003. Raven and Skate

Dictated and interpreted by Frank Williams, Fall, 1910. - I:227-233; 103/f 7;

Raven challenges Skate to a spear-throwing contest, hoping to have the chance to eat Skate. Skate turns the tables and Raven ends up the victim.

3.1
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven-Son 
ʔuħʔiš 
ʔuħʔiš 
and 
and 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

Raven and Skate

3.2
haɬiiɬweʔin 
haɬiˑɬ 
invite 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he invited 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
c̉axst̉aɬ 
c̉axst̉aɬ 
spear at each other 
spear at each other 
ʔuukʷiɬ 
ʔuukʷiɬ2 
refer to 
refer to 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

Raven invited Skate to go throw spears together at each other.

3.3
wahaak̉ap̉aƛweʔin 
wahaak̉ap 
send s.o. 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he sent her 
ɬuucsmaakʔi 
ɬuucsma 
wife 
-ˀak 
POSS 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
his wife 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
paašħak 
paašħuk 
Light-minded 
Light-minded 
haɬiiỷasʔap̉aƛ 
haɬiiỷasʔap 
send s.o. to invite 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
go to invite 
ʔuukʷiɬ 
ʔuukʷiɬ2 
refer to 
refer to 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

So Raven had his wife, Light-minded, go, sending her to invite Skate.

paˑšħak or pašħuk is a sort of nickname for Raven's wife. It was said by the interpreter to mean 'light-minded, frivolous, nosy, to be first to show up at any gathering'. It would seem to correspond to our 'gad-about'.

3.4
hineeʔiƛweʔin 
hineeʔiƛ 
enter house 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
she entered the house 
paašħak 
paašħuk 
Light-minded 
Light-minded 
. 

Light-minded entered (Skate's) house.

3.5
haɬiiɬʔateʔic 
haɬiˑɬ 
invite 
-ˀat 
PASS 
-(m)eˑʔic 
2s.IND 
you are invited 
c̉axst̉aɬ 
c̉axst̉aɬ 
spear at each other 
spear at each other 
ʔuħʔat 
ʔuħʔat 
by 
by 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
waaʔaƛweʔin 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
she said 
paašħak 
paašħuk 
Light-minded 
Light-minded 
. 

'Raven wants to have you and himself throw spears at each other,' said Light-minded.

3.6
wikweeʔin 
wik 
not 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he says no  
weeʔim 
waa 
say 
-ˀim 
2s>3.FUT IMP 
say to him 
. 

'Tell him, "He says no",' (said Skate).

3.7
hiniiʔas 
hiniiʔas 
go out 
she went out 
paašħak 
paašħuk 
Light-minded 
Light-minded 
waɬšiƛ 
waɬšiƛ 
go home 
went home 
. 

Light-minded went out of the house and went home.

3.8
wikweeʔin 
wik 
not 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he said no 
waamaa 
waa 
say 
-maˑ 
3.IND 
she said 
. 

'He says no,' she said.

3.9
takaaʔaaqƛweʔincuk 
takaa 
nevertheless 
-ʔaaqƛ 
INTENT 
-weˑʔincuk 
2s.QT 
you will tell him that he must 
waači 
waa 
say 
=čiˑ 
go and ... 
go and say 
. 

'Go and tell him "He says that you must!" (rejoined Raven).

3.10
huʔiiʔas 
huʔiiʔas 
go back outside 
she went back out 
paašħak 
paašħuk 
Light-minded 
Light-minded 
mačinƛƛaa 
mačinawiƛ 
enter house 
=ƛaa 
again 
again entered the house 
. 

Light-minded went out of the house again and again entered (Skate's) house.

3.11
takaaʔaaqƛweʔincuk 
takaa 
nevertheless 
-ʔaaqƛ 
INTENT 
-weˑʔincuk 
2s.QT 
he says that you must nevertheless do 
waaʔateʔic 
waa 
say 
-ˀat 
PASS 
-(m)eˑʔic 
2s.IND 
he says to you 
. 

'He says that you must nevertheless do, that is what he says to you,' (she told him).

3.12
ʔuħ 
ʔuħ 
is 
is 
čuu 
čuu1 
ok 
ok 
waaʔaƛweʔin 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he said 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

'All right,' said Skate.

pg. 229 begins here

3.13
ʔiinaxiičiʔiikweʔincuk 
ʔiinaxiičiƛ 
get ready 
-ˀiikʷ1 
HYP.FUT 
-weˑʔincuk 
2s.QT 
you will get ready 
ʕaapukʷiʔaƛħweʔin 
ʕaapukʷiƛ 
be willing 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-(q)ħ3 
BEING 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
be willing 
waaʔaƛ̉im 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀim 
2s>3.FUT IMP 
you will say to him 
. 

'Go now, and say to him, "He says that you must get ready, he says that he is willing now."'

3.14
yaacšiƛ 
yaacšiƛ 
go 
go 
paašħak 
paašħuk 
Light-minded 
Light-minded 
hineeʔiƛƛaa 
hineeʔiƛ 
enter house 
=ƛaa 
again 
she again entered the house 
čakupukʔi 
čakup 
husband 
-uk 
DUR 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
of her husband 
. 

Light-minded walked off and came back to her husband's house.

3.15
ʕaapukʷiʔaƛweʔin 
ʕaapukʷiƛ 
be willing 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he is willing now 
ʔiinaxiičiʔaaqƛ̉aƛweʔincuk 
ʔiinaxiičiƛ 
get ready 
-ʔaaqƛ 
INTENT 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔincuk 
2s.QT 
you should get ready now 
waaʔaƛ̉ateʔic 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
-(m)eˑʔic 
2s.IND 
he was told 
. 

'He now says to you that he is willing and that you must get ready,' (she reported to Raven).

3.16
hiniiʔasʔaƛweʔin 
hiniiʔas 
go out 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he went out 
hitinqsaʔaƛ 
hitinqsaƛ 
go down to beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
go to beach 
. 

So (Raven) went out of the house and proceeded down to the beach.

3.17
čuu 
čuu1 
ok 
ok 
čimsaʔaƛ̉i 
čimsaƛ 
be ready on the beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀiˑ 
2s>3.IMPER 
get ready on the beach! 
waaʔaƛweʔin 
waa 
say 
ʔaƛa 
two 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he said 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
. 

'Now!' said Raven, 'get ready on the beach!'

3.18
ču 
čuu1 
well! 
well! 
ʔuwiiʔaaqƛeʔic 
ʔuwii 
be first 
-ʔaaqƛ 
INTENT 
-(m)eˑʔic 
2s.IND 
will be first 
c̉axšiƛ 
c̉axšiƛ 
spear 
spear 
waaʔaƛweʔin 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
they said 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

'Now!' said Skate, 'you will be the first to throw a spear.'

3.19
c̉axšiʔaƛweʔin 
c̉axšiƛ 
spear 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he speared 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
ɬiʔaaʔak 
ɬiʔaa 
miss the mark 
-ˀak 
POSS 
his missed 
. 

So Raven launched his spear at him, but missed him;

3.20
č̉Interlinšiƛweʔin 
č̉Interlinšiƛ 
move sideways 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
dodge 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

Skate just turned to one side.

Skate, a thin and broad-bellied fish, was standing up on his tail with his breadth exposed to Raven, who thus found no difficulty in taking aim. As soon, however, as Raven let go, Skate quietly wheeled through an angle of 90 degrees, thus causing Raven's missile to fall foul.

3.21
wik̉ii 
wik 
not 
-ˀiˑ 
2s>3.IMPER 
don't do 
qʷaaʔap 
qʷaaʔap 
do thus 
do thus 
. 

'Don't do that!' (said Raven).

3.22
ʔaaqinħak 
ʔaqin 
what? 
-ħaˑk 
2s.INTERR 
why do you? 
č̉Interlinšiƛ 
č̉Interlinšiƛ 
move sideways 
move sideways 
. 

'Why do you turn to one side?'

pg. 231 begins below

3.23
ču 
čuu1 
well! 
well! 
čimsaʔaƛ̉i 
čimsaƛ 
be ready on the beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀiˑ 
2s>3.IMPER 
get ready on the beach! 
waaʔaƛ 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
he said 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

'Now! get ready on the beach,' said Skate.

3.24
ħaʔukʷiʔaƛ 
ħaʔukʷiƛ 
do in turn 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
take a turn 
c̉axšiʔaƛ 
c̉axšiƛ 
spear 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
to spear 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

It was now Skate's turn to throw his spear.

3.25
tuuxʷapuƛweʔin 
tuuxʷapuƛ 
jump in air 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he jumped in air 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
c̉axtqisaƛ 
c̉axtqisaƛ 
spear lands under on the beach 
spear landed under him on the beach 
. 

(As soon as he speared,) Raven jumped up and (Skate's) spear landed on the beach beneath him.

3.26
čimsaʔaƛweʔinƛaa 
čimsaƛ 
be ready on the beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
=ƛaa 
again 
he again got ready on the beach 
c̉axšiʔaƛ 
c̉axšiƛ 
spear 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
to spear 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
. 

Then Raven again got ready to throw his spear;

3.27
huʔaasʔaƛ 
huʔaas 
once again 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
he did as before 
. 

Again (Skate) did as before.

3.28
wik̉ee 
wik 
not 
-ˀiˑ 
2s>3.IMPER 
-ee 
VOC 
don't  
qʷaaʔap 
qʷaaʔap 
do thus 
do 
. 

'Don't do that!

3.29
ʔaaqinħak 
ʔaqin 
what? 
-ħaˑk 
2s.INTERR 
why do you? 
č̉itč̉itš 
č̉itč̉itš 
be dodging to the side 
dodging to side 
. 

Why do you keep dodging to one side?

3.30
qiiʔiiʔaaɬa 
qii 
long time 
-ʔii 
go to 
=ʔaaɬa 
=always 
go for a long time  
ɬuuqʷapi 
ɬuuqʷapi 
stand bent over 
standing bent over 
waaʔaƛweʔin 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he said 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
. 

Continue for a long time standing bent forward!' said Raven.

Like a tilted board, Raven did not wish to have Skate stand erect, so as not to allow him to wheel around so easily. Raven didn't want Skate to stand straight up on his tail with broad side towards him, in which case Skate just wheeled around like top to side to dodge; he wanted him to bend towards him so as not to be able to turn easily.

3.31
čimsaʔaƛƛaa 
čimsaƛ 
be ready on the beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
=ƛaa 
again 
he again got ready 
huʔaas 
huʔa1 
back 
-ˀas3 
go to 
to go to do it again 
. 

Again (Skate) got ready on the beach to (throw his spear) again;

3.32
ħaʔukʷiƛʔaaqƛ̉aƛ 
ħaʔukʷiƛ 
do in turn 
-ʔaaqƛ 
INTENT 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
now it was his turn 
c̉axšiƛ 
c̉axšiƛ 
spear 
spear 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

Now Skate was to take his turn at spearing.

3.33
čimsaʔaƛweʔin 
čimsaƛ 
be ready on the beach 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
they got ready on the beach 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
. 

Raven got ready on the beach.

3.34
yucsaapweʔin 
yucsaap 
feint 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he feinted 
c̉axšiƛ 
c̉axšiƛ 
spear 
spear 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
. 

Skate suddenly checked himself after pretending to start spearing (and then immediately let go).

3.35
tuuxʷapuƛweʔin 
tuuxʷapuƛ 
jump in air 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
jump in air 
wikcačiʔaƛ 
wikcačiƛ 
go astray 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
he went astray 
. 

(Raven) jumped up (at Skate's feint) and did not land at the right moment.

Raven was fooled, he got caught just as he landed down from jumping.

3.36
ʔuucaħtaksaweʔin 
ʔuucaħtaksa 
and then 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
and then it did so 
c̉aw̉aqstuʔaƛ 
c̉aw̉aqstawiƛ 
impale 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
it impaled him 
k̉iitqʕaƛweʔin 
k̉iitqʕaƛ 
scream 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he screamed 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
. 

and then the spear went right into him, and Raven screamed out shrilly.

pg. 233 begins here

ʔaˑˑ in a high falsetto, according to Frank Williams. (crow-like?)

3.37
ƛiiqswiis 
ƛiiqswii 
spear goes through 
-‘is 
on the beach 
it went through him on the beach 
c̉axỷakʔi 
c̉axỷakʷ 
spear 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
the spear 
ƛaatmaqan̉uɬʔi 
ƛatmapt 
Western Yew 
-aˑn̉uɬ 
along ... [L] 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
made of yew 
. 

The spear, which was long and made of yew-wood, went clear through him onto the beach.

3.38
qaaq 
qaaq 
caw 
caw 
qaaq 
qaaq 
caw 
caw 
qaaq 
qaaq 
caw 
caw 
waaʔaƛweʔin 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
he said 
huuʔasaqħʔaƛ 
huuʔasaqħ1 
do in return 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
served him right! 
. 

'Kak, kak, kak!' he said, and it served him right.

3.39
ɬakšiʔi 
ɬakšiƛ 
pitiful 
-ˀiˑ 
2s>3.IMPER 
be pitiful 
qatqsaqɔɔ 
qatqsaqɔɔ 
head drop off! 
head drop off! 
waaʔaƛ̉atweʔin 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-ˀat 
PASS 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
they said 
ʔuħʔat 
ʔuħʔat 
by 
by 
naatwaaỷasʔi 
nawaaỷas 
sit outside.pl 
=ʔiˑ 
DEF 
the ones sitting outside watching 
. 

'Serve you right! head drop off!' said to him those who were sitting outside watching.

This is a common Nootka oath, used chiefly by men in speaking to men or women, in which case it is not taken too seriously. A man, however, does not like to have a woman use it in speaking to him, as he would be afraid that his head might indeed be cut off some day.

3.40
qaaq 
qaaq 
caw 
caw 
qaaq 
qaaq 
caw 
caw 
qaaq 
qaaq 
caw 
caw 
waaʔaƛweʔinƛaa 
waa 
say 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
-weˑʔin 
3.QT 
=ƛaa 
again 
he said again 
c̉aw̉aqƛħʔaƛ 
c̉axʷ 
spear 
-ˀaqƛ1 
inside 
-(q)ħ3 
BEING 
-ˀaƛ 
NOW 
with spear in him 
. 

'Kak, kak, kak!' he said again, with the spear stuck in him.

3.41
ʔani 
ʔani 
that 
that 
ʔiiħckʷisaqa 
ʔiiħʷ 
big 
-ckʷiˑ 
having ...-ed 
-sasa 
precisely [L] 
-qaˑ 
3.SUB 
having really big 
ʔani 
ʔani 
that 
that 
ƛ̉acqaa 
ƛ̉ac 
fat 
-qaˑ 
3.SUB 
that he is fat 
paakʷinm̉it 
paakʷinm̉it 
Skate-Son 
Skate 
ʔuunuuƛ 
ʔunw̉iiƛ 
because 
because 
ħanuuk 
ħanuuk 
greedy 
he was greedy 
quʔišinm̉it 
quʔišinm̉it 
Raven-Son 
Raven 
. 

(Raven arranged the match) in order that he would have something really big (to eat), Skate being fat, for Raven was greedy.