Little Fox Goes on the Warpath

narrated by Charlie Houghton

interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère

The MS is written in ink with a clear hand. It's pages have been numbered and renumbered so many times that there are four sets of page numbers. At the very top of the page is the Roman numeral "III". Just below it is written "Coyote on the war-path" which is followed with a slight indentation by, "Told by Charlie Hougton" which is followed with another slight indentation with, "Translated by Oliver Lamere".

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

English Translation

p. 242 --

"Hâhó jedjaíñxdjî dotcainikdjáwinâ. Égi kodé,
"[Well] thus far on the warpath let us go. [And] say,


Wacerekéniñka kiju-inekdjâ´winâ. Wowáñgera édja wajokit'unekdjénâ**
Little Fox* with him let us go. Foolishness there get into something

*this is always translated by LaMère as "Coyote," but its literal meaning is "Little Fox." For the identity of this character, see Little Fox.
**at the bottom of the page by an asterisk is the following note: "some trickery or trouble".

higuñkíni. Wowóñgera haitcéxdjî hínâ, Wacerekénika.
he is always. Bad too much* he does, Little Fox.

*"(beyond)" is written above the English line.

Hâhá, hijâ´ hidjowarawi-ánañga gikarahérawire." Hó
[Hâhá,] one go there and ask him to." [Ho!]

jédjuñga hijîdjahi-ánañga "Wacerekénigro kodé, dotcâ
now then one got there [and] "Little Fox [kodé!] go on the warpath

p. 243 --

aírenâ. Djagwañke caraníkdjaneje?" "Hó kodé
they say. What, not you are not going?" "Ho, kodé!

nicgé dekdjonihénâ." "Hodjiá." Jédjuñga, hakîjuakiríregi
me also going I will." "All right." [Now then,] with him they came back

ho hanâ´tcinxdjî. Wáñgera* édja nâji-ánañga,
ho all together. The man there stood and,

*an original initial /u/ has been crossed out and a /w/ written above it.

jédjuñga, nâwaî´neje. T'é'ûnâwaíneje. Hagaréjâ Wacerekénika
now then, they sang. Do death, they sang. Once on a time Little Fox

hicgé ho jédjuñga hiragíji. "Hó
also [ho!] [now then] it got to him. ["Ho!]

p. 244 --

Wacerekénigro nicgága nânáwañkdjanénâ." "Hodjiá,
Little Fox you also to sing you are to." "All right,

Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá
Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá

Wacerekénika t'ecge, t'ecge, péje gighákikdjeje?*
Little Fox if he dies, if he dies, who will weep for him?

*"[Repeat]" is written after this stanza.

Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá Wacerekénika t'ecge,
Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá Little Fox if he dies,

t'ecge, péje gighákikdjeje? Yo-o-o-o-o-o!"
if he dies, who will weep for him? Yo-o-o-o-o-o!"

English Translation

Source:

Charles N. Houghton, "Coyote on the Warpath," translated by Oliver LaMère, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) 242-244.