Hotcâk Text -- The Old Man and the Giants

Hotcâk Text -- The Old Man and the Giants

Interlinear Translation by Oliver LaMère

p. 163 --

Édja	tcináñgijâ-nañkcgúnije.	Húñgera	hidjanáñkcguni,	égi
[There]	was a town.	[The] chief	was there,	and

djánañga	uañgera	heregí	hanâ´tcî	hâdáginantc	wacíres'àje,
all	men	there were	all	fast	they used to,

égi	hâdagenándjera	'úñxdjines'àje.	Hagaréjâ	Uañgerútcgera	wiradjíreje
[and]	fast they did	very much.	[Once]	the Giants	came after them

égi	hadjíregi	waki'unaî´neje	wokìnoñk.	Nâî´negi	uañkcígeniñgra.
and	when they came	to gamble with them	they wanted to wrestle with.	They wanted to try	the people (the smaller ones).

p. 164 --

Háwasuntc	híreje	hohírawigi	mâhudjáxdjî	hirawíje.	Hinûbóhôna
They downed	they did	when beaten they were	a great slaughter	they did to them.	The second time

jigé	kiwánu	nâî´nawigi,	jigé	'u-inégi.	Jigigû´
[again]	to race	they wanted to,	so	they did.	Then again

nâdjízrawìji	hinûbóhôna,	jigé	uañkcígeniñgra	exéde	'ú-ineje
they beat them	second time,	[so]	the people	big killing	they did

aírenâ.	Jédjuñga	'uñxdjínegi	uañkcígeniñgra	jédjâ	hirawíje.
[they said].	[And then]	when at the worst	the people	end	they did to them.

Égi	jeé	uañgenú-ijâ	híniñgwahìra	nûpíwi	nañxíra.
And	there	an old man	his sons	two	the youngest.

p. 165 --

Hinû´wiñke	wawagéje,	"Niñgiágwira,	huñké	wañgajédjaniñkdjawìnâ,"
Both of them	he said to them,	"My sons,	not	end we must not,"

éje,	aírenâ.	Égi,	"Hodji-á,"	aíreje,	ásge	xadáp hopaséjâ
he said,	[they said].	[And],	"All right,"	[the two said],	and so	a thicket corner

édja	mâniñgénañki,	édja	nuñxáwâ	wagigíje,	airenâ.
[there]	piece of land there was,	[there]	hide	he made them,	[they said].

Tcahahí	homî´jwagìgije,	aírenâ.	Égi	warúdjeniñk	hidjá
Deer-hide	he spread for them,	[they said].	[And]	some food	there

wogíjuje,	aírenâ.	"Jégû,	égi	'unikáwi-àdje,"	uañgenúnôñka
he put for them,	[they said].	["So],	[here]	you must stay,"	the old man

p. 166 --

éje.	"Hagaréjâ	wanânáxguñxgûwi-ànañga	huñke	wajânijâ
he said.	["At times]	you will listen	not	anything

xginiháni	hiranâ´c'îwìgi	égi,	harágighepdjawìnâ,"	wigéje,	aírenâ.
is not moving	when you imagine	this,	you will come out,"	he told them,	[they said].

"Égi	tcíra	woc'ûwígi	édja	wirokúkunuk	hicekdjenáwinâ,"
"[And]	the house	you go about	[there]	useful articles	you will find,"

éje,	aírenâ.	Ásge	jesgé	hirejé,	aírenâ.
[he said],	[they said].	And so	that kind	they did,	[they said].

Hagaréjâ	jédjuñga	hotcintcíniñgra	hagighébireje.	Wanañxgúñxgûnegàdjâ
[In time]	[and now]	the boys	they came out.	They listened around but

p. 167 --

woxgíniñkdjiñgiji	jédjuñga	agighébireje.	Tcíra	hanâ´tcî	wo-'ú-inegàdjâ.
listless it was	and now	they came out.	The house	all	they went about then.

Wërakírakuni!	tcíjâ	wajonanâ´tcî	hojunáñkce,	warúdjeracge
Wërakírakuni!	a house	everything all	was in it,	food also

higû´	wanínacge;	wajónanàñtcî	edjanáñkce,	aírenâ.	Racgúni
even	meat;	everything, all	was there,	[they said].	Peacefully

jégû	uâ´dji-araìreje,	aírenâ,	égi	waxiñxî´jâ	kik'u-inánañga
now	they started,	[they said],	and	a ball	made they for themselves

p. 168 --

jée	hicgátc	hadji-araíreje,	aírenâ.	Hâ´pga	jeécanâ
that	to play with	they began,	[they said].	Day after day	that only

hicgádjires'àje.	Hagaréjâ	hari-ókiwàhasge	'únañk'û.	Xedeníñkdjega
play with they would.	[At times]	drive-one-another-pass, shinr?o?y	they were doing.	The oldest one

wánânisgaìregi,	jégû	hawádjâ	haraíreje.	Xe	niñgenísge
they were kind of beating him,	now	shoving, moving	him on.	Hill	a little one

miñkíji.	Waghiñghína	saniñgédja	howaíreje	ásge	xedeníñkdjega
there was.	The ball	over there other side	it went over	and so	the older one

nûwúñkdjî	hodínañkadjâ	de	xe	kuhâ´negi	nî´janañka
running very hard	up the hill	there, these	hill	below	there came water

p. 169 --

waghiñghína	ni-édja	howaíreje.	Égi	uañgenú-ijâ	wadjówe
the ball	in the water	it went in.	[And]	an old man	in boat

égixdjî	ha'-unigàdjâ.	Heregí	hotcintcíniñkdjega	wéje,	"Tcoká
just then	landed there.	Just then (?)	the boy	said,	"Grandfather,

waghiñghína	huñkáraik'úne,"	éje.	Hicgé	uañgenúdjega	wéje,
ball	give it back to me,"	he said.	Also	the old man	said,

"Hadji-ákaragùre,"	éje.	Jédjuñga	hotcintcíniñkdjega	harukónoñgànañga	wadjédja
"Come after it yourself,"	he said.	And now	[the boy]	went down and	in boat

hot'ôpgíji.	égi,	wërakirakúni,	uañgenúdjega	wéje,	"Wádjaniñxdji
jumped.	Then,	wërakirakúni,	the old man	said,	"Boat mine

p. 170 --

ságere	karanáne,"	egádjâ.	Jégû	wadjóñgere	sageréxdjî
very fast	go home now,"	he said then.	[So]	this boat	very fast

kerejé,	jégû	nína	xinajî´je*	wate pa-aki'wake,
went home,	[so]	water	flew	in front of boat at each end,

*xinajî´ seems to mean something like, "to rush by in a billowing fashion" and may apply only to water. Cf. "The Lost Blanket".

nína	xinajî´je	jégû	hotcintcíniñgra	haninañgíreje.	Xonúdjegaji
water	flew	[so]	the boy	they took him home.	The young one

édja	t'unanáñgireje,	aírenâ,	aíreje,	aírenâ.	Jédjuñga
[there]	left they him,	[they said],	they had said,	[they said].	And now

p. 171 --

hagaréjâ	hak'û´kinigàdjâ,	de	hotcintcíniñgijâ	nintcedjédja	djéje.
[at a time]	when it landed,	there	a boy	near the waters, along the shore [nî-hitcetc = near the rim]	he was.

De-óji	uañgenúnoñka.	Jégû	hagi-oikéwegi	jegû´je	nûbóhâ.
But this	that old man.	[And]	he went in	was the last of him	two times.

Gadjâ,	wërakirakúni,	hinuñgíjâ	djíje	wéje,	"Hotcintcíniñgra
And then,	wërakirakúni,	a woman	came	said,	"Boy

hiñkécge	dónikewehìnije?"	éje.	"Hodji-á,	dokéwehi	hadjegádjâ.
not [also]	are you not hungry?"	said.	"Yes,	hungry	I am.

Hadjirá	hodjonûbóhôna	hiñkagá	wahádjeni	âdjínâ,"	éje.
Since I came	it has been two days	never	not to eat	have,"	he said.

p. 172 --

"Ásge	doikéwehinâ,	éje,	aírenâ.	"Égi	guré,
"And also	I am hungary,	[he said],	[they said].	["And]	come on,

waradjíkdjenâ,"	éje,	aírenâ.	Tcíseredjìjâ	édja	hokéwegiji
you shall eat,"	[she said],	[they said].	A long house	[there]	went in

hinuñgra	nûpíwije,	aírenâ.	Xédenuñka	wok'û´je,	aírenâ,
women	there were two,	[they said].	The older one	gave to him,	[they said],

ásge	warúdjanañga.	Jigé	djadjonégi	nîtcedjédja	hotcintcíniñkdjega
[and so]	he ate.	[And again]	right away	near the waters	that boy

kicgátcdjireje	aírenâ.	Jigé	hagaréjâ	nûbóhâ	gadjâ
began to play with	[they said].	[Again]	[at a time]	two times	[when]

p. 173 --

hinúñk	xonúdjega	djijé,	"Hotcintcíniñgra	hiñgécge	donikéwe
woman	the younger one	came,	"Boy you	not	hungry

hínîje?"	éje,	aírenâ.	Égi	hotcintcíniñkdjega	wéje,
are you not?"	[she said],	[they said].	[And]	that boy	he said,

"Doikéwehi,	adjegádjâ,	hodjâ´	hadjirédjâ	hagakírahâ	wahatcgádjâ
"I am hungry,	of course,	since	I came	once only	I ate

ásge	doikéwehi	adjénâ,"	éje,	aírenâ.	Égi,
and so	hungry	I am,"	[he said],	[they said].	[And],

"Guré,	waradjíkdjenâ,"	éje,	aírenâ.	Ásge	hidjáhigiji,
"Come,	you shall eat,"	[she said],	[they said].	And so	when he got there,

p. 174 --

jigé	warutcé,	aírenâ.	"Égi	hotcintcíniñgra	haniñkíjuru-àgû
[so]	he ate,	[they said].	["And]	[the little boy]	I would like to marry you

núnige	djadjíga	waxopíni	cicigíjâ	wa'unáñkcanâ,"	éje,
but	my father	spirit	a bad one	he is,"	[she said],

aírenâ.	Hinúñk	xedénoñka	wéje,	aírenâ,	"Horakéwe
[they said].	The woman	the older one	[said],	[they said],	"Come in

curuxúruki	hakikíjunana,"	éje,	aírenâ.	"Djádjiga	hañkécge
if you can	we will come together,"	[she said],	[they said].	"My father	Not

naîporezenínâ.	Wajâ	cicigíjâ	wa'unáñkcanâ,"	eje,	aírenâ.	Égi
sleep he knows not (he does not sleep).	Thing	a bad one	he is,"	[she said],	[they said].	[And]

p. 175 --

hotcintcíniñkdjega	wéje,	"Jesgécge	jégû	ya'û´tcakdjanènâ,"	éje,
that boy	said,	"Even so	any how	to try I will,"	[he said],

aírenâ.	Jédjuñga	hâhégiji	hidjá	howéreje.	Hanûsára
[they said].	Now then	when it became light	there	he went.	Lightly walked he

tcînéje	gádjâ,	wërakirakúni,	uáñgenoñka	hikîje.	"Hohó!
towards started	[and then]	wërakirakúni,	the old man	he awoke.	"Ho ho!

jigíjâ	naî´seratcdjèga,"	éje,	jegû´	gisgáp	hîpce.
some one	sneeking [up] on me,"	[he said],	[so]	he lay down and hid himself	he lay.

Hiraréxdjiñgi	uañgenóñka	jigé	nañgíji.	Jigé	rejé,
After awhile	that old man	[again]	slept.	[Again]	he (boy) went,

p. 176 --

gádjâ	jigígû	éje,	"Hahó,	jigíjâ	naîsarátcdjega,"
but	again	[he said],	"Well,	someone	is sneaking up on me,"

éje.	Hidaxíhôna	jigé	regíji,	jigígû	uáñgenoñka
[he said].	Third time	[again]	he went,	[again]	that old man

jigé	hikî´je.	Wéje,	"Jigíjâ	naîsarátcdjega,"	éje.
[again]	woke up.	[He said],	["Someone]	[is sneaking up on me],"	[he said].

Hidjobóhôna	jédjuñga	hañké	hikiníje,	ásge	hotcintcíniñkdjega
Fourth time	and now	not	he woke up,	[and so]	the young man

jédjuñga	hahi-ókewegi.	Hinúñk	xedédjega	hahí	akijúmiñkce.
now then	he went in.	Woman	the older one	went	and lay with him.

p. 177 --

Kanañgádjâ.	Wërakirakúni,	hainigádjâ	uañgenúnoñka	wéje,	"Wakúmimiñgànañga
She married him.	Wërakirakúni,	in the morning	the old man	[said],	"Sitting, bowing down

ghagenáñkce."	Hinúñgenuñka	wéje	jigé,	"Djagú'û	wacacónoñkce?"
he was crying."	The girl	said	again,	"Why	are you saying, crying, that?"

higégi.	Uañgenúnoñka	wéje,	"Wadohótcira	de jedjánâ	padjopasédja
she said to him.	The old man	said,	"The son-in-law	at this time	at the corner of the timber

kcé	hiñgáguhi-ànañga.	Kcé	hádjenañkcanùnâ."	"'Yaréra
apples	go after for me.	Apples	I used to be eating."	"I thought

p. 178 --

huñkagá	hicdjanína	hiwúzeninàñkcanâ,"	ejé.	"Hodjâ´dekdjènâ,"	éje.
not	tears	I am to dry,"	he said.	"Well I will go,"	[he said].

Hotcintcíniñkdjega	hainigíji	hakijúreje	cehúra	jégû	maíndja
The boy	in the morning	(the old man) went with him	apple trees	[and]	on the ground

harurétcdjeje	hotcintcíniñkdjega	hisgé	gihídjiregi.	Uañgenúnoñka	wéje,
bent to it was	the boy	some	began to pick.	The old man	[he said],

"Wadohótcira,	hañkcí	hisgerúzre,"	egíji.	"Hañkcí	hisgerúzenâiñgàdjâ
"Son-in-law,	up higher	get some,"	he said.	"Up high	some he tried to get but

p. 179 --

cehú	haniñxdjî	seretcîdjidjére,"	éje	uañgenúnoñka.	Cehúdjane
apple tree	mine	real tall became,"	he said	the old man.	This apple tree

mañghíra	hikucé	djidjéje.	Hotcintcíniñka	â´bera	rucakí.
the sky	up to	it became.	The boy	get down	could not.

Édja	ghagenáñkce.	Wërakirakúni,	Kaghíwawáñkega	djijé	égi
[There]	[he was crying].	Wërakirakúni,	[Raven] (shouting-crow)	came	[and]

Hotcintcíniñkadjega	wéje,	"Tcoká,	t'égi	égi	hinadjikdjénâ;	jegû´negi
the boy	said,	"Grandfather,	when I die	then	you can eat me;	at this time

p. 180 --

hañké	hinudjenínâ,"	higegádjâ.	Kaghíwawàñkega	wéje,	"Hitcûcgé
not	eat me,"	he said to him.	The shouting-crow [Raven]	said,	"Grandson

niñgidjidékdjege	wa'uâdjínâ,"	éje.	"Hohó,	tcoka,	wat'éhagi
to help you out	is why I came."	[he said].	"Ho ho,	grandfather,	when I kill

warádjikdjènâ,"	éje,	"Wajâ´nijâ	kisák	ha-ógi,	radjíkdjénâ,"
you can eat,"	[he said],	"Something	in the middle	I hit,	you can eat,"

higegí.	"Ho,"	éje.	Maíndja	kerédjije.	Hoxdjána
he said to him.	"Ho,"	[he said].	Down to the ground	he brought him.	At evening

gadjâ	gijé	hâhakí'regi	waniñgítcge	hagurécigi,	jigé
[when]	home he got	when day came	fowl eggs	he told him to go after,	[so]

rawíje.	Égi	inîpáras	nuñxúdjedja	wirarusgítcanañga	wa'uñgíji
they went.	[And]	flat stones	on the side of his face	he tied on and	he did this

p. 181 --

waniñk tcoxédera	djopíwiwigi	hat'ôpciránañga	ahu-îbódairegìji.	Ahúra
big bluebirds	four of them	jumped for him	with wings they struck him.	Their wings

bokícic híreje	hidjóbike.	T'éwahije	hidjóbike.	Waniñgítcgera	djopíwi
they broke for themselves	four of them.	He killed them	all four of them.	The eggs	four of them

waníñgije.	Hidaníhanâ	nañkíkera	regikárahegi.	Hakíjuregìji.
he took home.	The third ? time	hunting	go he asked him to.	He went with him.

p. 182 --

Wërakirakúni,	wahúhira	rokónoxdji-ànañga	sinihíracge	rokonoxdjî´je.	Uañgenú-oñka
Wërakirakúni,	snow	very much of it was	cold also	very much it was.	The old man

wa'ûjé	hâhéregi	hotcintcíniñkdjega	wa-ína	daxuwágigije.
did	at night	the young man	blanket	burnt he them up for him.

Nâ´hîpgi	wagi'û´je.	Hainigádjâ	de	uañgenâ´djega	étcû
When he slept	he did this.	In the morning	there	the old man	instead

wa-iná	daxuwakárage	wá'ûje.	Jédjuñga	hakeraíregiji	uañgenu-óñka
the blanket	had burnt up	for himself (?).	Now then	when they went home	the old man

hañké	wajâ´	jesgániñgi.	Wa'ûjé
not	thing	amounted to anything (not anything was he like).	So he did

xáwî	wagudjé	kik'û´,	nunige*
some grass	shoe	he made for himself,	but

*this is where the text in Notebook Winnebago III, #9, ends. The rest is picked up in the full copy in Winnebago III, #18.

p. 673 (2d MS pagination) --

hañké	piñxdjínigí.	édja	hotcintcínikdjegá	wat'unánâkcé.
not	not very good.	There	the young man	left he him.

Wáñgenû´djegá	dasákt'éje.*	Égi	hinúñgera	nûpíwi
The old man	cold he died of.	And	the women	two of them

*before this word is written "dasak" which was later crossed out.

nóñka	égi	hotcintcínigíjâ	jénu[ñ]ga	wéje.
that were	and	a boy	that many	there were.

Hotcintcínik	hinúkonúkdjané	wejé,	"Jedjaíñxdjin	hiñkárawígi
The boy*	that was married	said,	"About now**	for us to go home

*"the" has been circled.
**"about now" has been circled and above it has been written the more literal "this far now".

pinána.	His'ûkára*	hakúnunína,"	éje.	Ásge
it would be good.	My brother (younger)**	I am lonesome for,"	he said.	And so

*just before this word "eje" has been crossed out.
**the parenthetical matter is in the text.

wadjówe	hakaraírejé.	Hagíregádjâ	hís'û´gerá	hañkáwajénijé.
in boat	they started home.*	When they arrived home	his younger brother	was not there.

*"started" is circled and above it is written "went".

p. 674 --

Hokaránidjíregadjâ.	Hañké	nîgé	yak'énije.*	Wérakírakúni,
Hunting he started about.	Not	anywhere	found he him not.	Wérakírakúni!

*"yak'é" is written above an original "hík'eníje".

hagoréjâ	dée	cuñkdjáñgedja	horók'ûdjaû.*	Hákdjajé.
once on a time	there	with wolves	he was among them.**	He saw him.

*above the line in extremely small print is written "(ha û'ráû)".
**"with" is crossed out and "among them" written above it.

Hoixéwe	karagínâî´giji,	cuñkdjáñkdjera	djopíwi	kidjírecíje.*
Get him	he tried to,	the wolves	four of them	for help he asked of them.

*just before this word, "gidjiraírejé" has been crossed out.

"Hodjiá,"	higaírejé.	Ásge	tcaíjâ	kisákoijé.
"All right,"	they said to him.	And so	a deer	in the middle he shot.

Jeé	rudjerégi	édja	hagirúkosíregí.
That	they eat and	there	caught him they for him.*

*on this translation, see the Commentary.

Hakáranî´gigíji,	íniokéwe	giûjé.	Wójuxúra	djopíwi
When home he got him,	go in stone (steambath)*	he did to him.	Bladders**	four of them

*the parenthetical matter is in the text.
**before this word something has been crossed out.

jénahije.	Hû´djikiní*	wagiû´je.	Niâ´pkaragígi,	hinúk
he used up.	Bear oil	he used.	When he brought him to life,	[woman]

*just before this word, "honjik" has been crossed out.

xonúnâká	ékonógigíje,	égi	hinúgenâká	waíreje,
the younger one	he let him marry	and	these women	they said,

"Tcínogra	Wâgerútcge	tcebírera	niâ´pkaragípinraníwigádjâ,"
"The town	(that the) Giants	they ate up	alive you ought to make them,"

aíreje.	"Hisgé	wacáwi	núnigé	djáskehawiánâga
they said.	"Truth*	you say	but	how can we

*"some" has been crossed out and below it has been written the word "truth".

jeéské	duxúrugíkdjawijé?"	aíreje,	hotcintcínâ´ka.*	Waíreje,
that kind	could we do?"	they said,	these young men.	They said,

*between "hotcintcín" and "nâ´ka" several letters have been heavily crossed out.

"Égi,	hitcâ´rawigá	niâ´pwahinána,"	aíreje,	hinúgenâ´ka.
"Well,	your brother-in-law	can make them live,"	they said,	these women.

Ásge	hitcánhírera	édja	hahíregí.	Ejéé
And so	their brother-in-law	there	went they to.	He it was

niâ´pwagigíje,	aíres'áje.	Jedjánâ.
alive he made for him,	they used to say.	That's all.

English Translation

Source:

[1] Charlie Houghton, A Story about an Old Man and the Giants, in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #9, Freeman Number 3894 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) Story XXXI, pp. 163-182. Charlie Houghton, A Story about an Old Man and the Giants, in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #18, Freeman #3900 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) Story XXXI, pp. 661+-675.