Na Chëmamës Elëwènsit

The One Called Rabbit . . . Told by Martha Ellis to Ives Goddard in 1966. Martha was a member of the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma (now the Delaware Nation).

English:

Athiluhakàn hùnt chëmamës lòmëwe xeleli ehathiluhèt

Lenape:

A story about Rabbit, who used to make a lot of stories long ago.

English:

When animals had a council long ago, they would have a council and talk about something.

Lenape:

Na hunt maehëhahtit lòmëwe aèsësàk, maehëleyàk hùntùnkw, ahkënutëmuk kèku.

English:

Every kind of animal, including deer and buffalo.

Lenape:

Wèm elinakwsit aèsësàk, òk ahtuhuk òk sisiliyeyàk

English:

Then Rabbit would be asked, “What’s the matter with you?

Lenape:

Na hùntànkw lan chëmamës, “Kèku hàch ki ktëlsi?

English:

Your shoulder blades really stick way out when you sit down?”

Lenape:

Kehëla hànkw kena nèk khòpikònàk ahi sakixinuk ènta lëmatahpiyàn?”

English:

He said, “That’s right, I had two wives long ago.

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt, “Ahëkta kehëla; nisha mah xkweyok nulhala lòmëwe.

English:

I used to sleep between them.

Lenape:

Lelai hànkw nkawi, nani she kena

English:

That’s why when I used to sleep they really crowded me up, that’s why my shoulders are like that.

Lenape:

ènta kawiya ntahi tahchikakok nàni wùnchi linakwsineyo kena nhòpikònàk.

English:

And they asked him again, “How come those ears of yours are so long?”

Lenape:

Na hùnt lapi lan, “Kèku hàch wùnchi nèlshe khitaoka ahi ahkòneya.

English:

He said, “Well, I was a chief’s messenger, long ago.

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt, “Kena ta ni pùchël lòmëwe.

English:

I would be made a chief’s messenger all the time.

Lenape:

Mpùchëlahalke nkëme hànkw.

English:

“I delivered some messages to all these different kinds of animals,” he said.

Lenape:

Ntëluxòhtun kèku aptunakàn òk she wèmhàki èlinakwsichik aèsësàk,”

English:

That is what the one called Rabbit said.

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt, na yukwe nëshe tëlëwèn hùnt na chëmamës èlëwènsit.

English:

He said, “That’s really true.

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt, “Khichi ta nàni le.

English:

That’s how come my ears are long, so that I will hear anything well.

Lenape:

Nani wënchi kèna nhitaòka ahkòneya, èli hànkw ahi këlëstama kèku.

English:

I don’t want to miss hearing anything.

Lenape:

Ku nkata palëstamu kèku.

English:

because I want to deliver (the message) to them, to animals of every kind, when the chief hires me, when he makes me his messenger.

Lenape:

èli nkata ika luxohtaòòk, wèmi elinakwsit aèsës, washe sakima ènta alukalit ènta pùchëlahalit.

English:

That’s the reason why I would want to hear things well.”

Lenape:

Na yukwe nëshe nëwùnchi hànkw kahta ahi këlëstamën kèku.

English:

That’s why his ears are long, because he always wanted to hear things well.

Lenape:

Nani wùnchi hùnt ahkòneyo nèl she hwitaoka, èli hànkw ahi kahta këlësànk kèku.”

English:

When the animals would assemble in council, they would talk about when they hide from people.

Lenape:

Na hùnt ènta ma ehëlahtit hùntànkw òk aèsësàk, ahkënutëmëneyo hùntankw ènta kèna kònshiphahtit awèni.

English:

The buffalo said, it’s hard for us, because we’re big.

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt na sisiliye, “Ahòt niluna, èli nëmëmànkilhùmëna.

English:

We have to flee to where there’s thick brush, and we are able to hide.

Lenape:

kënch kènu ènta ahi ahwèk lësimwiyenke kënch niluna nkàski kànchixinhùmëna.

English:

And that deer said the same.

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt òk na ahtu

English:

And then the rabbit jumped up. He said,

Lenape:

na hùnt na chëmamës pòskwiphatun. Luwe hùnt,

English:

“Well, for me, though, it’s easy to hide from anybody.

Lenape:

“E, ni xane apëwat, ntëli a kena kònshiphan awèn.

English:

On the hillside, in the grass, all I have to do is make a hole, and that’s where I back in.

Lenape:

Nani she èli pënaònkèk ènta skikwikèk, sèki olheya, nàni she ntëli ahshakchèin.

English:

That’s how I hide from anybody. Sometimes someone comes close by, and he doesn’t see me,” said that rabbit.

Lenape:

Nani shè ntëli kònshiphan awèn. Tamse nëkhùkwitit pëmëske awèn, taku neykuu,” luwe hunt na chëmamës.

Na Òkwës Òk Na Chëmamës Achimëwakàn

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