The Bear, the Coyote, and the Skunk
by Jeannette Howlingcrane
Nétâhóhta'haovâtse. Náhkohe éstaamenéheohtsé'tanoho meo'o.
I'll tell you a story. A bear was following a path.
Hápó'e nâháóhe ó'kôhome móhnêhnéheohtsé'tôhéhe. Nêhe'še
Likewise there a coyote was coming following it. Then
éstóo'e'óvâhtséhoono. Náhkohe éstatsêhetóhoono ó'kôhomeho,
they met. The bear said to the coyote,
"Nó'héhnêstse! Hé'tóhe nameo'o," éxhetóhoono. "Hová'âháne,
"Move aside! This (is)my path," he told him. "No,
hápó'e no'héhnêstse! Hé'tóhe nameo'o," éxhetaehoono.
likewise move aside! This (is) my path," he told him.
Tséxhe'éšeóo'evotâhtsévôse éxhe'kemé'êhnéhoo'o xao'o. "Háhtome!
While they were arguing slowly appeared a skunk. "Scram!
Hé'tóhe nameo'o," éxhetóhoono. Éxhe'kenéma'evonêhnéhoo'o.
This (is) my path," he told them. He slowly turned around.
Éxhe'kêhešêhosóhnêhoo'o. Tséhvóomovôse éstanéšêhe'névo'âhéotséhoono.
He slowly went backwards. When they saw him they both scattered off.
Éssáanâha'óoméhesesto tósa'e tséhešeaseta'xévôse.
They were not caught sight of wherever they ran off.
This story was first published in the book Cheyenne Texts: An Introduction to Cheyenne Literature, copyright 1980, used here by permission.
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