Charlie Venne asked for a story to go with Sol’s latest drawing of a snowy owl. Sol responded in Cree with this adaptation from the Commanche. Thanks Charlie! Thanks Sol! Your browser does not support the audio element.

| wâpôhow | Snowy Owl | | --- | --- | | Adapted in Cree by Solomon Ratt | A story from the Commanche | | kayâs îsa piyak nâpîsis kî-nâtakwîw sakâhk. mitoni mihcît wâposwa kî-tâpakwâtîw. kî-asitahkopitîw ikwa kî-nayahthîw ospiskwanihk. | Long ago there was a boy who went to fetch his rabbit snares in the forest. He snared many rabbits. He tied them together and carried them on his back. | | ikosi î-ati-kîwît kâ-nakiskawât mistâpîwa. kâ-nawatinikot, î-pôsowîpinikot omaskimotithihk. mitoni kinkwîsk kî-pimohtîw awa mistâpîw. pîthisk kî-nîstosiw. kî-nôhtî-nipâsiw. kî-akotâw omaskimot watihkwanihk. kî-nipâw. | In this way he was on his way home when he met a giant. The giant grabbed him and shoved him into his bag. The giant walked for a long time. Eventually he got tired. He wanted to nap. He hung his bag on a branch. He slept. | | awa nâpîsis kî-kakwî-tapasîw mâka kî-sihtâpitîthiw anima maskimot. | The boy tried to escape but the bag was tied too tight. | | kîtahtawîw kâ-pihtawât awiya î-twîhothit watihkwanihk. ati-pîkopitam anima maskimot ana awiyak, pôt-ôma wâpôhow! î-kî-pasot îtokî anihi wâposwa awa wâpôhow. owâposomakî-isiwîpinamawîw awa nâpîsis anihi wâpôhowa! ikosi îsa kî-isi-tapasîw awa nâpîsis. î-kî-paspît. | Suddenly he heard someone land on the branch. This someone started to tear the bag apart, it was a snowy owl. The snowy owl must have smelled the rabbits. The boy threw his rabbits at the snowy owl. Thus he was able to escape. He was saved! |