Hocąk Text — Traveler and the Thunderbird War (Version 1)
translation by George Ricehill (?)
This appears to be among the earlier MSS in the Radin collection — almost every word is translated and there are no lexical abbreviations used. The narrator is unfamiliar. The narration uses the only examples of giži and gają as sentence terminators thus far encountered.
Anything in brackets "[ ]" is material supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).
p. 126 —
Žée | hagaréžą | uañgerégi | wagų́zirešgùni | gíži. |
There | upon a time | up there | they held a council | . |
Wakjexíra | žejáñkje, | airešgúni | gíži. | Hañké |
[The] Waterspirits | should be ended, | they said | . | Not |
péže | rúxurugenàñgi | hipéreziranìną.* | Ásge | Wakanjá |
who | could do it | they did not know. | So | Thunderbird |
huñgra | híniñgra | uañgerégi | hątáginącšaną́. | Žésge |
the chief | his son | up there | he fasted. | And so |
hi-ágera. | Mąnégi | Wakjexíra | hipérezirèną. | Ásge |
he did. | Down on earth | [the] Waterspirits | knew of it. | [So] |
p. 127 —
wa-éhinàñkšaną. | Wakjexí | huñgra | hižą́ | hiniñk |
they counciled. | Waterspirit | chief | one | son, boy |
hišgúni | gíži. | "Hikiwárekèga," | higaírešgùni | rážera. |
he had | . | "Traveler," | they called him | his name. |
Žée | hagaréžą | hi-ą́jera | é | hoci-éja |
That | upon a time | his father | at | his house |
kirišgúni | gáją. | Hią́jera | hoišíp | niñgé |
he came | . | His father | always | somewhere |
higešgúni. | Ásge | hígiwañxšgùniže, | wéną, | "Jáji, |
he had been going. | [So] | he asked, | he said, | "Father, |
jagú | ’uñgáją | hoišíp | niñgerahíraježe?" | "Hoskéwa |
what | reason | always | somewhere you are going?" | "Nothing |
’ųhajíną," | higéną. | Nañgá | égi | hoišíp |
no reason have I," | he said to him. | And | there | always |
p. 128 —
woxábenigišgùniže. | Žigé, | "Winígipàñǧera | hañké | wažínišàni." |
he was very quiet. | Again, | "My question | not | you do not say anything." |
"Jagóšañkje | wašéže. | Uañgerégi | Wakanjá | huñgra |
"What you would | you ask. | Up there | Thunderbird | chief |
hiniñgrá | hątáginącànkšaną.* | Wakjexíra | žéją | híkje, |
his son | is fasting. | The Waterspirits | to end | they will, |
žésge | háginąjàñkšaną. | Ásge | náñǧiranàñkšaną. | Žésge |
so | that is his purpose. | So | they are scared. | Thus |
ha-éhi | nañke | wa’ų́ | hahí-ajèną. | Jagu |
council | there | the reason | I go there. | What |
p. 129 —
š’úñkje?" | "Hišáwañkšànañk? | Niñgéšge, | žé | wažą |
will you do about it?" | "You[']r[e] asking about it? | O well, | that | something |
wocé-xiže, | nunige | wánañk | tuxúrugenàna. | Wogirágaje. |
is not hard, | but | you say | I can do it. | Tell them about it. |
Jaguána | žesgáną | wažanókana? | Wažįšéną, | ' ’uñkáwaža.' |
I wonder | could it be | such a great thing? | You said, | 'No.' |
Žésge | haráną. | Ásge | wahéną | žigé, |
Thus | I can do [it]. | So | I say it | again, |
rahigíži | wogíragajè | égi | žigé | stóregi |
when you go | tell them | and | again | when they gather |
hakíkjanèną." | "Hąhą́." | Žigé | stóreną. | Gájuñga |
I'll be there." | "All right." | Again | they gathered. | [Then] |
Hikiwárekega | hišgé | hiną | ä́gi | hiánjera |
the Traveler | also | he went | [and] | his father |
p. 130 —
horákšaną | Hikiwárekega | jago-éra. | Ásge | Wakjexí |
he told them | the Traveler | what he said. | Thus, | Waterspirit |
huñgra | tanihúžą | hožúną | hánañga | égi |
the chief | a pipe | he filled | and then | [here] |
Hikiwárekega | tanihúra | hirawahairéną. | Wéną, | "Ho!," |
the Traveler | the pipe | they pointed at him. | He said, | "Ho!," |
ánañga, | "tanihúra | wagihíną." | Égi | wawagéną, |
said he, | "the pipe | I smoke." | [And] | he said to them, |
"Hacínja | mána | rokšínañki, | éja | cíšjañxjìna |
"Where | the earth | is deepest, | there | strong house |
hižą́ | ’ųwiáje." | "Tuxúrugikjanèną," | ánañga. | Nikúse |
one | make you." | "I will do it," | he said. | Of Mississippi |
p. 131 —
hoxúnuna* | hamą́hą | wanąga† | égi | hisawaíja‡ | éja |
small part | up stream | he went | [and] | at the end | there |
maįhagéja | cikik’uánañga. | Éja | miñkšáną. | Žégų |
on land | a house he made. | [There] | he laid. | [Thus] |
hi-ánañga | égi | uañkšígižą | hątáginąjèną* | hokit’éną. |
he did and | then | a man | fasting | he talked to him. |
Wagéną, | "Ną́jonijàną," | higéną. | Égi | uañgerégi |
He told him, | "I bless you," | he said to him. | And | up here [or, above] |
Wakanjá | huñgra | hiniñgrá | manégi | horugúcgają* |
Thunderbird | chief | his son | in earth | [when] he looked |
hajáną. | Maįhagéja | migáñk’ų | hajáną | égi |
saw him. | On earth | lying down | saw him | and |
p. 132 —
hišgé | hipérezenàñkšaną, | aíreną. | Égi | uañkšík |
too | he knew, | they said. | And | Indian |
nąjojánihera, | žigé | hokit’éže, | égi, | "Hąp |
when he blessed | [again] | he talked to him, | and, | "Day |
hąbokisáki | égi | hišjákjanèną. | Žigé | hišjákjegi |
in the middle of | [then] | you will see him. | [Again] | when you're ready to see him |
honiñgitaíkjanèną.* | Égi | hicųšgé, | higuáñga | wažínihiniñgègi, |
I will tell you. | And | my grandson, | sometimes | [when] I will ask you something, |
hinágišuñkjanèną. | Égi | hicųšgé, | téži | nąjonijána. |
you will do it. | And | my grandson, | but me | I bless you. |
Égi | jagúra | hañké | hižą | rorágųniñkjanèną, |
[And] | whatever | not | one | you will want, |
p. 133 —
higų́ | wani-oícge | jagúra | hižą́ | t’erákjegìži, |
and whenever | animal | any kind | one | you wish to kill, |
š’uñkjanéną. | Kéni | hišjáni | wagéną. | Égi |
you will do it. | Before | you saw me | I mean. | [And] |
že-éži | jagú | ragųzíkjegi | š’uñkjanéną. | Ro-áninegi |
then | what | you wish to make | you can do it. | In my body |
jagú | ragų́sgiži | žesgékjanèną. | Hąhą́, | cowéregi |
whatever | you make | it will be so. | Yes, | hereafter |
hą́beniñk | hašínina. | Hąb ijóbahaįja | wirarocą́jègi | égi |
day is [or, little day/light] | your kind [or, you have]. | Day fourth | at noon | [then] |
'Te | Wákącañk' | hišáwišonùna, | éja | hįšjákjaneną." |
'Lake | Holy' | what you used to call, | there | you will see me." |
p. 134 —
Uañgenáñgere | hąp´ | že | wagegá | éja |
These men | day | that | which he meant | there |
hijowaréną. | Égi | ašgéniñk | higáją. | Hąp |
went he there. | And | close to | he came. | Day |
tée | wirarocą́jegi | hajákjanèną. | Ašgéniñk | híną |
this | at noon | he was to see him. | Near | as he approached |
hoisáwaižą | howákšaną. | Égi | mañxíwi | nižuxócge |
a ravine | he was going down. | And | clouds | drizzly rain |
hoxeréną. | Wagaíreną, | "Horais’íñkjegi, | nuñxáwą | hois’ią́je, |
caught him. | He was told, | "If you are going to peep, | secret | peep you at him, |
žeguñgí | égi | hagúcanèną." | Uañgáñgere | nižéja |
that way | [and] | I will shoot him." | This man | on the bank |
p. 135 —
hahí | hois’iñgáją. | Égixjį | gujiréną.* | Wipámañkere |
there | looked he over. | Just then | they shot him. | A rainbow |
hirakérejijehireną. | Égi | ruą́ | haguregášge. | Tenáñgre |
they shot forth at him. | [And] | [to] lift | they came. | Thus ?there [or, the standing lake] |
nina | haną́c | hirawáje | hiruzíga. | Sgiñgerégi |
water | all | with him (he went?)* | he brought him. | Heavy he got |
ásge | hañké | ruą́ | karaíranìną. | Hakjá |
so | not | lift | him [to return] home. | Back |
nina | hówe | Wakanjájane. | Cówe | k’uhą́na |
water | went | this Thunderbird. | That way | below |
haniáñk | karainañgášge | žigé | hišgé | haga |
they took | him, but | again | he | in time |
ruą́jeną. | Hagakíc[e]šaną | hakíni | karająwíną. | Hikísge |
lift. | One at a time [alternating] | they took | back towards their place. | The same |
p. 136 —
hináñkšaną. | Égi | uañkšíkjane* | hijowarèną. | Mąhakárani-anañga. |
they did. | There | this Indian | went towards them. | His arrows he had with him. |
Hijahíną. | Horuǧújiregàją | égi | nąžijéną. | Égi |
He arrived. | [When] they looked at him | [there] | he stood. | [And] |
Wakánjajèga | wéną, | "Hikinų́bera, | uáñgera | hįcgewíną, |
the Thunderbird | he said, | "My brother, | the man | has tired me, |
hiñgigújera. | Hínagigucge | cëkjína | uangerížą | hakikuégiregi |
shoot him for me. | If you shoot him | the 1st time | a man | fight they one |
wanąnášekjèną. | Égi | Wakjexi-áka | hišgé | weną, |
you will get him. | And | the Waterspirit | also | he said, |
p. 137 —
"Hicųšgé | nąjoniją́nihèra. | Néwa’ųmàñkšaną. | Uañgera | hį́cgewiną, |
"My grandson, | I have blessed you at one time. | I am he. | The man | tired me, |
hiñgigújere." | Égi, | "Hañké | éšaną | žesgé |
shoot him for me." | And, | "Not | only | that kind |
hirukánanìną, | nišgé | žesgé | e | tuxúrukšaną. | Hikínųbra, |
he does not have charge of, | I also | that kind | [it] | can do. | My brother, |
hoské wakšaną, | gujináne. | Wonáñǧire | ’úną |
he is not telling the truth, | shoot him. | At war | when [or, to do] |
jágu | gipį́, | š’uñkjéną. | Néži | žesgé |
whatever | you like, | [you can do it]. | I | that kind |
hítukonàną." | "Hicųšgé, | hoské wakšaną. | Nąjonijáną. | Néwahamàñkšaną.* |
am in charge of." | "My grandson, | he's not telling the truth. | I bless you. | He is I (?!).* |
p. 138 —
Wanigéžare | hagaréžą | wažinigégi | hinagéš’uñkje, | hiniñgera. |
I told you | sometime | I would ask you | you would do, | I told you. |
Te-éreną. | Wágere | uáñgera | hįcgewíną, | hiñgigújere. |
This is it. | This one | the man | tired has made me, | shoot him for me. |
Jagu | áka | nišgé | žesgé | tuxúrukšaną. |
What | anytime | you | that kind | I can also do. |
Gujináne." | "Hikínųbra, | hoské wakšaną. | Hinagucgíži, | ásge |
Shoot him." | "My brother, | he did not tell the truth. | If you shoot me, | so |
nišgé | hañké | s’i | horawášaraniñkjanèną." |
you/I also* | not | long | you will not last." |
"Hicųšgé, | hoské wakšaną. | Gujináne | nąjónijañgenìną. |
"My grandson, | he is not telling you the truth. | Shoot him now. | He has blessed you already. |
p. 139 —
Jágu | hinigéga | žésgekjanèną. | Hicųšgé, | žigų |
What | he has said | will be true. | My grandson, | just |
gujináne. | T’ehági | hohíkjanèną." | Ásge | uañkšíkjane |
shoot him. | If I kill him | we will win." | So | this Indian |
mána | kuruzánañga. | Wakánjajàne | maiñgucšáną | ásge |
arrow | he took. | The Thunderbird | shoot him | and then |
k’uhánegi | howé | haniáñkaraìreną. | Égi | hagí |
below | went | they [took back] with him. | And | there |
ciwį́na | rokáneže, | aíreną. | Harúkozirèną | Wakanjájega. |
noise | on the way they made lots, | they say. | Caught they him | the Thunderbird. |
Hikéwarekèga | ewa’úną. | Téženagáną. | Wórak | tee | wágeną. |
The Traveler | he did it. | This is all. | [Story] | [this] | [I mean]. |
[1] "The Struggle between the Son of the Thunderbird and the Son of the Waterspirit," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) Story 10: 126-139 [= 45-59 = 1-27 (odd number pagination only)].