Tipatshimun
A story
Shash patetat-tatutshishikua eshpish eka mitshishut, natamikᵘ ishinamᵘ, apu matenitak uiau, akushu ussishikua kie shash apu tshikanak.
It's been over five days since he's eaten, he's seeing strange things, he can't feel his body anymore, his eyes hurt and he can't see things very well.
Uapameu tshek atikua, mishta-minuenitamᵘ.
Suddenly he sees some caribou, he is very happy.
Natuenitamueu Tshishe-Manitua tshetshi uitshikut kie tshetshi minikut shutshishiunnu.
He asks the Creator for help, he asks him/her to give him strength.
Tapue ma, peikuau passitsheu ekue nipaiat.
Then he shoots just once and kills it.
Eukuannu tshe ui ushkuit, shetshishu shash uieshimiku nenu eka matshishut.
This is the moment he will have to make a big effort; he is afraid, he is deceived by his hunger [lit.: by the fact that he has not eaten].
Uenit ma tshetshishepaushinit minu-tshishikanu, nika tshituten itenitamᵘ, tanite nasht apu shapishit.
When he wakes up in the morning, the weather is very nice, "I'm going to head out," he thinks, even if he has no strength/energy.
Napess etati, e auassiut, uitsheueu utauia, tshituteu kie uin.
When a boy is present and he is young, he leaves with his father, he goes hunting too.
Eshakumitshishikua, napeu natshi-natau.
Every day a man goes out to hunt.
Ukussa tshitapameu, minuenitamᵘ tshe inniuht eshkᵘ minekash.
He looks at his son, he is happy, they will live a long time yet.
Nenua ukussa tshitapameu, eshkᵘ minu-aiatshinua, tshitimatshenimeu.
He looks at his son who is still moving well, he [the father] feels sorry for him.
Iamekateu utshishkuema ekue tshitutet.
He says goodbye to his wife and leaves.
Shetshishu nenu tshetshi tshek pamitatshimut.
He's afraid that he will have to crawl on the ground.
Ueshkat innuat inniuipanat nutshimit.
In the past the Innu lived inland, in the interior.
Takunamᵘ passikannu kanapua, pakushenitamᵘ tshetshi mishkak tshekuannu nete papamuteti.
He brings a gun with him of course, he hopes he will find something when he goes walking out there.
Peikuau ma anite, innuat shiuenuat, apu nipaiaht aueshisha.
Another time, when the Innu were suffering from starvation, they were not able to kill animals.
Uinuau umenu tipatshimakannuat.
They are the ones this story is about.
– Eukuan mashten tshe ui passitsheian itenitamᵘ ashit pitatsheu upassikan.
"This is the last shot I'm going to take," he thinks as he loads his gun.
Nanipauat nete pessish shipit, ashuapameuat aueshisha.
They stand near the river, they're waiting for the animals.
