Haida Cradle Songs

Again perhaps you expect to sit up high in your father's canoe *
chief-woman, and look around upon all things
in front of Upset-Canoe.
Be careful, be careful, chief-woman!

Again perhaps you expect to sit up high in your father's canoe,
chief-woman, and look around the place
whence abalones come.
Be careful, be careful, chief-woman.

Perhaps you are crying and crawling
to get your grandmother's hand
which was hurt on a wooden tray with square sides, I hear;
for that you are crying and crawling
chief-woman, chief-woman,
crying and crawling.

Whence have you fallen, have you fallen?
Whence have you fallen, have you fallen?
Did you fall, fall, fall, fall,
from the top of a salmonberry bush?

Stop crying, chief's child! Stop crying, chief's child!
I do not expect that drums will sound again for you, chief's
child, if it is for that you are crying and wriggling.
Stop crying, great chief's child, a child of noble family sits
quietly.
Now, now, great chief's child; a child of noble family sits
quietly.
Stop crying, chief's child! Stop crying, chief's child!
I do not expect that they are going to lay heavy planks for
you again, chief's child; if it is for that you are crying and
wriggling.
Stop crying, great chief's child, a child of noble family sits
quietly.
Now, now, great chief's child; a child of noble family sits
quietly.

One sits here like a common person facing the woods
Say, stop telling lies!
Your mouth will be crooked
you mosquito-people-trash!

In your father's house, your father's house
Cape Qóna seagulls eating things
are making cries.
In the midst of all these things
you are going to move
proudly as you sit.

Come, let us take it on our knees!
Come, let us take it on our knees!
Hand it to one another inside of its father's house,
hand it to one another!
Come, let us take it on our knees!
Come, let us take it on our knees!

At that time when my child
goes about as a youth
vainly alone
I shall sit around.
His son
making a great noise
went by on the water.
I wonder where he is going!
His son
making a great noise
went by on the water.
It must be to the North islands.

Did you make up your mind
to fall into the cradle
to fall into the cradle
to fall in from the top of a spruce-tree?
to fall in from the top of a salmonberry bush?

Be careful, my noble sons!
you will grow to one another like leaves.
Be careful, my own chief!
Be careful, my own chief!

Are you crying for this, chief?
Are you crying for this, chief?
Are you crying to have your sisters
put you up higher, chief?
Crying for your cousins to make the people
as numerous in front of you
as when people make seagulls cry,
being obliged to step on them,
For these things are you crying, chief?

You came to me, you came to me, ye he he!
You came to me, you came to me.
You came walking to me, calling me "mother,"
instead of to someone else.
To me my child, who is a chief's child,
came walking, calling me "mother,"
Mother of noble family,
Mother of noble family, mother of noble family,
mother of noble family, mother of noble family.

Why does he cry softly?
Why does he wriggle as he sits?
He wriggles and cries for grandfather's house.

It is not now as it was in olden times.
Even slaves are beginning to own good abalone-shells!

Dogs, even,
when they have pups
to them give their love.
That is why
mine I love.

Still stands
Skîlsîs town.
Do not cry
upon my knees!

Why is it
your slave close by
(even I, your mother!)
you want something you cannot get, you say?
You are very foolish,
uncle reborn,
I bore.

My child says:
Look around at the waves,—
Then she fools me
with unripe salmonberries.

Behind Sea-Lion Town
I was looking around a while;
the future chief I found,
just big enough to walk.
Take care, take care, my own chief!
Take care, my own master!

Women are better than men,
women are better than men.
Women have more property.
Chiefs of my family,
where are you?

Upon his grandmother's land
my child walks proudly.
For that his foot is dear.
Do not cry!