Hotc‰k Text -- Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, Version 4

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

English Translation

The following are Greek letters used as morpheme abbreviations in Radin's text. Their values correspond (with the exception of gamma) to those given in Radin's notebook Winnebago II, #6, on the interstitial page between 107/108:

alpha
beta
gamma
delta
eta
theta
Žgi
Ždja
h‰bera
jenžga
jesge
dj‡n‰ga

rho
sigma
tau
psi
omega
backward C
M
ánâga
hikorókera
g’ji
h‰kŽ
jegž
-kdjanŽn‰
M‰'ž«na

T
X
-
/
>
6
9
wâkcigo'ina
w‰k
-ra
-n‰
-gadj‰
-xdj”
-j‰

In the interlinear text where the translation is missing, it has been supplied whenever possible from the English text of Winnebago Culture (see Source below). Where a missing translation has been supplied from other sources, it is enclosed in brackets, [ ].

Key --
First Row
"raw" text from Winnebago II, #7, 233-247
Second Row
analytic text from Winnebago Culture
Third Row
revised text
Fourth Row
English translation based on those from the interlinear text in Winnebago II, #7, 233-247, The Road of Life and Death, and Winnebago Culture

p. 233 (= WC 21, s. 72) --
[M]
w‰kc’gen‰n—kera
[theta]
ž[tau«]
[T]
m‰'ž«ra
w‰kc’n‰r˜kera
dj‡n‰ga
'žg’ji
w‰kcik.-ho'-’ra
M‰'ž«na
w‰kc’gen‰n—kera
dj‡n‰ga
'žg’ji,
w‰kcigo'”na
Earthmaker
naked people*
[as many as there are]
[when] he created,
life**
*"naked people" is written above "an Indian". After the latter is written, "(wild)" and below that line is written, "(savage)". The English translation at WC has, "the (original) human beings".
**WC adds, "(length of years)".

p. 234 (= WC 21, s. 72-73)
hirah’xdj”
wagž«zsŽ
w‡gžs[tau«]
hirun‰«hi
h—ra
hirah’xdj”
wagž«sje
wagžsg’ji.
hirun‰«hi
h—ra
hirah’xdj”
wagž«sce,
wagžsg’ji.
Hirun‰«hi
h—ra
full-and-fixed*
he created them,
[when he created them.]**
Immediately,
the voices
*the interlinear originally had, "they reach fully" which was crossed out, and above it was written, "to full extent".
**WC has, "thus did he create them".

wanaxgž«je
hora
wanaxgž«[epsilon]
n‰«w‰
w‡naxgž«je
wan‰xgž«je,
hora
w‡n‰xgžgˆdj‰
n‰«w‰
wanaxgž«je
wan‰xgž«je,
hora
w‡n‰xgžgˆdj‰,
n‰«w‰
wan‰xgž«je,
he heard them,
their voices
[when he heard them,]
singing
he heard them,

[epsilon]
hinžboh™«na
jigŽ
hor‡
wanaxgž«je
gadj‰.
hinžb—h™ra
jigŽ
hora
wan‰xgž«je
gadj‰.
Hinžb—h™na
jigŽ
hora
wan‰xgž«je
[.]
For a second time
again
their voices
he heard them

[epsilon«]
n‰«w‰
w‡naxgž«je
hidan’h™na
hora
gadj‰
n‰«w‰
wan‰xgž«je.
hidan’h™ra
hora
g‡dj‰.
N‰«w‰
wan‰xgž«je.
Hidanih™na
hora
[.]
Singing
he heard them.
For a third time
their voices

wanaxgž«je
jigŽ
[tau«]
djasge[epsilon«]
hirŽje
wan‰xgž«je
jigŽ
giji
djasgeg‡dj‰
hirejŽ
wan‰xgž«je.
JigŽ,
g’ji,
"Djasgeg‡dj‰?"
hirejŽ.
he heard them.
Again,
[so,]
"What's the matter?"
he thought.

w‰«gerŽgi
wana”«na
[M]
[beta]
hap'ah’
w‰gregi
wan‰'”«ra
m‰'ž«ra
Ždja
hap‡hi
W‰«gerŽgi
wan‰'”«ra
M‰'ž«na
Ždja
hap‡hi
Above
mind
[Earthmaker]
there
directed

cagerœxaxa
n‰j”«
w‡djeje
nunigŽ
h‰kidj—girœxudjen’je
cagerux‡xa
n‰j”
w‡djeje
nunige
h‰kŽ-hidjˆ-hogiruxudjn“je.
cagerux‡xa
n‰j”
w‡djeje,
nunige
h‰kidj—girœxudjenije.
with hands extended*
standing
[saying to him,]**
but
he didn't look toward.
*the interlinear has, "with faces toward heaven". This is written above, "hands toward God", which has been crossed out.
**the interlinear has, "he was saying"; WC has "and pleading".

hidjob—h™na
hora
wanaxgž«[epsilon]
dŽ
hisge[6]
hidjob—h™ra
h—ra
wan‰xgžg‡dj‰
de
hisgŽ'xdj”
hidjob—h™na
h—ra
wan‰xgžg‡dj‰,
de
hisgŽxdj”
For a fourth time
their voices
[when] he heard them,
[these]
intensely

gh‡k
w‡djeje
[M]
[beta]
hap'ah’
ghak
w‡djeje.
m‰'ž«ra
Ždja
hap‡hi
ghak
w‡djeje.
M‰'ž«na
Ždja
hap‡hi
[crying]
[speaking to him.]
Earthmaker
there
directed

wana”«na
hisge[6«]
w‡djeje
wana”«na
wanadjodja”s'ge[6]
wan‰'”ra
hisgŽxdj”
w‡djeje
wan‰'”«ra
wan‰«djodj‰«isgexdj”
wan‰'”«ra
hisgŽxdj”
w‡djeje,
wan‰'”«ra
wan‰«djodj‰«isgexdj”
their minds
intensely
[addressing him,]
their minds
most piteously

w‡djeje
djasgŽ[epsilon]
h’reje
hodj‰«
[T]
w‡djeje.
"djasgeg‡dj‰,"
hirejŽ,
"hodj‰«
w‰kcig-ho'”«ra
w‡djeje.
"Djasgeg‡dj‰?"
hirejŽ,
"hodj‰«
w‰kcigo'”«ra
[addressing him.]
"How can it be?"
he wondered,
"[since]*
life
*under hodj‰« in the English translation in the interlinear, the following was written and later crossed out: "(how can it be now".

hip—nacgŽni
wagž«zcana**
yarŽra
h’re[tau«]
wokœruxœtcce
hiponacgeni
wagžscan‰
yarŽra?"
hiregiji
wokuruxœtcje.
hiponacgeni
wagžscan‰
yarŽra?"
Hiregiji,
wokuruxœtcce.
he must have enough*
I created
I thought?"
[When he thought it,]
he looked down.
*above this is written, "with enough (on earth)".
**the /c/ in this word, which in the interlinear MS looks like an /s/, is circled.

wokœruxœtc[epsilon]
de
hisgŽ[6]
w‡n‰kce
herecgœnina
wokuruxutcg‡dj‰
de
hisgŽxdj”
w‡n‰kje;
herecgœnina,
Wokuruxutcg‡dj‰,
de
hisgŽxdj”
w‡n‰kce;
Herecgœnina,
When he looked down,
there
most truly
[they would say that]*
the devil, the one not**
*WC has "was it a fact".
**"the devil" is written above "it seemed" which is crossed out. Below the line is written, "the one not".

[theta]
wa’xgiwan’[tau«]
[theta]
waxop’ni
ciciger‡
dj‡n‰ga
w‡ixgiwanig“ji,
dj‡n‰ga
waxop’ni
cic’gra
dj‡n‰ga
w‡ixgiwanig“ji,
dj‡n‰ga
waxop’ni
cic’gera
[as many as there are]
attendants*
[as many as there are]
spirits
the evil ones
*preceding this word, "religious movement" has been crossed out.

warŽwan’[tau«]
han‰«tc”
m‰nŽgi
w‰«gerŽgi
[theta]
warŽwanig’ji,
han‰«tc”
m‰rŽgi,
w‰grŽgi,
dj‡n‰ga
warŽwanig’ji,
han‰«tc”
m‰rŽgi,
w‰gerŽgi,
dj‡n‰ga
helpers,*
[all]
on earth,
from above
[as many as there are]
*this is written above, "the slaves" which is crossed out.

h’rapah’gi
[theta]
c‡gera
pah’gi
m‰k'œh™nŽgi
h’rapah’gi
-*
c‡gra
pah’gi
m‰kœh‰rŽgi
h’rapah’gi,
dj‡n‰ga
c‡gera
pah’gi,
m‰kœh‰rŽgi
that had sharp teeth,**
as many as there were
claws***
that had sharp ones,
[under the earth]*
*omitted in WC.
**this is written above, "I held towards" which has been crossed out.
***just before these words, "finger nails" is crossed out, and below the latter another set of illegible words is also crossed out.

wa’recgœnina
[theta]
nihŽgi
me[delta]
w‰«gau’nejŽ
wairecgœnina
dj‡n‰ga
-**
mejŽsge
w‰ga'žirŽje.
herecgœnina,*
dj‡n‰ga
nihŽgi,
mejŽsge
w‰ga'žirŽje.
the evil spirits
as many as
as existed*** --
thus
they did to us.****
*throughout, ex post facto, wairecguni(na) has been corrected to herecguni(na). Here the correction was missed.
**omitted in WC.
***"if I said" has been crossed out, then below it is written, "I did", which has also been crossed out; finally, "as there is" is written afterwards. This translation is from WC.
****this is written below "they made us" which has been crossed out. WC has, "that they were at work upon us".

p. 235 = (WC 21, line 81) --
hodacgŽ
tc’n‰k
h”k—nok
hina'”«[tau«]
w‰«gim‰«tcim”girejŽ
"hodacgŽ
tc’n‰k
h”kan‰k
hin‰'”g’ji
w‰«gimatc“m”girje.
"HodacgŽ
tc’n‰k
h”kan‰k
hin‰'”g’ji
w‰«gimatc“m”girje.
"Some [also]
village
to establish*
we tried, but
they live upon us.**
*in the interlinear, what appears to be "to have" is written over a crossed out "they place". The translation used is that of WC.
**this is written parenthetically above the Hotc‰k line. On the English line "through men" has been crossed out, and below it, "they", "men", and "they liked" have all been crossed out. Below m”girejŽ, "they lay down" has been crossed out.

[alpha]
warœtc
hok’nihina”«gi
tc’ra
kurudj’s
Žgi
warœtc
hok’nihi-n‰`'”gi
tc’ra
kurudj’s
ƒgi
warœtc
hok’nihin‰`'”gi
tc’ra
kurudj’s
[Then]
food
we tried to obtain*
[the lodge]
we didn't reach*
*in each case, "we" is written above a crossed out "he".

w‰«gin‰j”neje
[tau]
[dejesge‡waž**
hiwadjŽje
h”gh‡gin‰«ji[rho]]***
w‰gin‰j”«reje
g’ji.
dejesge hawa'ž
hiwadjŽje
h”ghag-hin‰ji-ˆn‰ga
w‰gin‰j”«reje
g’ji.
Dejesge‡waž
hiwadjŽje,
h”ghagin‰jiˆn‰ga
they made us*
[.]
For this reason this way
we are acting,
we are crying, and
*this was written above a crossed out phrase: "although they had confidence in".WC has, "(attaining it) erect (i.e., alive)".
**between and above the /e/ and /a/, a small /h/ has been written.
***the brackets are Radin's. He does not state their significance.

[M]
h”wew’naji[rho«]
h”ghagadjŽgi
hisgŽ
wadjŽra
m‰'ž«ra
h”wŽw”n‰jiˆn‰ga
h”ghag-hadjŽgi."
hisge
wadjŽra
M‰'ž«na
h”wŽw”n‰jiˆn‰ga
h”ghagadjŽgi."
Hisge
wadjŽra
Earthmaker
we stood with our thoughts towards and
we all cried."
The truth
he was saying,

hipŽrezsŽ
de
[omega][tau]
[psi]
waj‰
hipŽresje.
de
jegžg’ji
h‰kŽ
waj‰
hipŽresce.
De
jegžg’ji
h‰kŽ
waj‰
he knew.
[This one]
[for that reason]
not
anything

xg’ni
han”«kdjane[epsilon«]
h’re[tau«]
wogž«zera
p'”k'ž«
xgini
han”«kdjanegˆdj‰
hireg’ji.
wogž«zra
p”k'ž
xgini
han”«kdjanegˆdj‰
hireg’ji.
Wogž«zera
p”k'ž
not moving
there would be
[he thought.]
His creation
to improve*
*the interlinear has, "to better it".

n‰”«je
wŽw”jŽ
[epsilon]
hipŽrezsŽ
wažjŽ
n‰'”«je
wŽwije
gadj‰
hiperŽsje
wa'žjŽ
n‰'”«je.
WŽwije.
Gadj‰
hiperŽsce
wa'žjŽ
he tried.
He pondered the matter.
[Then]
[he knew that]
[he was going to create him.]

homin—gen™k‡
kžha’dja
w‰g’j‰
tcon’[6]
n‰borŽhi
homin‰«gn‰ka
kžh‰«-edja
w‰g-h’j‰
tcon’xdj”
n‰b—rehi
homin‰«gen‰ka
kžh‰’dja
w‰g’j‰
tcon’xdj”
n‰b—rehi
seat he is sitting in
below
a man
the very first one
with his own hands

unihŽra
kœruz[rho«]
hidja’ra
p'îk'û´je
wana”«na
'unihŽra
kœruz-‡n‰ga
hidj‡ira
p”k'ž«je,
wan‰'”«ra
'unihŽra.
Kœruz‡n‰ga
hidja’ra
p”k'ž«je,
wan‰'”«ra
he created.
He took him and
more
[he made better,]
his mind

p'”giž«je
w‰kc’k
p'”«
h’je
[alpha]
p”gi'ž«je
w‰kcik
p'”«
hije.
Žgi
p”gi'ž«je.
W‰kcik
p'”«
hije.
ƒgi
he improved.
[Man]
[good]
he made him.*
Then
*this sentence is not found in WC.

m‰nŽgi
h—wahu
gig’kdjanŽgi
hok'ž«je
m‰n—gere
m‰rŽgi
howahu
g’gikdjangi
hokû´je
m‰n‰«gre
m‰rŽgi
howahu
G’gikdjangi
hokû´je.
M‰n‰«gere
to earth
he dispatched him.
He'll send him,
he preached to him.
This earth

p'”'ž«
hœgig’je
girucdj™«
huh’gi
w‰«gerŽgi
pî'û
hugig’je.
girucdjâ
huh’gi
-*
pî'û
hugig’je.
Girucdjâ
huh’gi
w‰«gerŽgi
to better
[he was sent.]
He let him
[when he sent him]
from above
*this word is missing from WC.

hœgi
r—xgarŽsge
hœje
wa’zara
gh”k«
-*
r—xgarŽ-sge**
huje
w‡izara
gh”k
hœgi
r—xgarŽsge
huje,
waízara
gh”k
[when he came]
[how at the time his body was moving]
he came,
the limbs
whistling
*this word is missing from WC.
**Radin adds, "(roxgu-hirŽsge?)". The word may come from ro-, "body"; xga, "motion, to move"; -re, "the time when, the place where" (?); and -sge, "how, like".

m’nokce
hodj‰«
djadja”«xdj”
hadjigúni
hireg’
min‰«kje.
"hodj‰«,
djadj‰«ixdj”
hadjigœni,"
hireg’.
min‰«kce.
"Hodj‰«,
djadj‰«ixdj”
hadjigœni,"
hireg’.
[they reposed.]
"Well,
how far
I must have come,"
he thought.

m‰nŽgi
horuxœtc
huh’[epsilon]
kem‰«kere
djikŽreje
m‰rŽgi
horuxœtc
huhig‡dj‰.
kem‰«kere
djikŽreje
M‰rŽgi
horuxœtc
huhig‡dj‰.
Kem‰«kere
djikŽreje,
Towards the earth
he looked
as he came.
He turned over*
[