Hočąk Text — The Messengers of Hare, Version 1

Hočąk Text — The Messengers of Hare, Version 1

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake


Winnebago III, #1: 5	Winnebago II, #5: 4

English Translation

Hapaxlegomena

jobihike, "the four"; hišge, "really"; hinįkewehi, "each in turn"; honąkišik, "stockings"; howaihįbi, "to go in, to seek ahead, to accomplish"; waragigųs, "to touch"; waračga, "to guess at with the mouth"; waxopįna, "spirits"; woručga, "to guess at with the hand"; wočexihi, "precious".

As is the case with a number of other Radin interlinear MSS, this text is full of abbreviations for common word terminations. The typescript revised text, Winnebago II, #5: 5-9, can be used as a kind of Rosetta Stone for interpreting their values:

α	β	γ	ɜ	λ	ρ	υ	ϕ	ω
égi	eja	-giži	šaną	žésge	ánąga	-regi	hąké	žigé

X	2	ɕ	9	>	-	/	÷	[C•]	•\|	ὐ
wąk	-že, -še	-xjį	-žą	-gáją	-(e)ra	-ną	-nąk	waxopíni	-kjane	nįk(a), nįg(a)

Key —

First Row	"raw" interlinear text from Paul Radin, Notebook, Winnebago III, #1: 3-7.
Second Row	revised interlinear typescript from Paul Radin, Notebook, Winnebago II, #5: 5-9.
Third Row	English translation.

Winnebago III, #1: 3 = Winnebago II, #5: 5 —

[α]	hitcų́cgé	gikarádjirera	[C•]	sdohí[•\|´][γ]
Égi	hičųšgé	gikarájirera,	waxopíni	stohíkjanégiži
Now	"Nephew"	he whom we call,	spirits	when he went to gathering

wa'ų[2´]	tcaháruzaį́[9]	dánina	hąbidaí'una	[C•]
wa'ųžé,	čaháruhaižą	tanina	hąbitaí'una	waxopíni
he did,	a tanned buckskin,	tobacco,	as an offering	spirits

sdóhi	hi'ų́[2]	hitcųcgé	gikarádjirera	danína
stohi	hi'ųžé.	Hičųšgé	gikarájirera,	tanina
to gather	he used.	"Nephew"	he whom we call,	tobacco

djobíhi	wakcap[2´]	[α]	haruc'į́djinógwahi[2]	hąb[-´]
jobíhi	wakšapšé.	Égi	haruš'į́jinągwahíže.	Hąbera
in four parts	he split.	And	he tied each up.	Life

rusgitc[2´]	[ρ]	[α]	ną́djokídją	wací[•\|´]gi
rusgičšé.	Ánąga	égi	nąjokíją	wašikjanégi.
he tied.	And	then	pity	he was going to ask from them.

Winnebago III, #1: 4 —

hiníñkéwehi	haránąjį́ne[2]	[C•]	sdohí[-]	tcekdjína
Hinįkéwehi	haranąžížeže	waxopíni	stohirá.	Čekjína
Each in turn	they would go	spirits	assembled.	The first

kinikéra	watcekdjį́[9]	hicdjásga[ɕ´][9]	widjirawaséwe	xedera
kinikéra	wačekjį́žą	hišjásgaxjįžą,	Wijirawaséwe	xetera
the wolf	a young one	a very white faced one,	Island Weights	large

Winnebago II, #5: 6* —

hąbókahi	niháwañgat'ǫbenóñgere	wámanine[•\|´][γ]	ére[2]
(hąbokáhi)†	nihawągat'ǫbenągere,	wámanínekjonégiži,‡	éreže.‡‡
every day	whose breath is thrown upon us,	they were to pass them,	they were.

*at the top of the page, Radin has written, "hipirak = belt" and "wa — snow".
†this word is put in parentheses by Radin, which seems to suggest that it was inserted for clarification, but there is no indication of this in the original MS text.
‡the letter /o/ is inserted with a caret above the line.
‡‡typed in above the line and inserted in place by a line and a caret.

[α]	[ω]	hinų́bera	hą́bamanína	sgá[ɕ´]
Égi	žigé	hinų́bera	hąbamanína	sgáxjį́
And	again	the second one	light walker	very white

sądjañ[ɕ´][9]*	dj[ρ´]	wajągų́z[-]	[C•]	pįna,
sąjąxjį́žą†	jánąga	Wažągų́zera,	Waxopíni	P'į́na,
[a very awe inspiring one]	that much	[the Maker of Things,]‡	Spirit	the Good,

*in Winnebago III, #1: 4, the words hą́bamanína sgá[ɕ´] sądjañ[ɕ´][9] are underlined.
†the revised typewritten text of Winnebago II, #5: 6, has only sgáxdjį́ją in place of sgáxdjį́ sądjąxdjį́ją.
‡the text of Winnebago II, #5: 6, has "the earthmaker".

'uañge[υ´]	waju[γ´]	haną́tcį	wámani	re[•\|´][γ]
wągerégi	wažugíži.	Haną́čį	wámani	rekjonégiži,
above	he placed it.	All	to walk on	they were to,

ére[2]	heghwáwoñkéra	wanísge[9]*	régigíre[2]	[α]
éreže.	Heǧwáwǫkéra	wanísgéžą	regigíreže.	Égi
they were.	Cackling swan	[one] like	they let him go.	[Then]

*the accent over the /e/ was crossed out.

hį́cebe[-]	watcegí[9]	waságere[ɕ´][9]	hįcgé	ságipirági[9]
hį́šebera	wačegížą,	wasagerexjį́žą,	hįšgé	sagipirágižą,*
black-furred	a young one,	a very fleet one,	basswood bark	he used for a belt,

*the corrected text has sagipirágeją, but the original text's form, sagipirágiją, is attested elsewhere (presumably from sagipirák-iją).

dj[ρ´]	Wajągų́z[-]	huñgé	wajį́rukǫno
jánąga	Wažągų́zera	hųgéra	wažą́	hirukǫną,
that many	[the Maker of Things]	the leader	something	he put in charge,

wawa'úñgi.	Hą́b[-]	xede	hírukóną	wagigígi
wawa'ų́gi.	Hą́bera	xete	hirukǫną	wagigígi;
thus he made him.	Life	much	he put in charge	he did;

mañkúhąnegi	dj[ρ´]	[C•]	p'įná	Wajągų́z[-]
mąkúhąnegi	jánąga	waxopį́na	[p'įná]*	Wažągų́zera
from below	that many	spirits	[the good ones]	[the Maker of Things]

*omitted in Winnebago III, #1: 4.

waju[γ´]	wámaninekdjéra	regigíre[2]	tconí[ɕ]	ránihera
wažugíži.	Wamaninekjéra	regigíreže.	Čoníxjį	ránihera
he placed.	Walking on	they went.	The very first	that went

kiri[2´]	[α]	mañkánina	djasgiowánañgre
kirižé.	Égi	mąkánina	jasgé	howánągere,
he came back.	And	the medicine man	as	they go

jegwógiwé[2]		djobóhą	nañgúra	howaíhįbí[2]
žegų́	hogiwéže.	Jobóhą,	nągúra	howaihįbíže.
so	he went.	Four times	the road	he went in.*

*this word has a line drawn under it. Just below this line and above the typed English translation, it reads "had gone". A line extends down from the /e/ in this phrase to the bottom of the page where it is written, "seeking ahead) accomplished" [sic].

Winnebago III, #1: 5 —

[α]	tciókiság[β]		kiridjéje*	wátcekdjį́[9]
Égi	či	hokísageja	kirijéže.	[Wačekjį́žą]
Then	lodge	in the middle	he came back.	[A young one]

*inserted after this word with a large caret and a line to the top of the page, is a bracketed text of two sets of interlinear lines. It is not found in the typescript.

ránihera	wapara	nąnuhosdį	honañkícigenísge
[ranihéra]	[wapara]	[nąnuhostį]	[honąkíšigenísge,]
[he had left]	[his head]	worn off by trees	like stockings,

nañkéohura[ɜ´]	hią́wazaza	kiri[2´]*	[α]
[nąkéohurašaną]	[hiąwázaza]	[kirižé.]	Égi
his back bone only	hair stuck here and there	[he returned].	And

*this concludes the inserted passage.

djobóhą	tcádjidjobíhike		mą́nagho	rehi[ρ´]
jobóhą,	čaji	jobíhiké	mą́naǧo	rehi-ánąga,
four times	directions	the four	he scratched the earth	he did with his foot, and said,

hoho-[ρ´]		kísįsíñtc[2´]	[γ´]	tceg[β´]
"Hoho,"	ánąga	kisį́sįčše,	giži.	Čegéja
"O my,"*	he said, and	he shook himself	[.]	In the beginning

*the translation given in the MS text. The typescript has "Hoho".

Winnebago II, #5: 7 —

djasgé	ránihera,	[λ]á*	kiridjé[2]	jeé
jasgé	ranihéra,	žesgá	kirijéže	Žée
as	he went,	[that way]	he returned.	This

*this is jesgá, and not jésge égi (from [λ] [α´]) as the typescript has it. In the English line, there is only one dash (indicating no translation given) rather than two; the letter is /a/ and not the very pronounced α that Radin uses; the letter is accented, whereas no instance of α is ever accented; and the translation, "so then he returned," does not match the set up of the initial clause.

we[2´]	wacdjiñgé[ɕ]niñgrá,	hidég[ὐ]wáraga,	hi'uní[ὐ]waragá
wéže,	"Wašjįgéxjįnįgera,*	hitégenįkwáraga,	hi-unínįkwaraga,
he said,	"Dear Hare,	your uncles,	your aunts,†

*the corrected typescript text has "Wacdjįgédjinįgera" in error.
†Radin has "your uncles, your aunts" switched from their proper order in the translation.

hicgé	méjegų	hinádjiránihe[•\|´][/].	[X]xedé	hotcąt'į́haré
hišgé	méžegų	hinájiranihekjanéną.	Wąkšíkxete*	hočąt'į́hare
really	this way	they will always call me.	Ancestors	to whom I have shown

*one might expect to see wąkcik xede, or wąkcikede from sandhi, but this form is attested elsewhere. Its literal meaning is "great men", but in the original MS, it is translated as "old men".

wocgǫ́	hidége[ὐ]wáraga,	hi'uní[ὐ]waraga	waragígųs
wošgą́	hitegenįkwáraga,	hi-unínįkwaraga,	waragígųs
this affair*	your uncles,	your aunts,	that to touch

*the word means "rite, religion".

hirakárocaré	hi[9´]	hoki'úna	wéwįną́	p'į́higi
hirakárošare.	Hižą́	hokí'una	wéwįną	p'į́higi,
you are about to do.	Anyone	rehearsals	to think of	who do it well,

[ϕ]	deé	ruc'ágeniñ[•\|´][/]	'uáñg[-]	hinuñg[-´]
hąké	teé	ruš'ágenįkjanéną,	wą́gera	hinųgerá
not	this	not will he fail to obtain,	men	women

hijé[υ]	e[2´]	[α]	hicgé	hą́bamaní[9]
hižéregi,"	éže.	Égi	hišgé	Hąbamanížą
if either do it,"	[he said.]*	[Then]	really	a Light Walker

*Radin has, "he is".

ránihera	kiri[2´]	djasgiógiwánihera		hicgé
ránihera	kirižé,	jasgé	hogiwánihera.	Hišgé
he had gone back	he came,	just as	he had gone.	Really

[λ]iógiwéje		djobóhą	nañgúra	howaíhįbí[2]
žesgé	hogiwéže.	Jobóhą,	nągúra	howaihįbíže,
that way	he went in.	Four times	the road	he went in,

howákíri[2]	[α]	tciókiság[β]		kiridjé[2]*
howakíriže.	Égi	či	hokiságeja	kirijéže.
he went around.	And	lodge	in the middle	he came back.

*after this word, there is a very large caret with a faint line leading back up to the top of the page to the same text inserted above. However, at various places there are lines striking this connection out. There is another line leading up the left side of the page to the same text. On the repetition of this part of the text, see below.

wátcekdjį[9]	ránihera	wapara	nąnuhosdį	honañkícigenísge
Wačekjį́žą	ranihéra	wapára	nąnuhóstį	honąkíšigenísge,
A very young one	he went	the head	worn off	[like] stockings*

*the revised typescript says, "without stockings". At the bottom of the page Radin writes, "honąkícik = mocassin without stocking". The word nisge means, "like, sort of, kind of, as".

nañkéohura[ɜ´]	hią́wazaza	kiri[2´]†	tcadjidjobíhike
[nąkéohurašáną]*	hi-ą́wazáza	kirižé.	Čajijobíhike
his backbone only	hair stuck here and there	he came.	In the four directions

*the corrected typescript text has only nąkéhura.
†this concludes the inserted passage. At the bottom of the page is written, "[9/7/'48. Repeat top 2 sentences. = 259".

Winnebago III, #1: 6 —

manágho	rehi[ρ´]	kísįsintc[2´]	[>´]
manáǧo	rehi-ánąga,	kisį́sįčše,	gają
earth	he scratched with his foot, and*	he shook himself,	just as

*instead of "and", Radin has, "he did".

watcékdjį	djasgáránihe[-]	[λ]	kiridjé[2]	[α]
wačékjį	jasgáranihera,	žésge	kírijéže.	Égi
very young	as he had gone,	thus	he returned.	And

Winnebago II, #5: 8 —

we[2´]	wacdjiñgé	hidege[ὐ]wáraga,	hiuní[ὐ]waraga	[X]o-'į
wéže,	"Wašjįgé,	hitégenįkwáraga,	hi-unínįkwáraga,	wąkšíg[o]'į́,
he said,	"Hare,	your uncles,	your aunts,	life

worágeniconoñgre	hicgé	mé[λ]	hinádjiránihe[•\|´][/]	hi[9´]
worageníšanągere,	hišgé	méžesge	hinájiránihékjanéną.	Hižą́
that you seek for them,	really	this way	they will call me ever.	One

wewįną́	p'į́higi	hoki'úna	p'į́higi	[ϕ]
wewįną́	p'įhigí,	hoki'úna	p'įhigí,	hąke
to think of	[if] it is good,	to repeat	[if] it is good,	not

ruc'ágiraníñ[•\|´][/]	[X]xedé	hotcąt'į́haré	e[2]	[α]
ruš'ágiranįkjanéną,	wąkšíkxete	hočąt'į́hare,"	éže.*	Égi
he will not fail to obtain it,	ancestors	that I have shown,"	he said.	And

*handwritten and inserted above the line with a caret in the typewritten text.

[ω]	hicgé	mąkúhąnegi	howaránihera	kirigí
žigé	hišgé	mąkúhąnegi	howaranihéra	kirigí,
again	really	from below	he who went	he came back,

hį́ceb[-]	watcekdjį[9]	ránihera	wapára	nąnuhósdį
hįšebera	wačekjį́žą	ranihéra,	wapára	nąnuhóstį
black furred	a very young one	he went,	his head	worn away

honañkícigenísge	nañkéhura[ɜ´]	hią́wazaza	kiri[2´]
honąkíšigenísge,	nąkehurášaną	hi-ą́wazaza	kirižé,
like stockings,	his back bone only	hair here and there	he came back,

djasgiógiwairánihera		hicgé	mañkáni	nañgú
jasgé	hogiwairánihera.	Hišgé	Mąką́ni	Nągú
so	he went in	Really	Medicine	Road

tcábirera	howáhi-iñbí[2]	djobohą	tciókiság[β]
čabirera	howahįbíže.	Jobóhą	či	hokiságeja
ours	he went in towards.	Four times	lodge	in the middle

kiridjé[2]	tcadjidjobíhike	mąnágho	rehi[ρ´]	[α]
kirijéže.	Čajijobíhike	mąnáǧo	rehi-ánąga,	égi
he returned.	In the four directions	he scratched the earth	he did, and	[then]

Winnebago III, #1: 7 —

kísį́sintc[2]	[>´]	watcekdjį́	djasgéránihera		[λ]a
kisį́sįčše,*	gają	wačékjį́	jasgé	ranihera,	žésga†
he shook himself,	when	very young	as	he had gone,	thus

*the corrected text of the typescript has incorrectly, hisį́sintcce.
†the corrected text has jesgé.

kiridjé[2]	[α]	we[2´]	wacdjiñgé	hidege[ὐ]waraga
kírijéže.*	Égi	wéže,	"Wašjįgé,	hitégenįkwáraga,
he returned.	And	he said,	"Hare,	your uncles,

*contrary to the original MS, the typescript has, hak'íradje.

hiuni[ὐ]waraga	[X]o-'į́	waworáginiconoñgré	hi[9´]	wewiną́
hi-unínįkwaraga,	wąkšígo'į́,	waworáginíšanągere,	hižą́	wewįną́
your aunts,	life	that you are looking for them,	anyone	to think of

p'į́higi	hi[9´]	hoki'ų́na	p'į́higi	deé
p'įhigí,	hižą́	hoki'úna	p'į́higi,	teé
it would be good,	anyone	to repeat	it would be good,	this

Winnebago II, #5: 9 —

[ϕ]	ruc'ágeníñ[•\|´][/]	e[2´] \|\|#
hąké	ruš'ágenįkjanéną,"	éže.
not	he will not fail to obtain it,"	he said.

Source: The original interlinear is found in Jasper Blowsnake, Jasper Blowsnake's Account of the Medicine Rite, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago III, #1: 3-7. The corrected text is a typescript in Jasper Blowsnake, Jasper Blowsnake's Account of the Medicine Rite, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago II, #5: 5-9. For a loose English translation, see Paul Radin, The Road of Life and Death: A Ritual Drama of the American Indians. Bollingen Series V (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973 [1945]) 82-84.