Beeteyihí (Storytime)

Olén Hilit’ín Ham Lumáyt’omatoy   SSBMI Triangles logo   Coyote and Cougar Made Big Time

You can listen to Olén Hilit’ín Ham Lumáyt’omatoy in Nisenan and English using the controls below.

Nisenan and English

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    Olén Hilit’ín Ham Lumáyt’omatoy (Coyote and Cougar Made Big Time) by Bill Joe
    Hac’e wɨ́kpayím k’awí Olén Hilit’ín ham peením oc’iktotót’omatoy.
    One time Coyote and Cougar met each other.
    Han lumayihí henɨ́mt’omatoy.
    They talked about feasting.
    Han k’ut’í leyeewóot’omatoy.
    They gave orders to drive deer.
    Hac’e Olém, Lollám, Hilit’ím hunmok’óyt’omatoy.
    Coyote, Wolf, and Cougar went hunting.
    Han Hilit’ím k’aac’íkt’omatoy.
    Cougar ambushed.
    Han Lollám, Olém leyéet’omatoy.
    Wolf and Coyote drove the deer.
    Hac’e k’ut’ím ɨsipic’é, méet’omatoy Hilit’ím.
    Then when the deer came out, Cougar caught it.
    Han took’óyt’omatoy lumayím pɨwná.
    He took it to the camp of the feast.
    Han mólt’omatoy k’ut’í.
    He skinned the deer.
    Hac’e Hilit’ím bə́əppayím kɨllá, sedeyí dáak’t’omatoy.
    Cougar wanted all the liver and blood.
    Hac’e Olém “Nii daak’ám ni kan laayí,” hát’omatoy.
    Coyote said, “I want a little too.”
    Hac’e Hilit’ím “Hank’eenó daak’ám ni,” hát’omatoy.
    Cougar said, “I want it all.”
    Hac’e Olém əənít’omatoy.
    Coyote got angry.
    Hac’e Hilit’ím Olém wodoytotót’omatoy.
    Then Cougar and Coyote fought.
    Hac’e Olém, Lollám bedok’óyt’omatoy.
    Coyote and Wolf ran away.
    Hac’e huuk’úm peením wodoytotót’omatoy, Hilit’ím woontít’omatoy Olém Huuk’é.
    The two chiefs fought with each other and Cougar killed Chief Coyote.
    Han mɨɨm pɨyc’adí wonót’omatoy Lumayím.
    The Big Time ended in that place.
    Mɨɨm mɨyém.
    That is that.

Hesíbe hedém beeteyím? (What is this story?)

This story was told by William Joseph, a.k.a Bill Joe, a Nisenan man from Amador County, in Nisenan and English to Danish linguist Hans J. Uldall in the 1930s. It was later published under the title "Coyote and Lion Make Big Time" in the book Nisenan Texts and Dictionary in 1966. In this story, Bill Joe explains how Olé (Coyote) and Hilít’ (Cougar), who were both chiefs, once tried to make Lumáy (Big Time) together. However, Olé got greedy and ended up fighting with Hilít’, and so their Lumáy ended prematurely.

Bill Joe and other Native storytellers have shared lots of stories about Olé, who often behaves mischievously in these stories (and usually gets what's coming to him by the end!). These Coyote Stories often serve to teach important lessons about how we should (and should not) behave.

The SSBMI Language Department has retitled this story in Nisenan and adapted it to share at Beeteyihí (Storytime). The audio recordings that you can listen to here are of Language Department staff member Richenda Ervin reciting this story.

You can access a pdf copy of this story, along with supplementary learning prompts, by clicking here.

Hesí pisíbe mi? (What do you think?)

What lesson do you think we can learn from this story? Why did Olé (Coyote) get angry at Hilít’ (Cougar)? Who do you think was in the wrong?

Do you think that Olé and Hilít’ had a good Lumáy (Big Time)? Why do you think they had to end their Lumáy early?