Turtle and the Giant

narrated by Charlie Houghton

interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère

English Translation

 

p. 160 —
"Hąhą́ hicakáro, hąp tée wawagáx níñgi-’uñkjanèną uáñgerucgè
["Yes] [my friend,] today writing I will make for you Giant

 

 

pį́na," e wairéną. Hąhé wigaíregi é weže, aíreną.
a good one," they said it. Moon they called him he said it, [they said.]

 

 

É tée wanáñkiciñxjįnèže aíreną. Uañgerúcgenòñka wéže,
Him this lived very close with them they did [they said]. The Giant said,

 

 

"Hicakáro, uáñkšik rújere ro-águną." "Hicakáro, žésge
"My friend, people go eat I wish." ["Friend], that kind

 

 

ragí Mą’úna hiñké wañgaípinikjanèną." éže, higuą́sgaxiri
if you do Earthmaker [not] will not like it." he said, but anyhow

 

 

p. 161 —
húže. Žéjuñga jigíži uáñkšik hokinínąìñgają Kecúñgega
he came. Now when arrived people he was trying to look for but [Turtle]

 

 

hakiránañga, mąhí akíp’ahira hik’uánañga, kisákjį rukonokhìreže,
fought with him, with knife two edged used it and, in two they cut him,

 

 

aíreną. Uañgerúcgejega nąsúra gixuxgáją. Worúšigra hokíracį
[they said.] That Giant his head they broke open. Wampum all kinds

 

 

nąsúrogra hoixjį́je, aíreną. Kecúñgega haną́cį ruzánañga
inside his head it was full, [they said]. [Turtle] all took it and

 

 

p. 162 —
tójera hoíxjį, nąpíñgiže, aíreną. Kecúñgegàšaną uañgerúcgera
his throat, neck full, wore it home, [they said]. Turtle only the Giant

 

 

wikšakšás’aže, aíreną. Mą’úna e ’uñgigíže aíreną.
he used them anyway, [they said]. Earthmaker gave him that power, [they said].

 

Source:

Charlie N. Houghton, "A Story about Turtle and a Giant," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #9, Freeman #3894. (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) 160-162.