Hocąk Text — the Were-Grizzly

Hocąk Text — the Were-Grizzly

translated by Oliver LaMère

The text is written throughout in the hand of Paul Radin, but very neatly in ink. All the words have been translated except for a few small words in a number of their occurences (ásge, égi, éja, žéjunga, žegų́, žigé). Because of fading, there are a few letters that are difficult to read. Numbers in brackets reflect earlier parallel paginations.

p. 108 [= 1 = 39] —

Éja	cinóginoñkšgùni	cínañk	xetéžą	hagaréžą
[There]	was a town	town	big	once upon a time

uáñgera	hížą	xawaníže.	Ásge	žéjuñga
man	one	was lost.	[And so]	and now

uáñgera	hanąc	wonína’ùñxjį.	Žégų	hañké
the men	all	hunt they did very much.	[Thus]	not

wažą́nižą	hipereziranìže.	Žigé	hagaréžą	žigigoñxhawàni.
anything	knew about.	[Again]	[at one time]	again [was] lost.

Žigé	woní-na-uñxjį	hañké	wažą́nižą
[So]	hunt they did	[not]	[anything]

p. 109 [= 3 = 40] —

hiperéziranìže.	"Jagú’ų	wañga-ówigùni?"	aíreže.	Kará!
they did not know about it.	"Why	are we thus?"	they said.	Listen!

žigé	werakírakuni	žigižą́	xawániže.	Hižą́
[so]	werakírakuni	again one	was lost.	One

xawáni	ásge	žigé	wonína-uñxjìniže.	Žégų
[was] lost	and so	[thus]	they hunted very much.	[Again]

hañké	wažą́ižą	hiperéziranìže.	"Hañké	jagú’ų
[not]	anything	they did not know.	"[Not]	why

tee	wañga-ówiguni,"	aíreže.	Žigé	hijóbera
this	are we thus,"	they said.	[And so]	the 4th one

xawaníže.	Žigé	žéjuñga	uáñgera	hanañcíñxjį
was lost.	[And so]	and now	men	all of them

p. 110 [= 5 = 41] —

wonína	’uñxjįnéže.	Žégų	ke	wažą́ižą
hunt	they did very much.	[Again]	not	anything

peréziranìže.	Hoxjanánikàją	hitokénika	hocíra	hojiwaíreže.
they did not know.	In the evening	the old woman	house	they came by.

Kará,	te	werakírakùni	uañkšik	pá
Say,	this	werakírakùni	man	head

cinuxgéjanañkše.	Hožígų	niñgi-óginañkìre,	égi	húñgoci-éja
was in back of her house.	So now	they ran from there,	and	the chief's house

hagiréži.	Éja	horakíreže.	"Hehé!	hitokénika
they got to.	There	they told it.	"Say!	the old woman

éwa-’unàñkšaną,	t’éwagi-anañkšaną."	Égi	húñgenoñka	wéže,
is doing it,	she is killing us."	And	the chief	said,

p. 111 [= 7 = 42] —

"Hisgéxjį	wašéže?"	Hąhą́o,	nąsúra	wacáwiną."
"The truth	are you telling?"	"Yes [indeed],	the heads	we saw."

Égi	stokíwine,	"Hąhą́,	t’ehiráwire.	Waxopini
And	gathered together,	"[Indeed],	go and kill her.	A spirit

šíšik	wo-uáñko	wa’unáñkšaną,"	éže,	aíreną,
evil	a worthless one	is why she does [it],"	he said,	they said,

húñgenoñka.	Ásge	uañgawášošera	jopíwi	hížą
the chief.	And so	the brave men [the warriors]	4 of them	one

mąhížą	hižą́	mąs	xunúniñk	égi
a knife	one	an axe	small	and

hižą́	wošá	haníže,	égi	hižą́
one	a spear	had,	and	one

p. 112 [= 9 = 43] —

nąmą́ce,	žéjuñga	haraíreže.	Hahíregi	hokawaíreže,
a warclub,	and now	they went.	When they arrived	they went inside

égi	hižą́	wešgúni,	"Kúnika	hąp
and	one	said,	"Grandmother	day

tée	šjekjanéną,"	éže.	"Jagú’ų	cekjonéže?"
this	you will die,"	he said.	"Why	will I die?"

"Égi	uáñgera	jopíwi	t’eráną,	ásge
"Here	men	four	you killed	and so

šjekjanéną."	"Hąháo!"	egáją.	Žégų	hanijínañgerèže,
you will die."	"O no!"	she said.	[And so]	they grabbed her,

wapóx	hojíneže.	Werakirakúni!	žégų	mącó
and stabbed	struck her.	Werakirakúni!	[then]	a [grizzly] bear

p. 113 [= 11 = 44] —

ho’uáñkše.	Hitokénika	écų	t’ewahíže,	hijóbik,
she became.	The old woman	instead	she killed them,	all four of them,

žéjuñga	hitokénika	réže	cináñgera	haną́c
and now	the old woman	went	to town	[all]

t’ehíže,	égi	hicųžáñgeniràšaną	hiñké	t’éži.
she killed	[but]	her granddaughter only	[not]	she killed.

Hoxjanáñgiži	hanącíñxjį	cižą	éja	stowóžuže.
In the evening	all	a house	[there]	together she put them.

Žégų	hi-ánañga	nųpíwi	š’iñxjína	hohą́že.
[Thus]	she did, and	two	fat ones	she boiled.

Tucinegi	warújera	’uñxjíñxjį	manisérecį	uáñkšik
When well done	eat	she did much	all winter	people

p. 114 [= 13 = 47] —

rujináñkają.	Hagaréžą	cébige	égi	wénañxjiñgàją
she ate.	[In time]	she ate up	[and]	[when] the real spring time

wešgúni,	"Hicųžóñgeniñkàxjį,	hoxjánañgi	níkuruconèna,"	eže.
she said,	"Granddaughter mine,	this evening	eat you I will,"	she said.

Žéjuñga	hoxjánąže.	"Ninaiäsge	kikųtágere,"	éže
Now	it was evening.	"Some water	carry for yourself,"	[said]

hitokénika,	asge	hinuñgeniñkjega	niñkų́takše.	"Égi
the old woman,	and so	the little girl	carried water.	"And

péjera	mąšją́	hot’úne,"	higéže,	ásge
the fire	much	build it up,"	she said,	and so

p. 115 [= 15 = 46] —

péjera	hot’uñkjége.	Hihinábregają	te	uáñgera
fire	she build up.	Just as she was going out	there	men

nųpíwi	égi	hahuhaíreže.	Hinuñgeníñkjega	wéže,
two	there	they were coming.	The little girl	said,

"Kúnika,	uáñgera	nųpíwi	hohéną."	"Hą,
"Grandmother,	men	two	are coming."	"Yes,

žegų	mináñgere,	écų	wahajíkje."	Égi
[and so]	sit down,	them instead	I will eat."	[And]

háji[-]o?kawaìniže.	"Ja,	kúnika,	jagú	cináñgera
they came in.	Why,	grandmother,	what	town

gixáną	nįt’unaírawis’àre?"	éže.	"Hąhą́o,	jagú’ųšge
moved	left you they have?"	she said.	"Yes,	why

p. 116 [= 17 = 47] —

wa’ú-ineže?"	"Hañké	yapérezeni	kúnika	wažą́nižą	wa’ų́
did they do it?"	["Not]	I do not know	grandmother	something	about

wániñgi-oinešgùni."	"Hañké	yaperezeni	jagú	tee
they did thus to you."	"[Not]	I know	what	this

airegáją	wánañk.	Hicųžáñgeniñk’àra	hakúruc	yakuruhóra
saying are they	do they say.	Granddaughter mine	I was about	to eat

necą́	nihaícinihàwiną,"	éže	hitokénika.	"Ho!
instead	you I am going to eat,"	she said	the old woman.	"Ho!

hañké	žéskeraniñkjanèną.	Hicakáro	saniñgéja	hanįcisáñgere."
not	that you will not do.	My friend	the other side	get a hold of her."

Hitokénika	žéjuñga	mącóxoc	kįšgúni.	Hos’ás’agànañga
The old woman	now	gray [grizzly] bear	she made herself.	She cried out

p. 117 [= 19 = 48] —

’uñxjį	núnige	kísak	horukšapíreže.	T’ehíreže,
she did very much (like a bear)	[but]	in two	they split her.	They killed her,

égi	uáñgenoñka	waíreže,	"Hąhą́,	waícgenikèxjį,
[and]	the men	they said,	"Yes,	my sister,

warújere	hinúñgeniñka,	warucé,"	aíreną.	Égi
eat	the little girl,	eat,"	they said.	And

wagairišgúni,	"Nąjoniją̀ wiñge	ásge	hajíwiną,"
they said to her,	"We bless you is the reason	and so	we came,"

aíreže.	Égi,	"Saníñk tégi	horawášerekjèną.	Éja
they said.	And,	"Over this side	you will go.	There

p.118 [= 21 = 49] —

wažąwáraga	éja	’únañkšaną,"	éže.	Wairakírakuni,
your relatives	[there]	they are at,"	he said.	Wairakírakuni,

hąhégają	hitokénika	žigé	ni-ą́p	hiraréxjį
at night	the old woman	[again]	lived	a little while

wa’únañka,	"T’éniñkjonihe,"	éže.	"Hą	citówira,
the one that did it,	"I will kill you,"	she said.	"Yes	my brothers,

céxi	hawéną."	"Ho-ho-ho!"	aíreže.	Uáñgenoñka
hardship	I've gone through."	"Hohoho!"	they said.	These men

éja	haǧebíreže.	Hitokéniñka	žigé	t’éhi.
[there]	they appeared.	The old woman	[again]	they killed.

Žéjuñga	haininégi	kéreže.	Éja	’úñkarahá’ų
[And now]	in the morning	they went home.	[There]	while going

p. 119 [= 23 = 50] —

éja	cínañkše	wážąwahìra.*	"Werakírakuni,	hakiríną."
there	they were living	her relatives.	"Werakírakuni,	I came back."

*Radin has the following note at the top of the page, which is not attached to the text by any line: "The people are supposed to come out of the ground."

"Jasgéže,	hitokéniñka?"	Égi,	"T’éhire	ásge
"How is she,	the old woman?"	[And,]	"They killed her	[and so]

hakiríną."	"Higùįsgéxjį	wašéže?"	"Hąhą́ą!"	Ásge
I came back."	"Really and truly	you say?"	"Yes indeed!"	And so

žéjuñga	žégų	uañkšígera	wa-iną́pjinihìreže.	Hinuñgázerašge
now	[again]	people	very thankful they became.	Her uncle

howažák’ų.	Hiregíži	rušjiñkáragiži.	Égi	hinuñgeníñkjega
was sick.	At that time	well she made him.	[And]	the little girl

wéže,	"Uáñgera	nųpíwi	nąjoją́ną,"	éže.
said,	"Men	two	they blessed me,"	she said.

p. 120 [= 25 = 51] —

Ásge	[hok’ų́]*	uáñgera	wot’éhira
[And so]	[give me]	men	their way of killing, hunting

*With respect to the word in brackets, Radin says, "Oliver [Lamère] didn't think this belongs here." Brackets for this words and its English counterpart were supplied by Radin.

wikisges’áže.	Píñxjį	uañkšik’íneže.	Žegúną.
she was the same as they.	Very good	they lived.	[Thus it was.]

Source:

Charlie Houghton, A Story about a Female Were-Grizzly, trs. by Oliver LaMère, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) Winnebago III, #11a: Story 28: 108-120 [= 1-25 = 39-51].