Hocąk Text — Turtle and the Merchant

Hocąk Text — Turtle and the Merchant

interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère

Words in brackets, [...,] were missing in the MS are were therefore supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).

p. 132 —

Kecúñgega	manégi	jíną.	Cinógeniñgìžą	éja
[Turtle]	to earth	came.	A little village	there

cíže.	Hicáwina	hakižú	jiną.	Égi
he lived.	His wife	with him	[she came.]	[And]

caninégi	haną́c	éja	ciréže.	Ni xétežą
in the fall	all	[there]	they lived.	[A] large water*

*Radin has written above the English line, "Missouri?".

éja	círe	wáha honíne	égi	Waxopínina
[there]	[they] lived	looking for furs	[and]	Frenchman

waruwína	éja	ciréže,	wáha	ruwíne.
store-keeper*	[there]	they lived,	furs	buying.

*the word "buyer" is written above the English line, reflecting the literal meaning of the term.

Égi	uáñgera	wawagáxhire	warúc	waníšge
[And]	the men	got credit	for food	meat also

giwagáxire,	égi	Kecúñgega	hinké	wawagáx
they got from him on credit	[and]	[Turtle]	not	credit

p. 133 —

gigiwínine	wawagáx	rušagíkjanihèną.	Hiñké	wawagáx
he was unable	credit	he will be unable to get.	[Not]	credit

nįže,	aíreną.	Égi	hąpížą	hicáwina
get,	they said.	[And]	one day*	his wife

*'one day' is actually written above the line to replace 'no one (?!)', the punctuation apparently having been written in later.

hakaraikížu	wawagáx	égi,	"Hicakáro	nąbrónąñk.
with him	[to get] credit	[and]	"My friend	shook hands.

Wapagáx	hajíną.	Warúc	haku-ájiną."	Égi
to get credit	I came.	For food	I came after."	[And]

waruwína	roǧi	égi,	"Kécuñge	hañké
[the] trader	objected	[and,]	["Turtle]	not

wažą́	horáni	šuruxúrugeni,	aíreną.	Wawagáx
something	you hunt	you can,	[they said.]	Credit

p. 134 —

šuruš’aíkjanèną."	Žigé,	"Ho	cakaró,	wapagáx
unable for you to get."	[Again,]	["Ho]	[friend,]	[to get myself] credit

hajíną.	Warújera	hisgé	pagaíxje.	Niñkcóñgeniñgra
I came for.	Food	also	I wish to get credit for.	[The] children

tokéwehire."	"Hañkeréšge,"	uáñgera	roǧiną,	"ásge
are hungry	"Impossible,"	the man	objected,	"and so

hañka’úni."	Hožejaį́ja,	"Ho	hicakaro!	wapagáx
not I will do."	In the end,	"Ho	[friend!]	[to get myself] credit

hájiną.	Warúc	pagaíxjeną."	"Hojiá,	niñgi’úñkjanèną.
I came for.	Food	I want on credit."	"All right,	I will do it.

Hicakáro,	uañgenáñgere	roǧiréną	hañké	wažonína
[Friend,]	these men	objected	not	to hunt

p. 135 —

wašúrupìniže,	aíreną,	nunigé	žégų	nigiáñkjanèną.
do they not know,	[they said,]	[but]	[anyhow]	I will do it.*

*After this word begins a sentence inserted from the top of the page. This sentence has no accents indicated, and unlike the rest of the text, nasalized vowels are indicted by a subscripted hook rather than a superscripted small 'n' following the letter.

Égi	wawagáx	šuruš’akgekjaneną,	aíreną,	nunigé
[And]	credit	cannot (will not) you pay,*	[they said,]	but then

*the parentheses appear in the MS.

žégų	nįgiąkjaneną.*	’Yapérezšàną.	Niñkjóñgeniñk	nišgé
anyhow	I'm going to.	I knew it.	Children	I also

*This word ends the passage written in at the top of the page and connected by a line and caret to the place of insertion.

haníną.	Niñkjóñgwanina	tokéwe	hiregá	hinké
I have.	My children	hungry	when they get	[not]

nącgé	rahiñgípinišonùną,	ásge	nigi’úną."	Égi
heart	feel good it does not,	and so	I do it for you."	[And]

hąbížą	uañgenúniñka	jíže	Kecuñgéga	hoci-éja,
one day	the old man	came,	[Turtle]	to his house,

"Hicakáro,	waha	roágų,"	ánañga.	Égi,
["Friend,]	furs	I want,"	he said.	[And,]

p. 136 —

"Hó	hicakáro,	tekjéną.	Haínigi	rajikjéną."
"Ho	my friend,	to go I will.	Tomorrow	[you will] come over."

Égi	hąhéregi	haininégi	waruwína	jíže,
[And]	at night	in morning	the buyer	came,

aíreną.	Kecuñgéga	hicáwiwahìra	wakarakížu	wažónihiže.
[they said.]	[Turtle]	his wives	with him	hunt he went.

Hinúñgenoñka	e	rábera	waísak
The women	they	the beaver	kill

wagigíži.	Wajéroka	nąži	wagíži,	égi
he let them.	Naked	he stood	them,	[and]

waísak	wagigíži	hinų́bike	hicáwįwahìra	wa’u-inéže.
kill	he made them	both of them	wives his	they did.

Égi	haną́ciñxjį	ąjéja	wakųtákireže.	Égi
[And]	[absolutely] all	on shore	carried they them.	[And]

p. 137 —

waruwína	jíže.	Waruwína	harukózire
the trader	came.	The trader	he him arrested

hižúk-mowéja.	Éja	hainižą́	kiríre.	Égi
at bullet-moulding-place.	[There]	one morning	they came.	[And]

Kecuñgéga	hijahišgúni.	Hicakáro	hanañgá	háni-añkaraìreną.
[Turtle]	went there.	[The friend]	him too	they took along back.

Harukózirèną.	Wawagáx	rušákšaną.	Hani-añkaraíreną.	ásge
They arrested him.	Credit	he could not pay.	They took him back.	and so

Kecuñgéga	wahára	wokik’šúže	wajéja.	Wájera
[Turtle]	the furs	loaded them	in a boat.	The boat

hoixjį́	hosá	hicawína	gináñgigi-ànañga	rusgísgic.
full	[a certain material]*	his wife	twist rope fibers he made her	tied it.

*the bracketed material is in the MS.

p. 138 —

Hąhą́	égi	Kecuñgéga	hijomináñkšaną.	Réže,
[Yes]	[and]	[Turtle]	got in.	Went,

aíreną.	Niñkúse Xonúniñgra	harek’úže,	aíreną.	’Uąhigáją
they said.	The Wisconsin River*	he went down,	[they said.]	As he went along

*the translation has 'the Mississippi' under nikúse and 'the small part' under xonúniñgra. See the Commentary.

niná	harucéxjį	wak’aį́žą,	wak’ą́	co-ižą́
the waters	real across*	a snake,	snake	a blue [one]

*"completely across" would be more appropriate.

wa’uáñkše,	aíreną.	Éže,	aíreną,	"Hijahį́
it was,	[they said.]	He said,	[they said,]	"Another place

hinúñgre."*	Éže,	aíreną,	"Hiñké	’ųnįže,"
you set." (!)†	[He said,]	[they said,]	"Not	do it not,"

*a terminal 'a' was crossed out and an 'e' was placed above it.
†the exclamation point occurs in the MS. This entry replaces an original question mark.

aíreną.	Jobóhą	higéže,	aíreną.	"Hehó,
[they said.]	Four times	he asked it,	[they said.]	"Heho,

ne	warákik’uñkjonèną,"	éže	Kecuñgéga.	ásge
you	will bring this upon yourselves,"	[he said]	[Turtle.]	[And so]

p. 139 —

žéjuñga	mąšją́	niwáną.	’Uñgíži,	kisák
[now]	mighty hard	he rowed.	[When] he did it,	half

wak’áñka	bokónok	hiréže,	aíreną.	Égi
the snake	broke*	they did,	[they said.]	[And]

*'[by natural force]' is written at the top of the page and connected to 'broke' by a line.

Niñkúse	Hoxetéra*	hot’ą́pše	huže,	aíreną.
Miss[issippi]	the large part	he came into	this way,	[they said.]

*This is the name used to distinguish the Mississippi proper from the "Little Mississippi" (the Wisconsin River). See the Commentary.

Égi	Kecuñgéga	hižúk mowéja	éja	jíže,
[And]	[Turtle]	bullet moulding place	[there]	he came,

aíreną.	Howaréra	Waxopínina	hijajíre,	égi
[they said.]	Sure enough	the Frenchmen	they came,	[and]

Kecúñgega,	"Ho,	nąbra wonóñka,	hicakárohara.	Jasgéže
[Turtle,]	"Ho,	he shook hands,	my friend.	How is it

p. 140 —

ci uañgéja?"	"Honąsánañkšaną."	"Ho,	hacakjége	wahájeną."
upstairs?"	"He is locked up."	["Ho,]	I will see him	[that] is why I ask."

Wájera	éja	rusgíc	karat’ų́pše,	aíreną.
The boat	[there]	tied	he left it,	[they said.]

Égi	hijowáreže	ci uáñgera	howáreže,	aíreną.
[And]	he went there	upstairs	he went,	[they said.]

Éja	waruwína.	"Ho	hicakáro,	hajíną."
[There]	the trader.	["Ho]	[friend,]	I have come."

"Hą́,"	eže	waruwína.	"Hicakáro,	jánuñga
["Yes,"]	he said	the trader.	["Friend,]	how much

šurušákają	haninañkózireže?	Hicakáro,	wahá	hani-ąjíną.
did you owe	that they arrested you?	[Friend,]	furs	I brought with me.

p. 141—

Wawagáx	kawažáre."	ásge	t’ąpiréže,	wajéja
Credit	pay off."	And so	they came down,	to the boat

hahíreže.	Mąhį́ xeterá	rokáną.	Žégų	wajáñgere
they went.	White people	plenty there were.	[Now]	this boat

žégų	hixgáñxgą	míñkše.	Rábera	wa’uinéže.
indeed	tremble would	it lay.	Beaver	did it.

ásge	Kecuñgéga	wéže,	"Hocincíniñgwira,	hañkší
And so	[Turtle]	said he,	"Boys,	up high

nąžíwine."	Égi	žéjuñga	rabera	warusiréže,
stand you."	[And]	[then]	beaver furs	they took them,

égi	gikárap’irèže	égi	waruwína	jánañga
[and]	counted them	[and]	trader	how much

waruwį́jega	ruš’áki	haną́c	hirowehíže.*	Égi
the trader	he owed	[all]	paid.	[And]

*at the bottom of the page is written "hirowe hi, hirowe ra, hirowe na."

p. 142 —

hagikíniže.	"Hicakáro,	žégų	rúzere.	Woruwócira
some left over.	["Friend,]	[now then]	take it.	A store

pik’úne."	"Hojá,"	waruwína	eže,	aíreną.
fix you up."	"All right,"	the trader	he said,	[they said.]

"Hąhą́,	žejúñga	Kecuñgéga	kerekjáneže?"	aireną.
["Yes,]	[well then]	[Turtle]	is it to go home?"	[they said.]

Égi,	"Hicakáro,	warújere,"	eže,	aíreną.
[And,]	["Friend,]	eat,"	he said,	[they said.]

Waruwína	wéže,	aíreną.	Kecuñgéga	wéže,
The trader	said,	[they said.]	[Turtle]	[said,]

"Hicakáro,	hañké	tokéwehenìną,"	éže,	aireną.
[Friend,]	[not]	hungry I am not,"	[he said,]	[they said.]

p. 143 —

"Hicakáro,	pejenína	hisgé	tacgą́	gipįnána,"
"My friend,	whiskey	some	I drink	would be good,"

éže,	aíreną.	"Hojá."	Kokížą	Kecuñgéga
[he said,]	[they said.]	"All right."	A barrel	[Turtle]

gixúxše,	aíreną.	Égi	haníjinañgànañga	racgą́že
broke open,	[they said.]	[And]	he got hold of it [and]	drank it up

rasgépše,	aíreną.	Égi	Kecuñgéga	kerekarohógi
entirely,	[they said.]	[And]	[Turtle]	when ready to go home

wéže,	"Hicakáro,	pejenína	hisgé	hani-áñkerekjèną,"*
[he said]	["Friend,]	whiskey	some	I'll take home with me,"

*the ending -aneną is crossed out and èną written in above it.

éže,	aíreną.	Hąhą́,	hąbížą	wa-ehíreže,
[he said,]	[they said.]	[Well,]	a day*	they had a council,

*"one day" would be better.

égi	Mą’úna	jagú	egíži	Kecuñgéga
[and]	Earthmaker	what	he said	[Turtle]

p. 144 —

haną́cį	horákše,	aíreną.	ásge	Waxopinináñka
[all of it]	he told,	[they said.]	And so	[to] the Frenchman

wéže,	"Hąhą́,	hisgé	wahéną.	Žesgekjéną.
[he] said	["Yes,]	truth	I said.	Be it so.

Jajaíñxjį	manáñgere	uañkšíg’a-iñgìži	hoišípjį	žésgekjanèną,"
As long [as]	this earth	as human I live	always	it will be thus,"

éže,	aíreną.	ásge	épa	wahára
[he said,]	[they said.]	[And so]	since then	the furs

piñkísge	wahiąhú-ireže,	aíreną.	Hąhą́,	Kecuñgéga
good piece	they gave for them,	[they said.]	[Yes,]	[Turtle]

haną́c	piníže,	aíreną	uañkšígera	Waxopínina.
[all]	they fixed,	[they said]	the people	the Frenchman.

p. 145 —

Hąhą́,	Kecuñgéga	žéjuñga	keréže,	aíreną.
[Yes,]	[Turtle]	[then]	went home,	[they said.]

Niñkúsera	hamą́hą	keréže,	aíreną.	Pejeníkogra
The Mississippi	went up	[he went] home,	[they said.]	Whiskey barrels

jopíwi	wajéja	hokéreže,	aíreną.	Hagaréžą
four	in the boat	put he in,	[they said.]	At a time

gíže,	aíreną.	Égi	uañkšígera	wawogírakše,
got home,	[they said.]	[And]	the people	he told them,

aíreną.	"Gájuñga	pį	uañkšíkš’iñkjanàwiną.*	Hąhą́,
[they said.]	["And now]	good	you [will] live.	[Yes,]

*the ending -èną is crossed out and àwiną written above it.

žegúną.	Hi-ą́chihiwira	tée	pi’ųhíšige	wa’ųhajíną.
that's all.	Father ours	this	fix he told me	is why I came here.

p. 146 —

Jobóhañgi	hakérekjanèną.	Hąhą́	hąp	tée
Four days from now	I will go home.	[Yes,]	day	this

hakérekjanèną.	Hagaréžą	manáñgere	wažanaížą	hiñké
I am going home.	[At one time]	this earth	something	not

piniñgí	žigé	hájikjanèną,"	éže,	aíreną.
good	[again]	I will come,"	[he said,]	[they said.]

Hąhą́,	keréže,	aíreną.	Uañgerégi	howá
[Yes,]	he went home,	[they said.]	Up above	went

keréže,	aíreną.	Žégų.
he did,	[they said.]	[That's all.]

Source:

Charlie Houghton, Turtle and the Merchant, translation by Oliver LaMere, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3894 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago III, #9: 2-29 = 132-146.