Mwekaneyok òk Tëmeyok

The Dogs and the Wolves . . . Told by Nora Thompson Dean in May 1976 to Carrie Briggs, a student of linguistics in Bruce Pearson's class at the University of South Carolina. Interestingly, this story theme appears in many tribes' folklore in various forms as a way to explain why dogs smell each other when they meet.

English:

Today I want to tell and old story about the dogs and wolves.

Lenape:

Yushè kishkwik nkata xuachimwi - mwekaneyok òk tëmeyok.

English:

It has long been known that wolves and dogs hate each other.

Lenape:

Lòmwe nòchi wahkòt yuki tëmeyok òk mwekaneyok shinkaltuwàk.

English:

and when they see each other they want to fight.

Lenape:

ènta nèwtihtit mathakeyok.

English:

Once a long time ago a dog, supposedly an old dog, said,

Lenape:

Kwëtën èt mah kwëti mwekane, kikexàm èt mah, luwe,

English:

"All right, let's hold a council meeting - there at that council house,

Lenape:

"Nëpèhta achimulsahtihënuk - shè në tali achimulsikaon,

English:

and near the council house door there will be a little basket.

Lenape:

òk kixki në achimulsikaon skonteyunk hate tànkhakànëtët.

English:

That is the place we will gather." Then those dogs said,"Okay, that will be it."

Lenape:

Nal në tali maehëlanèn." Luweyok nèki mwekaneyok, "Yuh, nal ta nën."

English:

Then when they came there to the council house

Lenape:

Na ènta pahtit achimulsikaonink tali,

English:

the old dog said, "You all should now detach your things,

Lenape:

Luwe na kikexàm, "Këchkënëmuk kwèkunëmëwo,

English:

and there is the little basket, and put your things in there

Lenape:

shè la shè në tànkhakànëtët, ikàch na ktëlanihineyo kèkunëmëwo

English:

because in the council house it is pure, everything is well arranged and pure."

Lenape:

èli na achimulsikaonink pilët, wèmi kèku wëlixën òk pilët."

English:

Then when those dogs came to that little basket

Lenape:

Na ènta nèk mwekaneyok pahtit në tànkhakànëtëtink

English:

they detached their things and they put them into the little basket

Lenape:

wëchkënëmëneyo na kwèkunëmëwoo ika talanihineyo na tànkhakànëtët.

English:

Then they all went one by one into the

Lenape:

Na ènta wèmi nènkwëti ahpihtit në shè

English:

into the council house. There was also a fire in that house.

Lenape:

achimulsikaonink tali. Tëntay òk hatè në wikwahëmink tali.

English:

Then when everyone was well seated, they were seated in a circle, then all at once

Lenape:

Na ènta kìshi wèmi wëlàpihtit, òkànkwèpuwàk, na wixkaochi

English:

the long-waisted dog arose because it has long been known

Lenape:

pòskwin na kwënahakwchat chëminkw èli lòmwe nòchi wahkòt

English:

that the long-waisted dog is smart.

Lenape:

tëli na kwënahakwchat chëminkw tëli lëpwein.

English:

Then the long-waisted dog stood up and held a little stick in his hand

Lenape:

Na nipu na kwënahakwchat chëminkw hìtùkwtët këlënëm

English:

because it seemed like it helped him when he stood.

Lenape:

alàshi wichëmùkwën ènta nipait.

English:

The long-waisted dog then began to talk and he said,

Lenape:

Tòlëmtunhèn na kwënahakwchat chëminkw luwè,

English:

"My fellow dogs, we all know that we are afraid of

Lenape:

"Mwèkanèwtuk, kuwatunèn tëli kòxawënanàk

English:

those wolves. What should we all do now?

Lenape:

nèki tëmeyòk. Kèku hàch xu ktëlsahtihënuk mèchi?

English:

If anyone wants to say some of his ideas I will be glad for what he has to say."

Lenape:

Enta awèn kahta luwèt kèku nulelìntàm a kèku ènta awèn kèku luwèt."

English:

Then when he finished saying that the little dog sat down.

Lenape:

Na ènta kìshi kèku luwèt na chëminkwtët lëmatahpu.

English:

Then all at once a mongrel dog stood up and he said, "that is so,

Lenape:

Na wixkaochi lënxàm nipai, luwè, "Nal ta nën,

English:

we will fight those wolves whenever we see them."

Lenape:

mathakawënanàk nèki tëmeyok ènta neyoke.”

English:

Then when he finished saying that suddenly a big wolf stuck his head in the doorway,

Lenape:

Na ènta në kìshi luwèt wixkaochi na xinkwtëme sakhùkwè skonteyunk,

English:

he had sharp teeth and he growled. Those dogs were all very frightened.

Lenape:

ahkinanikè òk lùkwixin. Nèki mwekaneyok wishas'hatuwàk.

English:

Some barked, some howled. They wanted to flee

Lenape:

Alënte mëkikeyok, alënte wehuluk. Kahta èt mah shimëwàk.

English:

Then when they came to the doorway they fell all over each other and

Lenape:

Na ènta skontenk ènta pahtit këkëlikawtuwàk òk

English:

everything got scattered. Then the dog yelled at them, and said

Lenape:

wèmi kèku ahasehële. Na na kwënahakchat chëminkw lòxkàmao, luwe

English:

"You all stop, you all stop!" but it was for nothing.

Lenape:

"Nahkihëlakw, nahkihëlakw!" shëkw nuchkwe.

English:

Then when they got out of the building they picked up their things

Lenape:

Na ènta kchihtit wètënëmëneyo nèl kwèkunëmëwo

English:

from the basket there. Then they all fled into the big forest.

Lenape:

tànkhakànink tali. Na tòlëmshimwineyo ènta xinkwi shinkèk.

English:

They were frightened, then that those dogs just any thing

Lenape:

Wishas'hatuwàk na nahkoi nèk mwèkaneyok

English:

of those things they picked up and put them on their bodies,

Lenape:

wètënëmuk nèl kwèkunëmëwoo, ikahatuneyo wtuhwèpiyëmink,

English:

That is the reason the elders say that even until now

Lenape:

Nal në wënchi luweyok yuki kìkayàk ili yukwe

English:

when these dogs meet each other

Lenape:

ènta yuki mwekaneyok kiskawtihtit

English:

they start to smell each other, they are looking for their own thing.

Lenape:

alëmi kwsiàntëluwàk, nòtunëmëneyo nihëlàchi kwèkunëmëwoo.

English:

I heard this story long ago.

Lenape:

Lòmwe mpihpëntamën yushè achimëwakàn.

English:

This is what I was told by my late mother.

Lenape:

Nal në shè ntëlkenèp naka nkahèsa.

Na Òkwës Òk Na Chëmamës Achimëwakàn

Këkhìtkil Hùnt Na Xanikw

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