A Prophecy
Interlinear text by Thomas A. Sebeok
This text comes from an Ediphone (wax) cylinder recorded sometime well prior to 1945. In that year it was forwarded to Indiana University to be transcribed. A native Hocąk speaker, Mitchell Redcloud, Sr., of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, listened to the text three times, then repeated it from memory. The text was slightly redacted by Alvin Stacy, who described it as "archaic" and "awkward." [1]
Expressions appearing in brackets, [ ], are supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).
p. 169 —
| Hiragra | mayžą | žejanągiži | ’egi | wokanąk hirasanągre |
| After | a year | at this time | and [or, here] | people with hats on |
| hiwanimįgwigi | hįwakara | ǧewigi | janąga |
| when we attack them | shouting | the war cry | all things [or, as many as there are] |
| wągregi | mąxi | hozų́naki | žigé | hą́pjanerèšge |
| above | the clouds | full | again | even the day[s] |
| janąga | žige | hąp | hamanįra | herèaki |
| all | and [again] | day [or, light] | those who walk (birds)* | those possibly† |
| hereanąga | ’egi | žige | janąga | mą́haxkiràgra |
| besides [or, also, likewise] | and | again | all [or, as many as there are] | things that move on the earth |
| ’egi | hohuhinągre | hijobíhike | žige | wągregi |
| and | the winds | all four | and [again] | above |
| wągšig | hišca | sane | hacawira | hanącį |
| people | face | white | whom we had seen | all |
| hįgijèrirékjinena. | Žežegųgiži | manągre | hixkąxką́kjinena. | Žežegųgiži |
| they will help me. | If [or, when] this is done | the earth | it will shake. | In this case [or when this is done] |
| Máyxetera | hižugra | hijàjire | wahíreške | hąke |
| white men [lit., Big Knives] | guns | aim | even if | not |
| warujox | ruxuruk | hiranį́kjinena | higų jasge | waninegi |
| make explode | could | they will not be able to | no matter | hold |
| hižugra | žegunąkhikcanena. | Hąke | hixkąruxuruk. | hiranį́kjinena. |
| guns | they will be as they were. | Not | move | they will be able to. |
| Žežegųgiži | gisagrašana | hiųwigiži | Žežegųgiži | žeją |
| When this occurs | only knock unconscious | if we do. | When this happens | end |
| hį́hįwìgi. | Manągre | ne’e | hokarayxkąwigi | ’ineki |
| if we do. | The earth | we | if we move in it | alone |
| žežegųhįhiwìgiži | wąkšiǧoinra | pįhį’ųjinihawįna. | Mežesge | wagi’ųhajina |
| if we do this | our lives | we shall get along very well. | For this | I came for this purpose |
| megi. | Hinuš’ak | wianąga | žeže gųgiži | manągre |
| here. | Fail | if we do | if this occurs | the earth |
| jaskexcį | nągre | wokanąk | hirasánągre | hahi |
| all | of it | hat | with attached | in time |
| hoyxcį́kjinena. | Hoyxcįgiži | hahišge | hegų | nįgicira |
| it will be fully occupied. | If it is filled | in time | even | someplace we live |
| hinuš’akhikjinihàwina. | Žigenige | hįcìkjinihawigíške | hįhohįwahiwianąga |
| fail we will. | And any place | if we shall camp | we must ask permission |
| ’ųwągaširawigšana | ’eja | hįcwínana. | Žige | nąkisgra | hižą |
| only if they give us permission | there | we shall camp. | Again | stick | one |
| cišu | hįgicgísnikjinihàwiške | hį́hohįwahįwianąga |
| for framework of wigwams | if we are about to cut | we must ask for permission |
| hižą | hįgicgíswinana. | Žežegųkcanahena. | Hąke | hoyxcį́pini |
| one | we shall cut. | Thus it shall be. | Not | be filled |
| hirewahinųnįgi | manągre | hahi | hakinírekjinena. |
| we would not think | the land | in time | they will be overcrowded. |
Source:
Thomas A. Sebeok, "Two Winnebago Texts," International Journal of American Linguistics, 13 (1947): 167-170; Text II — A Prophecy, 169.