they were many at that time. It was said there was a young woman
Lenape:
xahèluk nèki lìkhìkwi. Ahpu hùnt skixkwe
English:
who was very stubborn. It was known in all
Lenape:
kitahchinkxe. Wahkwësu wèmi
English:
the camps that she was stubborn.
Lenape:
elaikhatink tìli ahchinkxan.
English:
One evening in the Autumn
Lenape:
Kwëtën lòkwik tahkòkwëni
English:
as they were warming by their fires
Lenape:
aosuwàk wtënteyëmëwo
English:
the Delawares, all at once here came a dog.
Lenape:
nèki Lënapeyok, wixkaochi mwekane pe.
English:
The dog wanted to warm because he was shaking with cold
Lenape:
Kahta aosu èli skàpsu òk nànkahchu na mwekane.
English:
The young woman saw him first. She went and pushed the dog over.
Lenape:
Na skixkwe neyo hìtami. Na mòy tòmanihin na mwekane.
English:
She told him, “Tell a story, tell a story, you must know many things.
Lenape:
Tëlao, “Achimwi, achimwi, xaheli èt kèku kuwatu.
English:
You walk here and there, you always walk here and there.
Lenape:
Këmësuxwe, nkëme këmësuxwe.
English:
You must know many stories."
Lenape:
Xaheli èt achimëwakàna kuwatu."
English:
Her mother hollered angrily at her. She told her,
Lenape:
Nèl kohèsa lòxkamao, tëlao,
English:
Leave that dog alone! You can see he wants to warm himself
Lenape:
"Puniw na mwekane! Kneyo kahta aosu
English:
because he is cold." But the young woman because she was stubborn
Lenape:
èli tahkòchu." Shëk na skixkwe nèli ahchinxat
English:
it seemed like she did not hear her mother
Lenape:
alàshi mata pwëntawio nèl kohèsa
English:
she again went and pushed the dog over.
Lenape:
na làpi may tòmanihin na mwekane.
English:
She told him again, "Tell a story!"
Lenape:
Làpi tëlao, "Achimwi!"
English:
Finally the dog sat up straight, and he said,
Lenape:
Xantki na mwekane wëlàpihële, luwe,
English:
“All right! I will tell a story.
Lenape:
“Yuh! Ntachimwìch.
English:
Three days from now you will die. You will be lying under red dirt.”
Lenape:
Naxukwënàkhàke ktànkël. Këmàxkhakièxi.”
English:
Oh, all of the people were afraid.
Lenape:
O, wishas’hatuwàk wèmi awènik.
English:
They went and notified everyone.
Lenape:
May wehomasuwàk wèmi elaikhatink.
English:
They also told their chief.
Lenape:
Tëlao na sakimëwoo.
English:
Even the chief went and told them,
Lenape:
Ili na sakima may tëlawoo,
English:
"Here is what that dog really told us."
Lenape:
"Shè ta na mwekane tëlkunèn."
English:
The dog had told the truth because three days later
Lenape:
Wëlamëwe na mwekane èli naxukwënàkhàke
English:
the young woman had died.
Lenape:
mata topiwën naka skixkweyo.
English:
This is where the correction came from
Lenape:
Yushe pèchi wënchixën në kwìtëlìtëwakàn
English:
because long ago the Delawares
Lenape:
èli lòmwe yuki Lënapeyok
English:
said a person should not ask questions of nor
Lenape:
luweyok matàch ta awèn ntuxtao òk
English:
abuse dogs,
Lenape:
tëmakiha mwekaneyok,
English:
but it is all right if the dog wants to speak on his own.
Lenape:
kënch ta na mwekane nihëlàchi kèku luwète.
English:
Before a person can go to where the Creator lives
Lenape:
Nèsko awèn peyate Kishelëmùkònk èpit
English:
when he leaves this earth
Lenape:
ènta alëmskat yushe xkwithakamika
English:
he must first cross a large bridge.
Lenape:
kënch xkoxkate xinkwi tayaxkun.
English:
All the dogs that have lived
Lenape:
Wèmi mwekaneyunkahke
English:
take care of this bridge.
Lenape:
kenakituneyo në tayaxkun.
English:
Our elders said where
Lenape:
Kikayuyëmënaninkahke luweyok enta
English:
there is a fork in the white road (the Milky Way)
Lenape:
laxaohakexink òpitëmakànink
English:
in the sky that is where the bridge is. Nora added in English that all the dogs that have died guard the bridge and if you ever abused a dog he will tell the others not to let you across.
Lenape:
mushhakunk hate në tayaxkun.
English:
This is all I will say now. That is what I can say
Lenape:
Ntënxi luwèn yukwe. Nal nëshe nkàski luwèn,
English:
that our deceased elders said.
Lenape:
kikayuyëmënaninkahke èluwèhtit.
English:
[Here Nora gives the date in Lenape of the recording of this story]Winaminke Kishux (when the corn is ripe month) this is what the Lenape people call August.
Lenape:
Winaminke kishux Lënapeyunkahke èluwèhtit.
English:
It is the first day of the month,
Lenape:
Kwëti èlahkimkwësit kishux,
English:
nineteen and sixty-eight.
Lenape:
tèlën òk pèshkunk òk kwëtash txinxke òk xash.
English:
The speaker is Nora Thompson Dean, a full blood Delaware Indian woman.
