A Prophecy
Interlinear text by Thomas A. Sebeok
This text comes from an Ediphone (wax) cylinder recorded sometime well prior to 1945. In that year it was forwarded to Indiana University to be transcribed. A native Hotcâk speaker, Mitchell Redcloud, Sr., of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, listened to the text three times, then repeated it from memory. The text was slightly redacted by Alvin Stacy, who described it as "archaic" and "awkward." [1]
Expressions appearing in brackets, [ ], are supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).
p. 169 --
| Hiragra | mayjâ | jedjanâgiji | 'egi | wokanâk hirasanâgre |
| After | a year | at this time | and [or, here] | people with hats on |
| hiwanimîgwigi | hîwakara | ghewigi | djanâga |
| when we attack them | shouting | the war cry | all things [or, as many as there are] |
| wâgregi | mâxi | hozû´naki | jigé | hâ´pdjanerècge |
| above | the clouds | full | again | even the day[s] |
| djanâga | jige | hâp | hamanîra | herèaki |
| all | and [again] | day [or, light] | those who walk (birds)* | those possibly** |
| hereanâga | 'egi | jige | djanâga | mâ´haxkiràgra |
| besides [or, also, likewise] | and | again | all [or, as many as there are] | things that move on the earth |
| 'egi | hohuhinâgre | hidjobíhike | jige | wâgregi |
| and | the winds | all four | and [again] | above |
| wâgcig | hictca | sane | hatcawira | hanâtcî |
| people | face | white | whom we had seen | all |
| hîgidjèrirékdjinena. | Jejegûgiji | manâgre | hixkâxkâ´kdjinena. | Jejegûgiji |
| they will help me. | If [or, when] this is done | the earth | it will shake. | In this case [or when this is done] |
| Máyxetera | hijugra | hidjàdjire | wahírecke | hâke |
| white men [lit., Big Knives] | guns | aim | even if | not |
| warudjox | ruxuruk | hiranî´kdjinena | higû djasge | waninegi |
| make explode | could | they will not be able to | no matter | hold |
| hijugra | jegunâkhiktcanena. | Hâke | hixkâruxuruk. | hiranî´kdjinena. |
| guns | they will be as they were. | Not | move | they will be able to. |
| Jejegûgiji | gisagracana | hiûwigiji | Jejegûgiji | jedjâ |
| When this occurs | only knock unconscious | if we do. | When this happens | end |
| hî´hîwìgi. | Manâgre | ne'e | hokarayxkâwigi | 'ineki |
| if we do. | The earth | we | if we move in it | alone |
| jejegûhîhiwìgiji | wâkcighoinra | pîhî'ûdjinihawîna. | Mejesge | wagi'ûhadjina |
| if we do this | our lives | we shall get along very well. | For this | I came for this purpose |
| megi. | Hinuc'ak | wianâga | jeje gûgiji | manâgre |
| here. | Fail | if we do | if this occurs | the earth |
| djaskextcî | nâgre | wokanâk | hirasánâgre | hahi |
| all | of it | hat | with attached | in time |
| hoyxtcî´kdjinena. | Hoyxtcîgiji | hahicge | hegû | nîgitcira |
| it will be fully occupied. | If it is filled | in time | even | someplace we live |
| hinuc'akhikdjinihàwina. | Jigenige | hîtcìkdjinihawigícke | hîhohîwahiwianâga |
| fail we will. | And any place | if we shall camp | we must ask permission |
| 'ûwâgacirawigcana | 'edja | hîtcwínana. | Jige | nâkisgra | hijâ |
| only if they give us permission | there | we shall camp. | Again | stick | one |
| tcicu | hîgitcgísnikdjinihàwicke | hî´hohîwahîwianâga |
| for framework of wigwams | if we are about to cut | we must ask for permission |
| hijâ | hîgitcgíswinana. | Jejegûktcanahena. | Hâke | hoyxtcî´pini |
| one | we shall cut. | Thus it shall be. | Not | be filled |
| hirewahinûnîgi | manâgre | hahi | hakinírekdjinena. |
| we would not think | the land | in time | they will be overcrowded. |
Source:
Thomas A. Sebeok, "Two Winnebago Texts," International Journal of American Linguistics, 13 (1947): 167-170; Text II -- A Prophecy, 169.