Hocąk Text — Hog’s Adventures

narrated by Charles Houghton

translated by Oliver LaMère

English Translation

 

p. 121 [= 1 = 52] —
Éja máñxagicìže cinañkšgúni xguxgušéžą níhinoñk.
[There] farm-who-lives-on (= farmer) was living a hog was owner of.

 

 

Hą́pga taníhą warujók’ųs’àže. Žéjuñga šíñšjį.
In day 3 times food he would give him. Now very fat.

 

 

Hagaréžą cížą hijážige wohǫ́benoñka cégeja
[Once] a house there again that corn that cow

 

 

wohą́bera hižą ruzeną’į. Xguxgúšega wešgúni,
the corn one tried to take. The hog spoke, said

 

 

"Rušjáne." "Hohó hicakáro, woniñgítagìkjege wa’uąjíną."
"Don't do it." "Hoho my friend, I wish to tell you something [is why]* I came."
*The words in brackets were supplied by LaMère (or Radin).

 

 

"Hicakáro, jagu hunagíšaragikjanèže?" Hicakáro, woigixéterege
"My friend, what are you going to tell me?" [My friend,] they love me

 

 

waígi’unañkùni." "Hitaré, t’eninékjège waniñgí’unàñkšaną.
is why they do this to me." "You think, to kill you do they this to you.

 

 

Š’íninąįnàñkšaną. Ninuc hírekjonèną. Haíninegi wirarocą́jegi
To fatten you they are trying. Eat you they will. In the morning at noon

 

 

égi t’éninekjanèną." Égi, "Hicakáro, hiñgijírare
[here] they will kill you." And, "My friend, help me

 

 

hagi-ázikjèną." Ásge céjega nąwácogera gižéžeže.
I will run away." And so that cow the fence broke it down.

 

 

p. 123 [= 5 = 54] —
Xguxgúšega hacuñgérerexjį hihínopge. Žéjuñga maniñkéreže.
The Hog with great effort got out. And now walked off.

 

 

"Éx éx!" Kará! nį́ža éja gíže.
[the sound pigs make?] Say, a creek [there] he got.

 

 

Ninacgúną uñxjį́že. Nįpšgúni agéja gíže.
Drink water did very much. [He swam] the other side he got.

 

 

"Koté! hañke hunágeni-ą̀je hágiaz wa’ųmáñkšaną."
"Koté! not do not tell on me fleeing I am doing."

 

 

Éja gigáją Zizíkega éja ’ųjéže.
[There] got and Turkey [there] he was at.

 

 

p. 124 [= 7 = 55] —
"Hisuñgéjį, we egi cikjéną?" "Ho!"
"My younger brother, what here may I live?" "Yes."

 

 

Ásge éja cikik’oíneže. Nañgikániak hicížą
And so [there] they built a house. Logs cut that kind of a house

 

 

kik’oíneže. Haíninegi žéjuñga warúc hokiníže.
they made for themselves. In the morning now food he looked for himself.

 

 

Kará! Zizíkega hoišípjį woruǧiǧícježe. "Hisúñgejį,
Say, the Turkey always looked around (on the alert). "My younger brother,

 

 

hañké wažǫ́nižą náñkawanìne; Mą́una néšaną
[not] anything not am I afraid of; Earthmaker me alone

 

 

wit’éhira xeté hiñgigíną," éže. Hoxúiže.*
my way of killing great made it," he said. He coughed.
*Hoxúiže is written directly over hoxíwiže.

 

 

p. 125 [= 9 = 56] —
Zizíkega wešgúni, "U-į u-į. Hiníxjį, nųwañgáją
[Turkey] said, [the sound turkeys make] My older brother, run

 

 

Šuñkjóñgega žowáhu!" Ásge Xguxgúcega nągíne.
Wolf is šoming!" And so Hog ran.

 

 

Šųkjǫgéga wešgúni, "Xguxgúšera,* nišgé Mą’úna
Wolf said, "Hog, I also [Earthmaker]
*The words, "šųkjǫgéga wešgúni xguxgúšera" occur at the top of the page and were inserted with a line before "nąžíne." (They should have followed this word.)

 

 

wit’éhira xeté hiñgigíną. Hi-úñkjanèną." Hañké
to kill with great made it for me. We will do it [challenge]."* [Not]
*bracketed expression inserted above the English line by LaMère (or Radin).

 

 

nąžíni Woxgúcega regokonóñgregi niñgé racágikèreže.
not stand Hog in the barn a piece he bit.

 

 

"Žégų." "Ho!" Kawanáñkše. Ciróbera hawakísjijèhiže
"It is done, that's ended." "Ho!" He ran in. The door he closed

 

 

p. 126 [= 11 = 57] —
égi kíkitakìreže. Hagaréžą Šuñkjóñgega nąšgúni.
and [they] quarrel with one another. Now Wolf slept.

 

 

Xguxgúšega žéjuñga ciróbera ruhazánañga. Tojéregi
Hog now the door opened. In throat

 

 

háraxjak. "Ho! hi-úñkjanèną." ’Uñxjíneže. Šuñkjóñgega
bit. "Ho! we will do it." They did very much. Wolf

 

 

kíšipše. Žéjuñga Xguxgúšega wešgúni, "Hisúñgejį,
got loose. [And then] Hog said, "My younger brother,

 

 

hañké wažą́ žesganíną." Ásge Zizíkega
[not] anything I am not." And so the Turkey
[I'm all done for]*
*This more idiomatic translation of the Hocąk was inserted in brackets by Radin.

 

 

p. 127 [= 13 = 56] —
ruhíra hókixàjoñke nañxjákše. Šuñkjúñgega t’ehíre.
ribs backward kicked him. Wolf they killed.

 

 

Zizíkega wešgúni, "Hini-áxjį hára homįniñgíginą.
Turkey said, "My older brother, the hide I'll allow you for a rug.

 

 

Róra wohą́niñgi’ùną."* "Ho!" éže Xguxgúšega.
The body I boil for you." "Ho!" he said Hog.
*Radin adds the following note with an asterisk: "really for a feast."

 

 

Žéjuñga róra hohąšgúni. Hára hómįšmiñgànañga, "Hąhą́
Now body boiled it. Hide for a rug to lie on, and "[Yes]

 

 

hisúñgejį, réǧ’arupàrogre égi kigohírowewašìrare,
my younger brother make a drum in oval shape [and] go send a feast messenger,

 

 

p. 128 [= 15 = 59] —
higų́ péžega hášjagi ë hiragékje."
just anybody you see him you ask him."

 

 

Žéjuñga regáją te uañgížą huheže.
Now was going there (?) a man was coming.

 

 

Hižą́ huhéną ásge mináñkše. Jigáją
One coming and so sat down. When he arrived

 

werakírakuni wakúruhinc jíreže.* Xguxgúšega Mañká’ų
werakírakuni greeting he began. Hog Medicine Dance
*At the bottom of page 129, Radin says the following in an unattached note: "[When going to a doctor the Indians always showed their respect by placing tob[acco] in his hand and in his hair and gently rubbing it [in]]"

 

 

hogirákše. Žégų hišgé kigoírowe a?íže.
invited him. That's all [or: Then] also as a messenger he asked him.

 

 

Žéjuñga hąhégi nąwáže. Hąhéra jobóhą
Now at night he sang. The night four times

 

 

p. 129 [= 17 = 60] —
nąwáže, égi máñka ’unéže. Hisúñgera
he sang and Medicine Dance they had. His younger brother

 

 

hakaraíkižu hiwigáją hinúñk kiki’ųnañkìži. Éja
together with him when they got there women gambling they were. There

 

 

Zizíkega horóg ’uñgíži wowohíže. Wanąpína
Turkey him too he did he won. The beaded necklace

 

 

haną́c égi ǧ’eǧ’éra haną́c wohíže.
[all] [and] ear-bobs [all] beat them.

 

 

Kirigi Xguxgúšega ǧ’eǧ’éra haną́c horušíkše.
When he returned Hog ear-bobs all wore them.

 

 

Zizíkega hišgé wanąpína haną́c nąpíñgi
Turkey also necklace all put them around his neck

 

 

p. 130 [= 19 = 61] —
gają werakirakúni hinúñgenuñka Xguxgúšega hánąįzìneže.
and werakirakúni the women Hog got jealous of him.

 

 

Ásge Xguxgúšega nącáware hirus’éreserek
And so Hog ears slit them by pulling

 

 

hiréže. Wa-ira rokónože. "Hąhą́
they did. Blood very much. "[Yes]

 

 

hisuñgéjį žégų hiñkérekjeną. Hiñké
my younger brother, that's all* let us go home. [Not]
*Radin has the following gloss at the bottom of the page following an asterisk: "Well, let him go!"

 

 

tee cí tee cáwe uañkšíga-įnoñkje
this house this future (?)* they did not want me to live
*The parenthetical question mark is Radin's. It means literally, "I go towards."

 

 

waigi’únañkają. Mą́’una róra hižą́ hiñkųsgáją,"
they do this to me. Earthmaker body one he created me,"

 

 

p. 131 [= 21 = 62] —
éže, aíre. Ásge žegų́ hakaraíreže,
he said, they said. And so that's all they went home,

 

 

aíreną. Éja žejáną.
they said. [There] it is ended.

 

Source:

Charles Houghton, Untitled, translated by Oliver LaMère, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) 121-131 (52-62).