The Stone that Turned into a Frog

by George Ricehill

Interlinear Hocąk-English Text

by Oliver LaMère

English Translation

This manuscript is written very clearly in the hand of Oliver LaMère.

 

p. 16 —
Hąhą́, égi wotágikjanèną. Égi hagiréžą wągižą.
Yes,. here a story I'll tell. And [one came?] a man.

 

 

Éja howé nañkíkara wąkšegáją. Nížura rokónoxjįže
there [out?] hunting he was. Rain mighty hard was.

 

 

hosnáxje éja uáñk’ų wa’ųšgúni, gíži woruxuxucgáją
Prairie there he was when it came, and so looking around

 

 

íni xetexjį́že ejanąki kųhaį́ja minąkšgúni. Gáją
rock big it was there was under it he sat. And then

 

 

Wakąjára mąšjáxjį k’oiregáją jąberášge žégų móija,
the Thunderbird mighty thundered looked and as on earth,

 

 

p. 17 —
hirakére jikirikére hirešgúni gíži wąkšigenąka gi-ásguni.
connected they did they made it and so the people ran away.

 

 

Higų́ ašgéniñk gigáją inixedènąka. Waką́ja
And close he got the big rock. Thunderbird

 

 

hojįnešgúni žégų howanáną jihuhíre. Ini nihera
struck it and rolled it down they made it come. Stone ?

 

 

te[e] kéwaxgu xetéžą wa’uną́kše aireną. Ini
this frog a big one it was [they said]. [Stone]

 

 

Hajajéra. Ini. kinąk’ų herešgúni žésge aíreną.
that saw it. Stone making itself at that time that kind [they said].

 

 

hisgexjéže aíreną žénųga
it was so [they said] that's all.

 

Source:

George Ricehill, Tale of a Stone that Turned into a Frog, transcribed by Oliver LaMere, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #19, Freeman #3899 [1254] (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909) 16-17; George Ricehill, No Title, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman ##3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1905 [revised, 1945]) Story XVI, p. 72.