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From “Council Talks”
AGENT-MAN from Keetch'-ie O'-gi-ma', | |
| Our Big W’ite Chief, | |
| De heart of all de Cheebway | |
| In my tribe are good to you; | |
| My people want your heart | 5 |
| Be good to all de Eenshuns. | |
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| In summer of de many rains, | |
| Comes long-blade soldier, Major Rice, | |
| An’ black-robes priest, for mak’-um treaty. | |
| Dey mak’-um talk in council, so: | 10 |
| “Cheebway, Cheebway, mak’-um treaty; | |
| Walk on far-away reservation and live; | |
| You go new reservation, you get-um plenty t’ing | |
| From Keetch'-ie O'-gi-ma': | |
| Get-um plenty grub an’ big annuity; | 15 |
| Plenty t’ing for belly an’ for wear.” | |
| Den Long Blade and Black Robes stick one hand | |
| On big black book an’ treaty-paper, | |
| An’ raise-um oder hand to Keetch'-ie Ma'-ni-do', | |
| De w’ite man’s Big Spirit, an’ say: | 20 |
| “Cheebway, all dose t’ing on treaty sure will be!” | |
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| Ho! Eenshun scratch-um paper; | |
| Stick-um t’umb on treaty; | |
| An’ walk on reservation. | |
| Wat’s come treaty now! Ugh! | 25 |
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| No got-um plenty grub! | |
| Cheebway got-um small flat belly; | |
| No got-um w’ite man’s big fat belly! | |
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| Comes soon de Winter-maker, | |
| Blowing on de river wit’ hees icy breat’ | 30 |
| An’ making dem stand still | |
| Wit’ sleep beneat’ de snow. | |
| An’ Nort’ Wind whistle crazy-wild | |
| T’rough crying spruce an’ cedar; | |
| An’ Muk'-wa, ol’ fat bear, he sleep | 35 |
| An’ shiver in hees hole; | |
| An’ Pee'-nay, hongry pa’tridge, | |
| Bury in de balsam snow-drif’. | |
| Now walk on Eenshun wi'-ga-wan! | |
| Cheebway sit dere hongry— | 40 |
| In winter no can get-um grub lak moose | |
| Who paw big hole in snow for plenty moss. | |
| No got-um lots annuity; | |
| No got-um w’ite man’s grub. | |
| Squaw, she got-um bad osh-kee'-shee-gwa'-pee-nay'— | 45 |
| She sick on eye lak devil-hell. | |
| Squaw-sich, little gal, she got-um measles-sick, | |
| De spotted-sickness on de face. | |
| Little boy, he got um heap sick— | |
| Bad coughing-sickness. Ugh! He spit all-tam’! | 50 |
| Got sick on lung, an’ hot on cheek; | |
| Got eye she blaze lak wild-cat! | |
| W’y should be dose t’ing? | |
| Ugh! Go w’ite man’s town: | |
| He got-um plenty grub; | 55 |
| Hees belly laugh wit’ grub! | |
| W’y should be difference, ha-aaah? | |
| Mebbe w’ite man’s God he want-um difference! Hah! | |
| Mebbe Ma'-ni-do' no lak-um Eenshun chil’en! Hah! | |
| Mebbe Ma'-ni-do' forget-um Eenshun chil’en! Ugh! | 60 |
| Mebbe so! Mebbe so!…. | |
| Mebbe no! | |
| Look-um straight! | |
| Talk-um straight! | |
| Ai-yee! Keetch'-ie Ma'-ni-do' | 65 |
| He no foget-um Cheebway Eenshun! | |
| Eenshun chil’en, good chil’en! | |
| Big Spirit lak-um Eenshun chil’en | |
| Jus’t so much he lak-um Long Knife chil’en! | |
| Ho! | 70 |
| How! How! How! | |
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| Inspector Taylo’, in council of olden tam | |
| De Long Blade raise-um hand to sky and say: | |
| “All t’ing on treaty-paper sure will be!” | |
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| Mebbe…. | 75 |
| Mebbe…. | |
| Mebbe he was only fool for fun! Hah? | |
| Ho! Long Blade only fool for fun! Ho! Ho! | |
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| Mebbe so!…. Mebbe so!…. | |
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| Mebbe hees tongue she talk-um little bit crooked! Ho? | 80 |
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| Mebbe so!…. Mebbe so!…. | |
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| Mebbe he got-um forks in tongue | |
| Wit’ little poison-gland! Ugh! | |
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| Eenshun t’ink— | |
| He lie!…. | 85 |
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| Look on me! | |
| Look on me! | |
| Look on me! | |
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| Talk-um straight today! | |
| No got-um double-snake-tongue!…. | 90 |
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| I have said it! | |
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| Ho! | |
| How! How! | |
| Ho! Ho! Ho! | |
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