Hotcâk Text -- The Boy who would be Immortal

Hotcâk Text -- The Boy who would be Immortal - 1

Revised Hotcâk-English Interlinear Text

The manuscript, which is in the hand of Paul Radin, is sometimes difficult to read. It has the Roman numeral XIII near the top of the page. About 40% of the hand written interlinear text, which is largely written in pencil, has no English translation, but almost all of the untranslated words can be found elsewhere. Radin also used Greek letter abbreviations for common whole words or syllables some of which he interpreted in other manuscripts, although there are some whose values had been unknown. However, this text proves to be the original of a revised version in which all the missing syllables and words corresponding to the Greek abbreviations in this text are to be found in full. Thus it is a kind of Rosetta Stone for discovering the values of Radin's abbreviations. The Greek symbols used in the text appear on the table below:

alpha	beta	gamma	delta	epsilon
égi	édja	giji	jénûga	ésge

backward epsilon	lambda	rho	upsilon	psi
canâ	jésge	anâga	regi	hâké

omega	nun-dot	X	2	6	9	bar
jigé	núnige	uañg(cig)	je/ce	xdjî	jâ	nâ

dot-bar	bar over dot	>	--
kdje	nâk	gádjâ	-ra

Words supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle) are found in brackets '[ ]'.

p. 210 --

Wañk	niñkdjoñk	inek'í[9].	Hi-antci[gamma]	wé[2],	"Hâdaginandjere
Wañk	niñkdjoñk	inek'íjâ.	Hi-antcigiji	wéje,	"Hâdaginandjere
[Man]	child	a lone.	His father [once]	said,	"Fast

inek'i	[X]c'î´--	winâ´jînîtcûcguni--;	xopini	warádjire
inek'i	uañgcikc'î´ra	winâ´jînîtcûcgunira;	xopini	warádjire
alone	you are living	you have none to hope from	[the spirits]	[the various]

hi[9]	nâdjonidjóñ[gamma]	é[backward epsilon]	woínaji nîtcû[dot-bar]."	[Lambda]
hijâ	nâdjonidjóñgiji	écanâ	woínaji nîtcûnâ."	Jesge
[they are]	[they will bless you]	only	will you have hopes."	[Thus]

higé[2].	Hige[gamma]	[lambda]	hi[2].	Hâdáginâtce.
higéje.	Higegiji	jesge	hije.	Hâdáginâtce.
[he said].	[After] he said to him	so	he did.	[He fasted.]

"Niñgiák,	s'ic'uñ[>]	hâdaginándj--	naî´ji	wajâ´na
"Niñgiák,	s'ic'uñgádjâ	hâdaginándjra	naî´ji	wajâ´na
"Son,	a long time you've done it	[the fasting]	by this time	[something]

hi[9]	hiraperesk'uni,	jedjânaíñ[6]	curucdjoñ[gamma]	p'înâ´[bar]."
hijâ	hiraperesk'uni,	jedjânaíñxdjî	curucdjoñgiji	p'înâ´nâ."
[it is]	you must have known,	about now	you should stop	it would be best."

"Djadji,	hisge	waca[nun-dot]	higû	haipíwañk[backward epsilon]."
"Djadji,	hisge	wacanúnige	higû	haipíwañkcanâ."
"Father,	all	you speak right	but still	I like it."

"[Alpha]	djagu	hirahâ´de[2]?"	"Djagu	hagínantc
"Égi	djagu	hirahâ´deje?"	"Djagu	hagínantc
"[And]	[what]	have you dreamt of?"	["What]	you told me

p. 211 --

hinaci--´	[lambda]	yahâdé[bar]:	wani-oítcgera	hoit'ehira djasge
hinacirá	jesge	yahâdénâ:	wani-oítcgera	hoit'ehira djasge
to fast for	[and so]	I have dreamt of:	[animals]	to kill as I like

ha[dot-bar]	[lambda]	hiñgigû´zire[bar].	[Alpha]	[omega]	[X]o-î´na
hakdje	jesge	hiñgigû´zirenâ.	Égi	jige	uañkcigo-î´na
&	[thus]	I am taught.	[And]	[again]	[with life]

djadjaíñ[6]	higédjaiñ[6]	hira-úni	nâdjiródjaîne[2],
djadjaíñxdjî	hijédjaiñxdjî	hira-úni	nâdjiródjaîneje,
as long as it is	that long	[to make from one end to the other]	they bless me with,

hiñgaíre.	[Alpha]	[omega]	wagaíre[bar]	hiñguadjíre[bar].
hiñgaíre.	Égi	jigé	wagaírenâ	hiñguadjírenâ.
I am told.	[And]	[again]	[to tell something]	they came after me.

Mañxí	wage[upsilon]´	wañkdócewe	hotcí[9]	[alpha] age--*
Mañxí	wageregi	wañkdócewe	hotcíjâ	égi ageregi (?)*
To the clouds	above	doctor	in his lodge	that is

*In the later MS this has been corrected to "égi akregi," "and above."

[beta]	hini-añgíre[bar].	[X]--	hijâ	t'e[dot-bar]necge
édja	hini-añgírenâ.	uañgcikra	hijâ	t'ekdjanecge
[there]	they took me to.	Person	a	is near death

ni-âpha[dot-bar]´,	[lambda]	nâdjiroidjaî´ne[bar].	Jénuñga
ni-âphakdjé,	jesge	nâdjiroidjaî´nenâ.	Jénuñga
I could make him alive,	[thus]	they blessed me with.	To end

hâdáginandjere	hiñgaíre[bar],	[lambda]a[nun-dot]	higû
hâdáginandjere	hiñgaírenâ,	jesgeanúnige	higû
to fast anymore	I was told,	[but]	still

wa-uwáñk[backward epsilon].	[Omega]	k'uhâ´[upsilon]	hiñguadjíre[bar].	K'uhô´[upsilon]
wa-uwáñkcanâ.	Jigé	k'uhâ´regi	hiñguadjírenâ.	K'uhô´regi
I kept on.	[Again]	from below	they came after me.	[From below]

p. 212 --

Wogûzotcí[9]	[beta]	hiñguadjíre[bar].	[Lambda]	hiñgaíre[bar].
Wogûzotcíjâ	édja	hiñguadjírenâ.	Jésge	hiñgaírenâ.
[a Creation Lodge]	[there]	[they came after me].	[Thus]	[I am told].

Djaguranantc	nâdjironidjaî´ne[bar]:	wonañghíre--,	wañkdócewe--,	wot'éhira,
Djaguranantc	nâdjironidjaî´nenâ:	wonañghírera,	wañkdócewera,	wot'éhira,
all things	they blessed me with:	wars,	doctoring,	hunting,

[X]o-î--	hanántc	nâdjironidjaî´ne[bar].	Dj[rho]´	wa[9]gûz--
uañgcigo-îra	hanántc	nâdjironidjaî´nenâ.	Djánâga	wajâgûzra
with life	all of	[they blessed me].	[As many as there are]	of life (created things)

hâbirak'ara	Wagûz--,	hanâ´tcî	nâdjonidjaî´ne[bar].	'[Epsilon]
hâbirak'ara	Wagûzra,	hanâ´tcî	nâdjonidjaî´nenâ.	'Esge
that he put in charge	the Creator,	all of them	blessed me.	'[And so]

jénuñga	hâdaginandjere	c'uñ[dot-bar],'	hiniñgaíre[bar].	[Lambda]a[nun-dot]
jénuñga	hâdaginandjere	c'uñkdje,'	hiniñgaírenâ.	Jesgeanúnige
[the end]	[fasting]	you should do,'	they told me.	[But]

[psi]	tcaníñ[dot-bar]	[lambda]	ro-ága[bar],	[epsilon]
hañké	tcaníñkdje	jésge	ro-águnâ,	ésge
not	I would not die	[that kind of thing]	I longed for,	[and so]

wa-uwóñk[backward epsilon],	djadjí	[delta]	niráñgwine.	Deé
wa-uwóñkcanâ,	djadjí	jénuñga	'uwáñgwine.	Deé
I am doing this,	father	so	let me continue on.	With this

p. 213 --

nâdjironidjaînegí[backward epsilon],	ducdjoñ[dot-bar]ne[bar]."	[Psi]	rucdjâ´ni[2]
nâdjirodjaînegícanâ,	ducdjoñkdjenenâ."*	Hañké	rucdjâ´nije
if I am blessed,	then will I stop."	[Not]	he did not stop

*This should be for a more standard rucdjoñkdjenenâ.

hâdagínandj--.	"[X]é	jenuñga	uné	hâdagínandjera.
hâdagínandjra.	"Uañgcigé	jenuñga	uné	hâdagínandjera.
[the fasting].	"Human	[to end]	that much	[the fasting].

Wa[9]gûz--	djadjaíñ[6]	[X]c'iñ[dot-bar]	honiñk'ûna.	hira-úni
Wajâgûzra	djadjaíñxdji	uañgcikc'iñkdje	honiñk'ûna.	hira-úni
[Life]	[as long as]	anyone should live	that he gave you.	To the extent of it

[X]o-î--	djagu	gip'î	[X]c'îñ[dot-bar],	[lambda]
uañgcigo-îra	djagu	gip'î	uañgcikc'îñkdje,	jésge
[life]	how	you please	you can live,	[this kind]

honiñk'ú-ine[bar]	p'î."	["Nun-dot]´	[psi]	tcanijéji,
honiñk'ú-inenâ	p'î."	"Núnige	hañké	tcanijéji,
is given to you	of good."	"But	not	not to kill [or die],

[lambda]	ruágu[bar],"	é[bar].	[Psi]	raxurugirani[2].	[Psi]aga
jésge	ruágunâ,"	énâ.	Hañké	raxurugiranije.	Hañkaga
[this sort of thing]	I desire,"	he said.	[Not]	they could not persuade him.	Never

tcaniñgí	[backward epsilon]	haip'înâ´[bar].	Raxúrugera	ruc'ágire[2].
tcaniñgí	canâ	haip'înâ´nâ.	Raxúrugera	ruc'ágireje.
if I would not die	only	I would be satisfied.	[To persuade him]	to be unable.

T'ekdjé--	hisgédja	gitcexi[2].	[Epsilon]	waíre[2],
T'ekdjéra	hisgédja	gitcexije.	Ésge	waíreje,
To die	very much	he dreaded it.	[So]	they talked,

gûzire[2].	["Delta]	t'ekdjé[bar],"	aíre[2].	[Epsilon]
gûzireje.	"Jénuñga	t'ekdjénâ,"	aíreje.	Ésge
they counseled over.	["That's all]	he must die,"	they said.	[And so]

p. 214 --

hâdaginâ´djoñk'a.	[Beta]	horughúdjire[>]	t'a[bar over dot][2].	Hi-andj--
hâdaginâ´djoñk'a.	Édja	horughúdjiregadjâ	t'anâkje.	Hi-andjra
he was fasting.	[There]	[when] they looked	he was dead.	To his father

wagaíre[2],	"Djagú-iyagáwira	jenísge[dot-bar]ne[bar];	[psi]	wajîhiraníne
wagaíreje,	"Djagú-iyagáwira	jenísgekdjenenâ;	hañké	wajîhiraníne
they said,	"What we said to him	that will be for you;	[not]	you think nothing of it

p'îhiñk'arat'ûbere,"	higaíre[2].	[Epsilon]	woxéjañk'e[2].	[Beta]
p'îhiñk'arat'ûbere,"	higaíreje.	Ésge	woxéjañk'eje.	Édja
and place him away,"	[they said.]	And so	he dug a grave.	[There]

k'araxé[2].	"Híniñg--	djasgé[6][>]	hiníñk'ara	wa-uñgúni,"
k'araxéje.	"Híniñgra	djasgéxdjîgadjâ*	hiníñk'ara	wa-uñgúni,"
he buried him.	"My son	[how he is]	[my son]	that he is [doing] there,"

*The revised text has djasgégadjâ.

hiré[2].	[Alpha]	hogíragire[2]	raxurug--	ruc'agire[2].
hiréje.	Égi	hogíragireje	raxurugra	ruc'agireje.
he thought.	[And]	they told him that	the persuading	they were unable.

Waxopini	warádjire	esge	méjesge	gigírenâ.
Waxopini	warádjire	esge	méjesge	gigírenâ.
[The spirits]	[the various]	[therefore]	[for this reason]	they did to him.

["Psi]	wa[9]	hiraníne	hirapérezi[dot-bar]ne[bar],"	higaíre[2].
"Hañké	wajâ	hiraníne	hirapérezikdjenenâ,"	higaíreje.
"Not	anything	you think much about	you will know,"	they told him.

Xánihe--	hoip'é-i	hi-[beta]´,	[beta]	hoip'éhi
Xánihera	hoip'é-i	hi-édja,	édja	hoip'éhi
Where he buried him	at the head	[thereat],	[there]	[at the head]

p. 215 --

hi[beta],	naî[9]	[beta]	haghép[2].	Jee
hiédja,	naîjâ	édja	haghépce.	Jee
[thereat],	a tree	[there]	came up.	[This one]

ére[2].	Nâ´djega	e[backward epsilon]	s'i	hokip'íñkdjeneje.
éreje.	Nâ´djega	ecanâ	s'i	hokip'íñkdjeneje.
he was it.	This tree	only	[that] long	it would last.

[Epsilon]	[lambda]	gigíre[2].	Hiperezre	hi-antcirá.
Ésge	jesge	gigíreje.	Hiperezre	hi-antcirá.
[And so]	[thus]	they did to him.	He knew it	his father.

[Lambda]iperezre.	Wanâî	gip'î[2].	Hi-âdj--	racgúni[6]
Jesgeiperezre.	Wanâî	gip'îje.	Hi-âdjra	racgúnixdjî
[Thus he knew].	[Peacefully]	[he liked it].*	[The father]	very well

*Radin translates "wanâî gip'îje" together as "he was happy."

X'î[2].	Dé[lambda]	horak[2]	hi-âtc	hiradjâ´re.
X'îje.	Déjesge	horakje	hi-âtc	hiradjâ´re.
he lived.	[This way]	reported	the father	[that they had taken him away never to return him].

Dé[lambda]	horak[2].	[Epsilon]	hâdaginandj--	xap'e
Déjesge	horakje.	Ésge	hâdaginandjra	xap'é
[In this way]	[they informed him].	[This is why]	[the fasting]	soon*

*the English text has "(?)" after "soon". However, this meaning is attested elsewhere.

rucdjaî´nes'a[2].	Dé[lambda]	aíre[bar].	Jenuñgá[bar].
rucdjaî´nes'aje.	Déjesge	aírenâ.	Jenuñgánâ.
they usually stop.	[In this way]	they said.	That is all.

English Translation

Source:

"The Boy who Wished to Become Immortal," in Paul Radin, Notebook 38 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) 210-215. On page 211 is inscribed, "March 11, 1951," but this is certainly a later addition.