Vocabulary
ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎿᎢ - wise, experts, they are knowledgeable, wisdom
ᎤᎾᏕᎳᎰᏒᎯ - their discovery, their finding (see ᎠᏕᎶᎰᏍᎦ)
ᎤᏂᏃᎮᏢᎢ - They tell it
ᎪᎯᎩ - long ago
ᏥᎨᏒᎢ - it was
ᎤᏪᏘ - Old
ᎠᏰᎵ - Nation, Center
ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒᎢ - Government (?)
ᎦᎵᏉᎩ - seven
ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎿᎢ - wise, experts, they were knowledgeable, wisdom
ᎠᎴ - and
ᎦᎸᏉᏗᏳ - honor, sacred
ᎤᏂᏯᎢ - they had it
ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ - men
ᎢᎸᏢᎢᏴᏛ - to somewhere, a place (ᎢᎸᏢᎢ ᎢᏴᏛ)
ᎤᎨᏓᎵᏴᎢ - (in) a valley
ᏙᏦᏓᎸᎢ - ?? ᏙᏓᎸᎢ = mountains
ᎤᏂᏯᎸᏎ - they looked for, sought
ᎤᏂᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗᎢ - for them to be wise (cf. ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᎦ)
ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ - for them to become
ᎤᏩᎫᏗᏗRT. - about the future
ᎾᏍᎩᏃ - Of those
ᎦᎵᏉᎩ - seven
ᏧᏂᏴᏫ - clans
ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ - Cherokee
ᎾᏍᎩ - these
ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ - men
ᏚᏂᏳᎪᏛᎢ - truthful, correct
ᎨᏎᎢ - they were
ᎤᎶᏒᏍᏗ - the most
ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘ - righteous, gentle, kind (selfless)
ᎤᎶᏒᏍᏗ - the most
ᎤᏚᎸᏗ - the need
ᏂᎦᏓ - everyone, everything
ᎠᏂᎾᏍᏔᎸᎢ. - ᎠᏂᎾ + ᎤᏍᏓᎸᎢ - of those sitting in the Clans -
ᎤᏂᏫᏛᎮ - they carried it, took it (there) (cf. ᎠᏫᏗᎭ)
ᎤᏬᏘ - medicine
ᎠᏫ - deer
ᎦᏁᎦ - skin, leather
ᎠᎴ - and
ᏅᏬᏘ ᏦᎳᏃ - medicine tobacco
ᏄᎾᏛᏁᎴ - they did (specific) things (ᎾᏛᏁᎭ)
ᎦᎸᏉᏗ - holy, honored, sacred
ᎨᏒ - it is, they were
ᎠᎾᎢᏒᎢ - they went, walked
ᏭᏂᎷᏣ - they arrived there, went there
ᎾᎿ - to it, at it, in it
ᎤᎨᏓᎵᏴᎤ - the valley
ᎤᏂᏰᏍᏛᏁ - they spread it out (?)
ᎠᏰᎵ - center, middle
ᎤᎾᏓᏙᎵᏍᏔᏁᎢ - they prayed
ᎯᎠ - this
ᎾᏂᏪᏍᎨ - they said it
ᎡᎳᏗ - down
ᎾᎾᏓᏛᏁᎮᎢ - they were trying, attempting
ᎤᏂᏲᎮᎢ - they were seeking, looking for
ᏚᏳᎪᏛ - truth
ᎤᎾᏠᏯᏍᏙᏗ - (?)for them to share with (?) TBD
ᎾᏊᏃ - now at this time
ᏚᎾᏦᏔᎮ - they blew on it (ᎠᏦᏔᏍᎦ)
ᎠᏫᎦᏁᎪᎯ - on the deer hide
ᎠᏂᏏᏴᏫᎭ. - each one of them
ᎤᎾᎦᏎᏍᏕ - they studied, examined, looked for it
ᏧᎦᏒᏍᏗ - the smoke (trails)
ᏩᎦᏛ - going in the direction of, it went there
ᎤᏰᎸᏛ - for the purpose of, a sign from
ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯᎢ. - God
ᎯᎠᏃ - This
ᎤᏂᏍᏆᏓ - they finished it
ᎢᎤᏁᏅᏎᏃ - they went back
ᏫᏚᏂᏃᎯᏎᎴᎢ - they told them there
ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ - the wonders, miracles
ᎤᏂᎪᎲᎢ. - they had seen
ᏌᏊᏃᎢ - Now one
ᎠᏍᎦᏯ - man
ᎯᎸᏢᏴᎢ - someday (?)
ᎠᏂᏃᎯᎵᏙᎮᏍᏗ - they will be flying
ᎦᎸᎶᎯ. - above, up high, in the sky,
ᏐᎢᏃ - another one
ᏚᎪᎮ - he saw them
ᏚᎾᎳᏍᎬ - footprints, tracks of
ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ - the Cherokee people
ᎢᎸᏢᎢᏴᏓ - somewhere
ᎤᏕᎵᎬ - west
ᏗᏜ - towards
ᎢᎪᏗ - plains
ᎠᏍᏛ - edge of
ᏍᎦᏍᎩᏲ - Mississippi (variant of ᎧᏍᎩᏲᎢ)
ᎠᎹᏳᎶᏗ - River
ᏫᏗᎦᏃᏴᎦ - sinking, drowning there
ᏚᎾᎳᏍᎬᎢ - at their feet
ᎩᎾᏁᎶᏔᏅᎯ. - they tried for them
ᎢᎸᎯᏳ - ever
ᎤᏂᎷᎯᏍᏗ - for them to return
ᏂᎨᏒᎾ, - without
ᏐᎢᏃ - and another one
ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᎢ - at/in schools
ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗ - wisdom
ᏂᎦᏓ - everyone, all
ᏅᎩᏁᏃ - And a fourth one
ᎤᏕᎴᎰᏒᎢ - found out, perceived, prophesied
ᎯᎠ - this
ᏛᏟᏯᎶᎵ - the time will come; eventually (ᏛᎵᏱᎶᎵ)
ᎠᏂᏫᏄᏣᎢ - young people
ᎠᏂᎷᏨ - they (who) went
ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ - to the schools
ᏅᏓᏳᏂᎶᏒᎯ - they will come from there (cf. ᏓᏳᎶᏒᎯ)
ᎨᎩᏃᎯᏎᎮᏍᏗ - they will tell them
ᎤᏛᏐᏅᎯ - an Elder, Old people
ᎦᎾᏍᏔᏢᎯ - ?of the tribe?
ᎾᏂᏪᏍᎨᏍᏗ - they will say
ᎪᎱᏍᏗ - anything, something
ᏂᎨᏒᎾ - without,
ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎬᏙᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ - without use for anything, useless, good for nothing
Ꮭ - not, no
ᎪᎱᏍᏗ - anything
Ꮭ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ - nothing
ᏯᎦᏔᎭ. - he knows
-ᏴᏫ - people
ᎠᎾᏓᏅᏖᏍᎨᎢ - considered, thought about it
ᎪᎯᎩ - a while, a long time
ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏘᏊᎧᎢ - these simply amazing things
ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ - what?
ᎤᏟ - great
ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗ - wisdom
ᏓᎨᎨᏲᏂ - will they teach them
ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᎢ - in the school
ᎨᎩᎾᏎᏍᏛᎢ - will they be studying
ᎢᏂᎦᏴᎵ - old people
ᎢᎨᎩᏂᏪᏎᏗᎢ. - for them to say these things about them
ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎿᎢ ᎤᎾᏕᎳᎰᏒᎯ
ᎤᏂᏃᎮᏢᎢ ᎪᎯᎩ
ᏥᎨᏒᎢ ᎤᏪᏘ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒᎢ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎿᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎦᎸᏉᏗᏳ ᎤᏂᏯᎢ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᎤᏁᏅᏎ ᎢᎸᏢᎢᏴᏛ
ᎤᎨᏓᎵᏴᎢ ᏙᏦᏓᎸᎢ ᎤᏂᏯᎸᏎ ᎤᏂᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗᎢ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎤᏩᎫᏗᏗRT. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᏧᏂᏴᏫ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ
ᎾᏍᎩ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᏚᏂᏳᎪᏛᎢ ᎨᏎᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎶᏒᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘ ᎨᏎᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎶᏒᏍᏗ ᎤᏚᎸᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᏓ
ᎠᏂᎾᏍᏔᎸᎢ.
ᎤᏂᏫᏛᎮ ᏅᏬᏘ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏫ ᎦᏁᎦ ᎠᎴ ᏅᏬᏘ ᏦᎳᏃ ᎠᎴ ᏄᎾᏛᏁᎴ ᎦᎸᏉᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎠᎾᎢᏒᎢ. ᎠᎴ ᏭᏂᎷᏣ ᎾᎿ
ᎤᎨᏓᎵᏴ ᎤᏂᏰᏍᏛᏁ ᎠᏫ ᎦᏁᎦ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎾᏓᏙᎵᏍᏔᏁᎢ ᎯᎠ ᎾᏂᏪᏍᎨ ᎡᎳᏗ ᎾᎾᏓᏛᏁᎮᎢ ᎤᏂᏲᎮᎢ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ
ᎨᏒ ᎤᎾᏠᏯᏍᏙᏗ ᏴᏫ. ᎾᏊᏃ ᏚᎾᏦᏔᎮ ᎠᏫ ᎦᏁᎪᎯ ᎠᏂᏏᏴᏫᎭ. ᎠᎴ ᎤᎾᎦᏎᏍᏕ ᏧᎦᏒᏍᏗ ᏩᎦᏛ ᎤᏰᎸᏛ
ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯᎢ.
ᎯᎠᏃ ᎤᏂᏍᏆᏓ ᎢᎤᏁᏅᏎᏃ ᏫᏚᏂᏃᎯᏎᎴᎢ ᏴᏫ ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ ᎤᏂᎪᎲᎢ. ᏌᏊᏃᎢ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎯᎸᏢᏴᎢ ᎠᏂᏃᎯᎵᏙᎮᏍᏗ
ᎦᎸᎶᎯ. ᏐᎢᏃ ᏚᎪᎮ ᏚᎾᎳᏍᎬ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᎸᏢᎢᏴᏓ ᎤᏕᎵᎬ ᏗᏜ ᎢᎪᏗ ᎠᏍᏛ ᏍᎦᏍᎩᏲ ᎠᎹᏳᎶᏗ ᏫᏗᎦᏃᏴᎦ
ᏚᎾᎳᏍᎬᎢ ᎩᎾᏁᎶᏔᏅᎯ. ᎢᎸᎯᏳ ᎤᏂᎷᎯᏍᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ. ᏐᎢᏃ ᏙᏛᎾᏕᎶᏆᎢ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᎢ ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗ ᏂᎦᏓ
ᏴᏫ. ᏅᎩᏁᏃ ᎤᏕᎴᎰᏒᎢ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏪᏎ ᏛᏟᏯᎶᎵ ᎠᏂᏫᏄᏣ ᎢᎠᏂᎷᏨ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᏅᏓᏳᏂᎶᏒᎯ ᎨᎩᏃᎯᏎᎮᏍᏗ
ᎤᏛᏐᏅᎯ ᎦᎾᏍᏔᏢᎯ ᎯᎠ ᎾᏂᏪᏍᎨᏍᏗ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎬᏙᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ Ꮭ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏯᎦᏔᎭ.
ᏴᏫ ᎠᎾᏓᏅᏖᏍᎨᎢ ᎪᎯᎩ ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏘᏊᎧᎢ ᎦᏙ ᎤᏍᏗ ᎤᏟ ᎠᎦᏙᎲᏍᏗ ᏓᎨᎨᏲᏂ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᎢ ᎨᎩᎾᏎᏍᏛᎢ
ᎢᏂᎦᏴᎵ ᎠᎴ ᎢᎨᎩᏂᏪᏎᏗᎢ.
Click Here to hear a recording of Sam Hair reading this story in Cherokee with scrolling text.
ᏃᎴ ᏍᎩ, ᎺᎵ!!
The Wisemen
It is told
that, in the early days of the Old Nation, seven wise and holy men
went together to a certain valley in the mountains to seek knowledge
of the future. Of all the seven clans of the nation these seven men
were the most truthful, most selfless, and most heedful of the needs
and well-being of all the tribe.
They carried the medicine deerskin and medicine tobacco, and did all
the holy things along the way. And when they came to this certain
valley, they spread out the deerskin in the center and prayed,
saying they came with humility, to seek truth and share it with the
people. Then they blew smoke over the deerskin, each in turn, and
they watched the smoke trails for a sign from God.
And when this was finished, they went and prophesied to the people
the marvels that had been seen; and one was that men would someday
fly in the air; and another was that the tracks of the Cherokee
would someday lead west to the valley of the Mississippi, never to
return; and another was that there would be schools to teach
knowledge to all the people. But a fourth prophecy said that in
aftertimes young people would return from the schools, and point
rudely to the old men of the tribe, and say they were of no account
because they knew nothing.
The people considered this a long time, and wondered what great
wisdom might be taught in these schools that the children should
point to the old people and talk in this way.
Story by Rev. Watt Spade and Willard Walker taken from "Cherokee Stories" published by the Carnegie Corporation through the University of Chicago in 1966. Transcription and vocabulary glosses by ᏔᎻᎵ. With appreciation to Mark Billings for editorial assistance! And special appreciation to Mary Rae for creating the YouTube video to hear the story read in Cherokee!!
