Këkhìtkil Hùnt Na Xanikw

Squirrels Were Said To Be Huge . . . Told by Nora Thompson Dean in 1977

English:

It is said that our ancestors said that long ago

Lenape:

Lòmëwe hùnt luweyok yuki kikayuyëmënaninkahke

English:

the squirrel was large.

Lenape:

xinkwi mah na xanikw.

English:

He would go wherever he wanted on the prairies and in the forests.

Lenape:

Mësi lih yu ta e ënta mëkëkèk òk ënta shinkèk.

English:

It is said the squirrel was huge.

Lenape:

Këkhìtkil hùnt na xanikw.

English:

Every creature he met he would eat.

Lenape:

Wèmi awèn tëli ènta kiskaot muhòn.

English:

He ate various animals,

Lenape:

Mësi aèsësàk mhwe,

English:

weasels and skunks and lynxes,

Lenape:

sànkweyok òk shkakok òk niànkweyok,

English:

and all the animals when he caught them, he ate them.

Lenape:

òk wèmi aèsës ènta thunat, muhòò.

English:

Finally all at once a two-legged person was running along,

Lenape:

Xantki wixkaochi hùnt pemhatàhkihilat nishkatat awèn,

English:

he must have been a Lenape.

Lenape:

èt mah nàn Lënape.

English:

Finally he caught that two-legged person.

Lenape:

Xantki twënao na nishkatat awèn.

English:

He began to tear him to pieces, then he began to eat.

Lenape:

Alëmi pëphòkwëna, na alëmi mitsu.

English:

Finally he ate all of the two-legged person.

Lenape:

Xantki wèkomao na nishkatat awèn.

English:

when he finished eating all of him he just held one piece,

Lenape:

Na ènta kishi wèkomat kwëti shuk pàke këlënàm,

English:

it must have been the hand of the two-legged person.

Lenape:

na èt mah në nòxk na nishkatat awèn.

English:

Finally the Creator saw him.

Lenape:

Xantki wa Kishelëmùkònk neyoo.

English:

He came into his presence

Lenape:

Pèchi may nutxukunk.

English:

Then he told the squirrel,

Lenape:

Na tëlan na xanikw,

English:

"You have truly done something strange! You have killed my child!"

Lenape:

"Kehëla yukwe kchipaihosi! Knilao nichan!"

English:

The squirrel was afraid, he wanted to hide the hand

Lenape:

Na xanikw wishasu, kahta hùnt kanhatun në nòxk

English:

he placed the hand under his upper arm.

Lenape:

ekwi tëlamànkànink totun në nòxk.

English:

Then the Creator said,

Lenape:

Na wa Kishelëmùkònk luwe,

English:

"You have truly done something strange. From now on you will be eaten

Lenape:

"Kehëla yukwe kchipaihòsi. Alëmi yukwe wënchi këmohulëneyo ki

English:

and your children and your great grandchildren.

Lenape:

òk nël knichanàk òk nèl ahanhùkwi kuxwisàk.

English:

Wherever on all this earth you will be eaten and your children."

Lenape:

Tëtàch elamakamika wèmi yu tali këmohuke òk nèl nichana."

English:

Then it is said the squirrel was afraid and he pulled out the hand,

Lenape:

Na hùnt na xanikw wishasu pwënëmën në nàxk,

English:

[and] he rushed home again.

Lenape:

mòchhatahkihëlan làpi.

English:

From then on the squirrel is small

Lenape:

Yukwe wënchi alëmi washe xanikw tànktitu

English:

and when a person eats him he will find that two-legged person's

Lenape:

òk ènta awèn muhòt maxkao nèl nishkatat awèn

English:

hand under his arm.

Lenape:

nòxkink èkwi tëlamànkanink.

English:

That is all I can remember right now of this old story.

Lenape:

Na në shùk nkàski mëshatàmën yukwe yushe xuwi achimëwakàn.

Na Òkwës Òk Na Chëmamës Achimëwakàn

Nushhùkòwën Ta Ni

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