Another story they told about Strong Bear was about a time when there was boxing going on. Well “circular fenced area” is what they call it, or “square fenced area,” the place inside which they box.
Wohei there was one who was really tough, a White man. He was the champion in this boxing. “Wohei,” [the Arapahos] said to [Strong Bear], “you should challenge him. You should fight him.”
"No," he said. “No.” I might hurt him, or I might even kill him. I don’t want to do that. If he hit me, it would be like he was hitting a rock, and then if I hit him, boy I don’t know if he would live much longer,” he said.
And that’s why he didn’t agree to their request. “I might hurt him. That’s not the purpose of my power – for me to go around hurting people. I don’t [use it] unless I need to stand up for my relatives, or for self-protection,” he said.
Wohei that’s how it went. “Well...it’s not that I was given this power at some point. Rather, I grew up with it as my own [special quality]. I was born with it. That’s how I came to be so powerful. But I don’t want to use it to hurt anybody. I don’t want to kill anybody with it, unless I need to protect my relatives or myself.
And that’s why he didn’t agree to their request. “If I hit that guy, well I don’t know if he would live much longer, and I don’t want to just kill somebody for no reason. This tough guy, let his power be. Let him be. I don’t want to... I don’t want to take his power away from him.”
Wohei that’s what he said. And that’s why he didn’t agree to their request. That’s the way it was.
howoo he’ih’ii3eeno’ nehe’ tei’ox, heetou’ boo3eti3i’;
also they told him this strong bear where it is they are fighting
nihii koo’einoxoeyoone’ ni’iitou’u,
well in the fenced circular area they called it
wootii hiikokoyoxoeni’, cii3iihi’ niitiine3eiheti3i’.
as if fenced square area inside where they knock each other around
wohei nihtesiini no’oteiht, niiseiht nihoo3oo.
wohei he was very powerful one white man
he’neen niitobeekuut nuhu’ boo’oet.
it was him he stands first [in] this fighting
“wohei,” nii3oohkoni’ “hiibeexiineyei3ihoo, heibeexiboo3oo.”
wohei they said to him you should try him you should fight him
“hoowuuni,” heehehk.
no he said
“hoowuuni.
no
neebeh’esiihiihoo, wo’ei3 heebeh- howoo neebehnoh’oo.
I might injure him or he might also I might kill him
neihoowbeetnee’eestoo.
I don’t want to do that
noh nihto’obeinoohok, wootii ho’nookeen heeto’owoot;
and if he hit me as if rock he will hit it
noh to’owoohok, noh siineihoowoe’in heetni-
and if I hit him and I really don’t know (he) will
wohoe’etwonoo3iine’etii,” he’ih’ii.
whether he would live very long he said
noh ne’nih’iisciini’owoo3i’.
and that is how they didn’t receive his agreement
“neebeh’esiiniihoo.
I might injure him
hoownee’ee3e’eenoo nuhu’ hees- nuhu’ heesno’oteihinoo,
that is not the purpose [of my power] this how this my strength
hetni’eenesiinii3einoo.
in order to go around hurting people
hoowuuni, honoot nii- niinotoonoo3ou’u neito’eino’, wo’ei3 howoo
no until I stick up for them my relatives or also
niiheniihi’, neneeninoo,” he’ih’ii.
on my own myself he said
wohei ne’nih’iisiini, nihii...
wohei that is how it was well
“hoowuuhu’ tohbiineenoo nuhu’ no’oteihiit;
not that I have been given it this power
‘oh niiheyoo nohkuusi’i’oonoo.
but on my own I grew up with it
nohkcebii’oonoo.
I was created with it
hi’in nenee’: nee’eesno’oteihinoo.
that’s it that’s how I come to be so powerful
‘oh neihoowbeeti’eenesiiniihoo nenitee.
but I don’t want to hurt him with it a person
neihoowbeeti’kocoo’o3ihe’ nenitee honoot ni’eeneecihi’woonou’u
I don’t want to kill him with it a person until I will use it to protect them
neito’eino’, wo’ei3 howoo niiheniihi’ neneeninoo.
my relatives or also on my own myself
noh nuhu’ nenee’ he’ih’iiciini’oobeeno’.
and this it they didn’t receive his agreement
“hoowuuni,” he’ih’ii.
no he said
to’obeinoohok wootii ho’nookeen heeto’owoot,
if he hit me as if rock he will hit it
noh hinee to’owoohok, ‘oh neihoowoe’in wohoe’etwonoo3iine’etii.
and that one if I hit him and I don’t know if he would live very long
noh nuhu’ nenee’ neihoowbeeti’- kookoni’koco’o3ihoo.
and this it I don’t want to kill him with it for no reason
nuhu’ no’oteheihii neenehno’oteiht.
this powerful one let him be, that powerful one
neenehiini.
let it be
neihoowbeettooto’oe- neihoowbeetitenowuunoo no’oteihiit.
I don’t want to because I don’t want it to take it from him power
wohei ne’nih’iisinihiit,; noh ne’nih’ii3eeciini’oowoo3i’.
wohei that’s what he said that’s why they didn’t receive his consent
nohuusoho’.
that’s the way it was