Hotcâk Text -- Shakes the Earth

narrated by James StCyr

from a story related to him by a Frenchman

English Translation

The manuscript, which is in the hand of Paul Radin, is not too difficult to read. About 40% of the hand written interlinear text has no English translation, but almost all of the untranslated words could be found elsewhere, usually within this manuscript. The orthography is of Radin's later syle: vowel-n-tilde is replaced by vowel-superscript-n; and certain examples of initial "u" ("uañk") are now replaced by a "w" ("wâk"). In this manuscript, Radin still uses Greek letter abbreviations for common whole words or syllables, but fewer than in other texts (cf. Worúxega). These abbreviations are interpreted in other manuscripts. The values of the Greek symbols used in the text appear on the table below:

alpha beta epsilon rho tau omega
égi édja gadjâ ánâga giji jégû

Words supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle) are found in brackets '[ ]'. It was also necessary for the editor to supply all punctuation and to determine the beginning and ending of sentences.

p. 1 --

Jegi tcinógiânâkcgúni. Hûgra nûbanínije. Hûgenâkíjâ
[Again] there was a village. [The chiefs] two they had.* One of their chiefs

*"were" is crossed out and "had" written above it.

hijâ´ hinî´k híje, [alpha] hûk hidjânénâka
one son he had, [and] chief the other one

hijâ´ hinî´k [híje.]* Hûdjenîkdjô´knâ´gere kikónokiréje
[one] [son] [he had.] The chief's children they married

*The word híjâ is crossed out without emendation, but the correct word should be híje.

hiû´giwinâka. Hiâ´djera tcâni hokáhi wágigos'áje.
[princesses.] [The father] fall every he used to give a feast.

Tcinógenôka déjâ hamínokce, [alpha] sanîgédja
The village on the [or: a] lake it lay, [and] on the other side

nîxedéjâ mîkce. Deé nî´dee wadjówe
[a big] river it lay. [This one] [river-this] boating

woúínes'áje. Kikónuktcekenâ´ka wajónîharaireje. Wadjerahomikónoga
they used to do. The new married couple they went hunting. They rode in a boat

p. 2 --

hirána djobohâ´hónâ nâdjéxdjî howaraíreje. [Beta]
they did four days journey about they went. [There]

hiâdjínogiréje, [alpha] tcikik'uíneje. Wâ´kdjega hâhéregi
they landed, [and] they made a camp. [That man] (husband)* [during the night]

*Parenthetical material added by Radin.

nîtcedjédja mîg[rhó]. Tcára wirap'ékdjonéje.* Dejedjánânegí
[near the waters] [he lay.] [The] deer he's going to watch. About this time

*After this word the expression deje hâhé is crossed out.

tcára nî´natcgâ´ hatcíres'áje. Ésge [beta]
[the deer] they came and drank water. [Thus] [there]

mig[rhó]. Nînatcgâ hadjíregi kirap'é. Waguítcanèje.
[he lay]. They came and [when they came] he [watched]. He'll shoot them.

Deé [beta] nîtcedjédja mîgâk'û. Hâhé
[This one] [there] [near the water] [he was lying.] [Night]

p. 3 --

kiságeregi Wâgerutcgéjâ minógenâk'û. Hadjáje. Tcirogiráxutcnâ´kce.
[about the middle ?] a Giant [he was sitting]. He saw him. He was looking at the camp.

E'sge kikúrudikéreje. Wâkcígenâka hitcáwina [beta]
[Therefore] he crawled back. The man [the wife] [there]

howakéreje. Hidjágiji hitcawina hogirakce. E'sge
he went back to. [When he got there] [his wife] he told her. [Therefore]

kikúrudi wádjera tcagíwaíreje. Hidjá hagíregi p'îhî´xdjinîk
they crawled their canoe towards they crawled. When they got there very quietly

wadjeromikonog hir[rhó]. Kawadírehíreje. Dée nînádjedja
they got in their boat [they did]. They pushed it out. [This one] in the middle of the stream

hagire[épsilon] Wâgerútcgenâ´gere tcínîk hanínera hawasû´tc hî´pce. Dée
[when they got there] the Giant their little camp he fell over (he leaped over).* [This one]

*The parenthetical expression is Radin's.

p. 4 --

hâkáwajîníneje. E'sge xáwî horupínipíni[rhó]. Nîna
they weren't there. [Then] dry hay he twisted up. [the water ?]

hanâtc´ hadája híje. Dée nînádjedja
[all] he lit (he made a torch)* [he had]. [This one] [at the edge of the water]

*Parenthetical material is by Radin.

wâkcíginîknâ´ka hakárahaíreje. Wádjagíji ninót'ûpce. Nina howè waruxeje.
[the little people] they're going. When he saw them he started in the water. He walked out in the river after them.

P'îkaíndja hipá ninówe waruxégi. Wóxere x'djî´[epsilon]
Up to the waist* that far [out into the river] [when he walked after them]. When he was very near

*Radin notes below the line: (p'îkâ´ = waist).

wâgenâka haûcgúni. Hijúgera hidjá djirehi[rhó]
[the man] he did it. His gun [when] he pointed

Wâgerútcgedjegá hik'cá. Hu[épsilon] dedjaî´xdjî. Dji[épsilon]
[the Giant] he laughed. He came just a little ways. [When he got there]

axúkoédja hijúk higútcce. Git'éhíje. Jegû
under the arm [gun] [he shot him ?]. [He killed him with the impact]. [And so]

p. 5 --

t'ehígi hitcáwina hakaraíkijú xap'e wòrak
[having killed him] [wife] with her right away told

hakarawíje. Hágíregíji horágiréje. Wâ´gerútcgéjâ t'ehígi,
they went back and. When they reached home they told the story. A Giant [having killed],

é'sge wâgwakizára kéreponadjopdjî* tcoju[rhó] jigé
[therefore,] men able to fight about 40 he went with [and] again

*This word originally occurs before wâgwakizára, but is circled and placed after it by an arrow.

hakdjaraíreje. Hidjá hire[épsilon] dée. [Beta]
they went back. [Then] they got [this one]. [There]

t'ákce Wâ´gerútcgega. É'sge nânúsair[rhó] hâpséretc.
he lay dead Man Eater [or, Giant]. [Therefore] they gathered wood [all day long].

Wâ´gerútcgega daxú-híreje. Dee daxú[epsilon] hucéregra
Man Eater [or, Giant] [he got burned up]. [This one] [after they burned him] the bones

skaxdjî´-hirejé. É'sge wâ´gwat'ehídjega Wâgerútcgeaka hupóru
very white they were. So the men who killed him the Giant knee

p. 6 --

hucéregera wasgé kirusé. [Alpha] nâmâtcéjâ
cap dish he took it for. [And] a warclub

[alpha] dánihúijâ wâgwat'éhidjega hiâ´djera
[and] a pipe [the one who killed him]* [the father]

*Radin has "the giant killer."

dánihuáka [alpha] nâmâtceáka wakirúse, [alpha]
the pipe [and] [the warclub] he took for, [and]

wâgwat'éhidjegá [alpha] rác kik'û´je: "Wâgerutcgé-hupóru
[the one who killed him] [also] a name he made himself: "Giant-knee

Wásge-hánîga," higaíreje. Jigé tcáni nûbóhâgi
[Dish]-possessor," [they called him]. [Again] fall [when two]

yûgíwini hiâdjera jige wagígokdjé éje.
[princesses] [father] [again] he wanted to give a feast [he said].

E'sge jigé wajóni nî´na harek'á
[And so] [again] hunting [the water] down the stream

p. 7 --

hàre- kórohoíreje. Yûgíwini* hiâ´djera horógirekórohóje.
going they're getting ready. [Princesses] [the father] there? he's going along.

*Radin has a superscript "y" inserted between hi and ûgíwini. However, "y" and "hi" are usually alternants, so the intention may have been to substitute "y" for "hi" in hiûgíwini.

Haraírecgúni. Wahúhihije. Hâhíregi honâ´djobóhâ hokip'î´
They went. It snowed a little. [When they arrived] [sleep-four] that far

hahíreje. Wâgerútcge-hup'óru-wasge-hániga haíninégi wajóninéje.
they came. [He who has a Giant's Knee Cap for a Dish] in morning hunting.

Tcáijâ gútcé. Arabocícgi ruxárejé. Uniháû,
[A deer] he shot. He crippled he went after. As he was doing it

dée jigé síra hokaraídje[épsilon]. Dée
[this one] [again] [his track he came into his own. [This one]

Wâgerútcgéjâ hirowákce. É'sge wáwewiwi-[épsilon] dée
[a Giant] was in his track. [And so] [after the two of them thought about it] [this one]

p. 8 --

nijédja hopóxi[j]â hagádjagíji. E honûgíwâkce.
near the bluff a hole he once saw. [It] he ran for.

Dée hagerégi Wâgerútcgeáka didi hahuhéje.
[This one] behind [the Giant] with stamping he was coming.

[Alpha] hopóxdjega [beta] gi[taú] hídjokiweje.
[And] [that hole] [there] he got [to] he went in.

Dee Wâgerútcgedjegá hidjádjij[rho] wéje, ""Kora!
[This one] [that Giant] [he came and] said, "Kora!

Wâgerútcge Hupórawásgeanîga tcip'î´xdjî û´djejedjéra [rho].
He who has a Giant's Knee Cap for a Dish a nice tent he's got a nice place, hasn't he?" he said.

Hidjoís'îje [alpha] naî´jâ rucíj[rhó], howakárak nâî´je
He looked in [and] a tree he broke down, he tried to poke it in

nunige wâkcíkdjéga nîchocgobédja gidjéje. E'sge
[but] [that man] in between the rocks he stepped. [And so]

p. 9 --

hâkíkiónije. Gû jigé hopóxedja hois'îs'aje.
he didn't touch him. [He sought ?] [again] [at the hole] [he peeped in.]

Higijigé hidjoís'î´[epsilon]. Hirap'k'ûhaîdja hijugigútcce. Gixék'ûhaî´dja
Then he did it again [after he looked in]. Under the jaw [he shot him with the gun]. Down towards the foot of the bluff

dówe "Tcî´wî," rahéje. Wâ´gerútcge Hupóruwasge[rhó]** hihínobg[rhó].
[he went in that direction]* [roaring]* as he went. He who has a Giant's Knee Cap for a Dish he came out.

*Radin has "(he made noise)" under dówe tcîwî.
**Normally the letter rho stands for anâga, but here it is being used in assonance for ánîga.

Homâtcíra honûgíwâkce. Hidjágijí jigé wórak.
His camp he started to run for. When he got there [again] to tell story.

Hakaraíreje. Hagíregi. Jigé hisgetcóju hadjír[rhó]
They went back. They reached. [Again] he went with some [they came and]

jigé Wâgerútcgeáka nâhaikâwâ hir[rhó]. [Alpha]
again the Giant they piled wood on top of him [they did]. [And]

p. 10 --

jigé datcép híreje. Wâgerútcge dée dánihuíjâ
[again] they burned up. Giant [this] a pipe

haniâki [alpha] nâmâtcéjâ haniâ´ki. Hinû´kdjega
he had [and] war-club [he had]. [Daughter]

hiâ´djera éhicgága wanî´kdjanéje. Jigáhahítcanî´gi wogígora hîgírena
[the father] this time he's going to have them. When fall came again the time for feast (it's time for)*

*The parenthetical material was added by Radin.

éje, wâ´genúnigenôka. E'sge jigé hínûk-tcókere
he said, the old man. [And so] [again] he went with his wife

wadóhotcíra nináharekùje. Jigé djobóhâ hokíp'î
[son-in-law] he went down the stream. [Again] [for the fourth time] [that far]

hahí tcíreje. Hoxdjánánîgi gûxap'énîk hinû´kdjega
[he arrived there] [they lived]. In evening not so very late [the wife]

p. 11 --

tciu[rhó] wâ´kdjega wajónináginíje. Tcaíjâ t'ehígi,
she put camp up [the man] he went hunting already. [A deer] [having killed],

k'î´-guhá'û. Dee Wâgerútcge hidanína nanajínegi
he packed coming [= he came carrying it on his back].* [This] [Giant] [he thought of] there were trees

*The bracketed phrase is my own gloss.

nâxedéjeregí sanîgédja nâji[rhó] tcíra hogíroxútcrehídjeje.
there's a certain tree behind [he stood and] [the lodge] looking towards (every once in awhile).*

*Parenthetical material added by Radin.

Wâgerútcgedjega wâkcígenîkdjéga hadjákonôkádjâ mîk kîpce. (< kínipce ?)
The Giant [the small person] when he saw him (suddenly placed his eyes)* [he laid] [he laid].

*Radin's parenthetical phrase expresses the literal meaning.

Wajónina gi[táu]. Nâxédejâ giwâ´kce [alpha]
The hunter he came back. [A big tree] he chopped down [and]

djobíhi waitcgíre. Huídjera pedjédja hot'û´pce.
in four parts he cut them. The stump (next to the root)* the fire he put it.

*Radin has written "stump" above an original "but" (for "butt"), having crossed out "(trunk)" two lines below.

extention of page 11 on a separate sheet --

[Omega]hi[rhó]* [alpha] hidjanénâka naîkikárazi wawaúîje.
[Then he went] [and] the other three he put them (near the fire (fire guards))** he made them.

*Before this expression, Radin has crossed out an initial "j".
**Parenthetical remarks added by Radin.

p. 12 --

Mîgiréje. Dée hâhékiságeregi Wâgerútcgedjéga dji[rhó].
[They retired]. [This one] [in the middle of the night] [the Giant] he came.

Tcírahe hadjiois'î´je.* Wâgâ´ka** hìkiôki wagéje,
Top of tent [he came and peeped in]. The man he was awake he said to him,

*Probably from hadji, "he came," and hois'î´, "he peeped in."
**It appears that an initial "hi" was crossed out.

"Djagú û hâhé dejedjânânégi hówe nûxáwâ hûcúruxutc
["Why] [night] this time of are you sneaking around and looking at me

radjéje? Gucígi hahí nîgé pédjokit'û´ge.
you do? Over there there [someplace] make a fire for yourself.

Haî´negi hocgátc djagúra hijâ´ huî´k'dje
Tomorrow a game what kind of [one] we're going to do

hicégi hiûkdjéna. Hanánâî´na hoicô´ hinéradjéna," higégi.
you say we'll do. I've been trying to sleep you're bothering me," he said to him.

Wâgerútcgedjéga hirarutcédja hówar[rhó]. Hahi pédjokit'û[rhó]
[The Giant] some ways off he went. [In time, over there] [he made a fire for himself and]

p. 13 --

[beta] hodáhôpranû´kce. Hâ´bera kínipgíji. Wâkcígenôka
[there] he made (a big fire) so they could see his figure. [The light] [he laid down]. [The man]

hitcawína hihínâp cíje. Hikúruhók'djenegídjeni. [Alpha]
[his wife] to go out he asked her to. He'll get ready (now). [And]

hihinópce hinúkdjegá. Hagoréjâ dée wecgúni,
she went out [the wife]. In awhile [this one] he [said],

"Tcíra hinagícuruxô´nagícana herekdjonéna," eje. Hinúkdjegá
"[The tent] you have to pull down [it will be]," he said. [The wife]

tcicúra warucóroktce?[épsilon]. Dée hikánana dewâkce.
tent poles she pulled them out. [This one] her husband there he was.

Wâgerútcgenâka hikisgéxdjî waúnâkce. Dée Wâgerútcgexdjînôka
[The Giant] as big as he was. [This one] the real Giant

p. 14 --

hakdjôp'[epsilon]. Koréje. Dewâgik'isgexdjîjâ.* [Beta] minógenokce.
he looked back. He was surprised. [There he was really the same one ?]. [There] [he sat down].

*I analyse this as, dewâk, "there he was"; hikisge, "the same"; -xdjî, the emphatic suffix; -ijâ, "one."

"Hâho," éje Wâgerútcge huporowásgehanína. [Alpha], "Hûkínagenîkhíkdjanéna.
"[Hello]," [he said] the one who has a Giant's kneecap for a dish. [And], "We're going to wrestle a little.

[Alpha] nâmátcera dánihúra* [alpha] wájugú.
[Both] [the warclub] [the pipe] [here] I'll place them.

*"danuh" is crossed out before this word.

Híjâ môkit'unegi mâwot'û´nadjéga waûk'djanéna. Danihúra
One who will get them the one who throws him [he will do]. [The pipe]

hoju[rhó]. Danihi[rhó]. [Alpha] rucdjô´gi nâmatcéra
he fills it. He'll smoke it. [And] [when he gets done] [the warclub]

rúz[rho] hîkik'ûkdjonéna. Dejegúna wâ´djocgádjera. [Alpha]
[he took] we're going to use it on each other. This is the way to play man's game." [And]

p. 15 --

hókikínógere uíneje. Winígira nâsawaídja djinôkádjâ*
they commenced to wrestle [they did]. The sun over, at top of the trees [after it had come]

*Above the Hotcâk text it says, "(east side)."

[alpha] mâna jégû tcíwî[rhó] jégû
[and] the [earth] [then] it roared* [then]

*"they shook" is crossed out and "it roared" is written below it.

k'sûtc djikerekére híreje. Dée wíra
and shook [quickly ?] [it did]. [This one] [the sun]

naîsawaídja hinâkádjâ Wâgeútcgexdjîdjegá kísak haicgítc
[over the tops of the trees] when it reached (west side)* [the Giant] about half over

*Parenthetical material added below the line by Radin.

kiníkiregí.* Mâna giksû´tc djikéreje. [Alpha]
they fell. [The earth] [it shook] [quickly]. [And]

*Radin adds above the line: "(i.e., he fell on top of real giant)." In the English line, between the words "they" and "fell," the word "he" is crossed out.

wecgúni Wâgerútcge hipóruwásgeanína, "Neéje Wâgerútcgep'îga higé
[he said to him] [the one who has a Giant's kneecap for a dish], "You yourself 'Good Giant' to call you

pîneráni[épsilon]. [Alpha] hirágnîgera danihunîgra hûgî´jugé.
they might. [And] the last time the little pipe fill it up for me please.

p. 16 --

Rap'ónîk hî´gigira," anúnige Wâgerútcge Hupóruwasgehánîga. Nâmâ´tcera
Puff let me (make me),"* [he said] [He who has a Giant's Knee Cap for a Dish]. [The warclub]

*Radin adds the parenthetical material to indicate the more literal translation.

wazádjegi hanî´gu[rhó] nâsúra gíkcap rehíje.
as it's sticking up in the ground he took it [and] his head he split [he sent it off].

Dée Wâgerútcge hidanína wagiû´je. "Wâgerútcgep'îga,"
[This one] [Giant] the third he did it. "Good Giant,"

higaíregi. Wâkcíganigenâ´gere nâdjogídjâge. E'sge waû´je.
they would call him. The [little] people he pitied them. [And so] [he did it].

Wâgerútcge kî´ne. Deéjegû hígi égi
[Giant] [he made himself]. [This one then] [to us ?] [here]

hagíminog[rhó] haruxé. Wakâ´tcâk k'îje. Xonúnîk
he went back and sat down his back towards. Holy he made himself. Small

p. 17 --

kînahíje. Jesgánunige,** tcówe rúc'agenâje. Hitcawína waûgédjene
he tried to make himself.* [Nevetheless], he came near not doing it for his wife had it not been.

*For xonúnîk kînahí, Radin has, "he tried to reduce himself."
**Between jesgá- and nunige Radin has a page with the following on it: "Frenchman, Blowsnake, Smith, Ewing, Harrison, Twin, Lamère, Houghton, O. Lamère, Baptiste." [These are various informants.] A line below this he has the following text: "'ya q!agwide k!ésis meslaxla nawalakwéx ts'ékwa yuxs k!élpálaéx." [This is, obviously, not Hotcâk.]

Wâkcígera wikisgéxdjî k'î´je. [Alpha] jigé
[A human] he made himself like. [And] [again]

worágagíregi, jegesgetcójû hahî[rhó] Wâgerutcgéra jigé
[after telling them of it], with some again he went back [and] [the Giant] [again]

naîkáwâ´ hir[rhó] [alpha] datcép híreje.
[they piled wood on top of him] [and] [burned up] [they did].

Dée Wâgerútcge mojunâ´ki Wâgerútcge Cicígera
[This] [Giant] all in the land [Giant] [the Bad]

hiréregi. E'sge Wâgerútcge wirukónona, e'sge*
[when they got]. That is why the Giant who was in charge (chief) [thus]

*Inserted here above the line with a caret.

wâkcíginî´genâ´gere nâdjodjâ´je. Deé hirágera Wâgerútcge
[the little people] [he blessed them]. [This one] the last [Giant]

p. 18 --

t'éhi, aíres'ági. Jésge híreje [illegible].
[they killed], [they used to say]. [Thus] [they did] [?].

Dée worakhísgèxdjî´jâ* híreje, aírege. Hodjâ´
[This one] [a true story] it is, [they say]. When

*Before this word Radin wrote worag, which he crossed out, and above it he wrote hi, which he also crossed out.

wauínegi mâkerepana cagówîgoní, aírena.
they did this it must have been about 70 years, [they said].

English Translation

Source:

[1] James StCyr, "Shakes the Earth," in Paul Radin, [unpublished] Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society Library) #19, Story 1, pp. 1-18.