This Michif fairy tale was recorded on April 1 1989 by Julius Sonny
Grant in Moorehead,
Minnesota, on April 1 1989. It was part of a set of stories that he recorded for his wife
Loretta Keplin and Vanessa. His stepson Michael K. Keplin was there. The family lived (and
still lives) in and around Belcourt in the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota.
The story teller had learned this story and others from his grandfather Le Vieux Batoche
,
John B. Houle (who died in 1940 or 1941). The family gave a copy of the tape to Peter Bakker
in 1990. The spelling used here is the one developed by the Turtle Mountain Michif speakers.
The story was transcribed by Ida Rose Allard, with corrections by Rik van Gijn and Peter
Bakker. The storyteller Julius Grant passed away some years ago. First the story is given
in Michif with a rough word-by-word translation under each word or word groups, and after
that in an English translation.
This is a tribute to a great story teller, who will be dearly missed.
-- Peter Bakker
By Julius Grant / keeachimow
Mafway, kayawsh ilavay trwaw lee noor.
My goodness, long ago there.were three bears.
Li Pawpaw, la Mawman, aykwa li ptsi baybee oohin lee noor.
Father, mother, and the small baby, those (were) the bears.
Kaytahtaway aen mataen, la mawman awa keeshtaypow.
one.time on a morning, mother this she was cooking
li oatmeal kee-keeshisham ooma pour li manzhee, li breakfast.
The porridge she-prepared-it this for food the breakfast.
Ke-wiyashtawshoow mawman.
She.set.the.table mother
Tout paree kee-ashtaw dan la tab.
Everything ready she-put on the table
Trwaw lee zasyet plaen li oatmeal.
Three plates full (of) oatmeal
"Abaen tout ashtaw" itwayw, "li manzhee"
"Well, all placed," she said, "the food"
Aah cheepatapiwak mwaenhchi aywee-meechishouchik.
They.sat.down, just.ready to-eat
Nawachikou sitay shoo ooma.
Sort-of it-was hot this
Ekwayawk kee-pooni-keeshtaypoow ooma
Just finished-cooking this
Ilitray trou shoo
was too hot
Pamoyaen kaw-meechishouchik.
Impossible that-they.eat.it.
Ahawn, itwayw Pawpaw, itwayw:
OK, said papa said:
"Abaen, iprawn en pchit walk," itwayw.
"Well will take a small walk" he.said.
"Kapapawmouhtanawn li shmaen ooma," itwayw.
"We'll walk the road this," he.said.
"Li tawn mawka nawachikou ilite fret nawat kaw- meechiyawhk," itwayw.
"The time however sort-of It-is-cold more, we will eat,"
he said.
Ahawn, ati-shipwayhtaywak.
Ok, they began walking
Nakatamwak li mawnzhee.
They.left.behind the food.
Shipwayhtaywak.
They left.
Dan li bwaw ooma pawpawmouhtaychik.
In the woods this they went walking
Chaen, tawn shipwayhtaychik ooma,
Well Time they.left this,
Ilavay enn pchit feeyi,
There.was a little girl
La feeyi lii zhveu awn lor. Dishinikawshon
The girl the hair of gold
Kee-ishi-itaywak, sitay soo noo aykwawnima.
They.say that.was her name that.
Ah, paytakouhtayt la ptst feeyi awa, lee zhveu awn lor.
Ah she arrived the little girl this the hair of gold.
Paytakohtayw.
She walked.
Keewanishin dan li bwaw.
She.was.lost in the woods.
Nanahitawk kee-pay-mishkam la ptst maenzoon ooma.
Just.in.time she.found the little house this.
Wawpahtam la ptst maenzoon doowawpahchikayw.
looked.at the little house went.to.look.at.things
Madoon awayna oota weekit.
Let's see who there lived.
La port pakamaham aninaway
The door she.knocked
Namawiyek.
No one.
Aah peehtikwayw.
OK she.entered.
Peehtikwayishoow la ptst feeyi lee zhveu awn nor
She let herself in the little girl with hair of gold
iyavay deu ou trwaw zhour keewanishihk dan li bwaw.
Two or three days she-was-lost in the woods.
Nawachikou kee-ayayshkoushiw.
Sort of she was tired.
Kee-noohtayhkatayw.
She was hungry.
Mufway li mawnzhee wawpahtahk.
Well, the food When.she.saw.it.
Ah, mon jeu. Li promyee nasyet kouchistam, wahwa ilitray trou shoo.
Ah, my God The first dish she started oh my it.was too hot.
Nakatam aykwawnima.
She.left that.one.
li deuzyaem zasyet aymishkahk aykwawnima kouchistam.
The second plate when.she.found that.one she.tasted.it.
Itray trou fret aykwanima itwayw.
It.was. too. cold that.one she.said
Ilavay aen nout asyet ay-wawpahtahk.
There.was a other plate that.she.saw
Aykwawnima yeah nimiyeuhtam ekwanima li ptsi tasyet itwayw.
That.one yes I-like-it that.one the little plate she said
Tout keekitaw ekwawnima.
All ate.it that
Aykee-keeshpout cheepatapiw.
When.she.was.full she.sat.down
Huh, ilavay trwaw sayz anda itwayw.
"Oh, there.were three chairs there" she said
Li promyee dookouchitapiw, aah ilitray trou jeur itwayw.
The first went.and.tried.sitting, "ooh it.is too hard" she.said
"Litray trou hoo" itwayw.
"It.is too high" she.said
"Aah, loot, aah nawachikoo namoo miyeu-apiw" itwayw.
"Oh, another oh sort of didn't good sit" she said
Lout sayz dookwashkwatapiw.
Other chair threw.herself.into.it
"Ay dyawb miyeu-apiw."
"oh devil good sit."
Aycheepatapit, mafway pinipayin la sayz.
When.she.sat.down My it.fell.down the chair.
Peekonam la sayz.
She broke the chair
Ashpin dan li plawnshee.
Gone on the floor
Aah pashikoow ekouta ouhchi.
she got up there from
Nawachikou nouhtaynipaw.
Sort of feel sleepy
La feeyi lee zhveu awn lor.
The girl with hair like barley
Nawachikou kee-nouhtaynipaw.
Sort.of she.felt.sleepy
Aen lee ekouta ashtayw dookoucheeshin dan li lee ooma.
A bed there was went.and.lay on the bed this
Ayhayi ilitray trou loon.
OK it.was too long
Pashikoow aah lout lee itouhtayw.
She.got.up the.other bed she.went
Anda dookouchishimoow.
There she.tried.laying.on.it
Nawachikou ilitay jeur itwayw.
sort.of it.is hard she said
Pamoyaen kouchishihk.
couldn't try laying on it
Aah pashikoow oota ouschi.
She.got.up there from
Aen ptsi lee anda wawpahtam.
a small bed there she.sees.it
Ekouta dookoushin
There she tried laying on
"ay nimiyeushin" itwayw.
"Oh, I.lay.good" she said
Ay no kinwaensh kee-kawhkwashiw ekouta.
Oh, not long she.fell.down.exhausted there
Ma-miyeu-ihkwawmiw ooma.
Very-good-sleep this one
"Lee zoor takoupahtawwak weekiwawhkiwaw" itwayw.
"The bears arrived at their home" she said
"Abaen, ka-meechishounawn," itwayw Pawpaw noor.
"Well, we'll eat" said Papa bear.
"Hawn," itwayw mawman. Cheepatapiwak.
"OK" said mama they sat down
"Aah," itwayw oumawmawa la viyay awa
"Oh" said his.mama the old.lady this
"Awiyek keekoutishtam moo oatmeal,"
"Someone tasted my oatmeal"
"Chiwayr ma chouyayr plaen d'oatmeal" itwayw
"Look my spoon (is) full oatmeal" she.said
Aah li vyeu
Oh the old
"Neeshta" itwayw, "awiyek kee-koutishtam moon oatmeal" itwayw.
"Mine.too" he said "someone tasted my oatmeal" he-said.
"Chiwayr ma cheuyayr."
"Look.at my spoon."
Li ptsi baybee brawi ekouta.
The little baby cry there.
"Kaykway kawmoohikawtaman?"
"What makes-you-cry?"
"Awiyek kee-koushtam moon oatmeal"
"Someone tasted my oatmeal"
Tout keekitaw
All is-eaten
Aahawn
Yes.
"Abaen kawya mawtou," mawman itwayw.
"Well don't cry" mama said
"Keyawpit geeshtaypoun aen ptsi braen."
"Still I'm cooking a little"
"Abaen tawn kimawman ay-doo-keeshtaypout"
"Well time your.mother go.and.cook"
"Outa ka-apinawn dan noo shayz."
"Here we'll sit on our chairs."
"Aah" itwayw manman "awiyek kee-koutapiw dan ma sayz."
"Oh," said mama "someone tried.sitting on my chair."
Chiwayr.
Look.
Moo tet daryee akoutee ashtayw.
My head pillow to-the-side it-lays.
"Aah" itwayw pawpaw "neeshta awiyek kee-koucheen dan ma sayz."
"Oh" said Papa "mine.too someone tried in my chair."
Aw li ptsi babyee noor mafway waen!
Oh the little baby bear MyLord, was crying
Kaykwawy moohkawtaman?
What are.you.crying.for?
"Awiyek kee-koutapiw dan ma sayz."
"Someone tried.sitting on my chair."
"Chiwayr keepeekounam.
"Look that.person.broke it.
Aah kawya mawtou."
Oh, don't cry."
"Dan noo lee ka-doo-pimishinawn" itwayw
"On our bed we'll go lie down" he.said
"zeuskatawn manman aypoonikeeshtaypout"
"until mama is.done.cooking"
Ahawn, dan leu lee itouhtaywak.
Okay to their beds they went
"Chiwayr" manman itwayw.
"Look" mama said
"Aret, aret awiyek dan moon lee kee-koutishin."
"Wait, wait someone on my bed tried laying."
"Tawnaenhki?"
"Why?"
Chiwayr moo drawd lee itwayw.
Look, at my sheet she.said
Mashinawshin awiyek oota aykee-pimishihk itwayw.
His body outline some one here had lain she said
Aa pawpaw chaen neeshta itwayw, moo tet daryee itwayw
Oh papa well, me.too, he said my head pillow slip he said
dan li milyeu li lee oota ashtayw itwayw
in the middle the bed here it.is he said
Aen gran lee loon kee-ayaw.
A big bed long he had
Mafway, keepoonimawtow.
Well, he.stopped. crying
Chiwayr, itwayw, awiyek kee-kouchishimoow dan moo lee.
Look he said someone tried.laying.down on my bed
Oota kawpimishihk itwayw
Here she lies he said
Koushkoupayiw la feeyi zhveu awn loer
She.woke.up the girl hair of gold
Shaykishiw kee-tapashiw
She-was-scared she ran away
Ashpinaen kiyawpit araw a Dunseith.
Gone yet near Dunseith
ashpenaen kee-tapasheew tawnde aykee-wawpamak deryaer fwe
since she'd-fled there that.I.saw.her last time
My goodness, long ago there were three bears.
Father, mother, and the little baby, those were the bears.
One time, one morning, the mother was cooking oatmeal.
She was preparing this porridge for food, as breakfast.
Mother set the table.
She put everything ready on the table
Three plates full of oatmeal.
Well, she placed all the food.
They sat down, just ready to eat
It was kind of hot.
She had just finished cooking this.
It was too hot.
They could not eat it.
"OK," papa said.
"We will take a small walk," he said.
"We will walk down this road," he said.
"By the time however it has cooled off more, we will eat," he said.
"OK."
They began walking.
They left their food behind.
They went away.
In the woods they went walking.
Well, while they were away, there was a little girl,
the girl with the golden hair.
They say that was her name.
And she arrived there, this little girl with golden hair.
She had arrived walking.
She was lost in the woods.
Just in time she found this little house.
She saw the little house and went to inspect things.
"Let's see who lives there."
She knocked on the door.
There was no one.
OK, she entered.
She let herself in, this little girl with golden hair.
For two or three days she was lost in the woods.
She was rather tired.
She was hungry.
My God, when she saw the food, she started the first dish.
Oh my, it was too hot.
She left that one alone.
When she found the second plate, she tasted that.
"It is too cold, that one," she said.
There was another plate that she saw.
"Yes, that one I like, that little plate."
She ate all of it.
When she was full, she sat down
Oh, there were three chairs there.
She went to try and sit on the first one.
"Ooh it is too hard," she said.
"It is too high," she said.
Oh, another... "That sort of didn't sit well," she said.
She went and sat on the other chair.
"Oh devil , this sits well."
She sat down in it.
My God, the chair fell apart.
She broke the chair.
Gone, on the floor.
She got up from there.
She felt sort of sleepy, the girl with hair like gold.
She wanted to sleep.
There was a bed and she went and laid on this bed.
Oh, it was too long.
She got up and went to the other bed.
She tried laying on it.
"It is a little hard," she said
She couldn't lay down on it.
She got up from there.
There she saw a small bed.
There she went and laid down.
"Oh, this is good to lie down on," she said.
Oh, not long after she fell asleep there.
She slept well.
The bears arrived at their home.
"Well, we're going to eat," said Papa bear.
"OK," said mama.
They sat down.
"Oh," said mama, this old lady.
"Someone tasted my oatmeal," she said.
"Look, my spoon is full of oatmeal," she said.
"Oh," the old man said.
"Mine too," he said, "someone tasted my oatmeal," he said.
"Just look at my spoon."
The little baby was crying there.
"What are you crying for?"
"Someone tasted my oatmeal,"
"Everything is eaten."
"Ah! Well, don't cry," mama said.
"I will cook a little more."
"Well, while your mother will go and cook, we will sit in our chairs."
"Oh," said mama, "Someone tried secretly to sit in my chair.
Look. My head pillow lays aside!"
"Oh," said Papa, "Mine too! Someone secretly tried my chair!"
Oh, the little baby bear, my Lord, he was crying.
"What are you crying for?"
"Someone tried sitting in my chair.
Look, they broke it."
"Oh, don't cry.
We'll go and lie down on our beds," he said.
"until mama is done cooking."
Okay, they went to their beds.
"Look," mama said.
"Wait, wait! Someone tried laying on my bed. Why?
Look at my sheet," she said.
"It can be seen that someone had laid down there," she said.
"Oh mine too," papa said, "My head pillow slip is here in the middle
of the bed." he said.
He had a big, long bed.
Well, the little bear quit crying.
"Look," he said, "someone tried laying down on my bed!"
There she is!" he said.
The girl with the golden hair woke up.
She was scared. She ran away.
She is gone. She fled and it was around Dunseith that she was last seen.
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