Wíyaka Woˀų́spe

Ehą́ni waníyetu óta héhą tókhi Máštįča Phuté Hučhą́ napé núpa pi ožúla eyáwa pi ná héhą ųgná są́pa iyáya héhą hokšhíla wą "Wičháȟpi" ečíya pi Lakhóta oyáte óhą ˀų́. á są́pa iyáya héhą hokšhíla wą "Wičháȟpi" ečíya pi Lakhóta oyáte óhą ˀų́.  Hé čhįčá išnála čha wičháša ohítika wą Waháčhąka ečíya pi náhą thawíčhu kį Ą́paˀó Olówą Wį́ ečíya pi éna atkúku náhą hų́ku tháwa náhą thųkášitku wą Į́yą ečíya pi náhą thųkášitku kį hé wičháša itháčhą ų́ čha Umáha óˀįkpa wakpá iyóȟoloke náhą Makhízíta Kalúza ókhižu hél tókhi wikčemna nų́pa ečé wičhóthi hé Ȟé Pheží étu.

Hé blokétu kį wašté čhąkhé Ožįžį́tka Hučhą́ Wakpá akhótąhą pheží hą́ska égna wanasa pi óta ečhų́ pi.  Hoǧą́ ná wamákȟašką líla óta pi, thį́psila ná watókča khó óta; Ȟé Pheží opáya Makhízíta Kalúza aglála Lakhóta oyáte kį kawítaya pi; wiyóȟpeyata-wazíyatakiya Pahá Sápa ečhétkiya ománi hą́ska wą káǧa kta čha hé ų iglúwįyeya pi, héčiya kawítaya pi ná wí wąyą́ka wačhí pi kte.

Wičháȟpi thakhólaku ób nakéš waníyetu wikčémna pi.  Nahą́ȟči koškálaka akíčhita pi okíhi pi šni čha wakhą́yeža éwičhaya pi héčha ˀų́ wakhą́yeža éwičhaya pi čha iyéčhel ognáyą ˀų́ pi.

Itháčhą wą čhį́ pi hé ąpétu wąží él akíčhita pi čhį́ pi ná hé táku wóˀophe ečhų́ héna nakhų́ slolyá pi čhį́ pi; Ąpétu wąží akíčhita wóˀečhų pi ópȟa pi okíhi pi šni hą́ta ná akíčhita okíhi pi šni heˀų́ nahą́ȟči wakhą́yeža éwičhaya ˀų́ pi čhąkhé áya wakhą́yeža iyéčhel wáˀečhų pi kte; Lakhóta ošpáye wichóthi kį thąkį́yą hą́ske; Ománi hą́ska káǧa kta étkiya wąkíčhiyąka pi ná khó wičháwote wóˀečhų kį hé égna wakhą́yeža kį líla witkótko pi, phél ohómni okíčhičhuwa ná thiwóhą okíčhičhuwa pi heˀų́ wakáǧiya pi.

Lesson of the Feather

It was many winters ago -- perhaps numbering the berries in two handfuls of Buffalo berries, or more -- when a young boy named Star lived among the Lakota nation.  He was the only son of the warrior named Shields and his wife Morning Song Woman, and his grandfather Stone was the leader of their small band of twenty-odd lodges camped near the fork of the Omaha Creek and the Little White River in the valley of Grass Mountain.

It had been a very good summer with many buffalo hunts upon the grassy prairie beyond the distant Rosebud Creek, and the game and fish were abundant, and everywhere the berries had ripened and turnips were plentiful; and all the camps of the Lakota gathered along the river in Grass Mountain to prepare for the long journey to the northwest where they would join the other bands of their Teton division and proceed to the Black Hills for the Lakota Nation's sundance.

Star and his friends were ten winters old -- far too young for even the youngest men's military society -- so they were still considered children; in fact, they felt like children because everyone treated them so.

But they longed for the day when they could become members of the youngest men's society and learn discipline, and they knew that one day they would finally be able to join the warrior-police societies and be given duties and status in the tribe, but as long as they were excluded from military duties and the social activities of the tribe -- as long as they couldn't become warriors, and were treated only as children -- they vowed that they would act like children; and, during the larger and longer encampments fo the many Lakota bands -- such as when they visited and feasted almost everyday before that long journey -- they became mischievous rascals and disturbed everyone in camp by chasing each other around the evening fires and running through the lodges.