Chukfi micha Chula (Rabbit and Fox)

Chukfi micha Chula

Nittak chashpo kash chukfi vt chula ha toffa achvfa ka itibatoksvla chi ittimapisa tok. Yohmi tok o tobi wayachi takla tok.  Mihma chukfi hash osh “vpi ak o ishi li hokma chishno vto hakshish ak o ishi,” im achi tok. Mihma chula hash osh tobi hakshish o ishi ma chukfi vto tobi vpi aiena ishi tok. A tuk o anonti ahe  yvt waya ma chukfi hash osh “vpi ishi li tok vt himak ano hakshish ishi li hokma chishno vto vpi yak o ishi,” im achi tok.  Yohmi ma chula hash ash ahe vpi ak o ishi ma chukfi  vto ahe yak o ishi tok.  Chukfi hvt chula ha haksichi fehna tok mia chatuk oke.

(from “Choctaw Stories” in the Henry S. Halbert Papers)

Published in agreement with the Alabama Department of Archives and History

 

Rabbit and Fox

The rabbit bargained to work with the fox one summer.  Thus, they produced a bean crop.  Then the rabbit said to him, “I will take the vines; you take the roots.” Then the fox took the bean roots, and the rabbit took the bean vines. The potatoes ripened, and then the rabbit said to him, “I took the vines previously.  Now, I get the roots when you take the vines.”  Thus, the fox took the potato vines, and then the rabbit took the potatoes.   The rabbit intensely cheated the fox.

Translated by Sandra M. Grayson