The Spoiling of the World
told by McCann
December, 1901
Hoopa Valley, California
Transcribed by Pliny Earle Goddard
Source: Hupa Texts (UCPAAE vol. 1, no. 2), p. 220
- łe:lding
- Lelding
- na'tehłdichwe:n
- he grew
- yima:nk'iwingxoya:n
- Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan.
- tsumehstł'on
- Women
- nahx
- two
- xo'ut
- his wives
Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan and the two women who were to be his wives grew at Lelding.
*Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan, "Old-man-across" is said to be the same as Yiimantuuwingyai
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- Indians
- na:na:nde'tł'-te:
- were to become,
- mił
- then
- łit
- smoke
- noyniłkit
- stayed in one place.
When the time was near for Indians to appear upon the earth the smoke which was a token of their coming was seen.
- do: ch'iwiłde'n
- he got lonesome.
- ninis'a:n
- World
- me:q'
- over
- ch'itehsyay
- he went.
Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan got lonesome and started to travel over the world.
- de:
- This
- miq'i[t]
- on
- yide'
- north
- ch'itehsyay
- he went.
He went down this way through Hupa toward the north.
- ninis'a:n
- World
- me:q'
- in
- łe:na:'undiya:-te: sile'n
- he got nearly round
- mił
- then
- 'ungya'
- he saw
- tsumehstł'o:n
- woman
- sida:
- sitting
- tin ch'ingwhong
- goodlooking.
When he had travelled nearly around the world he saw a handsome woman living there.
- łe:na'indiyay
- He completed the circuit
- mił
- then
- ch'iltsa:n
- he saw
- hay
- that
- tsumehstł'o:n
- woman
- yo:t
- there
- q'ing'
- too.
- ch'iltsa:n
- He saw
- hay
- the
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- child
- hay
- the
Finishing his journey he came back where he used to live and saw his wives and his child.
- digyung
- here
- yinuq
- south
- ninis'a:n
- the worlds
- no:ng'a:-ding
- edge
- k'iye:
- again
- xixiy
- a child
- ch'iswchwe'n
- he made.
Then he went away to the world's edge toward the south where the handsome woman lived and became the father of a son.
- 'a'de:ne'
- Somebody said,
- łe:lding
- "Lelding
- yima:n-yida:ch'ing
- across from the north
- ch'e'ilła:t-e:
- he is running along."
Someone called out, "A Southfork man is running along from the north on the other side. He has the cover of the fire-pit on his head."
*It is customary for those who have touched a corpse to cover their heads lest the world be spoiled.
- sa:k'iding
- He was surprised
- 'a:xoł-ch'ide:n'-ts'eh
- to hear him say to him.
- dahun'di-ye:
- "Where is he
- hay
- that
- ts'isday
- stays?"
He was surprised to hear the stranger asking, "Where is the one who lives here?"
- nik'iwingya'nya:n-ne'in
- Your child used to be
- mixinay'
- still alive
- yineh-ch'iwiłting
- in the ground they have put."
"Your child they have put in the ground still alive," said the messenger.
- ła'ay-xw
- really
- 'a:diyeh
- under himself
- no:na'k'iniłkis
- he put his hand
- xontah
- house
- yehna'widyay
- he went in.
- 'a:na'disloy'
- girded himself.
Immediately Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan put his hand under himself and got up. He went into the house and girded himself.
- hijit
- Then
- xok'iwinya'nya:n'
- his child
- ya:na'wiłte:n
- he picked up.
- hijit
- Then
- 'a:dit'ah
- in his sack
- ch'iwiłte:n
- he put him.
- yima:n
- across
- yehna'wiłqe:t
- he went.
Picking up his child he put him in his sack and crossed over.
- hijit
- Then
- dahna'diwinła:t
- he ran down.
- na'wildida:l
- He ran
- yinahch'ing
- from the south.
- na:na'wilła:t-e:
- He ran down.
He ran down Southfork creek to Lelding.
- nahnin
- two
- 'ungya'
- he saw
- niłch'ing'
- each other
- dinung
- facing
- ya:ng'a:
- sitting.
He saw his former wives sitting facing each other.
- hay
- that
- ye:w
- over there
- diywho'
- something
- wilchwe:n*
- was made
- wung
- to it
- ch'iningyay
- he went.
He went to that something (grave) which had been made.
*Euphonistic expression for a grave.
- hijit
- Then
- xa:na'wiłte:n
- he dug it out.
- no:na'niłte:n
- he put it.
He dug out the child and put it by the fire.
- do: duxo:' 'aht'ing
- Would never die
- ming'ineh
- it would have been
- k'iwinya'n-ya:n
- people.
People would never have died but for that.
- ch'ondehsne'
- he thought.
"Well, let it be that way," thought Yimankyuwinxoiyan.
- ch'itehsyay
- he went
- de:t
- this
- miq'i[t]
- on
- yinahch'ing
- from the south.
Then he started down toward Hupa after the Kiixunai who had fled.
- ch'itehslay-e:-xolung
- They had gone in a boat he saw.
- hay
- Those
- miq'eh
- after
- ch'itehsyay
- he went.
He went on foot following those who had gone in a boat.
- diyßta:ng'a:-ding
- Djictangading
- yidahch'ing
- from the hill
- na:na'wilła:t-e:
- he ran down.
When he came down the hill to Djictangading he found they had been gone some time.
- yiwiding-hit
- Finally
- xotiwayiq'it
- Xotuuwaiakut*
- ch'e'inła:t-e:
- he ran out.
He ran on to the mouth of the Trinity.
*Pactah, a village opposite Weitchpec on the east side of the Trinity.
- sa:k'iding
- He saw with surprise
- q'ay'k'isde:q'eh
- Kaikisdeeke
- ch'iwila:l-e:
- they were going along.
He was surprised to see from there that they were passing Kaikisdeeke.
- yiwiding-hit
- Finally
- na:tini-xw
- Natinoxooi
- ch'e:wilin-ding
- Tcewilinding
- ye:
- instead.
- yiwiding-hit-'ung'
- At last
- miq'eh-na:diwul-ding
- the mouth of the Klamath
- ch'e'ilła:t-e:
- he ran down.
He passed Natinooxoi Tcewilinding and at last ran down to the mouth of the Klamath.
- 'a:xołch'ide:ne'
- one said
- ye:w
- "Away there
- ch'iqa:l
- walks
- hay
- that one
- ninis'a:n
- world
- chwin'da'wiłte:n
- spoiled."
One of them said, "Way over there is walking the one who spoiled the world."
- 'a'de:ne'
- he said,
- dongq'a'-tsit
- "Wait,
- hay-de:
- this
- whik'iwinya'n-ya:n'
- my child
- wha:ne:
- only
- te:sohłtin-te:
- you will take."
"Wait," called Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan, "only take my child."
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- łiwung
- one of them
- xoky'a'niłte:n
- took it from him.
- hayahujit-'ung'
- And then
- xon'-ch'iwilaw
- he painted him.
- hijit
- Then
- yehch'iwiłte:n-e:
- he took him in.
One of them took the child from him, and having painted it, put it into the boat.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- xong
- he himself
- hayah
- there
- na'dehsdiqot'
- tumbled around.
- ch'iwinchwiw
- He cried.
Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan tumbled about on the sand in his grief and cried.
- hayahujit-'ung'
- And then
- ta:dehch
- Smaller hawk
- xong
- him
- ch'iningyay
- came to,
- ło:q'
- Cotton-tail,
- na:q'itah-k'iłixun*
- Jack-rabbit,
- tse:-q'i-ya:ng'ay**
- Ground-squirrel,
- xontehł-taw
- Coyote,
- nista:ng-q'eh-k'itiqowh***
- Pine-martin,
- mindich
- Wildcat,
- k'ił-na:dil
- Wolf,
- k'itsa:y
- Hawk,
- k'ist'ay'-chwung'
- Crow.
Then Smaller hawk, Cotton-tail, Jack-rabbit, Ground-squirrel, Pine-martin, Coyote, Wildcat, Wolf, Fox, Hawk, and Crow came to him.
*"In the brush deer."
**"Rock on sitting."
***"Log on runs."
- 'a'de:ne'
- he said,
- xa'
- "Come,
- dohłye'
- dance,
- whitso:y-xiy
- my grand-children."
"Come dance, my grandchildren," said Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- 'a:xołch'ide:ne'
- he said to them,
- ye:w
- "Way over
- ch'idilye:
- dance
- no:na'ning'ung
- he is leaving
- hay
- that one
- ninis'a:n
- the world
- chwin'da'wiłte:n
- he spoiled."
Then someone said to the others, "Way over there, that one who spoiled the world is leaving a dance."
- yehe
- "Yehe!
- 'isdo'
- I wish
- duxo:'-q'-heh
- something
- 'a:xowidlah
- would happen to him."
"Ye-he!" he exclaimed, "I wish something would happen to him."
- 'a:ch'ondehsne'
- He thought,
- 'isdo'
- "I wish
- dahungwhe'eh
- somewhere
- k'iye:
- again
- ch'idilye:
- dance
- no:na'na:'ung
- I might leave."
"I wish I had left dances for them at other places," he thought.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- na:'ndiyay
- he came back to
- q'ay'k'isde:q'eh
- Kaikisdeeke
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- hayah
- there
- k'iye:
- again
- ch'idiwilye'
- was a dance.
He came back and arranged another dance.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- na'tehsdiyay
- he came back
- na:-xoył-q'it
- across - Redwood creek.
- yinuq
- "South
- q'eh-te:
- along it will be,"
- ch'ondehsne'
- he thought.
He came back across Redwood creek and thought to go south.
- hay-'ung'
- Then
- ye:w
- way off
- yida:ch'ing
- from the north
- na[']wida:l-it
- when he came
- 'a:xołch'ide:ne'
- he said,
- yehe
- "Yehe
- 'ido'
- I wish
- duxo:'-q'-heh
- something
- 'a:xowidlah
- would happen to him
- hay
- who
- ting'xine:wh
- spoke the curse."
Then someone who was living way to the north said, "I wish something would happen to that one who did wrong."
- ts'oyohł-te:l
- Gull
- 'a:xołch'in'
- he told,
- yehe
- "Yehe!
- xa'
- come
- xona:
- for him
- no:'a:dingxahwh
- lay yourself down,"
- xoł-ch'ide:ne'
- he said.
Finally he told TsooyooLtel to go and lie in the trail to tempt Yiimankyuuwingxoiyan.
*Compare p. 132 and footnote. In the former case the immortal beings wished to prevent the Indians' renewing their youth and becoming immortal. In this case they wished to prevent their securing the dances which are the peculiar possessions of the immortals.
- 'a:ch'inte:
- she looked
- yo:w
- there.
- sa:k'iding 'ungya'
- He saw with surprise
- ts'isixung
- lying there.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- xoky'a:-ch'ing'
- from her
- yinuq
- south
- no:na'diwinta'tł'
- he stepped away.
Yiimankyuuwinxoiyan was surprised to see her lying there but he walked on by her toward the south.
- haya:ł-'ung'
- And
- nisahch
- little ways
- na'wida:l
- he went
- mił
- then
- 'a:ch'ondehsne'
- he thought,
- xoł-ne:whte'
- "Let me lie with her,
- mixin na:whdahł-te:
- having gratified myself I will go back."
Yielding to temptation he returned to her.
- hay-'ung'
- Then
- xoł-ch'inehste:n
- with her he lay
- mił
- then
- ła'ay-xw
- really
- 'a:de'xołkit
- she caught him against herself.
- ła'ay-xw
- Really
- yima:n
- across
- xoł-ta:na'wilła:t
- with him she went.
Immediately she caught him against her breast and went with him through the water back across the ocean.
- xoje:'-'e'idin'-te: 'e'iliw
- He became unconscious
- mił
- then
- xa:na'xo'iłtiwh
- she kept lifting him out.
As often as he became unconcious she held his head above water for him to recover.