Hotcâk Text -- Trickster Loses Most of His Penis

translation by Oliver LaMère


The syllabic text appears to have been written in pencil in large and, for the most part, clear letters. It was transcribed in syllabic script by Sam Blowsnake from oral presentations made by an old member of the tribe living in Nebraska in 1912. The interlinear translation for the Trickster Cycle was done initially by John Baptiste, who was later replaced by Oliver LaMère. This portion of the cycle was translated by Oliver LaMère.


English Translation


p. 381 --

e tt
Ao we
ow Koo.
te we s Ki
e tt
édja
howe
u'wák'û,
dewéraki,
édja
There
he was going about
[as he did it],
unexpectedly,
there


ow Ai K tt.
Ai Ki tt xitti se Ki.
w di d
n w de.
we de
'úwahigadjâ
hikidjâxdjîregi
wajîjâ
nâwâ´je,
wéje,
as he was going
right by his side
something
sang,
saying,


p. 382 --

w Ktt K.
tt Ko
s Ko so Kii
se s
s Ko so Kii.
"Wakdjâka,*
djagú
rakorok'î?
Rera
rakorok'î."
"Trickster,
what
are you packing?
Your privates
do you pack."

*dropping the -ga (suffixed to indicate a personal name) can be considered disrespectful.


Aow.
e de
tt Ko
diAi diAi Ki d.
di Ke
te e
"Howá!"
éje.
"Djagú
cicigíjâ.
Jigé
dee
"Oh!"
he said.
"What
a bad one.
[Furthermore]
this


tt Ko
e K tt
w nK.
tt Ko
A Kii
djagú
egádjâ
wánâk?
Djagú
hak'î
what
does it mean to say?
What
I am carrying


Ki A Ke Ai Ki tt ni Kini
e de.
de Ko
di Ke
kihâkehikidja-nîgini
éje.
jegû´´
jigé
he [himself] has full knowledge of,"
he said.
Then
again


p. 383 --

de Ki xitti
ttA
we de.
ow Ai K tt.
Ai Ki tt xitti se Ki.
jegixdjî
tcâ
wéje,
'úwahigadjâ
hikidjâxdjîregi
in a certain direction
it said,
as he went
right by his side


di Ke
we s Ki.
w Ktt K.
tt Ko*
s Ko so Kii.
jigé
wéraki,
"Wakdjâka,
djagú
rakorok'î?
again
unexpectedly,
"Trickster,
what
are you packing?

*the text has so in place of Ko.


doAo tteKe Ai s
ttAi K nK.
e de.
Aow
tt Koyi d
Cotcgehira
tcikanâk,"
éje.
"Howá!
djaguyijâ
His testicles
a pair,"*
he said.
"Oh!
what [one]

*the text has "together with," but I take tcikanâk to be a variant of tcik-konâk, "a pair".


p. 384 -

te e
w n K tt.
Ao we Ai
we riAi wi
dee
wanâkadja?
Howehi
wesîwî´
this
that says it?
[Going] around
he was watching


tte Ko ni.
tt Ko
w Kii s
liAi
A K s Kii Kette n.
djegúni.
Djagú
wak'îra
hakarak'îkdjenâ,"
[he did].
[How]
my pack
right
I will pack,"


a n K.
a K s ttAo de.
e Ki.
so n
anâga
akaratcúje.
égi
runâ.
he said and
he emptied it out.
Then
over he turned them.


ttA K s do de.
e Ki.
doAo tteKe s
ttA wi s
Tcakarajuje.
égi
cotcgera
tcawira
[He placed them on his own back].
Then
his testicles
next to his back


p. 385 --

w ttAl deAe.
de Ko
Aiy n K.
we s Ki xitti
di Ke
watcapaje.
jegû´´
hianâga
werakixdjî
jigé
he put them.
Thus
he did and
[most unexpectedly]
[again]


ttA we de.
di Ke
we s Ki.
Ai Ki tt xitti se Ki.
w Ktt K
tcawéje.
Jigé
weráki
hikidjâxdjîregi,
"Wakdjâka
anywhere he went.
Again
unexpectedly
[right] at his side,
"Trickster


tt Ko
s Ko so Kii
tt Ko
s Ko so Kii.
doAo tteKe Ai s
djagú
rakorok'î?
Djagú
rakorok'î?
Cotcgehira
what
are you packing?
What
are you packing?
[His] testicles


w ttAl.
doAo tteKe Ai s
w ttAl.
e de.
Aow
watcapa.
Cotcgehira
watcapa,"
éje.
"Howá!
placed underneath.
His testicles
placed underneath,"
he said.
"Ah!


p. 386 --

tt Ko
diAi diAi Kitti d
Ai s ditti.
tt Ko o
djagú
cicikdjîjâ
hîrajitc.
Djagú-u
what
a bad thing
that teases me.
[How]


w Kii s
Ai Ki we riAi wi Ko ni
a n K.
di Ke
wak'îra
higiwesîwîguni,"
anâga.
Jigé
my pack
he must have watched,"
he said.
Again


w Kii s
liAi Koo de.
se lA s.
e ttA
Ai A K tt
wak'îra
pîk'ûje.
Repara
etca
hihagadjâ
his pack
he fixed.
The head of his private
[instead]
on top


p. 387 --

toolo deAe.
de Ko
Aiy n K.
te we s Ki xitti
t'ûpce.
jegû´´
hianâga
dewerakixdjî
he put.
Thus
he did and
[quite unexpectedly]*

*translated as "just anywhere".


Ao w se de.
di Ke
we s Ki.
Ai Ki tt ne Ki.
w Ktt K
howareje.
Jigé
weráki
hikidjânegi,
"Wakdjâka,
he went.
Again
unexpectedly
at his side,
"Trickster,


tt Ko
s Ko so Kii.
se s
s Ko so Kii.
se lA.
djagú
rakorok'î?
Rera
rakorok'î.
Repa
what
are you packing?
Your private
you are packing.
The head of the private


Ai A Ke tt
toolo
se lA
Ai Ke tt
toolo.
hihagédja
t'ûp,
repa
higedja
t'ûp,"
on top
he placed,
the head of the private
on top
he placed,"


p. 388 --

e de.
Aow
tt Koyi d
te e
w n K tt.
éje.
"Howá!
djaguîjâ
dee
wanâkadjâ?"
it said.
"Ah!
what [one]
this
that says it?"


a n K.
A tal lK tt.
Kiyr nK deAe
ti. Ki. ti. Ki. ti. Ki. ti. Ki.
anâga.
Hat'âpgadjâ
kiasnâkce.
"Ti ki ti ki ti ki ti ki,"
he said.
He jumped towards him
and it ran away.
"Ti ki ti ki ti ki ti ki,"


a n K
no loAo xi d
e tt
Aoy K w nK deAe.
Ae tteKe ni Ki d
anâga.
Nopoxijâ
édja
hoikawanâkce.
Hedjgenîkijâ
it said.
A hollow tree
into
it ran.
A chipmunk


p. 389 --

w o de.
dette Ktt ni Ae n.
Ai soyi se
w dA dA n KeK.
wa'ûje.
"Cdjekdjanihenâ,
hiroyire
wacacânâkeka.
it was that did it.
"You will die,
homely
you thing that said it.


A A.
Ai roAo Ki tti.
ne
s Ki doo Kette n.
ni s ditti dA n
Hâhâ´,
hisûgidjî
ne
ragic'ûkdjena
nirajitccanâ
Now then,
my younger brother,
you
you may attend to him
as he teased you


rii
a n K.
se s.
ni Ke
a ttAo de.
s'i,"
ánâga.
Rera
nîge
âtcúje.
a long time,"
he said.
His private
[someplace]
he took out.


p. 390 --

e Ki
e
Ai ow n K.
n xoAo loAo x K.
Ao w K sK deAe.
égi
e
hi'ûwánâga
nâxopoxka
howakárakce,
Then
this
he used and
the hollow log
he probed,


K tt.
A Ke
Ao de tt s
A w ttAl ni de.
di Ke.
gadjâ
hâké
hojédjâra
hawatcapnîje.
Jigé
but
not
the end
he could not reach.
Again


ni Ke
a ttK n K n K.
di Ke
Ao w K sK deAe.
di Ke
nîgé
âdjkânâkanâga
jigé
howakárakce.
Jigé
some more
he took out more of it and
again
he probed.
Again


p. 391 --

Ai Ke
Ao de tt s
A w ttAl ni de.
di Ke
ni Ke.
hîké
hojédjâra
hawatcapnîje.
Jigé
nîgé
not
the end
he did not reach with it.
Again
some more


Ki si x n K.
a ttK nK deAe.
di Ke
Ao w K sK deAe.
di Ke
kirixanâk
âdjkânâkce.
Jigé
howakárakce.
Jigé
he unwound
he took out.
Again
he probed.
Again


A Ke
Ao de tt s.
A w ttA lini de.
K tt K.
Ao t n Ki di
hâké
hojédjâra
hawatcapnîje.
Gadjâga
hodanâkiji
not
the end
he could not reach.
So now
the remainder of it


p. 392 --

A ntt
a ttK nK deAe.
Ko Ks
m s Ai de.
di Ke
hanâtc´
âdjkânâkce.
Kokra
mârahije.
Jigé
[all]
he took out.
The box
it was emptied.
Again


o de.
Ao w K sK deAe.
de Ko de.
A Ke
Ao de tt s.
'ûje,
howakárakce.
jegû´´je.
Hâké
hojédjâra
he did it,
he probed into it.
Thus it was.
Not
the end


A w ttA lini de.
de tt K.
Ai tt
tti n.
K n K.
howatcapnîje.
Jedjâga
hidjâ
djínâ
anâga
he could not reach.
So then
[there]
[he came]*
and

*this is translated very liberally as "he sat up to the log".


Aoyi tts
Ai s w roAo ttiAi
no ni Ke.
de Ko
Ai Ke
hoidjara
hirawasûdji
nunige
jegû´´
hîké
as far as he could
he probed [closely]
but
still
not


p. 393 --

A w ttA lini de.
Aow
a n K.
A ni Ko K tt
te we s Ki
hawatcapnîje.
"Howá!"
anâga.
Hanikugadjâ
dewéraki
he could not reach it.
"Howa!"
he said.
[When] he took it out
unexpectedly


se
Aoyi tts
di litti niKi
A ni Ko de.
Ao Ao.
re
hoidjara
jipdjînîk
hanikuje.
"Hohó!
[penis]
the butt end
just a little [short]
he brought it out.
"Oh my!


A K
w d
wi Ki dA n xitti d.
Ai soyi se xitti s.
haka
wajâ
wigicanâxdjîjâ.
Hiróirexdjî´ra!
[what did occur is not occurring now]
[something]
a great injury he has done me.
[What a shame!]*

*LaMère has "the homely thing" as if from hiro-ere. The translation given in brackets follows the entry in Miner's Field Lexicon (s.v).


p. 394 --

Ai s leAe se ri Ktt ne n.
a n K.
n xA s.
n xoAo xoAox deAe.
Hirapéresikdjanènâ,"
anâga.
Nâxara
nâxoxoghce.
You will know,"*
he said.
The log
he kicked it to pieces.

*this is an idiom which can be expressed as the translation gives it: "you will catch it." Closer might be, "I'll teach you!"


e tt.
n rt rtK Kitti de
Ae tteKe ni K.
te we s Ki.
édja
nâstastakdjîje
Hetcgenîka.
Dewéraki,
There
he tramped him flat
Chipmunk.
Unexpectedly,


e tt.
s Ko no Ko noKo.
A Ki K w tte de.
Ao Ao.
édja
rakonokonok
hagikawâ-djeje.
"Hohó,
there
all gnawed up
it was there in a pile.
"Oh my!


p. 395 --

A tt
w d.
wi so Koyi d
n tteAeKe wi d.
hatcâ
wajâ
wirokúyijâ
nâtcekwijâ
what
good*
an instrument
he has deprived me of.

*Marino gives the meaning, "to be important, purposeful."

A A.
tt Ko
Ai A tt.
w Kidi Ke.
Hâhâ´,
djagú
hihadja?
Wâkciké,

Ah!

what

am I saying?

The people,


wi so Ko
y Ki o Kette n.
e de.
e tt.
wirokú
yakiûkdjenâ,"
éje.
édja

instrument

I will make,"

he said.

There


se lA s.
nK deAe.
se doAo doAo so Ks.
soro deAe.
repara
nâkce.
Re cucurogra
rúsce.
the penis
lay.
The part of the penis without foreskin
he took.


p. 396 --

tt Ko
te e.
w Kidi K.
riAi loAo so s.
ay s ni Ae Kette n.
"Djagú
dee
wâkcik
'siporora'
airánihekdjénâ,"
"What
this one
people
'lily of the lake'*
they will ever call it,"

*now more commonly known as the "pond lily".


a n K.
tey d
e tt
n Ki di
e tt
anâga.
Deyijâ
édja
nâgiji
édja
he said.
A lake
there
that was near
there


Ao too ne de.
e Ki.
di Ke.
e tt
Ai s.
hot'úneje.
égi
jigé
édja
hirá
he threw it.
Then
again
there
in the water


p. 397 --

Ao s Ko no Ki d
so r n K
we de.
te e.
horakonokijâ
rusanâga
wéje,
"Dee
one of the things that was gnawed off
he took and*
he said,
"This

*this is translated as, "Then again, other pieces that were gnawed off, one he took and ..."


w Ki[di] Ke.
to s.
ay s ni Ae Kette n
e de.
e Ki.
wâk[ci]ke
'dora'
airánihekdjénâ,"
éje.
égi
the people
'potatoes'
they will call it henceforth,"
he said.
Then


di Ke
Ai d
so r n K
we de.
te e.
jigé
hijâ
rusanâga
wéje,
"Dee
again
one
he took and
said,
"This


w Kidi Ke.
to Ke we Ai s
ay se Kette n.
e de.
wâkciké
'dokéwehira'
airekdjénâ,"
éje.
the people
'the [prairie] turnip'*
they will call from henceforth,"
he said.
*the tipsin, Pediomelum esculenta.


398 --

e Ki.
di Ki d
so r n K.
we de.
w Kidi Ke.
égi
jigijâ
rusanâga
wéje,
"Wâkciké
Then
another one
he took and
said,
"The people


te e.
lA xi s.
ay s ni Ae Kette n
e de.
e Ki.
dee
'pâxira'
airanihekjenâ,"
éje.
égi
this
'artichoke'
they will ever call,"
he said.
Then


di Ki d
so r n K
we de.
w Kidi Ke
te e.
jigijâ
rusanâga
wéje,
"Wâkciké
dee
another one
he took and
said,
"The people
this


Ao niKi mo tt s.
ay s ni Ae Ktte
e de.
e Ki
di Ki d
'hónikmodjára'
airanihekje,"
éje.
égi
jigijâ
'ground beans'
they will ever call,"
he said.
Then
another one


p. 399 --

so r n K
we de.
te e.
w Kidi Ke.
doAoKo Ai s.
rusanâga
wéje,
"Dee
wâkciké
'cûk hira'
he took and
said,
"These
the people
'dog teeth'


ay se Kette n.
e de.
di Ki d
so r n K.
we de.
airekdjénâ,"
éje.
Jigijâ
rusanâga
wéje,
they will ever call,"
he said.
Another one
he took and
said,


te e.
Ai deKe.
w Kidi Ke.
w dAK.
lA s rs.
"Dee
hicgé
wâkciké
'wacak
parasara'
"These
also
the people
'claws
sharp'


p. 400 --

ay s ni Ae Kette n.
e de
di Ki d
so r n K.
we de.
airanihekjenâ,"
éje.
Jigijâ
rusanâga
wéje,
they will ever call,"
he said.
Another one
he took and
said,


te e.
w Kidi Ke.
riAi s.
ay si ni Ae Kette n.
a n K.
"Dee
wâkciké
'sira'
airinihekdjenâ,"
anâga.
"This
the people
'rice'
they will ever call it,"
he said.


niye tt
Ai d
Ao too se de.
e Ki.
e tt.
Nîyedja
hijâ
hot'ûreje.
égi
édja
Into the water
one
he threw.
Then
there


se
Aoyitti tts Ki di.
so r n K
we de.
te e
re
hoidjaragiji
rusanâga
wéje,
"Dee
penis
the butt end
he took it and
said,
"This


p. 401 --

Ai deKe
w Kidi Ke.
ttAe s ls
ay s ni Ae Kette n
e de.
hicgé
wâkciké
'tcerábara',"
airanihekjenâ,"
éje.
also
the people
['water root'],"*
they will ever call,"
he said.

*the translation has "pond lily," which is another name for the lily of the lake, which was the first thing to arise from Trickster's seeding of the water. "Water root" is attested as the meaning for this word in Radin's "Winnebago Tribe".


Ao lA s lA s tts
w Ke de.
Aoyi tts.
se
Hoparapáradjra
wagejé,
hoidjara.
Re
The square part
he meant,
the end.
Penis


Aoyitti tts.
reAe se ttiniKi
Ao t Ki di
w Ke de.
hoidjara
seretcnik
hodakiji
wagejé.
the butt end
a little long
what was left of it
[he meant.]


p. 402 --

e Ki
de Ko
Aiy n K.
Ko Ks.
e tt
égi
jegû´´
hianâga
kokra
édja
Then
thus
he did, and
his box
there


K s too ne de.
e tt.
w Ks.
se s.
tt rK n Kese
karat'uneje.
édja
wâkra
rera
djasganâkere
he left his own.
There
men's
penises
how they are


de reKe
tti tte de.
e rKe.
w Ks.
se s.
jesge
djidjéje.
ésge
wâkra
rera
that way
he became.
That is why
men's
penises


dili li se de.
Ai Ke
de e
se s.
Ae tteKe ni K.
cibíreje
Hîké
jee
rera
Hetcgenîka
they are short.
Not
this
the penis
Chipmunk


p. 403 --

s Ko no Ko noKo ni Ki di
wK ttA ni s.
de rKe
Ai s n de
rakonokonoknîgiji,
waktcanira
jesge
hiranaje,
if he did not gnaw it to pieces,
the first born
that way
he would be,


ay se n.
Ko no s.
se s
Kii Ai s n de
aírenâ.
Kunura
rera
k'îhiranaje,
it is said.
The first borns
the penises
they would carry on their backs,


ay se n.
se s.
de de rKy se Ki di
A Ke
liAi ni n Ki
aírenâ.
Rera
jejesgairegiji,
hâké
pinînagi,
it is said.
The penises
if they were that way,
not
it would not be good,


e rKe
Ao rKe.
Ae tteKe ni K.
w se Ki Ki se Ke
ésge
hosgé
Hetcgenîka
warégigírege
therefore,
purposely
Chipmunk
he was made to do it


p. 404 --

w o de
ay se n.
de e
A Ke
liAi ni Ktt n Ae Ke
wa'ûje,
aírenâ.
Jee
hâké
pinîkdjanahege,
he was,
it is said.
That
not
it would not be good,


e rKe
w Kio de.
ésge
waki'ûje.
thus
they did to him.


English Translation


Source:

"Wakdjukaga," in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, ca. 1912) Winnebago V, #7: 381-404.