Vocabulary
ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏙᏔᏅ - How it came to be
ᏥᏍᏚ - Rabbit
ᏍᏆᎳ - short
ᏥᎦᏂᏓᏗ - that he is tailed (his tail) (see also: ᎦᏂᏓᏓ and ᎦᏂᏓᏛᎢ)
ᎪᎯᎩᏴ ᏥᎨᏒ - a long time ago
ᏥᏍᏚ - Rabbit
ᎤᏬᏚ - beautiful
ᎦᏅᎯᏓ - long
ᎦᏂᏓᏕ - he had a tail (he was "be-tailed")
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏂᎪᎯᎸ - always
ᎠᏢᏈᏍᎨ - he was bragging (ᎠᏢᏈᏍᎦ)
ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎨ - telling
ᏄᏬᏚᏒ - it was the prettiest
ᎦᏂᏓᏛ. - tail
ᏌᏊᏃ ᎢᎦ - Now one day
ᏧᎳ - Fox
ᏅᎨᏈᏎ - TBD
ᏂᎪᎯᎸ - always
ᏥᏍᏚ. - Rabbit
ᏃᏊᏃ - Now
ᎠᎴᏂᏍᎨ - it had begun
ᏓᏴᏝᏗᏍᎬ - turning cold
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎠᎹᏯ - the lakes
ᎾᏃ - and the
ᏚᏪᏴ - streams
ᏕᎦᏁᏍᏓᎵᏗᏍᎨᎢ. - it had frozen them, they were frozen.
ᏧᎳ - Fox
ᎤᏪᏅᏎ - he went
ᎠᎹᏱ - to the water (lake)
ᏅᎩᏎᏃ - but four (ᏅᎩ ᎠᏎᏃ)
ᎠᎶᏗ - fish
ᏚᎾᏫᏛᎮ - he took them (flex/anim) (ᎦᎾᏫᏗᎭ)
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎠᎹᏱ - at, to the lake
ᏭᎷᏣ - he went there, returned there
ᎤᏔᎴᏎ - he made, cut, drilled a hole,
ᎤᏁᏍᏓᎸ - (in the) ice
ᎤᏪᏴ - stream, river, creek
ᎠᎴ - and
Ꮎ ᏅᎩ ᎠᏣᏗ - those four fish
ᏚᏛᏁ - he hung them, (ᎦᏛᎥᏍᎦ)
ᎤᏍᎪᎵ - on top
ᎦᏂᏓᏛ - his tail
ᎾᏊᏃ - and then
ᎤᎸᏁ - he placed, put them (flex/anim) (ᎦᎸᎥᏍᎦ)
ᎾᎾ ᎠᏔᎴᏒ. - the hole
ᎤᏬᏝ - he was sitting (ᎤᏬᏝ)
ᏧᎳ - Fox
ᎤᎷᏤ - he came
ᏥᏍᏚ, - Rabbit
ᎦᏙᎭ - why?
ᎾᎾ - that there
ᏥᏦᏝ - that you are making/doing
ᎤᏛᏁ - he said
ᏥᏍᏚ. - Rabbit.
ᎦᏑᎲᏍᎦ - I’m fishing
ᎤᏛᏁ - he said
ᏧᎳ. - Fox.
ᎯᏂᏓᏛᏍ - your tail
ᎲᏗ - you’re using it? (cf. ᎬᏗᎭ)
ᎥᎥ ᎢᎦᏛ - yes part of it
ᏱᏛᎦᏂᏯ - when it catches them (ᎦᏂᏱᎭ)
ᎠᏣᏗ - fish
ᏥᏂᏓᏛ ᏯᏋᏔᏂ- my big tail
ᏥᏂᏓᏛ - my tail
ᏯᏋᏔᏂ- my big
ᎤᏛᏁ - he said
ᏞᎦᏊᏛ - in a little while
ᏴᎵᏍᏛᏡᎦ - if I sit down (ᎠᎵᏍᏛᏡᏍᎦ)
ᎣᏚᎵᏍᎨ - desired, wanted
ᎢᎦ - a day
ᏱᏛᎦᏂᏯ. - when it catches them (ᎦᏂᏱᎭ)
ᏧᎳᏃ - Fox
ᎤᏂᏌᏁᏎ - ᎤᏂᏌᏁᏎ - he pulled it out (ᎦᎾᏌᏁᎠ)
ᎦᏂᏓᏛ - his tail
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏅᎩ ᎠᏣᏗ - four fish
ᏓᎾᏕ - he had hung them
ᎦᏙᎲ - town (ᎦᏚᎲ)
ᏙᏛᏔᏂ - TBD
ᎤᏛᏁ - he said
ᏥᏍᏚ. - Rabbit
ᏒᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗᏛ - one week
ᎢᎪᎯᏓ - long
ᏓᎦᏑᏂ - I will fish
ᏃᏊ - then
ᏙᏓᏥᎾᏕᏏ - I will sell them (ᎤᎾᏕᎦ)
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏥᏂᏓᏛ - (for) my tail
ᎠᎦᏔᏬᏍᏙᏗ - a comb
ᏛᎩᏩᏏ - I will buy
ᎤᏛᏁ - he said
ᏧᎳ. - Fox
ᏧᎳᏃ - now Fox
ᎾᏍᎩ - it’s
ᎤᏬᏚ - beautiful
ᎦᏂᏓᏗ. - my tail.
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ - Rabbit
ᎤᏓᏅᏖᎴ - thought, considered
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎾᏍᏊ - he too
ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎩ - was wanting
Ꮎ ᎠᎵᏔᏬᏍᏗ - that comb
ᎤᎵᏨᏓᏩᏗ -all night
ᏯᏆᏑᏂ - If I fish
ᎤᎪᏗ - many, most, a lot of
ᎠᏣᏗ - fish
ᏱᏕᏣᏂᏯ - if I have them
ᏱᏕᏥᎾᏚᎦ - when I sell them
ᏯᎩᏩᎭ - I could buy
ᎠᎵᏔᏬᏍᏗ.- a comb
ᏧᎳ - Fox
ᎤᏁᏤ - he said (see: ᎧᏁᎦ, ᎤᏁᏨᎢ)
ᏃᏊᏛ - now
ᏒᎯᏴ - at night
ᏛᎦᏂᎩᏌ -I will go back
ᎠᎴ -and
ᏌᎾᎴ -tomorrow (also ᏑᎾᎴ)
ᏴᏥᎷᎩ - when I return.
ᎤᏛᏁ - he replied
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ -So Rabbit
ᎾᏊ -then, at that time
ᎤᎴᏅᎮ -he began
ᎠᏑᎲᏍᎬ -he fished
ᎤᎸᏁ -he said
ᎦᏂᏓᏛ -his tail
ᎠᎹᏱ - in the water
ᎧᎾᏬᎨᏃ - and he got cold
ᎤᏬᏞ - he was sitting
ᎠᎭᏃ - but, however
ᏂᎬᏫᏍᏕ - apparently, it looked like
ᎠᏑᎲᏍᎨ - he was fishing
ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎨ - he wanted, desired
ᎤᎪᏗ - more, the most
ᎠᏣᏗ - fish
ᏧᏂᏴᏗ. – to catch them (ᎦᏂᏱᎭ)
ᏌᎾᎴᏃ - that morning.
ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁ - it had frozen
ᎢᎤᎷᏤᏃ - and he came back (cf. ᎢᎦᎷᎦ)
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏧᏬᏞ - was sitting there.
ᏭᎷᏤ - he returned there
ᎦᏙ - what
ᎭᏛᏁᎭ - are you doing?
ᎠᎪᏎᎴ. – he said to him
ᏥᏍᏚᏃ - And so Rabbit
ᎤᏁᏤ - said
ᎦᏑᎲᏍᎦ - I am fishing
ᎤᏛᏁ. – he said
ᏕᎯᏂᏯᏍ - did you catch them
ᎠᏣᏗ - fish
ᎤᏛᏁ - he replied
ᎤᏁᎴᏔᏁ - he began
ᎤᎾᏌᏁᏍᏗ - for him to pull (ᎦᎾᏌᏁᎠ)
ᎦᏂᏓᏛ - his tail
ᎠᏎᏃ - but, however
ᎤᏄᎸᏁ - he was unable, he couldn’t (ᎤᏄᎸᎲᏍᎦ)
ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᏍᎨ - because (cf. ᏅᏓᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᏍᎬᎩ)
ᎠᎹ - water
ᎤᏁᏍᏓᎳᏕ - had frozen
ᏍᏓᏯ - hard
ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁ - it had become
ᎦᏙᎬ. - where he was
ᏍᏕᎳ - help me
ᎤᏛᏁ - he said
ᎰᏩᏃ - well now,
ᎣᎾᏗᏝ - behind him
ᎤᎴᏁ - he stood there (see ᎠᎴᎲᏍᎦ)
ᎤᏬᏞ - he sat
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏍᏓᏯ - hard
ᎠᏥᏌᏙᏰ - he shoved him (cf. ᎦᏌᏙᏍᎦ)
ᎨᏴ - TBD (downstream? cf. ᎨᎢ)
ᎤᏅᏥᏞ - TBD
ᎦᏂᏓᏛᏃ - and his tail
ᎤᎵᎦᎵᏍᏓᏁ - TBD (it broke off? )
ᎾᎯᏳᏃ - and since then
ᏍᏆᎳ - short
ᎦᏂᏓᏗ - his tail
ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁ - it became
ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏙᏔᏅ ᏥᏍᏚ ᏍᏆᎳ ᏥᎦᏂᏓᏗ
ᎪᎯᎩᏴ ᏥᎨᏒ ᏥᏍᏚ ᎤᏬᏚ ᎦᏅᎯᏓ ᎦᏂᏓᏕ ᎠᎴ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎠᏢᏈᏍᎨ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎨ ᏄᏬᏚᏒ ᎦᏂᏓᏛ. ᏌᏊᏃ ᎢᎦ ᏧᎳ ᏅᎨᏈᏎ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎠᏢᏈᏍᎬ ᏥᏍᏚ. ᏃᏊᏃ ᎠᎴᏂᏍᎨ ᏓᏴᏝᏗᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎹᏯ ᎾᏃ ᏚᏪᏴ ᏕᎦᏁᏍᏓᎵᏗᏍᎨᎢ. ᏧᎳ ᎤᏪᏅᏎ ᎠᎹᏱ ᏅᎩᎭᏃ ᎠᏣᏗ ᏚᎾᏫᏛᎮ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎹᏱ ᏭᎷᏣ ᎤᏔᎴᏎ ᎤᏁᏍᏓᎸ ᎤᏪᏴ ᎠᎴ Ꮎ ᏅᎩ ᎠᏣᏗ ᏚᏛᏁ ᎤᏍᎪᎵ ᎦᏂᏓᏛ ᎾᏊᏃ ᎤᎸᏁ ᎾᎾ ᎠᏔᎴᏒ.
ᎾᎾᏃ ᎤᏬᏝ ᏧᎳ ᎤᎷᏤ ᏥᏍᏚ,
-- “ᎦᏙᎭ ᎾᎾ ᏥᏦᏝ?” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏥᏍᏚ.
-- “ᎦᏒᎲᏍᎦ.” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏧᎳ.
-- “ᎯᏂᏓᏛᏍ ᎲᏗ?”
-- “ᎥᎥ ᎢᎦᏛ ᏱᏛᎦᏂᏯ ᎠᏣᏗ ᏥᏂᏓᏛ ᏯᏋᏔᏂ” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏧᎳ.
-- “ᏞᎦᏊᏛ ᏴᎵᏍᏛᏡᎦ ᎣᏚᎵᏍᎨ ᎢᎦ ᏱᏛᎦᏂᏯ.”
ᏧᎳᏃ ᎤᏂᏌᏁᏎ ᎦᏂᏓᏛ ᎠᎴ ᏅᎩ ᎠᏣᏗ ᏓᎾᏕ ᎦᏂᏓᏛ ᎦᏙᎲ ᏙᏛᏔᏂ ᎤᏛᏁ ᏥᏍᏚ.
“ᏒᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗᏛ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᏓᎦᏑᏂ ᏃᏊ ᏙᏓᏥᎾᏕᏏ ᎠᎴ ᏥᏂᏓᏛ ᎠᎵᏔᏬᏍᏙᏗ ᏛᎩᏩᏏ,” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏧᎳ. ᏧᎳᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏬᏚ ᎦᏂᏓᏗ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᎤᏓᏅᏖᎴ ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᏊ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᎠᎵᏔᏬᏍᏗ ᎤᎵᏨᏓᏩᏗ ᏯᏆᏑᏂ ᎤᎪᏗ ᎠᏣᏗ ᏱᏕᏣᏂᏯ ᎠᎴ ᏱᏕᏥᎾᏚᎦ ᏯᎩᏩᎭ ᎠᎵᏔᏬᏍᏗ.
ᏧᎳ ᎤᏁᏤ, “ᏃᏊᏛ ᏒᎯᏴ ᏛᎦᏂᎩᏌ ᎠᎴ ᏌᎾᎴ ᏴᏥᎷᎩ,” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏧᎳ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᎾᏊ ᎤᎴᏅᎮ ᎠᏑᎲᏍᎬ ᎤᎸᏁ ᎦᏂᏓᏛ ᎠᎹᏱ ᎧᎾᏬᎨᏃ ᎤᏬᏞ ᎠᎭᏃ ᏂᎬᏫᏍᏕ ᎠᏑᎲᏍᎨ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎨ ᎤᎪᏗ ᎠᏣᏗ ᏧᏂᏴᏗ. ᏌᎾᎴᏃ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁ ᎢᎤᎷᏤᏃ ᏧᎳ ᎠᎴ ᏥᏍᏚ ᏧᏬᏞ ᏭᎷᏤ ᎦᏙ ᎭᏛᏁᎭ ᎠᎪᏎᎴ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᎤᏁᏤ ᎦᏑᎲᏍᎦ ᎤᏛᏁ. “ᏕᎯᏂᏯᏍ ᎠᏣᏗ?” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏧᎳ.
ᏥᏍᏚ ᎤᏁᎴᏔᏁ ᎤᎾᏌᏁᏍᏗ ᎦᏂᏓᏛ ᎠᏎᏃ ᎤᏄᎸᏁ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᏍᎨ ᎠᎹ ᎤᏁᏍᏓᎳᏕ ᏍᏓᏯ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁ ᎦᏙᎬ.
“ᏍᏕᎳ!” ᎤᏛᏁ ᏥᏍᏚ.
ᎰᏩᏃ ᏧᎳ ᎣᎾᏗᏝ ᎤᎴᏁ ᏥᏍᏚ ᎤᏬᏞ ᎠᎴ ᏍᏓᏯ ᎠᏥᏌᏙᏰ. ᏥᏍᏚᏃ ᎨᏴ ᎤᏅᏥᏞ, ᎦᏂᏓᏛᏃ ᎤᎵᎦᎵᏍᏓᏁ. ᎾᎯᏳᏃ ᏍᏆᎳ ᎦᏂᏓᏗ ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁ ᏥᏍᏚ.
Why Rabbit has a short tail
Back when the world was young, Rabbit had a very bushy tail. In fact, his tail was much bushier than Fox’s tail. Rabbit was very proud of his tail and he was constantly telling the other animals about his tail. After a while, Fox had finally had enough of Rabbit’s bragging, and he decided to put an end to it. The weather was getting colder and finally the lakes and streams froze over. One day Fox went down to the lake carrying four fish. When he reached the lake, he cut a hole in the ice, tied the fish to his tail and he sat and waited for Rabbit to pass by, and soon he did.
When Fox saw Rabbit coming, he quickly dropped his tail into the water. Rabbit jumped right down to Fox and said,
-- “What are you doing?”
-- “I’m fishing, Rabbit,” answered Fox.
-- “With your tail?” Rabbit asked.
-- “Oh yes, it is the best way to catch the most fish.”
Rabbit asked how long Fox had been fishing and he responded by pulling his tail out of the water to show off the four fished tied to his tail and said,
-- “Only fifteen minutes.”
-- “What do you plan to do with the fish you catch?” asked Rabbit. Fox answered, “Well, I figure I’ll fish for a week, then take the fish down to the Cherokee village and trade them for a pair of beautiful tail combs.” Fox knew what Rabbit was thinking and he knew his plan was working. Rabbit thought to himself, “If I fished all night, I bet I would have enough to get those tail combs for myself.”
Fox said, “Well it’s getting late and I’m getting cold. I think I will come back in the morning.” As soon as Fox was out of sight, Rabbit dropped his tail into the icy hole. Brrrr it was cold he thought, but those combs are worth anything. He sat down and fished all night long. Soon after the sun came up, Fox loped over the ridge and ran up to Rabbit. He said, “What are you doing, Rabbit?” Rabbit’s teeth began to chatter. “I’m ffiisshing, Ffox.” “Have you caught any fish?” Fox inquired. Rabbit couldn’t move, and he said to Fox, “Ffox you’ve gotta helpp me. I’mmm ssttuck.”
So, Fox with a big smile on his face walked behind Rabbit. He gave Rabbit one mighty big shove. Rabbit popped out of the hole and landed clear across and other side of the lake… But his tail…was still stuck frozen in the water. And even today, Rabbit still has a very short, short tail.
Story from James Mooney’s “History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees”
Translation by Anna Huckaby, Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center
Transcription, formatting, and vocabulary glosses by ᏔᎻᎵ.
This webpage last updated May 2020
Translation by Anna Huckaby, Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center
Transcription, formatting, and vocabulary glosses by ᏔᎻᎵ. This webpage last updated May 2020
