Hočąk Text — Thunder Cloud is Blessed

narrated by Sam Blowsnake


English Translation

p. 308 —
Égi
žige
hagaréžą
nanák'ų
hątéže.
Then
again
once
while sleeping
he dreamt.


Uañgížą
hak'ijágiži
uáñk
skaižonéže.
A man
he met and
man
a white one he looked like.


p. 309 —
"Horuxújera
k'árahieskiñxjį́že
wáxuskaràrik'i
"To behold
he was very pleasant
in a suit of white buckskin


hik'ik'ážanañga,"
wagežé.
"Hičak'áro
hañk'aížą
he was dressed.
he said.
"My friend,
it is not


žeskániñkjonège
éske
hiránijìną,"
higežé.
it is not mere chance
through
I have come to you,"
he said to him.


"Wošgaį́žą
p'įš'ųšura
hišgé
težéske
"A deed
you have done (well)
[also]
for this reason


nąjironíjąne,"
higežé.
"Hičųšge
gik'arájirera
I am going to bless you,"
he said to him.
"'Nephew'
the one that they call


wajegúni,"
hirežé.
"Jagúicekjanèra,
hicegíži,
it is he,"
he thought.
"Whatever you will say,
if you only say it,


jánañga
hañk'é
hanánixgùnigi
že
aną́čį
[as many as]
not
if they have not listened
those
all


honanásewekjanèną,
egi
jánañga
hanąníxgùñgi
they will be confounded,
and
[as many as]
if they listened


žeéži
ni-ą́birekjanèną.
Hičųšgé
gik'arájirera
those (at least)
they will live.
Nephew
he whom we call


wáxop'ini
šišigerá
jánañga
wairešgúnina
spirits
the bad ones
as many as
[they say]


hanąsgábera
jasgé
wawagígigi,
žéske
reincarnation
[how]
he denied it to them,
that kind


waragígikjanèną
jánañga
k'ibániñgigìgi,"
higežé.
you will bring them back
as many as
who doubted your teachings,"
he said to him.


Égi
žige
uáñkšigak'ìhą
ánañgre
hižą́
And
again
reincarnation*
they say
one
* < wąkšig-hak'i-hą, literally, "carrying towards life".


hątáginąjànañga
rok'ónoxjį
hątaginą́jera,
higíšaną
he fasts and
very much
the fast
certainly (?)


waxop'íni
warájirera
hižą́
nąjojąnañga.
spirits
the various ones
one
they will bless him.


"Hagaréžą
cjegíži
égi
rak'írikjanèną,"
"At any time
if you die
then
you will come back again,"


higegí.
Uáñkjega
hagaréžą
t'egíži,
nañǧiragera
he said to him.
The man
[finally]
when he died,
the ghost


warájire
nąjoją́nihera
eja
ginánągiži
žeé
the various ones
that blessed him
there
it could go back
those


waxop'íni
warajirénoñk'a
waganą́že.
Žigé
p'įhi
spirits
those various ones
they told him.
Again
he did well


uañkšík
š'iñkjégi.
Hakjá
uañkšígeregi
human
if he became.
Back
as a human being


hak'íri
uañkšík'įną̀že,
aírecanúną.
Égi
žige
he could come
and live,
they used to say.
Then
again


uañgerúčge
wigaíregi
žéske
nąjojaį́neže,
Giants*
those who are called
[that kind]
they blessed him,
*Radin uniformly translates this by the literal "cannibals".


uañgerúčgenoñk'a
tejǫ
agéja.
Wažą
wak'ąčáñkjį
these Giants
the sea
across.
Something
very holy


wagánañkše,
uañgerúčgenoñk'a.
Uáñkšík
wagánañkše.
they are said to be,
these Giants.*
Human beings
they are said to be.
*this sentence was not translated.


Uañkšík
hiyá'uanàñgwire
hišge
žéskexjįnèže,
Human beings
they are like
also
to be very much like this


p. 310 —
hít'et'érašge
híwik'iskaíreže
airecanúną.
Wak'ąčáñk
they speak also
[?]
it is said.
Holy


hirežé,
uáñgeručge
ánañgre,
uañgerúčwige
wánañkše.
they are,
the Giants
it is said,
they who ate human beings
it is told.


English Translation


Source:

Paul Radin, Personal Reminiscences of a Winnebago Indian, Journal of American Folk-Lore, 26, #102 (1913): 293-318 (Sam Blowsnake narrative: 308-310). Informant: Sam Blowsnake, Thunderbird Clan.