Coo’ouu3ih’ohut/Flying High

Coo’ouu3ih’ohut/Flying High

By Gloria Goggles, Cleo Goggles, Charolette Goggles and Ardeline Spotted Elk, Northern Arapaho Tribe

Transcription by Alonzo Moss, Sr., Northern Arapaho Tribe

[Interlinear translation by Dr. Andrew Cowell, University of Colorado. Arapaho and English as in original publication, with minor changes in spelling and punctuation by Andrew Cowell.]

Ceesey tih’iisiini’, hoowkou3iihi’, nehe’ nii’eihii Coo’ouu3ih’ohut noh

one yesterday not long ago this eagle it flies high and

One day not too long ago, an eagle, Flying High, and his mate White Plume

hibii’o’oon Nookbiixonoo he’iisiisneyeisinoo’oonoo3i.

his mate white plume somehow became separated.

somehow became separated.

Hei’ciinoo’oneetou3ecoot, ne’cesisnotiihoot hibii’o’oon.

since he was pretty lonely then he started looking for her his mate.

Feeling quite lonely, he set out to look for his mate.

Hee3ebyiisih’ohut teesiihi’ nuhu’ hohe’, noh benii’iihoot Kokiyote’.

He flew up over there on top of this mountain and he found him bighorn sheep.

He flew to the top of the mountain and found Mountain Sheep.

Nihnottonoot wohoe’ihciinoohobee hibii’o’oon.

he asked him if he had perhaps seen her his mate.

He asked him if he had seen his mate.

“Hee,” hee3eihok nehe’ Kokiyote’.¹

“Yes,” he said to him this bighorn sheep.

“Yes,” said Mountain Sheep.”

Nihnoohowo’ toh’e3ebyiisih’ohut Hebesiibeih’in Nonookuneseet

I saw her when she was flying up over there our grandfather grizzly bear

“I saw her flying toward our Grandfather Grizzly’s

hitonoxteenow.

his meadow.”

meadow.”

Hei’ehno’uh’ohut nehe’ nii’eihii nuhu’ toonoxteeni’,

When he arrived there this eagle this meadow

When the eagle got to the meadow,

nihnottonoot Hebesiibeih’in Nonookuneseet wohoe’ihciinoohobee nuhu’

he asked him our grandfather grizzly bear if he had perhaps seen her this

he asked Grandfather Grizzly if he had seen

beebeeneihini3 hibii’o’oon.

she is beautiful his mate.

his beautiful mate.

“Nihnoohowo’ hee3ebyiisih’ohut heetii3o’bee’

“I saw her she was flying up over there where his land is

“I saw her flying toward the range of the

niitoot nono’oteiht hiwoxuu.”

he normally stays there he is powerful elk.”

mightly elk.”

Nehe’ beih’eihiwoxuu ne’yii3ecnoohuut hini’ niiciihinenno’ hibiito’owuuwunoo,

This old man elk then he sent him over there that water people their land

The Grand Bull Elk sent him ahead to the land of the water people,

hinee Yeiy.

that otter.

the Otter.

Nehe’ hee’eiht Yeiy woonoote’ino’ tihnoohowoot

This he is wise otter he remembers it when he saw her

The witty Otter remembers seeing her flying overhead

tihcebih’ohuni3 hihcebe’ heecishoo3i3inouu3i’

when she was flying by above while he was floating on his back

as he was floating along earlier

nono3iihi’ hini’iisi’.

earlier that day.

that day.

Hee3owo’oot yiisiihi’ heetiyeih’ini3 hini’

She was going in that direction towards there where he has his home that

She was headed toward the den of Clever Coyote

Neehtoneihini3 Koo’ohwuun² nih’ee3neene’eihini3.

he is tricky coyote he was very wise.

who was very wise.

“Cihto3ihi!” heehehk nehe’ Neehtoneiht Koo’oh,

“Follow me!” he said this he is tricky coyote

Clever Coyote said, “follow me and I shall take you

“heetyixohe3en hebii’o’oo.”

“I will take you over there your mate.”

to your mate.”

Wohei Coo’ouu3ih’ohut ne’to3ihoot Neehtoneiht Koo’oh³

Well it flies high then he followed him he is tricky coyote

So Flying High followed Clever coyote and at last

noh heihii ne’ce’nii3neniiwoot Nookbiixonoo,

and soon then he was living with her again white plume

he was reunited with Whiteplume,

nih’ee3neeni’i3ecooni3 tohce’noohobeit.

she was very happy because she saw him again.

who was very glad to see him.

Hooxohoeeniihi’, heni’bee3ihoot honowkou3iine’etiit.

In return he blessed him with it happy long life.

In return, Flying High blessed him with a long, happy life.

NOTES