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!