A Sioux’s Story

retold by George Ricehill

Interlinear Hocąk-English Text

by Oliver LaMère

English Translation

 

p. 1 —
Hąhą́, égi žigé worágižą hotagíkjanèną Šąhą́
Yes, and again a worak I will tell. Sioux

 

 

woragížą herekjanéną. Égi uáñgera nųpíwi hicakáro
a worak it will be. And men two friends

 

 

kį́negi wakącáñgere že aíreną. Mącó-inesaìreže. Hocínciniñgìžą,
they made one another powerful (with holy power) [this] [they said]. Grizzly bears they could make themselves. A boy,

 

 

wa-inániñgìžą, hišgé cinuñkéja ’ų́jegi. Rážera Mązíniñka
an orphan, he too that town he was about. His name "[Little] Iron"

 

 

p. 2 —
higaíreže. Hocinciníñgera šgájirega hoišípjį rašžée ešanáxjį
they called him. Little boys when they play all the time that name that only

 

 

rac hakírihairešgùni higų́ raž xétexjį hiráną-íne.
name they called him and name big they thought.

 

 

Gíži uañk hicakáro ki-óñka hañké gipį́nanišgùni.
[This] man friends who made themselves not they liked it.

 

 

Wairešgúni, "Hicakáro, Mązíniñka higanáñgera t’éhigi y’aréną
They said, "Friend, "[Little] Iron" who is called let's kill him I think

 

 

égi tanióžu xúra hiñkik’úñgi. Y’aréną haínegi
[and] tobacco pouch his skin we will make for ourselves. I think tomorrow

 

 

wirararócąjégi." Égi wanáñka uañkšígere hañké gipįnaínige
at noon." There those that say it the men not they do not like it

 

 

p. 3 —
žésge gigínañkše aíreną, ásge hocincíniñkjega hogiragiréšguni,
that kind they did to him [they said], [and so] that boy they told him,

 

 

"Giázikjege," égi hoxjánanegi giaskáną. Égi haínegi
"Run away," and in the evening he ran away. And in the morning

 

 

uañgenáñka honínegàją. Hañké hi-érainigi. "Hicakáro,
these men hunted for him. Not they did not find him. "Friend,

 

 

higų́ žeguñkjéną. Kiri’ege t’ehíhikjèną. Kiri’kjanegàją." Égi hocincíniñkjega
let it go. When he gets back we will kill him. He will come back." And that boy

 

 

gi-ázera. ’Ųhešgúni jobóhą nañgáją. Éja cëxjį́žą,
ran away. He was going on four times he slept. [There] a buffalo,

 

 

p. 4 —
sgaxjį́žą, gáją hokit’éže, "Hicųšgé," higešgúni. Cë́jega
a real white one, and then he talked to him, "My nephew," he called him. The buffalo

 

 

wéže, "Néwa-uñgé égi ráji. Égi, tégi,
said, "Through my efforts here you came. Here, right here,

 

 

ci ženúñgere e-órawašèrekjanèną. Éja rahígi mąco cížą
is a house into which you will go. [There] when you came grizzly bear tent

 

 

wagéną. Éja rahigíži, égi jasgérakjegìži honiñgíragirèkjanèną.
I mean. There when you come, here what to do they will tell you.

 

 

p. 5 —
Y’apérezajèną jagú niñgaíreną. Tani-óžu ni-ųnaìnera ásge
I know what they said to you. Tobacco pouch they tried to make of you [and so]

 

 

égi jeníną." Égi hocinciniñkjega mącóci wagéga,
here I made you come." [And] that boy grizzly-house [that] he talked about,

 

 

e-owárešgùni. Hijáhigają ciróbeja higáją mącó cináñka
there he went. When he got there at the door he got that grizzly bear house

 

 

hoixjįšgúni. Hetágeja mąco šujížą mináñgenañkše gáją
full it was. Rear end of tent grizzly bear a red one was sitting and then

 

 

wešgúni, "Néwa’uñge. Égi rajíną," higešgúni, "hiniñgenína,"
said, "I did it. Here you came," he said to him, "you are my son,"

 

 

p. 6 —
higešgúni, "égi t’éni nąįnéra. Nąjonigíjañge ásge égi
he told him, "and they tried to kill you. I blessed you so here

 

 

jeníną. Égi hicakáro kínañka hiñké žesgé
I made you come. [Here] friends the two of them not kind

 

 

hiwašinína. Péžega žesgé hiwašégi? Hipáñgikjanèną ci-ožu-ágere,
I did not tell him to do. Who that kind told him to do? I'm going to ask this house full,

 

 

'Hacánuñka ’ųwašégi?' Y’apéreznaiñkjanèną. Mąco kínañka,
'Which one of you told him to do?' I will try and find out. Grizzly bears they make themselves,

 

 

wagéną." Égi mącónañka heną́ci wigiwañxgáją, hiñkížą
I mean them." And grizzly bears all he asked them, not one

 

 

p. 7 —
wažį pérezeníže. Égi hižą́ ciróbenigèja nañkíži kagažábenìži.
they knew nothing about it. And one by the door he was never said a word.

 

 

"Koté! teé wëgúni. Cángera hot’únikjawìną. Hañké
"Say! this [one] must have said it. Outside let us throw him. Not

 

 

mąk’úhąnegi horajaínikjanèną." Cañgerot’unainešgùni. Égi wirukonónañka.
under ground he will not visit again." They threw him out. [And] the chief,

 

 

"Rakérekjanèną," higešgúni. Égixjį gáją Mązínoñka* cínañk
"You're going home," he said to him. And just then and so [Little] Iron town
* sic.

 

 

p. 8 —
howájiga, éja huñgerá hiniñgera ëcakárohiže. Kínamązènañka
where he was, there chief son was his friend. He was to Iron

 

 

hicakároniñgera. Hišgúni, "Hicakáro, tégi horašúra y’apérezge,
his little friend. He came, "My friend, here where you came from I knew,

 

 

ásge hajíną. Nišgé mąco te-e. Hi-uncána.
so I came. I too grizzlies these. My father also.

 

 

Hiñgigíži, hicakáro, kínuñka t’ewahíkjeną." Hakárerešgùni. Hoxją́na-egíregi
When we get home, my friend, the two we will kill." They went home. In the evening

 

 

hagirešgúni cinañgéja égi Mązéniñka kiríną airešgúni.
they got home in town and [Little] Iron came home they said.

 

 

p. 9 —
"Jajañkírigi, hicakáro, t’ehíkje, hi-éžare. Haínegi t’ehiñkjéną."
"Whenever he got home, friend, let's kill him, we said. Tomorrow we will kill him."

 

 

Égi Mązéniñka hižą́ hikóroke hígiži. Wešgúni,
and [Little] Iron one grandmother he had. She said,

 

 

"Hicųšgé, t’eninékjinegàją. Hicakáro kínañgre žégų ’ú-inekjéną."
"My nephew, they're going to kill you. Friends who are let them do it."

 

 

Hainigàją cinañgipaíja xeš’ógi minañkíži hihagéja Mązéniñka
Next morning at the end of the town little hill there was on top [Little] Iron

 

 

hicakárora karaíkižu ’uanáñgwišgùni. Gáją hicakáro kínañka
his friend with him they were. And so friend who was

 

 

p. 10 —
jajáneją cinañgéja hosásak’irešgùni, "T’éwahirekjenèga ásge worúguc."
already in town they shouted, "They're going to kill them [and so] look [out]."

 

 

Hirekjéga hihinóberešgùni uañkšígere. Žéjuñga mącó kį-ánañga.
Wondered as they (the people) came out the people. Now grizzly bears they made themselves.

 

 

Hijówarairešgùni. Mązéniñka ho-’unáñka éja ašgéxjiniñk hahiregáją.
There they went towards the others. [Little] Iron when he was there real close they came.

 

 

Hocincíniñgenàñka hišgé hosásagirešgùni égi mącó kįnešgúni.
The boys too shouted like bears and grizzlies made themselves.

 

 

p. 11 —
Wakirárešgùni. Uañk xétenañka t’ewa-híreže. Ka pį́ hinináñge
They fought with them. Man the large one they killed. Right they did not do

 

 

ásge t’ewahíreže aíreną. Ha ženuñgáną.
so they killed them [they said]. That's all.

 

Source:

George Ricehill, A Sioux Tale, with an interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) Winnebago III, #11a, 1-11.