Kwëlëpisuwe

Kwëlëpisuwe . . . A humorous tale told by Nora Thompson Dean in 1968

English:

I heard this story a long time ago when I was a young woman.

Lenape:

Yu achimëwakàn mpihpëntàmën lòmëwe ènta uskixkweiane.

English:

At one time there was a man named Kwëlëpisuwe.

Lenape:

Ahpu nìki lìkhìkwi lënuwa luwènsu Kwëlëpisuwe.

English:

It is said that he liked women. When he learned where some women lived

Lenape:

Winkxkwee hùnt. Enta watakw xkweyok wikhatihtit

English:

he would go there immediately. At first it seemed like he just wanted to visit,

Lenape:

na shai ika tòn. Linakòt hitami lëni kiike,

English:

but he must have wanted to flirt.

Lenape:

Shùk èt mah kahta chëmësu.

English:

He would suddenly stand up and reach into his pocket

Lenape:

Wixkaochi pòskwin pòkìtëmink linxke

English:

[and] take out some finger-rings.

Lenape:

kwëtënëmëna shapwëlënchehuna.

English:

He stood there. In his hand he held

Lenape:

Nipu. Nòxkink këlënëmëna

English:

the rings. He said, “I will burn them, I will burn them!"

Lenape:

nèl shapwëlënchehuna. Luwe, “Lusëmënàch, Lusëmënàch!"

English:

Then the women would all get up.

Lenape:

Na nèki xkweyok pàskwiphatuneyo.

English:

They began to beg him and they hugged him and

Lenape:

Alëmi mehëmèntuwala òk kòskahtènao òk

English:

they rubbed him. They said, “Don’t! Don’t! Give them to us, give them to us.”

Lenape:

sikwënao. Luweyok, “Kàchi! Kàchi! Milinèn, milinèn.”

English:

The man would just have a smile on his face.

Lenape:

Këlëksuwinkwèxin shëk na lënu.

English:

He put the rings back in his pocket,

Lenape:

Làpi pòkìtëmink hatuna nèl shapwëlënchehuna,

English:

he left. He went looking for some other women

Lenape:

tòlëmskan. Natunao pili xkweyok

English:

so that he could flirt [again].

Lenape:

wënchìch kàski chëmësin.

English:

It is said that the man would say, “I am really good looking!"

Lenape:

Luwe hùnt na lënu, “Nulsi ta!

English:

All the women like me!

Lenape:

Wèmi yuki xkweyok winkalkuk!

English:

Oh, the women bother me, even when I am trying to sleep."

Lenape:

O, nsàkwihkuk nèki xkweyok, ìli ènta kawia."

English:

Finally that man was hated

Lenape:

Xantki shinkalkwësu naka lënuwa

English:

because he admired himself. Everyone hated him, even

Lenape:

èli ulinao nihëlàchi hòkaya. Wèmi awèn shinkalao, ìli

English:

women, men, children, and even dogs.

Lenape:

xkweyok, lënuwàk, mimënsàk òk ili mwekaneyok.

English:

This comes from a correction of long ago,

Lenape:

Nal yushe wënchixën kwìtëlëtëwakàn lòmëwe,

English:

“A person should not brag about himself,” the elders said.

Lenape:

“Matàch awèn ahi kshàkënima hòkaya,” luweyok yuki kìkayàk.

English:

Then I asked my late father,

Lenape:

Na ntuxtao naka nuxò,

English:

“Was that really true (that he was handsome)?”

Lenape:

ntëla, “Kichi hàch në le?”

English:

My late father said, “That wasn’t so,

Lenape:

Na naka nuxò luwe, “Mata kta ni,

English:

the man was homely. He just said that.”

Lenape:

mahtësisu naka lënuwa. Lëni shëk në tëluwèn.”

Na Awènhake Luwe