Vocabulary
ᎡᏘᏴᏃ - e:tiyvhno - a long time ago, back in the olden days
ᏥᎨᏎᎢ - tsige:se:ɂi - it was
ᎤᎾᏛᏐᏅ - u:natv:sonv - old men
ᏣᏂᏃᎮᏍᎨᎢ - tsa:ninohe:sgeɂi - were telling
ᎤᏓᎴᏨ - u:dale:tsv - strange, different, odd, bizarre
ᏂᎦᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎲᎢ - nigahlsdani:dohv:ɂi - happenings
ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ - didani:so:di - graveyard
ᏍᎩᏃ - sgi:hno - that
ᏧᏃᎯᏳᎮ - tsuhno:hi:yuhe - believed
ᏗᎪᏛᏗ - digotvdi - to see
ᏱᎩ - yigi - state of being
ᎭᎾᏓᏥᎩᏍᎬ - hanada:tshsgisgv - they were gathering
ᎪᎰᏍᏗ - gohosdi - something, things
ᎨᏥᏅᏬᏗ - ge:tsinv:wo:di - for them to doctor them (with)
ᎨᏎ - ge:se - were
ᎦᎳᏉᎩ - gahlkwo:gi - seven
ᏧᏙᏓᏆᏗ - tsudo:dagwa:di - days
ᏧᎾᏛᏐᏅᏃ - tsu:natv:sonvhno - old men
ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎾᎢ - ani:ktana:ɂi - those who know, experts
ᎨᏒ - ge:sv - it was
ᏣᏂᏃᎮᏍᎨᎢ - tsa:nino:hesgeɂi - they were telling
ᎢᎦ - i:ga - how much
ᏴᏫ - yv:wi - people
ᎭᏂᏍᎦᎢ - ha:nisga:ɂihv - they were afraid cf. asgaiha (RRD)
ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ - u:ne:da:sdi -for them to go there, be there cf. edoha (RRD)
ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ - dida:ni:soɂdi - graveyard
ᏒᏃᏃ - sv:nohno - at night
ᏱᎩ - yigi - it was
ᏙᏳ - dohyu - very much
ᎤᏂᏍᎦᎸ - u:nisga:lv - they were afraid cf. asgaiha (RRD)
ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ - u:ne:da:sdi - for them to go there, to be there cf. edoha (RRD)
ᎨᏎᎢ - ge:se:ɂi - was
ᎠᏂᏔᎵᏃ - ani:ta:lihno - two (of them)
ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ - ani:sgaya - men
ᎱᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏓᏁ - hunadv:nvɂi:sdaɂne - they made preparations, got prepared cf. advnvisdiha (RRD)
ᎤᎾᏕᎶᎰᎯᏍᏗ - u:nade:loho:hi:sdi - for them to find it out cf. adelohosga
ᏂᎦᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎲ - nigahlsdani:do:hv - what was happening
ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗᏳ - dida:ni:soɂdiyu - graveyard
ᎭᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎬᏃ - hanadv:nvɂi:sdisgv:hno - they prepared, got ready cf. advnvisdiha (RRD)
ᎦᎳᏉᎩ - gahlkwo:gi - seven
ᏧᏙᏓᏆᏗ - tsudo:dagwa:di - days cf. udodagwada - a full day
ᎠᎪᎾ - ago:na - fasting
ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ - u:ne:da:sdi - to go, walk about cf. edoha (RRD)
ᏥᏂᎨᎬᏁᎴᎢ - tsinige:gv:hneleɂi - were made for them
ᏎᎵᏥᏍᏆ - selitshsgwa - muskrat (also: ᏎᎵᎦᏍᏉ seliksgwo)
ᏧᏂᎴᎢ - tsu:ni:leɂi - they killed it
ᎤᏅᏥᏓ - u:nv:tsi:da - brain
ᏧᏂᎳᎩᏎᎢ - tsu:ni:lagi:seɂi - they took them out cf. galagia (RRD)
ᏍᎩᎾ - sgi:na - that (something previously mentioned)
ᏕᎨᏥᏅᎵᏰᎴ - de:ge:tsinv:liye:le - they rubbed them on them
ᏗᏂᎦᏙᎵ - dini:kto:li - their eyes
ᎦᏚ - gadu, gạ²du³ - over, on top of
ᎾᏂᏍᎦᎢᎲᎾᏃ - na:ni:sga:ɂihv:nahno - they without fear, fearless
ᏄᎾᎳᏍᏓᏁᎢ - nunahlsdaneɂi - they became
Ꮓ - no: - then
ᎱᏂᏍᏆᏙᎾ - hu:nisgwa:dona - upon them completing it ( asgwadia CED)
ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ - dida:ni:soɂdi - graveyard
ᏍᏛᎢ - sdvɂi - edge
ᏭᎾᏗᏍᎦᎳᏁᎢ - wu:nadi:sgahlaneɂi - they hid there
ᎠᏤᎯᏃ - atsehihno - new
ᎦᎵᎲ - gahlihv - was sleeping
ᎾᎥ - naɂv - near
ᎱᎾᏗᏍᎦᎴᎢ - hu:nadi:sgahleɂi - they were hiding
ᏔᎳᏚ - ta:ladu - twelve
ᎢᏳᏩᏂᎸᎯ - i:yuwahnilv:hi - o'clock
ᏄᎳᏍᏓᎾ - nuhlsdana - it happened
ᎤᎾᏓᎴᏨ - u:nadale:tsv - various
ᏓᏂᎷᎨᎢ - danilu:geɂi - they came, appeared
ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ - didani:soɂdi - graveyard
ᏣᎹᎭ - tsa:maha - bats
ᎩᎵ - gihli - dogs
ᏪᏌ - we:sa - cats
ᏥᏍᏆ - tsi:sgwa - birds
ᏱᎩ - yigi - (there) were
ᏃᎴ - no:le - and
ᎤᎾᏓᎴᏨ - u:nadale:tsv - various
ᏗᎪᎦᏛᏗ - digo:ktvɂdi - to see them
ᎨᏎᎢ - ge:se:ɂi - was
ᎨᏥᏁᏤᎴᎢᏃ - ge:tsine:tsele:ɂihno - they were told
ᎣᏂ - ohni - last
ᎦᎷᏨ - galu:tsv - to come
ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ - u:gv:wiyuhi - Head Man, leader
ᎠᎳᏅ - ko:lanv - Raven
ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ - aye:li:sgi - Mocker
ᏍᏓᎳᎩᏒᏳ - sdala:gi:svyu - run
ᎨᎪᎮᎴᎢ - ge:gohe:leɂi - they were told
Ꮟ - si: - still
ᎭᏂᏍᏆᏂᎪᏒᎥᏍᎬ - hani:sgwanigo:svɂvsgv - they were in wonderment, amazed
ᎱᎷᏤᎢ - hu:lu:tseɂi - it came
ᎡᏆ - e:gwa - large
ᎬᎾᎨᎢ - gv:nage:ɂi - black
ᏧᏄᏫ - tsu:hnuwi - dressed
ᏥᏍᏆ - tsi:sgwa - bird
ᏫᎬᏪᏅᏍᏓᏁᎢ - wigv:we:nvsdaɂneɂi - it went straight
ᏗᎦᎾᎥᎢ - diga:naɂvɂi - was lying there
ᎤᏲᎰᏒ - u:yoho:sv - dead person
ᎧᏁᏌ - kane:sa - box
ᎤᏲᎰᏒ ᎧᏁᏌ - coffin
ᏭᏴᎮᎢ - wu:yvhe:ɂi - he picked up
ᎦᏚᎢ - gadu:ɂi - on top
ᎱᏕᎢ - hudeɂi - he placed it
ᏙᏱᏨᎯ - doyi:tsvɂhi - outside
ᎱᎾᎦᏙᏍᏛᎢᏃ - huna:ktosdv:ɂihno - while they were watching
ᏐᏉ - so:gwo - one
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ - a:sgaya - man
ᏙᎯᏳ - dohi:yu - very
ᎤᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎳ - uhsgahsdane:ɂla - he was frightened (by it)
ᏫᎬᏩᏲᎴᎢ - wigv:wayole:ɂi - he shot him
ᎤᎬᏫᏳ - u:gv:wiyu - Head Man
ᎪᎳᏅ - ko:lanv - Raven
ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ - aye:li:sgi - Mocker
ᎾᎯᏳ - na:hiyu - at that time
ᎭᏥᏲᎣᎾ - ha:tsiyo:ɂona - after being shot
ᎦᏁᏌᎢ - gane:saɂi - grave
ᎰᏫᏂ - howi:ni - inside (also: ᎭᏫᏂ)
ᏭᏕᎵᏤᎢ - wude:litseɂi - he went
ᎠᏂᏐᎢᏃ - a:ni:soɂihno - the others
ᎠᏁᏙᎯ - a:ne:do:hi - at the site
ᎱᎾᎳᎩᏎᎢ - hu:nala:gi:seɂi - they scattered
ᎾᏂᎦᏔᎲᎾ - nani:kdahv:na - them not knowing
ᏄᎾᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎸᎢ - nunahlsdani:do:lvɂi - what happened
ᏍᎩᏴᏃ - sgi:yvhno - at that time
ᎤᏂᏍᎦᎣᏅ - u:nihsgaɂohnv - they were very afraid
ᎨᏒᎢ - ge:svɂi - was
ᏫᏚᎾᎵᏓᎩᏎᎢ - widu:nali:dgiseɂi - they ran away (cf. ᎠᎵᏗᎩᎠ)
ᎾᏂᎦᏓᎲᎾᏆ - nanikdahv:nagwa - them without knowing
ᏄᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎸᎢ - nuhlsdani:do:lvɂi - what happened
ᏭᏩᎦᏛᎢ - wu:wa:kdvɂi - to the rest
ᏭᏂᎷᏨ - wu:nilu:tsa - when they arrived (back)
ᏧᏁᏅᏒᎢ - tsu:ne:nv:svɂi - their home
ᎯᎨᏥᏅᏩᏁᎢ - hi:ge:tsinv:wa:neɂi - they were redoctored
ᎪᎳᏅ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ
The Raven Mocker
ᎡᏘᏴᏃ ᏥᎨᏎᎢ
ᎤᎾᏛᏐᏅ ᏣᏂᏃᎮᏍᎨᎢ ᎤᏓᎴᏨ ᏂᎦWᏍᏓᏂᏙᎲᎢ ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ. ᏍᎩᏃ ᏧᏃᎯᏳᎮ ᏗᎪᏛᏗ ᏱᎩ ᎭᎾᏓᏥᎩᏍᎬ ᎪᎰᏍᏗ
ᎨᏥᏅᏬᏗ ᎨᏎ ᎦWᏉᎩ ᏧᏙᏓᏆᏗ. ᏧᎾᏛᏐᏅᏃ ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎾᎢ ᎨᏒ ᏣᏂᏃᎮᏍᎨᎢ ᎢᎦ ᏴᏫ ᎭᏂᏍᎦᎢ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ
ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ. ᏒᏃᏃ ᏱᎩ ᏙᏳ ᎤᏂᏍᎦᎸ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ ᎨᏎᎢ.
ᎠᏂᏔᎵᏃ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᎱᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏓᏁ ᎤᎾᏕᎶᎰᎯᏍᏗ ᏂᎦᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎲ ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗᏳ. ᎭᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎬᏃ ᎦᎳᏉᎩ ᏧᏙᏓᏆᏗ
ᎠᎪᎾ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ ᏥᏂᎨᎬᏁᎴᎢ. ᏎᎵᏥᏍᏆ ᏧᏂᎴᎢ ᎤᏅᏥᏓ ᏧᏂᎳᎩᏎᎢ. ᏍᎩᎾ ᏕᎨᏥᏅᎵᏰᎴ ᏗᏂᎦᏙᎵ ᎦᏚ
ᎾᏂᏍᎦᎢᎲᎾᏃ ᏄᎾᎳᏍᏓᏁᎢ. Ꮓ ᎱᏂᏍᏆᏙᎾ ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ ᏍᏛᎢ ᏭᎾᏗᏍᎦᎳᏁᎢ.
ᎠᏤᎯᏃ ᎦᎵᎲ ᎾᎥ ᎱᎾᏗᏍᎦᎴᎢ. ᏔᎳᏚ ᎢᏳᏩᏂᎸᎯ ᏄᎳᏍᏓᎾ ᎤᎾᏓᎴᏨ ᏓᏂᎷᎨᎢ ᏗᏓᏂᏐᏗ. ᏣᎹᎭ, ᎩᎵ,
ᏪᏌ, ᏥᏍᏆ, ᏱᎩ ᏃᎴ ᎤᎾᏓᎴᏨ ᏗᎪᏛᏗ ᎨᏎᎢ. ᎨᏥᏁᏤᎴᎢᏃ ᎣᏂ ᎦᎷᏨ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᎪᎳᏅ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ ᏍᏓᎳᎩᏒᏳ
ᎨᎪᎮᎴᎢ. Ꮟ ᎭᏂᏍᏆᏂᎪᏒᎥᏍᎬ ᎱᎷᏤᎢ ᎡᏆ ᎬᎾᎨᎢ ᏧᏄᏫ ᏥᏍᏆ ᏫᎬᏪᏅᏍᏓᏁᎢ ᏗᎦᎾᎥᎢ ᎤᏲᎰᏒ. ᎧᏁᏌ
ᏭᏴᎮᎢ ᎦᏚᎢ ᎱᏕᎢ ᏙᏱᏨᎯ.
ᎱᎾᎦᏙᏍᏛᎢᏃ ᏐᏉ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎤᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎳ ᏫᎬᏩᏲᎴᎢ ᎤᎬᏫᏳ ᎪᎳᏅ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ. ᎾᎯᏳ ᎭᏥᏲoᎾ ᎦᏁᏌᎢ
ᎰᏫᏂ ᏭᏕᎵᏤᎢ.
ᎠᏂᏐᎢᏃ ᎠᏁᏙᎯ ᎱᎾᎳᎩᏎᎢ ᎾᏂᎦᏔᎲᎾ ᏄᎾᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎸᎢ. ᏍᎩᏴᏃ ᎤᏂᏍᎦᎣᏅ ᎨᏒᎢ ᏫᏚᎾᎵᏓᎩᏎᎢ ᎾᏂᎦᏓᎲᎾᏆ
ᏄᎳᏍᏓᏂᏙᎸᎢ ᏭᏩᎦᏛᎢ. ᏭᏂᎷᏨ ᏧᏁᏅᏒᎢ ᎯᎨᏥᏅᏩᏁᎢ.
The Raven Mocker
Back in the olden days, the
old men of the community used to tell of strange happenings
occurring at graveyards following a death. It was believed that to
see those occurrences one would have to be doctored for seven days.
The old men used to say generally people were afraid of visiting
graveyards especially at night.
Two men volunteered to witness the strange graveyard happenings. To
prepare for this encounter the men fasted for seven long days. A
muskrat was killed and its brain extracted. A medicine man then
rubbed the brain over the eyes of the two men allowing them to
witness the obscure sights without fear. Upon completion of the
rituals, the two men were taken to the scene and were told to hide
at the edge of the graveyard.
They hid close to the new grave and exactly at midnight just as the
stories were told, all kinds of living creatures appeared. Bats,
dogs, cats, birds, and other life forms were seen. The two men had
been told to leave when the Head Man, the Raven Mocker made its
appearance. To add to their astonishment a large black bird came
flying in, dressed in black and dove straight to the grave. The
Raven Mocker dug up the new grave and placed the coffin on top of
the ground.
After this amazing incident, one of the men became so frightened
that he shot the Raven Mocker. The Raven Mocker at once flew
straight into the coffin and disappeared into the new grave. The
other creatures dispersed quickly fading into thin air.
At this point the two frightened men fled the scene not fully
comprehending the evening's event. When they reached home the
powerful medicine man had to redoctor the two men before they could
resume their normal life.
This story was originally provided by John Driver in the Journal of Cherokee Studies. Transcribed, redacted, and updated by ᏔᎻᎵ with expanded word glosses. Raven Mocker illustration used with much gratitude to the artist Roy Boney for permission. ᎬᏯᎵᎡᎵᏤᏏ!
Phonetic Version
e:tiyvhno tsige:se:ɂi u:natv:sonv tsa:ninohe:sgeɂi u:dale:tsv
nigahlsdani:dohv:ɂi didani:so:di. sgi:hno tsuhno:hi:yuhe digotvdi yigi
hanada:tshsgisgv gohosdi ge:tsinv:wo:di ge:se gahlkwo:gi tsudo:dagwa:di.
tsu:natv:sonvhno ani:ktana:ɂi ge:sv tsa:nino:hesgeɂi i:ga yv:wi
ha:nisga:ɂihv u:ne:da:sdi dida:ni:soɂdi. sv:nohno yigi dohyu u:nisga:lv
u:ne:da:sdi ge:se:ɂi. ani:ta:lihno ani:sgaya hunadv:nvɂi:sdaɂne u:nade:loho:hi:sdi nigahlsdani:do:hv dida:ni:soɂdiyu. hanadv:nvɂi:sdisgv:hno gahlkwo:gi tsudo:dagwa:di ago:na u:ne:da:sdi tsinige:gv:hneleɂi. selitshsgwa tsu:ni:leɂi u:nv:tsi:da tsu:ni:lagi:seɂi. sgi:na de:ge:tsinv:liye:le dini:kto:li gadu na:ni:sga:ɂihv:nahno nunahlsdaneɂi. no: hu:nisgwa:dona dida:ni:soɂdi sdvɂi wu:nadi:sgahlaneɂi.
atsehihno gahlihv naɂv hu:nadi:sgahleɂi ta:ladu i:yuwahnilv:hi nuhlsdana u:nadale:tsv danilu:geɂi didani:soɂdi tsa:maha gihli we:sa tsi:sgwa yigi no:le u:nadale:tsv digo:ktvɂdi ge:se:ɂi ge:tsine:tsele:ɂihno ohni galu:tsv u:gv:wiyuhi ko:lanv aye:li:sgi sdala:gi:svyu ge:gohe:leɂi si: hani:sgwanigo:svɂvsgv hu:lu:tseɂi e:gwa gv:nage:ɂi tsu:hnuwi tsi:sgwa wigv:we:nvsdaɂneɂi diga:naɂvɂi u:yoho:sv kane:sa wu:yvhe:ɂi gadu:ɂi hudeɂi doyi:tsvɂhi
huna:ktosdv:ɂihno so:kwo a:sgaya dohi:yu uhsgahsdane:ɂla wigv:wayole:ɂi u:gv:wiyu ko:lanv aye:li:sgi na:hiyu ha:tsiyo:ɂona gane:saɂi howi:ni wude:litseɂi a:ni:soɂihno a:ne:do:hi hu:nala:gi:seɂi nani:kdahv:na nunahlsdani:do:lvɂi sgi:yvhno u:nihsgaɂohnv ge:svɂi widu:nali:tgiseɂi nanikdahv:nagwa nuhlsdani:do:lvɂi wu:wa:kdvɂi wu:nilu:tsa tsu:ne:nv:svɂi hi:ge:tsinv:wa:neɂi
