Hocąk Text — The Story of How Little Priest went out as a Soldier

Hocąk Text — The Story of How Little Priest went out as a Soldier

narrated by John Harrison

Captain John Harrison

Style

A highly unusual tendancy to put positional words postpositionally after the end of the sentence. Haikšḯ-inéną, hosgsíja. ("They surrounded him, on the open prairie.") ... t’e hereną, éja. ("... they killed him, there.")

This has a temporal analogue, with a dependent temporal clause placed postpositionally after the end of the sentence: mąna haǧákšaną, wat’ǫ́pga. ("the arrows were thick, when he rushed them.")

Generally, postpositional material is the rule despite the fact that the opposite is normal.

Frequent use of the epistemological sentence terminator, -ną, indicating first-hand knowledge, with very little use of the complementary -že, indicating lack of first-hand knowledge. The suffix -ną is also used at places in sentences where other narrators would not employ it.

Extensive external sandhi resulting in the frequent dropping of the initial /h/ of the second word.

An unusually high frequency in the use of the word aírégi, "as they say".

Use of the rare word gini, "to get back".

The word sik’ų́ for "ankle" is unattested elsewhere.

Occasional English words embedded in Hocąk: sitiéja = city-éja; many names are given in English, others in Hocąk; and whites are quoted in English.

Title

Hųk	Xúnuga	manąpe
Priest	Little	Soldier

kįhigi	worágera	teéreną.
He Went Out as	the story	this is it.

Page 224*

Cekjína	1865-regi	ua’uąnáireną,
First	in 1865	they started and they went,

*at the upper left of the page inside a box is written, "There is another copy of this 27/2 '45".

Omaha Sitiéja	hahí	wainína	wakúrus
in Omaha City	where	clothes	they got them

eréną,	šųk-xeterášge	égi	éja	sánįk
they did,	and horses,	and	there	side

wi-oiréra	hapá	hiréną.	Cekjína	nąwacížą
the west	there	they were.	First	a fort

hirahíregi,	"Fort Carnie"	higáiregi,	aíreną.	Eja
they came to,	"Fort Kearny"	which they called,	it is said.	There

cek	nįxetéžą	harucáiregi,	Nįpárazera	heréną.
first	a large river	they crossed,	the Platte River	it is.

Nį	tee	harucera	nų́wáwǫkisgèną,	pązákera
[Water]	this	to cross	it is dangerous,	the sand

horusu’us’aže,	airéną.	Wi-oiréra	hoíšip	hapahírežę,
as it draws one in,	it is said.	The west	straight	towards,

Page 225

aíreną.	Éja	žigé	nąwácagížą	cawaíregi,
it is said.	There	again	a fort	they went towards,

hoišíp	waišjára	’ųhirániheže,	aíreną.	Fort Larmie*
all the time	scouts	they traveled,	it is said.	Fort Laramie

*sic.

aíregi,	hinąbáhiną,	nąwácak	žée	hirahíreną.
they said,	the second time,	fort	that	they came to.

Hitaníhǫna	canišánañk,	aíregi	éja	hiréną.
The third	deer-river,	they say	there	[they were.]

Hijobóhǫna	Xéxete Xe	aíregi,	eja
The fourth time	Big Hill	they say,	where

waíreže,	aíreną	hisgéja.	Éja	žige
[it is said of it,]	they say	a mighty one.	There	again

Page 226

hirahíreną	Fort Reno	aíregi,	éreną,	Ųxíni Nišónañk
they came to	Fort Reno	which it is said,	it is,	Powder Creek

aíregi,	éja	éreną.	Éja	žigé
[as they say],	there	it is.	There	again

haraíregi,	wanioícgera	cék	éja	róhą
[as] they went forth,	animals	first	there	many

hajaíreną	— mącóra,	šuñkcúñgere,	huwą́na —	hisgéja
they saw	— grizzly bears,	wolves,	elk —	truly

cúįžé,	aíreną.	Rézinišònañk	aírégi,	éja
many,	it is said.	Tongue River	[as they say,]	there

žige	hahiréną.	Éja	Pájoke	kizairéną.
again	they went forth	There	Arapahos	they fought.

Hųñk Xúnuga	huwéja	oiréną,*	hañké	hobóhabirenìną
Little Priest	in the leg	they shot,	not	it did not pierce through

*an initial /ho/ was crossed out.

Page 227

waxu	rogáje	’ų́na,	ásgi	nąt’ísše,*
leather	breeches	[he had made,]	so that	it was merely swollen,

*corrected from nant’ísže.

nunigé	ép’a	hirarúti honihéžą*	hirakára
but	from there	a wagon train	scouting

*literally, "one that pulls along a group".

haraíreną,	Xé Xete Nióñka.	ép’a	wakížu	hohiréną,
they went,	Big Hill Creek.	From there	with	they went,

Yellowstone Park,	ánoñka.	Éja	éreną,	éja
"Yellowstone Park,"	it is called.	There	it was,	there

Fort Rainer,	aíregi,	é-owagirèną,	Hotáži	éja
Fort Rainer,	it is said,	they went by.	Some	there

homanínekjé,	wigaíreną.	"Bright Feather"	higaíregi	Hocañgížą
they will winter over,	they told them.	"Bright Feather"	as they call him,	a Hocąk

Page 228

wéną,	"K’éni	jobóhoni*	hížą	t’e
he said,	"Before	four [o'clock]	one	to kill

*an /i/ is written above an original terminal /a/. See next occurrence of this word on the next line.

wañgírekjonàwiną."	Hisgé	wéną,	k’éni	jobóhani
they are going to do to us."	Truly	he spoke,	before	four [o'clock],

Hocáñgižą	Wak’ą́ Sgaga	higaíregi,	t’e	hiréną,
a Hocąk	"White Snake"	named,	to kill	[they did,]

éja.	Žégų	haną́c	hawénainèną.	Wënánegi
there.	Thus	throughout	they pursued them.	In spring

hąbížą	hagá	Huñk Xúnuga	Hocáñgera	wawagéną,
a day	once	Little Priest	Hocągara	he told them,

"Hąp tée	hąp sérec	wakízakjanèną,"	ánoñga.
"This day	the entire day	I will fight,"	he said.

Hocáñgera	táni	hokížuánañga	e	hijóp
The Hocągara	three	with them	he	fourth

Page 229

jikeréną.	Wakížurèga	Henry Decora,	John Bonaparte,	Benjamin Chambers
he went.	There he went with	Henry Decora,	John Bonaparte,	Benjamin Chambers

heréreną.	Huñk Xúnuga	hižuksárahi	xónuniñgìžą	hani-ánañga
they were.	Little Priest	rifle	a small one	he took, and

inéki	hahí	hišgé	niñge	cawéną,
alone	there	also	someplace*	he went towards,

*"anything" was crossed out, and "someplace" written above it.

mąwigųs´	kereponaížaxjį	hohíregàją	wa’úną.	Šuñkxéte
miles	[about ten]*	when they got	he did it.	Horse

*the translation has "about twenty".

sageréžą	háminañk	wa’úną.	Éja	hahí
a swift one	to ride	he did it.	There	on the way

Page 230

Uañkšígera	kerepónenųp	wa’úną,	Huñk Xúnuga	ruxaíreną.
Indians	twenty	[they did it],	Little Priest	they chased after.

Hocúñk	táni	wakížurega	xe	huñkšížą
Hocąks	three	he went with	hill	a high one

éja	horužújenàñkšaną.	Gijiréra	rušákirèną,	hagéšge,
there	they were looking at him.	To help him,	they could not,	besides,

"Rohañgáją	t’e	’úinékjonawigàją,"	hiraíregi,	ásge
"There are too many,	to kill	they will do it to us,"	they thought,	so

hakjá	nąwácagèja	wórak	hakaraíreną.	Hagírera
back	to the fort	to tell	they went back.	When they got there

waíreną,	"Huñk Xúnuga	t’e	híreną,	hagí,"
they said,	"Little Priest	to kill	they did,	there,"

aíreną.	Huñk Xúnuga	hišgé	gają	wa’ųjéną.
[they said].	Little Priest	still	out there	he was it.

Page 231

Hoxarahu’ìrege,	ásge	hiwušánañga	t’ą́pšaną,	mówe
Whenever they came close,	so	he stopped, and	he dismounted,	on foot

wakizáną.	Ho-’ų́jega*	hogígiñx	maínja	mą́na
he fought them.	Where he was	around	on the ground	the arrows

*this word was written, corrected, then crossed out and written again in the succeeding space.

haǧákšaną,	wat’ǫ́pga.	Éja	žigé	s’iníñk
they were thick,	when he rushed them.	There	again	long time

howáres’àži,	’ų́ja’ų	šuñkxétera	t’egigiránañga,	haikšé-inèną,
he would go,	finally	his horse	they killed, and	they surrounded him

hosgaíja.	Žesgánunigi,	íni	xetéžą	éja
on the open prairie.	But even then,	stone	a large one	there

nañkíži,	éja	ginberą́i-àñkšaną,	nunigé	k’éni
it was,	there	he tried to get it,	but	before

éja	gíni,	jobóhą	oíreną,	máñgoišarèja
there	he got,	four times	they shot him,	in the right breast

Page 232

hižériną.	Žigégų	máñgera	harucé	bopáraš
it went.	Again then	the breast	crosswise,	a flesh wound

hiréną,	hínec	oišáro	nañkéja.	Žigížą
it made,	shoulder	right	behind.	Again one

oiréną,	égi	recáwašų	kųhaį́ja	žigižéreną,
they shot,	and	navel	below	again it was one,

k’éni	íni	žíja*	gíni.	Hišgé
before	stone	at	he got.	Also

* > ži-eja ?

hížą	t’ehiánañga	p’ára	mąšižánañga	égi
one	he killed, and	his head	he cut off, and	and

šuñkxetéžą	hamináñgenañk’uéregi,	p’a	mąšížiràgera	žégų
a horse	now he was riding,	head	it was cut off	so

sik’ų́*	e	ianiéja	hirogišgéže.	E
ankle	he	his	he tied it.	He

*this form for the word for ankle had been unattested anywhere else. However, in the text "Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle" (added in 2021), this word, in the form sikų, appears often, including in the title.

Page 233

añke	giázenikjegèjeni	žeguánañga	hišgé	hat’ǫ́berašge.
not	he did not run away	and then	also	he came forward.

Nañkáwairèną,	hišgížą	t’ehíkjane,	hiraírege,	ásgé	hinejéja
They were afraid	also one of them	to be killed,	they thought,	so	in the shoulder

oírega	égi	maínja	kinebšáną.	Ásge
they shot him	and	to the ground	he fell.	So

t’ǫbiránañga	mówe	hat’ǫ́birèną,	p’ára	mąšížirèkjege.
they rushed towards him	on foot,	they jumped for it,	his head	to cut it off.

Ásge	hijaxją́	hiregáją,	kikáwa	ánañge
So	to get to him	when they did,	he rose up	and

Page 234

hižúgera	kurusáną.	Šuñkxetéja	’únañk’ų	žigé
his gun	he took.	To the horse,	finally	again

hagíreną,	ásge	iniéja	gíną,	égišge,
they got to,	so	to the rock	he got to,	besides,

hijowáred[ž]a	nañkáwairèną.	Éja	minogánañga	hagaíra
to go there	they were afraid	There	he sat and	sometimes

wagucs’áže,	aíreną.	Gájuñga,	Huñk Xúnuga	uañkšík
he would take a shot at them,	it is said.	And then	Little Priest's	people

wakížura	maną́pera	táni	hakížu	hajíreną,
with them	soldiers	three	with	they came,

núnige	hají	aǧébirerèja	Pajók	anañgere
but	he came	within sight,	Arapahos	there

wajairéną,	ásge	giázireną.	Huñk Xúnuga	t’ák’ų
they saw them,	so	they ran away.	Little Priest	he was dead

Page 235

hahírekjone,	hiránañk’ų	tée.	Niąbóñkšaną	nunigé
they would come,	they were thinking	this.	He was alive,	but

t’erušjáñxjį	wawáñkšaną.	Ásge	t’ekjonéže,	hiraíneną,
about dead	he was it.	So	he was about to die,	they thought,

ásge	Hocúñgera.	Wa-i-ót’ǫbirànañga	nąwacágera	hanícawaìreną.
so	Hocągara	they put him in a blanket, and	the fort	they took him towards.

Wa-i-ópasèra	waruháp’irànañgá	hižúgera	éja	howažą́
The corners of the blanket	they punched holes, and	their guns	there	they ran through

wirókikinañgirèną,	mąwigós	nų́pji.	Hágiregàją	éja
they carried him,	miles	about two.	[When they returned,]	there

Page 236

hokáwazirèną,	cékjį.	Hahírega.	Éja	Huñk Xúnuga
it was dark,	the first time.	They got there.	There	Little Priest

šuñgáminañk	húkarohòną,	heréną.	Uañkšígera	hahírera.
on a horse	ready to come,	he was.	The people	they got there.

Žégų	wanąį́na	xawaníną	égi	xúra
So	his consciousness	it left him	and	his skin

sgaxjíną	žesga	núnige	hoišíp	hit’et’éną,
turned white	even	but	always	he spoke,

"Hó!	Huwínani,	huwínani,"	amiñkšáną.	Haįsérec
"Hó!	Come on,	come on,"	he said.	All night

hañké	wanąį	cu-iníną,	hąpjįgają,	gájuñga,
not	consciousness	he did not have,	then about daylight,	then,

hipérezšàną,	égi	gájuñga	wanáñǧi hirarút’ira
he came to,	and	then	the ghost wagon (hearse)

Page 237

hániąjìreną,	éja	hot’ǫ́birànañga,	nąwacágera	howániañkaraìreną.
they brought,	there	they put him, and	the fort	they took him.

Jobóhąnegi	Mącó	nañgiwaínekjanèną,	Uañkšík.	Manąpéžą
For four days	Grizzly Bear [Songs]	they sang for him,	Indians.	A soldier

hocisági	Huñk Píñga	higaíregi	éja	haniąhíreną,
he used to live	"Good Chief,"	whom they called	there	they took him,

wa-í-ot’ǫp	ru-aínanañga	mącó	xop	kiñkjége,
in a blanket	they carried him, and	grizzly bear	power	he could make it for himself,

ásge	nañgíwairèną.	Cegéja	hixgą́na	rušokšáną.
so	they sang for him.	At first	to move	he could not.

Page 238

Kunu	xétega	Southwind	e	nañgiwáną,	Hocáñgera
First-born	the large one	Southwind	him	they sang for him,	Hocąks

kéreponaižañxjį	waši-ákižùną,	nąnóka	wa-u-inéną,	taniwóruhinjràšaną
about ten	they danced with him,	naked	they did it,	save for their breechcloths

’u-inéną.	Huñk Xónuga	coníneją	mącóžą	heréže,
[they did.]	Little Priest	before this	a grizzly bear	he was,

wigéną,	ásge	rúšjankiñkjège	wa-ú-įñkarohoìreną.	Nąwą́na
he told him,	so	so that he could cure himself	they were doing this.	The song

jirehíregi,	Huñk Xónuga	ną́bisawanìñgera	hixgáñxgą	wohíjirèną.
when they started,	Little Priest	his finger tips	to move	he started to do it.

Page 239

’Úwañk’ų,	ára	haną́c	hixgáñxgą	híną.
Finally,	his arm	whole	he moved	he did.

’Únañk’ų	mináñkšaną.	Ronóñgere	wašígigìjirèną.*	’Únañk’ų,
At last	he sat up.	His body	they made it dance.	Finally,

*the second /gì/ is inserted above the line with a caret.

nąžíną,	nunige	hacuñgére	rocą́	kikéreną.
he stood up,	but	with great effort	straight	he could stand himself up.

Cegéja	p’įhíniñk	maníjikerèną,	círa	hogígiñx
At first	easy	he started to walk,	the house	around

hijanénañka	ho’únañka	é-ogiweną.	Ciokiságeja	mąwárupuru
the others	going	he went that way.	In the middle of the room	mound

niñgenàñkšaną.	Hinųbóhąna	maniságe	hogigíñxšaną.
there was.	The second time	he walked faster	he went around it.

Page 240

Hitaníhǫna	cówexjį	waší	hogigíñxšaną.	Hijobóhǫna,
The third time	a little	he danced	as he went around.	The fourth time,

gájuñga,	mąšją́	waší	hogigíñxšaną.	Ciókisàgeja
now then,	hard	he danced	as he went around.	To the middle of the room,

kirináñkšaną	mąwárupùrurèja	ną́bera	wakére-anañga	égi
he came back	on the mound	his hand	he put, and	[then]

ho-orá	wikáwažàną,	haną́c.	Éja	rušją́
wound	he rubbed it,	all of them.	There	to be healed

wahí,	nunigé	nañkéjajegàšaną	hañké	rušjáñxjį
he did it,	but	it was only on the back	not	quite well

harágenìną,	hacuñgére	hikijúñge.	Ásge	haíninegi
[to make it well,]	with great effort	so he reached it	So	in the morning

Page 241

Uañkšígera	Wakjé	waširéną.	Huñk Xúnuga	híną,	ásge
The Indians	Victory Dance	they danced.	Little Priest	he went,	so

Mąnhí Xetéra	waíreną,	"Little Priest,	you must be a devil,"	higairéną.
the white people	they said,	"Little Priest,	you must be a devil,"	they said.

Source:

John Harrison, "The Story of Little Priest," Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) 224-241 (= 269-286). Told in June, 1908. The end of this was translated and published in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 300-301.