Anumpeshi's Sharebook 

Hushi hopaki ochash isoba chito ut isoba aiishthollo kut ai hachotakni tashaiyi anta tok.

Many suns past there lived on Turtle Island a Great Horse who was a miracle Horse.

Illapako tanap a iksho cha nana ik achukmo i nukshopa tok hi keyo.

This one feared no evil and had no enemies.

Illapat falamat ikpeso chatukeyoka okla alheha atako hollo tok.

This one was never seen again or since because of a spiritual love for mankind.

Isoba illapa hochifo kut Isoba Mahli hosh isoba puta ka palhkit hollo atok.

This horse, who was called Horse of the Wind, of all horses was the most sacred and fastest.

Isoba Mahli hut achukma inshahli fehna ka im okla anonti isoba atok.

Wind Horse was the most benevolent being of man or horse.

Okla ut nana bunna kma yamma isoba mahli hikia tok.

When the people were in need Wind Horse was there.

Nittak achaffa ma isoba mahli ut yukpali yatuk keyokmat  allanakni yaiya ka hanklo tok.

One day when Wind Horse was enjoying being free he heard the cry of a young male child.

Illapat kowi ya balili palhki hosh cha allanakni iyi ut isht hokli nita ya kolofa ka pinsa tok.

He ran quickly to the forest and saw the boy’s foot severed by a bear trap.

Ilappa bilinki minti cha allakni ut ombinili ka apesa tok.

He came close and allowed the boy to mount him.

Hottopa ya alhokofichahinla keyo cha allanakni im ikbi isht aiopi ai hachotakni tashaiyi hikiachin ka ikhanali tok.

He knew that the wound could not be healed and that this would be the boy’s last act on Turtle Island.

Allanakni ya ai illi aioklhilika okfa lhopullit shalachin cha uba hanta ya alachin  tok.

He would carry the boy from the Valley of the Shadow of Death to the bright and luminous sky above.

Anya ibafoyakakma  allanakni im okchanya aiopisa ka nukanklot pisa tok.

As they traveled together he saw and felt scenes from the boy’s life.

Tinkbaha aiombinili ya akkoa bieka hosh nukanklo illapa kinsha ilap polhoma tok.

Previously he had dismounted his rider before these feelings had engulfed him.

Allanakni imi hollo atako hina falaya kullo shali cha yamma ibaaianta ahii tok.

Because of his love for the boy he carried him on the long hard road and remained there with him.

Allanakni ut ombinili keyokma iyupi tuklo haiakachi na intikba ut anya tikba kut aiokpachi tok.

When the boy dismounted he found that he had two strong legs and the ancestors who had gone before greeted him.

Hachotakni tashaiyi aiasha moma hosh okla alheha ut ayaiya chito uba anumpa atako isoba mahli kania tok.

A great lamentation arose from the people who were still on Turtle Island because of the loss of Wind Horse.

Okla alheha ut isoba mahli ut uba anumpa anoli ka isoba aiishthollo moma ima tokma itibapishi chohmichit ibafoyakakmat ibatohnit anhantalih ititakla nitak moyoma.

Wind Horse spoke a great prayer so that the people might again have given to them the sacred horse so that they might be as brothers going together and guarding each other for the rest of their days.

Mihma isoba Chahta itibapishi chohmichit okla imi hikia moma nitak fallaya.

And so the Choctaw horse has remained the brother of the people unto the day that last forever.

Ilapako shilup antikba ut am anoa tok.

This is what the ghosts of my ancestors have told me.

This traditional Choctaw story with an interlinear translation exemplifies how the horse, earth, water, bison and eagle are all intricately interwoven with our religious and cultural heritage. We are the stewards of one another, symbiotically interlinked. The health and vitality of a people must always begin and end with the strength of their traditions. These sacred creatures are our life blood and what is done to them is done to us. Mahli means the wind and is frequently used to end or sanctify a Choctaw prayer. As the wind envelops us so may the Spirits of Our Ancestors protect us, including the four leggeds and the wingeds as well as the human.