A Giant Visits His Daughter

by Charlie Houghton

with an interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère

English Translation

 

p. 28 —
Éja cinókgiánañkšgùni égi caninégi hotá círa.
There a town was and in the fall some houses.

 

 

Uañgížą hicáwina hakaraíkižu niñkjóñk xonúnigi hižañkíra
A man and his wife with him a small child one only

 

 

hakarániže égi gixánaharaìre. Éja círeže. Uáñgera
took with them and move they started. There they lived. The man

 

 

nañkíkera. Wahó-o-o! cára, hųjera éja rokóno.
hunted. O dear me! deer, bear there many.

 

 

p. 29 —
Wagi'ų́ pįñxjį: warúc wakinína rok'óno wagi'úną.
He did very good: food lard much he got.

 

 

Hagaréžą uáñgera nañkikárareže haríniñk. Éja Uañgerucgéžą
At a time the man went hunting quite a distance. There a Giant

 

 

s'íra hajagáją círa howáreže. Uáñkjega nañgíreže:
footprints he saw the house he went toward. That man got frightened:

 

 

"Hohó! hicáwįhàra, niñkjóñgeniñgra t'e waigigíjane," hiregí.
"O my! my wife, my child killed he will for me," he thought.

 

 

Wok'ína piñk'ų'žé žégų wažínarehìže égi s'íra
His pack he fixed and he put down and tracks

 

 

p. 30 —
žégų círa howáreže ásge uáñkjega hižugrá
thus the house he went and so the man his gun

 

 

pįhíhokšùže égi kerežé ci. Ho-ášgeniñgèja gigáją
again he loaded it and he went home house. Near at when he got

 

 

niñkjóñgeniñgra žagenáñkše ásge cirobéja gigáją werakirakúni*
the small child it was saying [speaking] and so at the door he got it happened

 

*Radin says, "i.e., his expectations were different from what they would be (!)." However, this is just an exclamation of amazement.

 

hicawína, "Jají, " anañga. Te hit'at'ánañkše uáñkjega.
his wife, "Father," she said. This she was talking the man.

 

 

égi hoikawakéreže gáją te hicáwina niñkjóñgeniñgra
And he just went in and so this his wife the little child

 

 

p. 31 —
kúru-ą mináñgenañkše égi uañkjéga kibohíže ásge
holding it sitting down she was and the man doubted it and so

 

 

hišjára píñk'uñk'ų žigé horuxúc tëcáwina ni-ąbenáñkšaną.
his eyes/face fixed he over again he looked there his wife was alive.

 

 

Hinúñgenañka wéže, "Jájiga jíną," éže, "ásge
The woman said, "My father has come," she said, "and so

 

 

círa xetehíną." Ci-ábokiža* xetéžą 'ų́že. Agákinok
the house make it larger." The teepee a large one he made. Opposite side

 

*The teepee with poes piled against [one another].

 

p. 32 —
mináñgenañkše, s'úrus'ùrucį mináñgenañkše. "Watohócira hosgé. Mą tée
he was sitting, naked he was sitting. "My son-in-law greetings. This year

 

 

wažą́niñk niñgijítedekjege wa'ų́. Hajíną," éže, žésga
little things I would help you I did. Come here," he said, but

 

 

nunigé uañgenuñká hoišípjį nañkewéže. "Hicawiháñxjį, žégų
then the man at the time was afraid. "My wife, indeed

 

 

niñkjóñgeniñgra hok'uñkjéną; rucgíži wañgaíšjañkège wa'úñkjanèną, égi
the child let us give him; if he eats it fooled us he has, and

 

 

p. 33 —
hiñgi-ázikje," éže, aíreną. ąsge niñkjóñgeniñgra hok'ú-inege.
run away we will." he said, they said. And so the child they gave him.

 

 

"Rajikjégi š'uñkjéną," higaíreže. Hañké rujeníže. "Hiñké
"If you wish to eat it, you can," they said to him. Not eat it he did not. "Not

 

 

uañkšik hac hajiníną, taninášaną ro-ágų," égi wok'ú-įnegìži
people eat came I for, tobacco only I long for," and they gave him to eat

 

 

canípononàšaną. racgą s'áže. "Wenañgíšaną hakérekjanèną,"
deer soup only, drink he would. "Until spring only I will go home,"

 

 

éže, aíreną, "hiñké nañgírawinìne," žesga núnige uáñkjega
he said, they said, "not fear not of me," but even then the man

 

 

p. 34 —
hoišípjį nañkéweže. ąsge uañgížą t'ehi, égi
all the time feared him. And so a man he killed, and

 

 

Uañgerúcgenoñka hok'ų́že. Uañgerúcgenóñka wéže, "Hohó! ja šíšik
the Giant he gave it to (him). The Giant he said, "Hoho! a real bad thing

 

 

waš'úną." "Hañká-a! honiñk'úną nitájikjège." "Ho, epíną."
you did." "No, I give it to you for you to eat." "Ho, it is good."

 

 

égi Uañgerúcgenoñka cira wapiñgi'ų́že. Inéki cíže ge.
And the Giant house fixed he for them. Alone he lived.

 

 

p. 35 —
Niñkjóñgeniñgenoñkà 'umañkjį́je Uañgerúcgenoñka. Niñkjoñgeníñgenoñka
The small child was used to him the Giant. The small child

 

 

ǧagaks'áže hagaréžą. "Watohócira, tée heréną hopóžera hų́jera
cry it would at times. "The son-in-law, this it is the hole bears

 

 

hocíra," ásge uáñkjega róhą t'éhiže égi
their place of abode," and so the man many he killed and

 

 

hų́jera kereponaížą t'éhigi égi Uañgerúcgejega hirokíšgešge
bears ten he killed and the Giant tied together

 

 

warutís'ažé. Warújera rokóno wak'ų́že uañkšíkjega. "Hąhą́,
he would carry them. Food much they got the human (that man?). "Yes,

 

 

p. 36 —
hinúñkáxjį, jobóhañgi hakerékjane," éže, Uañgerucgénañka.
my daughter, four times/days I'm going home," he said, the Giant.

 

 

"Hąhą́, žejuñga, jobóhąną. Hakerekjàne. Piñxjį uáñkšik
"Yes, now then, it is four days. I'm going home. Very good human being

 

 

š'iñkjonáwiną, égi hiñkagá wažąnaížą roráronikjenàwiną.
you will be, and never anything you will not want.

 

 

Hagaréžą šjawígi, égi waci-éja ragikjonáwiną, égi
At a time when you die, here my house you will come to, and

 

 

p. 37 —
hicųšgéniñkara éšaną hiro-ágeniñxjį gikjanéną." Hąhą́, hainigáją
my grandson only he is the last one to arrive home." Indeed, in the morning

 

 

hiñkinegáją hañkéwažìni. Uañgerúcgera keréną. égi hisgéxjį
when he awoke he was not there. The Giant went home. And the truth

 

 

wéže aírešanàną. Hąhą́ žeją.
he told [they said]. Indeed it is finished.

 

Source:

Charlie N. Houghton, A Story about a Giant, with an interlinear translation by Oliver LaMere, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) Story XXVII: 28-37.