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Lenape Talking Dictionary

By English WORD or PHRASE

By Lenape WORD or PHRASE

Nushhùkòwën Ta Ni

I Am An Icicle . . . Told by Annie Brown Parks in 1971
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English:
Introduction by Bruce Pearson
Lenape:
Introduction by Bruce Pearson
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English:
It was said that a young woman was eating icicles.
Lenape:
Hùnte wa skixkwe nushhùkòna tòlëmi mamhòn.
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English:
Not long after she ate them she suddenly got pregnant
Lenape:
Mètxàki èt ta mamhòt nèl nushhùkòna wixkòchi sàkwilìsin.
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English:
Then when her baby was born he grew very quickly.
Lenape:
Na ènta ahpit na mimëntët na shihkànch kshiku.
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English:
At that time they did not clothe the children, and he was exposed.
Lenape:
Eli nìki lìkhìkwi ku hèmpsakwi mimëns,
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English:
he was exposed. When the other children
Lenape:
màmhìchihële. Na yu[ki] takokik mimëntëtàk
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English:
when they touched him they almost
Lenape:
ènta ika lënahtit na hùnt na kahti
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English:
froze their hands because that child was really an icicle.
Lenape:
chakahtën unàxkëwoo èli nushhùkòwën na mimëntët.
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English:
He told them, "You people should put ashes on me, it will be all right.
Lenape:
Tëlan hùnk hùnt, "Punkw a ikahataoneyo, xu mayayihële.
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English:
They did so, they put ashes on him.
Lenape:
Na hùnkw ta punkw ikahataoneyo.
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English:
Then suddenly the time had arrived for
Lenape:
Na wixkaochi mèchi ta mahtèxink tìli
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English:
this icicle to float away.
Lenape:
alëmipukwën wàni nushhùkòwën.
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English:
He said, "I am really not a Lenape, I am an icicle.
Lenape:
Luwe hùnt, "Aku ta ni Lënape, nushhùkòwën ta ni.
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English:
Take me to the creek and put some corn meal
Lenape:
Kènu ikàch ktëluxòlihëmo sipunk, kohomokàn
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English:
where you seat me."
Lenape:
èlhukwèpia ktatuneyo."
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English:
Then they did that. He told his mother,
Lenape:
Na hùnt nëni tënëmëneyo. Tëlao hùnt nèl kohèsa
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"Don't have hard thoughts about this."
Lenape:
"Matàch ta ahi kèku liteha."
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English:
But, anyway it is said the woman
Lenape:
Amënchi hànta hùnt na xkwe
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followed her child a little way as he floated away.
Lenape:
kèxiti nòolao nèl wënichana alëmipukw.
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English:
Or rather, before he floated away he said,
Lenape:
Na hùnt shëmuch nèsko alëmipukw. Tëlan hùnt èt,
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English:
"If anyone wants to go across the stream [on the ice]
Lenape:
"Xu awèn kahta òsixkanai e
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English:
he must put some corn meal on the ice
Lenape:
kohomokàn kënch ta taonìch mèchi alëmipukwën nushhùkòwën
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English:
he must put some corn meal on the ice
Lenape:
në kohomokàn ikahatakwën na nushhùkòwënink
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English:
before he can cross or the ice will stop him
Lenape:
kàski xkohke awèn nahkihële ne nushhùkòwën,
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English:
If anyone wants to cross [who doesn't do this]
Lenape:
shùk lëni awèn kahta xkohke
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English:
he will not be able to cross, but will fall through the ice and float away when he gets to the middle.
Lenape:
ta kàski xkohke alëmipukw hànkw na nushhùkòwën mèchi ènta lai pat
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English:
That now is it.
Lenape:
Nata yukwe në shè.