Kukhusëwim

Origin of Kukhusëwim . . . Told by Nora Thompson Dean to Nick Shoumatoff about 1976. This is an abbreviated version of a longer story about the origin of the American Bittersweet vine (Celastrus scandens). The sections in italics are parts from the longer version of the story which were not recorded on audio when told.

English:

Once a man went hunting in a big forest.

Lenape:

Kwëtën mah lënuwa alai ènta xinkwi shinkèk.

English:

The man had hunted all day, finally it got dark.

Lenape:

Kwëti kishkwik alai naka lënuwa, xantki piske.

English:

Then he thought, "I want to lie down for the night by this tree."

Lenape:

Na litehan, "Nkata ta alaximwi maike yushe ènta hìtkunk tali.

English:

Then suddenly an owl alighted (in the tree).

Lenape:

Na wixkaochi pèchi lihëlat kukhus.

English:

It must have been a female owl, a female,

Lenape:

Xkwei kukhus èt mah nàn, xkwei,

English:

because the owl was wearing earrings

Lenape:

èli sahkaxehu na kukhus.

English:

Suddenly a different owl alighted there. He was her husband owl.

Lenape:

Wixkaochi pèchi lihëlat na pili kukhus.

English:

Then those owls began to fight.

The husband-owl accused his wife of being in that tree because she liked the man who was sleeping under it. Finally he hit her with his wing.

Lenape:

Na tòlëmi mathakalao nèl kukhusa.

English:

Finally those earrings fell - then it must have become the owl-berry.

The following autumn the man returned to the place he had been sleeping and there was a vine growing with red berries that looked like the earrings the owl had been wearing. After that the Lenape called the Bittersweet vine Kukhusëwim - the "owl berry."

Lenape:

Xantki pënihëleyo nèl saxkakxehuna - nal èt mah nèl kukhusëwim.

English:

And they landed at the man's head.

Lenape:

Ika wilink na lënu mahtèxën.

English:

The man must have heard the owls when they were talking.

Lenape:

Pwëntao èt na lënu pè pèmtunhèt nèki kukhusàk.

English:

The owl must have been jealous because he saw where the man was sleeping.