Classic Poem

Introductory song

I sing, I sing, I sing.

Song, reference unknown

Blown off! the plume-crest has disappeared from me!

Song of the wind

Who, I wonder, is blowing out of my mouth?
The disease is emanating from my mouth.

The conjurer's song

What do I remove from my mouth?
The disease I extract from my mouth.
What is the thing I take out?
It is the disease I am taking out.

Song of the woodchuck

I am descending into the ground.

Little girl's song

In quill-fringed buckskin dressed,
In porcupine-fringed buckskin dressed.

Song of the washpalaks-fox

Long and slim I am, long and slim I am.

Song of the fire-mantle

In fire-flames I am enveloped.

Song of the tuakish-crane

I stand upon the rim of my nest.

Song of the blind medicine-girl

I search the ground with my hands, find there the feathers of the yellow hammer and devour them.

Another song of the same

Quick! make ye eyes for me!

Bird's song

As a head only, I roll around.

Song, reference unknown

What am I? what am I?

Song, reference unknown

This round thing I hold in my hand.

Song of the long-tailed black marten

I the black marten, I travel around this land.

Song of the skunk

In the north wind I dance around, tail spread, festive and gay.

Chorus song

What do I suck out? The disease I am sucking out.

Song of the boards

Lumber-boards are rattling.

Song of the lizard

Lo! thus I the lizard stick my head out.

Song, reference unknown

The north wind has followed me.

Song of the black mouse

Through what do I pass with my paws?
My paws glide over the hair of the disease.

Song of the washpalaks-fox

Crazed I am wandering.

Song of the weasel

I am squealing, I am squalling.

Song of the dog

I the dog am straying,
In the north wind I am straying.

Song, reference unknown

The storm gust dashes right on me.

Song, reference unknown

Heavy hailstones I possess.

Song, reference unknown

I am shivering! the wind blows down on me!

Song of the bug

I the bug, I bite and suck.

Song of the mink

I am swimming out while the south wind blows.

Song of the young silver-fox

The young red fox I follow up.

The incantation sings

I the song I am walking here.

Fox's song

I am blowing air from my flanks.

Song of the tuakish-crane

Tuan x i, tuan x i, tuan x i, tuan x i . . . . . na.

Songs, forming refrains to song above

a-ahahiya, a-aha-a-ahiya
a na he-e-i, a na he-e-i

Song of the disease

What thing do I blow around?
The disease I am blowing around in the air.

Song of the grizzly bear's cub

On the mountain top I am peeping out,
Of the grizzly bear I am the child.

Song of the female wolf

I, the she-wolf, am rolling against a tree.

Spoken by the conjurer while manipulating

Neta, neta . . . . . . hahayi-ia
Nena', nena'. . . . . . hahayi-ia

Song of the tchiwititikaga-bird

Fearfully the wind blows underneath here.

Song of the blind girl

In the fog I am straying blind,
All over the earth I am wandering.

Song of the water-bug

Ádshi adshi tchaya, adshi adshi tchaya

Song of the grizzly bear

I am scratching up the ground.

Song of the little gray tchikass-bird

I am wafted off from the mountain.

Song of the sko'ks or spirit

Reduced to mere bones, I rattle through the air.

Sung by the disease, found to live in water

Breath I am emitting.

Song of the grizzly bear

I have five water springs and all my springs are dry.

Song of the black snake

I the black-spotted snake am hanging here.

Conjurer's own song

I, the earth, am resounding like the roll of thunder.

Bird's song

I flutter along the ground while walking.

Song of the grizzly bear

Yainalam shuluyualsh
Woman's song

Painted I am on the body,
I, a woman, am painted black.

Song of the weasel

Fooling, fooling I run around.

Song of the gray fox

Everything I can devour.

Conjurer's song

What is coming out of my mouth?
Black substance is hanging down from my mouth.

Song, reference unknown

Fog followed drifting after me.

Song of the turtle

Which game did you play with me?