Northern Pomo Stories and Texts: The Unhelpful Dog

The Unhelpful Dog

This is a personal tale that was originally told by Molly Elliot, the mother of Mrs. Guerrero's sister-in-law. Molly Elliot and Mrs. Guerrero's mother were the best of friends. The two women talked frequently, and "when they gambled, they gambled together." Mrs. Guerrero heard Molly Elliot telling this story to her mother one day in the 1930s, when she herself was in her twenties. This story was taped in 1988.

Speaker:

Edna Campbell Guerrero

be: showma:l beʔ hint̪ilyaʔ pʰoy mu:

There, eastward, there where Indians lived,

be:: dir.
show: east
-mal: -dir.
beʔ: dir.
hint̪il: Indian
-ya:ʔ: -nom.
pʰo: live (plural)
-y: -past
mu:: there

There, eastward, there where Indians lived,

ʔal hint̪ildatʰaʔnama:n be: dano xolhun hay pʰich'on

This old Indian woman went around in the hills, chopping wood.

ʔal: this
hint̪il: Indian
-datʰaʔ: -old woman
-nam: -the
-ma:n: -she
be:: dir.
dano: mountain
xol: around
-hu: -go
-n: -ing
hay: wood
pʰi-: with long object-
-ch'o: -chop
-n: -ing

This old Indian woman went around in the hills, chopping wood.

min yeʔ mu:l datʰaʔya:kata:nameʔyaʔ nat̪in

That's the only way old single women did.

min: thus
yeʔ: only
mu:l: that
datʰaʔ: old woman
-ya:kata:: -single
-nam: -the
-meʔ: -char.
-ya:ʔ: -nom.
na: be
-t̪i: -mev.
-n: -ing

That's the only way old single women did.

nan t̪iyi haynamu:l pʰichon ʔul k'edi diley dik'alin

And she was cutting that wood, finishing it all good,

nan: and
t̪iyi: she.logo.
hay: wood
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that
pʰi-: with long object-
-ch'o: -chop
-n: -ing
ʔul: now
k'edi: good
diley: all
dik'ali: finish
-n: -ing

And she was cutting that wood, finishing it all good,

t̪iyi pʰaben

She was tying it,

t̪iyi: she.logo.
pʰabe: tie
-n: -ing

She was tying it,

t̪iyi pʰewjan hin himi

she was lifting it up it's said.

t̪iyi: she.logo.
pʰe: pick up
-w: -dir.
-ja: -?.4
-n: -ing
hi: say
-n: -ing
hi: say
-mi: -emph.

she was lifting it up it's said.

nan jalil t̪iyi nanaʔan nanaʔan

And she was just trying, struggling,

nan: and
jalil: just
t̪iyi: she.logo.
nanaʔa: try
-n: -ing
nanaʔa: try
-n: -ing

And she was just trying, struggling,

nat̪e k'o yeheʔ nant̪e

but no matter what she did,

nat̪e: but
k'o: thing
yehe: do
-ʔ: -semelf.
nant̪e: but

but no matter what she did,

haynamu:l t̪it̪i k'o daxanhan

that wood didn't help her.

hay: wood
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that
t̪it̪i: her.logo.
k'o: not
daxa: help
-nha: -not
-n: -ing

that wood didn't help her.

nakan t̪iyi t'i:n jiman

So then she sat for a looong time,

nakan: because
t̪iyi: she.logo.
t'i:n: long time
jima: sit
-n: -ing

So then she sat for a looong time,

mu: tsin heʔ t̪a ʔa: nakʰeʔ

"What shall I do there?

mu:: there
tsin: how
heʔ: which
t̪a: Q
ʔa:: I
na: be
-kʰe: -future
-ʔ: -Q

"What shall I do there?

tsin ʔal haynamil yow ʔa: diya:liʔi

"How… I'm struggling under this wood!"

tsin: how
ʔal: this
hay: wood
-nam: -the
-mil: -from.that
yow: under
ʔa:: I
diya:li: struggle
-ʔi: -reflex. ?

"How… I'm struggling under this wood!"

nan t̪iʔ hayunamu:lyaʔ t̪it̪i jadin jima hin himi

And that dog of hers sat watching her, (she) said!

nan: and
t̪iʔ: her.logo.
hayu: dog
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that
-ya:ʔ: -nom.
t̪it̪i: her.logo.
jadi: see
-n: -ing
jima: sit
hi: say
-n: -ing
hi: say
-mi: -emph.

And that dog of hers sat watching her, (she) said!

t'i:n nakan t̪iyi she: ʔul t̪iyi hayunamu:lyajul doʔo hin himi

Long time... so, then she scolded that dog, (she) said.

t'i:n: long time
nakan: because
t̪iyi: she.logo.
she:: then
ʔul: now
t̪iyi: she.logo
hayu: dog
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that
-yajul: -acc.
doʔo: scold
hi: say
-n: -ing
hi: say
-mi: -emph.

Long time... so, then she scolded that dog, (she) said.

jalil habo nant̪e k'o mannaʔt̪ʰin ma na

"Just no matter what, you're a worthless thing!

jalil: just
habo: where
nant̪e: but
k'o: thing
mannaʔ: worth
-t̪ʰin: -not
ma: you
na: be

"Just no matter what, you're a worthless thing!

t̪o: k'o ma daxanha

You don't help me!

t̪o:: me
k'o: not
ma: you
daxa: help
-nha: -not

You don't help me!

k'o k'edi nahe ma ʔul ʔal t̪o: daxamale ʔal haynamu:l t̪o: ma dadiʔmalem na

If you were any good, you could help me with this. You could push me this wood.

k'o: thing
k'edi: good
na: be
-he: -having
ma: you
ʔul: now
ʔal: this
t̪o:: me
daxa: help
-male: -could
ʔal: this
hay: wood
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that
t̪o:: me
ma: you
da-: hand-
-di: -push
-ʔ: -semelf.
-male: -could
-m: -cont.
na: be

If you were any good, you could help me with this. You could push me this wood.

nat̪e ma k'o min nanhan

But you don't do anything like that.

nat̪e: but
ma: you
k'o: not
min: thus
na: be
-nha: -not
-n: -ing

But you don't do anything like that.

k'o mannaʔt̪ʰin ma na

You are worthless!

k'o: thing
mannaʔ: worth
-t̪ʰin: -not
ma: you
na: be

You are worthless!

k'o daxat̪ʰin ma na

You are not helpful!"

k'o: not
daxa: help
-t̪ʰin: -not
ma: you
na: be

You are not helpful!"

hin ʔa: diley janodin hayunamu:l

I said everything to that dog!

hi: say
-n: -ing
ʔa:: I
diley: all
jano: talk
-di: -present
-n: -ing
hayu: dog
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that

I said everything to that dog!

nan ʔa: mu: jiman she: ʔul ʔa: hala nat̪kan

And I was sitting there, then I was trying again...

nan: and
ʔa:: I
mu:: there
jima: sit
-n: -ing
she:: now
ʔul: now
ʔa:: I
hala: again
nat̪ka: try
-n: -ing

And I was sitting there, then I was trying again...

nada be: ʔant̪u dade:wjin hiyami

when from behind, pushing up, it's said.

na: be
-da: -when
be:: dir.
ʔan: back
-t̪u: -from
da-: hand-
-de: -push
-w: -dir.
-ji: -semelf.
-n: -ing
hi: say
-ya: -passive
-mi: -emph.

when from behind, pushing up, it's said.

nan mu:l hayunayaʔ t̪oman t̪it̪i jadin

And that dog was standing, watching her.

nan: and
mu:l: that
hayu: dog
-nay: -the
-ya:ʔ: -nom.
t̪o: me
-ma: -cont.
-n: -ing
t̪it̪i: her.logo.
jadi: see
-n: -ing

And that dog was standing, watching her.

nakan t̪iyi haynamu:l pʰijin jal duhun

Because she picked up that wood, (she) went home.

nakan: because
t̪iyi: she.logo.
hay: wood
-nam: -the
-mu:l: -that
pʰi: carry
-ji: -semelf.
-n: -ing
ja: house
-l: -dir.
duhu: go
-n: -ing

Because she picked up that wood, (she) went home.

She said she-dog dog stood over one side and looked at her after she did that.

Do you wanna talk that one through in English too?

Oh dear.

On the Rancheria that the Indians lived on, this old lady lived by herself and she would go out in the hills every day and cut a little wood.

Getting it ready for winter.

They cut it in about three foot lengths, and tie each end with a rope, and

had a band around the top and they rest it on their head.

And she said she had finished chopping it, had it all ready.

And it was sorta slight downhill where she sat.

Not much, just, just thought, well that would be easy. I'll just pick this up and go.

She sat there and she kept struggling and struggling with this thing, pushing herself, trying to get this load up off- on her back,

she said it didn't even budge.

So she sat there awhile and that dog was watching her.

So she turned around and start giving the dog the dickens. She said, "you're worthless."

k'o mannaʔt̪ʰin ma na

You are worthless.

k'o: thing
mannaʔ: worth
-t̪ʰin: -not
ma: you
na: be

You are worthless.

You don't do anything.

You just sit. You're just worthless.

She just kept up this harangue to that poor dog.

Then she decided, well I guess I'll try one more time.

So she sat down and pulled again, and she all of a sudden she felt like somebody pushed it,

and she could get the load off the ground, and she said she got up.

Her dog sat there and looked at her.

So she decided she could keep the dog. We used to laugh at her when she told that.