Hotcâk Syllabic Text -- Trickster and the Children

translated by John Baptiste

English Translation

p. 39 --

e Ki.
e tt.
ow Ai K tt.
te we r Ki.
w Ki d
Égi
édja
'úwahigadjâ,
dewéraki,
wâkijâ
And
there
as he was going along,
to his surprise,
a man

e tt
owK deAe.
Ao Ao.
e de.
w Ktt K K.
édja
'ûwâkce.
"Hohó,"
éje
Wakdjâkaga.
there
he was.
"Ho ho,"
said he
Trickster.

Ai roAoKo A s
Ki Ki Ao we
owK.
e de.
"Hisûkhara,
gigihowe
'ûwâk,"
éje.
"My younger brother,
here he is walking
[he is,"]
he said.

p. 40 --

Ai roAo Ki tti
tt Ko
Ao we
doo dA wK deAe.
e de.
"Hisûgidjî,
djagú
howe
c'ucawâkce?"
éje,
"My younger brother,
what
about
you are doing?"
he said,

no ni Ke.
Ai Ke
Ki xA li s ni de.
w K K.
n m ttAe d
nunige
hîké
gixapiranîje.
Wâkaga
nâmâtcejâ
but
not
he did not answer.
The man
a club

A ni
w owK deAe.
we de.
w K Kese.
Ao Ao.
hani
wa'ûwâkce.
Wéje
wâ´gere,
"Hohó,
he had
he did.
Said he
this man,
"Oh oh,

nyi di
ni Ktt Kini Ks.
toyi Ki Ke we Ai xitti ne Ke n.
naiji
nîkdjâknîkara
toikikewehixdjînegenâ,"
[by now]
my children
they are very hungry,"

p. 41 --

e de.
w Ktt K K.
wi wx s.
w we rK
no ni Ke.
éje.
Wakdjâkaga
wiwâxera
wawesga,
nunige
he said.
Trickster
questions
he was bothersome,
but

Ai K K
Ki xA li s ni de.
wK tt ne
w o de.
mo doo Ki d
hîkaga
gixapiranîje.
wâkdjâne
wa'ûje:
moc'ogijâ
never
he was not answered.
The man
he doeth [sic] this
a knoll

e Ki
n Ki.
n m tteAey K
Ai ow n K.
égi
nâkí
nâmâtceiga
hi'ûwanâga
there
it was
the club
he used it [and]

Ao tti de.
we s Ki.
w to Ki d.
Ki rAK deAe.
de Ko
hodjije.
wéraki,
wadokijâ
gisákce.
Jegû´
he struck it.
To their surprise,
a large, old bear
he killed.*
Thus

*the translation adds, "by club."

Aiy n K.
leAe tti d
Ao too de.
e tt.
Ao tt Kese.
hianâga
pedjijâ
hot'ûje.
Édja
hûdjkere
he had done, then
a fire
he built.
There
the bear

A t dA s Ai de.
so dtt Ki di.
s xi d.
so r n K.
Ao A de.
hadacarahîje.
Rucdjâgiji,
raghijâ
ruzánâga
hohâ´je.
he burned off the hair.
When he was done,
a pail
he had taken [and]
he boiled it.

p. 43 --

e Ki.
Ai Kow n.
wy re de.
xA lee Ai Kiy n K.
Égi
higûwânâ
waiseje.
"Xap'ehigiyanâga
And
immediately
he dished it out.
"Hurry up, [and]

ni Ktt Ks.
toyi Ki Ke we Ai xitti n Ko ni
a n K
w o nK deAe.
nîkdjâkara
doyikikewehixdjînâgûnî,"
ánâga.
Wa'ûnâkce.
the children
they must be very hungry,"
he was saying.
He was doing it.

n w reKeyi d.
Ao ow n K.
ni lA n.
Ki re de.
Nâwasgeijâ
ho'ûwanâga
nipana
giseje.
A wooden bowl
he used [and]
soup
he dished out.

Aoyi riAi ni de.
e Ki
w o de.
w te xoAoyi d
Hoisinije.
Égi
wa'ûje.
Wadexuyijâ
He cooled it off.
And
he did.
A bladder

p. 44 --

ni ttK nK tte Ki di.
Ko soro reAe.
so deKe de.*
te we s Ki.
nitcganâkdjegiji
kuruze
ruckéje.
Dewéraki
he had attached to his belt
that he took
he untied it.
To his surprise

*a period occurs after /deKe/ by mistake.

ni Ktt Kini Ks.
tto liAi
e tt
so e de.
de Ko.
nîkdjâknîkara
djopi
édja
rueje.
Jegû´
wee children
four
there
he uncovered.
[Then]

w ni
K s Ke se Ke se de.
w Ktt K K.
w tte de.
wanî
kara kere kereje.
Wakdjâkaga
wádjeje,
[beings ?]
he talked to them lovingly.
Trickster
he was saying,

p. 45 --

Ao Ao
Ai roAo Ki tti.
A K w d.
ni KttK niKi
liAi
"Hohó
hisûgidjî,
hagáwajâ
nîkdjâknîk
pî
"Oh oh
my younger brother,
what
little children
fine

A diAi ni d.
a tte de.
e Ki.*
w sotto
w Ki Ki de.
hacînî´ja,"
adjeje.
Égi
warudj
wagigije.
you own,"
he was saying.
And
to eat
he let them.

*there are two parallel bars just after the period, the significance of which is unclear.

Ai Ko
w tK niKi
sotto
w Ki Ki de.
e Ki.
higû
wadáknîk
rudj
wagigije.
Égi
But
not so very much
to eat
he let them.
And

so dtt Ki di.
di Ke.
w te xoAowe tt
wo Kodow n K.
rucdjâgiji,
jigé
wadexuwedja
wokcuwanâga
when he was done,
again
into the bladder
he had put them in and

p. 46 --

w ni K s ttK nK deAe.
e Ki.
w o de.
n
a K s tteKe
wanikaratcganâkce.
Égi
wa'ûje:
nâ
akáratcgé
he carried them hanging from his belt.
And
he doeth this:
[tree]
branches

so diAi diAi d n K.
e tt.
wo A tte K.
Ki re de.
A ntt.
rucicijanâga
édja
wohadjega
giseje,
hanâtc´.
he had broken off and
then
the kettle
he dished out
all of it.

e Ki
Ai tt
mi n K n K.
w sotto deAe.
tteAe li de.
Égi
hidja
mînâganâga
warudjce.
Tcepije.
And
there
he sat he did then
he ate.
He [finished] all of it.

di Ke.
ni lA n s.
riAi ni Aiy n K.
se xs.
Ao xo woKo K n K.
Jigé
nipanara
sinihianâga
rexara
hoxûwoganâga
Again
the soup
he cooled [and]
the pail
he drank from and

p. 47 --

s reKele deAe.
e Ki.
we de.
A A.
e de.
rasgépce.
Égi
wéje,
"Hâhâ´,"
éje,
[finished it completely.]
Then
said he,
"Now,"
he said,

Aoyi dA A tte Ke tti ni.
A Ke
Ao ni Ki ta ni
A tte n.
hoicahadjegedjînî
hâké
honikit'anî
hadjénâ,"
I am busy therefore
not
I did not talk with you
I had,"

e de.
e Ki.
w Ktt K K.
we de.
Ai roAo Ki tti.
éje.
Égi
Wakdjâkaga
wéje,
"Hisûgidjî,
he said.
Then
Trickster
said he,
"My younger brother,

p. 48 --

A K w d.
ni KttK
w xtt niKi
A diAi ni d.
hagáwajâ
nîkdjâk
waxdjanîk
hacînî´ja.
truly indeed
children
[rather funny]*
you own.

*the translation has "very beautiful". In this context, it might mean "cute".

Ai rAo Ki tti
no liAi wi
niKi
Ai deKe
deKe
Hisûgidjî,
nûpiwi
nik
hicgé
cke
My younger brother,
two of them
[young ones]
[myself]
[also]

Ai s K s tte deKe.
ni Ktt KiniKi
Ai w ttAo s.
e de.
hirakaradjecge
nîkdjâknîk
hiwatcora,"
éje.
supposing that I should care for
little children
our,"
he said.

p. 49 --

Ai Ke se deKe.
de rKe
Ai to xoAo so Kini n.
w ni Ktt K K tt.
"Hîkerecge,
jesge
hiduxuruginînâ.
Wanikdjâkagadjâ,
"Not so,
that
I could not do.
[As] you are tricky,

tee
wy s Ki Ki doo ni n de.
e de.
K tt.
t'e
wairágigic'ûnínâje,"
éje.
Gadjâ
dead
you would make them for me,"
he said.
[After that]*

*the translation has "when".

w Ktt K K.
we de.
Ao Ao
Ai rAo Ki tti
Wakdjâkaga
wéje,
"Hohó
hisûgidjî,
Trickster
said he,
"Oh no
my younger brother,

w so K n w di deAe.
wo Ki xAl
w Ke Ke
warokanawajije.
Wokíxap
wagege
you have made too much of it.
For their companionship
[I want]*

*the translation has "I asked for".

p. 50 --

w A tte n.
tt rKe
wi s s K s s tte Ki
wahádjenâ.
Djasge
wirarakarardjegi
[that is why] I am saying [it].
In whatever way
you are taking care of them

Ai deKe
de rKe
A n n.
e de.
a tt o
hicge
jesge
hanânâ,"
éje.
ádja'û
also
the same
I would do,"
he said.
[Saying this]*

*translated as, "Continuing, finally".

s xoAo soKo dAe.
e Ki.*
n m ttAeyi d.
Ki o de.
e Ki.
raxurukce.
Égi
nâmâtceijâ
ki'ûje.
Égi
he persuaded him.
And
a club
he made for him.
And

*this is written /e Ke/ the presumption being that the last letter looks like an /e/ mainly because it was not dotted.

se xs.
w reKe s.
wo Koo de.
e Ki.
Aotto
rexara
wasgéra
wok'ûje.
Égi
hûdj
the pail
the plate
he gave to him.
And
bear

p. 51 --

tee Ai K.
te xs.
de e
e tt
no liAi wi
t'ehiga,
deghara
jee
édja
nûpiwi
that he had killed,
the bladder
[these]
there
two of them

Ao Ki K nK deAe.
e Ki.
w Ke de.
A A.
w Ktt K s.
hokikanâkce.
Égi
wageje,
"Hâhâ´
Wakdjâkara,
he put them for him.
And
he said to him,
"Now
Trickster,

te e
tee w s Ki di.
dette Ktt ne n.
Ai Ko A ttiAi tt.
dee
t'ewaragiji,
cdjekdjanénâ.
Higû hatcidja
these
if you kill them,
you shall die.
Where so ever

doo s tt o.
e tt
tee w s Ki
e tt
A Ki K w a n K.
c'ûradja'û,
édja
t'ewaragi,
édja
hagikawâ'ânâk
you may be,
there
if you kill them,
there
I shall rise up

p. 52 --

tee ni Ktt ne n.
Ai s K s tte.
wi d K.
w sotto
t'enikdjanenâ.
Hirakaradje.
Wijâga
warudj
I shall kill you.
You keep that.
Once a month
to eat

w Ki Ki A tte n.
A Ke
Ai tt Ai niy tte.
Ai tt s Ki di.
wagigihadjenâ.
Hâké
hidjahiniyadje.
Hidjaragiji,
give them something.
Not
do not change from it.
If you change from it,

tee w s Ktt ne n.
tt rKe
A se
A dtt n.
de rKe
t'ewarakdjanenâ.
Djasge
hare
hacdjanâ.
Jesge
you will kill them.
What
I have done,
you have seen.
That

p. 53 --

Aiy tte.
Ai Ke de.
e Ki.
w Ktt K K
we de.
hiádje,"
higeje.
Égi
Wakdjâkaga
wéje,
do,"
he said to him.
And
Trickster
said he,

Ai roAo Ki tti
Ai dA s tte Ke n
ni xoKo K tt.
de rKe
"Hisûgidji
hicaradjege
nanixkûgadjâ,
jesge
"My younger brother,
you have been saying
and I have heard,
that

A Ktt n Ae n.
e de.
e Ki.
Ki so ttA wi de.
hakdjanahenâ,"
éje.
Égi
girutcawije.
I will do,"
he said.
And
they separated.

p. 54 --

w te xoAo s.
w ni K s ttK nK.
Ki so ttAy se de.
Ai Ke.
Wadexura
wanikaratcganâk
girutcaireje.
Hîké
The bladders
they attached to their belts
they separated.
Not

rii xitti ni de.
ow Ai K tt.
we de.
Ao Ao.
ni Ktt Kini Ks.
s'ixdjînîje.
'Úwahigadjâ,
wéje,
"Hohó,
nikdjâknîkara
it was not very long.
As he went along*
he said,
"Oh oh,
the children

*translated as, "When as he went along, suddenly,".

ny di.
toyi Ki Ke we Ai se Ko ni
e de.
tt Ko
naiji
doikikewehiregûnî,"
éje.
"Djagú
about [now]
they are hungry [perhaps],"
he said.
"What

Ai A mK
w sotto
w K s K se A Kette n.
a n K.
e tt.
[hihanâk´]*
warudj
wakaragarehakdjenâ,"
ánâga.
Édja
I am saying?
To eat
I will let them,"
he had said.
There

*the last syllable of the syllabic text is clearly written as /mK/, an unattested form which almost certainly should have been /nK/.

p. 55 --

mo doo Ki d n K.
n m ttAe s.
Ai Koow n K.
Ao tti de.
moc'ogijânâga
nâmâtcera
hik'ûwanâga
hodjije.
a knoll and
the club
he used [and]
he struck it.

w to Ki d.
Ki rAK deAe.
xA lii
Kiy n K.
leAe tto too de.
Wadokijâ
gisákce.
xap'i
kiánâga
pedjot'ûje.
A large, old bear
he killed.
Hurriedly
he did [and]
a fire he built.

e tt
Ao tts.
A tt dA s Ai de.
tt tti ne tt.
m de dey n K.
Édja
hûdjra
[hadacarahîje.]*
Djadjinedjâ
mâjejeyanâga
There
the bear
he burned off the hair.
Already
he cut it up [and]

*the second syllable of the syllabic text is clearly written as /tt/, an unattested form which almost certainly should have been /t/.

p. 56 --

Ao A de.
ttAo we xitti.
Ai tt xeAe se Ki.
tt tti ne tt.
hohâ´je.
Tcowéxdjî
hidjaxeregi,
djadjinedjâ
he boiled it.
Just a little
[after] it had begun to boil,
quickly

wy re Ki ni de.
Aoyi riAi ni de.
riAi ni Ai Ki di.
waiseginîje.
Hoisinije.
Sinihigiji,
he [already] dished it out.
He cooled it off.
When he had cooled it,

w te xoAo s
Ko so e de.
we de.
ni Ktt KiniKi w ni s.
wadexura
kurueje.
Wéje,
"Nikdjâknîkwanira,
the bladder
he opened up.
Said he,
"My little children,

w K s Ko no ni xitti n.
a n K.
w Ko so e de.
wakarakununixdjînâ,"
ánâga.
Wakurueje.
I am lonesome for them very much,"
he had said.
He uncovered them.

p. 57 --

w sotto
w Ki Ki de.
n w reKe tte K
Aoyi xitti
Warudj
wagigije.
Nâwasgedjega
hoíxdjî
[To eat]
[he let them.]*
That wooden bowl
full

*this sentence is translated as, "He fed them."

wo K de.
e xitti
Ai s ni Ae s.
so K n
w w Ki o de.
wogáje.
Exdjî
hiránihera,
rokana
wawaki'ûje.
he gave to them.
In spite of all
he was commanded,
very much
he did to them.

de Ko
Aiy n K.
w te xe tt
wo Kodow n K.
jegû´
hianâga
wadexedja
wokcuwanâga
Then
after he did this
into the bladder
he had put them and

p. 58 --

w ni K s ttK nK K n K.
n
A w diAidi K nK K n K.
wanikaratcganâkanâga
nâ
hawacickanâkanâga
dangling upon his belt [and]
wood
he had gathered together broken pieces

e
Ai tt
mi n K n K.
tteAe li di.
ni lA n s
e
hidja
mînâganâga
tcepiji
nipanara
he
there
he sat [and]
he ate it up
the soup

deKe.
se xs.
Ao xo wo K n K
s reKele deAe.
e Ki
cke
rexara
hoxûwoganâga
rasgépce.
Égi
also
the pail
he drank from and
[finished it completely.]
Then

p. 59 --

di Ke
to w se de.
w niyo tteKe
tt n K Ki di.
A ntt
jigé
dowareje.
waniyotcge
djánâgagiji
hanâtc´
again
he went on.
The animals
all there are
all

w Ktt K K
Ai Ky se de.
Ai Ko
di Ke.
xA lee niKi.
"Wakdjâkaga"
higaíreje.
higû
jigé
xap'enîk
"Tricky One"
they called him.
[Now]*
again
in a little while

*translated as "this".

e xitti
to Ke we Ai de.
ni KttK niKi n K di.
wi d K
exdjî
dokéwehije.
"Nikdjâknîknâkaji
wijâga
himself
he was hungry.
"[At least] the little children those
once a month

p. 60 --

dA n.
w so tti Ktte
ay s no ni Ke.
e xitti di
w sotto
cana
warudjikdje,"
airanunige
exdjîji
warudj
only
they were to eat,"
they said, [but]
he himself
food

so Ko Ki ni de.
e rKe
e tt.
di Ke
we de.
rokoginîje.
Ésge
édja
jigé
wéje,
he was in want.
Therefore,
there
again
he said,

Ao Ao
ni Ktt Kini Ks.
ny di
toyi Ki Ke we Ai se Ko ni.
"Hohó,
nikdjâknîkara
naiji
doikikewehiregûnî,"
"Oh oh,
the children
about time
they were hungry [perhaps],"

e de.
A A.
A K Ki
w sotto
w K s Ki se A Kette n.
éje.
"Hâhâ´
hagaki
warudj
wakaragirehakdjenâ,"
he said.
"Now,
for that
to eat
I shall have made them,"

p. 61 --

a n K.
mo doo Ki d
e tt
n KiAi
Ao tti Ki ni de.
ánâga.
Moc'ogijâ
édja
nâkí
hodjîginîje.
he had said.
A knoll
there
it was
already he had struck.

w to Ki d.
tee Ai de.
tt tti ne tt.
leAe tto toow n K.*
Wadokijâ
t'ehije.
Djadjinedjâ
pedjot'ûwanâga
A monstrous bear
he had killed.
Already
a fire he built [and]

*the MS has /to/ for the second syllable.

A t dA s.
Aiy n K.
Ki de dey n K.
Ao A Ki ni de.
hadacara
hianâga
gijejeyanâga
hohâginîje.
he burnt off the hair
he did [and]
he cut it up [and]
already he had boiled it.

p. 62 --

tt tti ne tt.
xeAe se Ki di.
wy re Ki ni de.
Ai rKe
Djadjinedjâ
xeregiji,
waiseginîje.
Hisgé
Quickly following
when it boiled,
dished out he did quickly.
When

Ai rKe
riAi ni Ai Ki di.
w te xoAo s.
Ko so e K tt.
Hisgé
sinihigiji,
wadexura
kuruegadjâ,
Some
when he had cooled it,
the bladder
when he had opened it,

te we s Ki.
ta nK deAe.