak -- he stood
• akwas -- very
• hukwëtææ'ö -- he was disappointed

146

He was hungry and tired.

• akwas -- very
• khu -- and
• hutöswe'táni -- he's hungry
• huthsëhtö -- he's tired
• khu -- and

147

He was cold.

• uthúwe' -- the weather is cold

148

He said out loud to himself "My song seems to be lost forever."

• ta unë -- so then
• waë' -- he said
• thusnye'ö -- he said
• aayê' -- it seems
• wai -- indeed
• ëkatënöhtö'ötye'sék -- my song will continue being lost (forever)

149

Then he sat down dejectedly under a nearby oak tree and wrapped his feather-weave blanket around him.

• ta unë -- so then
• hukwëtææ'ö -- he was disappointed
• waatënyusyútë' -- he sat himself down
• nö'kôkwá -- towards under
• ukúwæ' -- oak tree
• huhkwásö -- he wrapped himself in a blanket
• ne íyús -- the blanket
• uæ'ta' -- feather
• nikasyönya'tö -- that's what it's made out of

150

The oak tree was surprised.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• wai -- indeed
• u'kaiwanêêku' -- it was surprised
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree

151

"So" she said.

• su't -- so, well then
• wa'ákë' -- she said

152

"Lost Arrow is looking for his song.

• haënihsás -- he's looking for his song
• ne Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow

153

I used to hear him singing it all the time.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• kathötatye'skwa' -- I used to hear it
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• tyutkôt -- always
• hatënuthak -- he used to sing it

154

I wonder if I remember it."

• nae -- indeed
• aakêôk -- it might be that...
• aawakashææ't -- I might remember it

155

She tried to hum it, but could not get it right.

• kutënökeæhtö -- she tried
• aayötënútë' -- she might sing it
• nae -- indeed
• kuwa'hi'ö -- she misspoke

156

Lost Arrow heard the murmur in the icy bare branches of the oak tree, just as he was drifting off to sleep.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• huthôte' -- he heard it
• ne Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow
• kutënut'a -- she is singing a little, murmurring
• ne ukúwæ' -- oak tree
• ne'hu -- there
• uthúwe' -- the weather is cold
• ta unë -- so then
• wáúta' -- he went to sleep

157

All night the oak tree sang.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• ne wahsötakwékö -- all night long
• nae -- indeed
• kutênút -- she sang
• shô -- just
• ne ukúwæ' -- oak tree

158

It got darker and darker.

• watsi'he's -- it gets dark
• utsi'he'öötye' -- it's getting darker

159

It got colder and colder.

• wathúwâs -- it gets cold
• uthuwætöötye' -- it's getting colder

160

The oak tree kept singing and Lost Arrow kept sleeping.

• wa'ötënutatye'sék -- she kept on singing
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• thsiuta'ö -- while he was sleeping
• ne Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow

161

Little by little the song returned to the oak tree.

• usthöö -- a little bit
• usthöö -- a little bit
• kushææ'ö -- she remembered
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• ne úênö' -- the song

162

By morning she had got it all right.

• setehtsia -- in the morning
• wai -- indeed
• thsa'teyakuhtö -- she got it right

163

She was ready to sing it to Lost Arrow as soon as he should wake up.

• kutehsa'ö -- she got ready
• únë -- now
• ëöwöyötënútë' -- she will sing it for him
• Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow
• thaaatesëhtææku' -- when he should wake up

164

The sun was shining brightly, shimmering and glistening on all the ice-covered twigs of the woods.

• wênithsíyú -- it's a beautiful day
• teyuhathehkö -- in the sunshine
• shô -- just
• ha'téyô -- all sorts of things
• unestu -- it's frozen
• ukwiyækeshö'ö -- (on) the branches
• katkáhu' -- everywhere
• kahatakô -- in the woods

165

A chickadee landed on the branches of the oak tree and made the frozen twigs dance and twinkle, shedding tiny rainbows all about them.

• u'këtyôta't -- it landed
• ne thsiktsu'khwê' -- the chickadee
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• ukwiyækêyatö' -- on top of the branches
• ukwiyöta'tö -- it's become attached to the branch
• teyustææthe' -- it's shiny
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• kakwékö -- everything
• katkáhu' -- everywhere
• u'heutö'shö'ö -- rainbows

166

Lost Arrow still slept wrapped in his blanket at the root of the oak tree.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• ne Hu'nöhtö'ö -- Lost Arrow
• thuta'ôôtye' -- he was sleeping there
• shô -- just
• ne nök'kôkwá -- towards under
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• kææít -- tree
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• huhkwásö -- he's wrapped in a blanket
• ne íyús -- the blanket

167

The ice covered his silent lips and closed eyelids.

• uwisyu'suö -- it is ice-covered
• ne hahsöhkææ'ke -- on his lips
• te'úthá' -- it is silent
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• khu -- and
• ne hukaawékö -- his closed eyes

168

All day long the oak tree sang the boy's lost song, but the boy himself never opened his eyes.

• wênishækwékö -- all day long
• kutênút -- she sings
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• ne uënöhtö'ö -- the lost song
• ne haksa'kúwá -- the boy
• húwë -- it belongs to him
• ne' kwá he -- but
• n-aksa'kúwá -- the boy
• te'wêtö -- never
• wai -- indeed
• ta'teakaaa'wë -- he didn't open his eyes

169

There is an oak, they say, a great old oak on a certain ridge in the mountains.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• n-ëkakuwæyêta'k -- there is (will continue to be) an oak
• kyö'ö -- they say
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• ne ëkakuwæstëötye'sék -- there is (will always continue to be) a strong oak
• ne'hu -- there
• ëkaköwôték -- there is (will continue to be) a ridge
• Työtahsehtahkwa'ke -- in West Virginia, in the mountains

170

It is whispered among the folk that at times hunters have stopped beneath it and wondered to hear it sing.

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• kë' -- ???
• kyö'ö kës -- they say
• ukwényô -- can
• uthôte' -- it hears
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• ne hënötúwâs -- hunters
• hënôtö -- they say
• ne'hu -- there
• aaatihë'he't kës -- they might stop
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• ëkawenyôôk -- it will continue to be possible
• ëhsathôták kës -- you'll be hearing it
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• ëyötënúthák -- she'll keep singing

171

For on some cold nights, and at some bright dawns, sometimes in the heat of summer when everything else is still, or then perchance at evening in Indian summer when all the mountain is aflame, the old oak rustles and begins to sing:

• ne' -- grammatical particle
• nô -- probably
• uhsötanúsyö' -- cold nights
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• nô -- probably
• tëwöhathehkwák -- it will continue to be bright
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• wêtö ti'kwa -- whenever
• unenö' -- it's warm
• niyukëhés -- all summer long
• ne' -- grammatical particle
• unenö' -- it's warm
• kakwékö -- everything
• kaaítö' -- trees
• niyuhsuhku'tê -- the color it is
• tkëhtææ'ê' -- it's red
• tsitkwææ'ê' -- it's gold-colored
• khu -- and
• ta unë -- so then
• kutká'a -- she is alone, just her
• ne ukúwæ' -- the oak tree
• kuhsá' -- she starts
• kutênút -- she is singing
• khu -- and

172

"When Grandfather Thunder walks on the mountain he takes along his stick.

• thsiatháíne' -- when he's walking
• n-aksút -- my grandfather
• kanöta'ke -- on the mountain
• ëöta'tisyútë' -- he'll use a cane

173

When the rainbow carries the chickadee..."

• thsikaawi' -- when it carries it
• n-u'háút -- the rainbow
• tsiktsö'khwê' -- chickadee