Hotcâk Text -- Traveler and the Thunderbird War (Version 1)

narrated by ?

translation by George Ricehill (?)

This appears to be among the earlier MSS in the Radin collection -- almost every word is translated and there are no lexical abbreviations used. The narrator is unfamiliar. The narration uses the only examples of giji and gadjâ as sentence terminators thus far encountered.

Anything in brackets "[ ]" is material supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).

English Translation

p. 126 --

Jée hagaréjâ uañgerégi wagû´zirecgùni gíji.
There upon a time up there they held a council .

Wakdjexíra jedjáñkdje, airecgúni gíji. Hañké
[The] Waterspirits should be ended, they said . Not

péje rúxurugenàñgi hipéreziranìnâ.* Ásge Wakandjá
who could do it they did not know. So Thunderbird

*Just before this word, the expression hipéreziranañga is crossed out.

huñgra híniñgra uañgerégi hâdáginâtccanâ´. Jésge
the chief his son up there he fasted. And so

hi-ágera. Mânégi Wakdjexíra hipérezirènâ. Ásge
he did. Down on earth [the] Waterspirits knew of it. [So]

p. 127 --

wa-éhinàñkcanâ. Wakdjexí huñgra hijâ´ hiniñk
they counciled. Waterspirit chief one son, boy

hicgúni gíji. "Hikiwárekèga," higaírecgùni rájera.
he had . "Traveler," they called him his name.

Jée hagaréjâ hi-â´djera é hotci-édja
That upon a time his father at his house

kiricgúni gádjâ. Hiâ´djera hoicíp niñgé
he came . His father always somewhere

higecgúni. Ásge hígiwañxcgùnije, wénâ, "Djádji,
he had been going. [So] he asked, he said, "Father,

djagú 'uñgádjâ hoicíp niñgerahíradjeje?" "Hoskéwa
what reason always somewhere you are going?" "Nothing

'ûhadjínâ," higénâ. Nañgá égi hoicíp
no reason have I," he said to him. And there always

p. 128 --

woxábenigicgùnije. Jigé, "Winígipàñghera hañké wajínicàni."
he was very quiet. Again, "My question not you do not say anything."

"Djagócañkdje wacéje. Uañgerégi Wakandjá huñgra
"What you would you ask. Up there Thunderbird chief

hiniñgrá hâdáginâtcànkcanâ.* Wakdjexíra jédjâ híkdje,
his son is fasting. The Waterspirits to end they will,

*This word is followed by "r-" under which the translator (or Radin?) writes a question mark ("?").

jésge háginâdjàñkcanâ. Ásge náñghiranàñkcanâ. Jésge
so that is his purpose. So they are scared. Thus

ha-éhi nañke wa'û´ hahí-adjènâ. Djagu
council there the reason I go there. What

p. 129 --

c'úñkdje?" "Hicáwañkcànañk? Niñgécge, jé wajâ
will you do about it?" "You[']r[e] asking about it? O well, that something

wotcé-xije, nunige wánañk duxúrugenàna. Wogirágadje.
is not hard, but you say I can do it. Tell them about it.

Djaguána jesgánâ wajanókana? Wajîcénâ, ' 'uñkáwaja.'
I wonder could it be such a great thing? You said, 'No.'

Jésge haránâ. Ásge wahénâ jigé,
Thus I can do [it]. So I say it again,

rahigíji wogíragadjè égi jigé sdóregi
when you go tell them and again when they gather

hakíkdjanènâ." "Hâhâ´." Jigé sdórenâ. Gádjuñga
I'll be there." "All right." Again they gathered. [Then]

Hikiwárekega hicgé hinâ ä´gi hiándjera
the Traveler also he went [and] his father

p. 130 --

horákcanâ Hikiwárekega djago-éra. Ásge Wakdjexí
he told them the Traveler what he said. Thus, Waterspirit

huñgra danihújâ hojúnâ hánañga égi
the chief a pipe he filled and then [here]

Hikiwárekega danihúra hirawahairénâ. Wénâ, "Ho!,"
the Traveler the pipe they pointed at him. He said, "Ho!,"

ánañga, "danihúra wagihínâ." Égi wawagénâ,
said he, "the pipe I smoke." [And] he said to them,

"Hatcíndja mána rokcínañki, édja tcícdjañxdjìna
"Where the earth is deepest, there strong house

hijâ´ 'ûwiádje." "Duxúrugikdjanènâ," ánañga. Nikúse
one make you." "I will do it," he said. Of Mississippi

p. 131 --

hoxúnuna* hamâ´hâ wanâga** égi hisawaídja*** édja
small part up stream he went [and] at the end there

*After this expression Radin crosses out the word ë´dja ("there").
**This word is written above ánañga in the same hand as the translation using "a"-hook instead of the "a" + superscript "n" used elswhere for "â". I take it to be a correction.
***The first syllable of this word (which is unreadable) is crossed out and "hi" written over it.

maîhagédja tcikik'uánañga. Édja miñkcánâ. Jégû
on land a house he made. [There] he laid. [Thus]

hi-ánañga égi uañkcígijâ hâdáginâdjènâ* hokit'énâ.
he did and then a man fasting he talked to him.

*This word is followed by "ra" written above the line in a box with a line connecting the word with a question mark ("?"). It appears to be in the same handwriting as the translation.

Wagénâ, "Nâ´djonidjànâ," higénâ. Égi uañgerégi
He told him, "I bless you," he said to him. And up here [or, above]

Wakandjá huñgra hiniñgrá manégi horugútcgadjâ*
Thunderbird chief his son in earth [when] he looked

*This word is preceded by the letters "hou" which are crossed out.

hadjánâ. Maîhagédja migáñk'û hadjánâ égi
saw him. On earth lying down saw him and

p. 132 --

hicgé hipérezenàñkcanâ, aírenâ. Égi uañkcík
too he knew, they said. And Indian

nâdjodjánihera, jigé hokit'éje, égi, "Hâp
when he blessed [again] he talked to him, and, "Day

hâbokisáki égi hicdjákdjanènâ. Jigé hicdjákdjegi
in the middle of [then] you will see him. [Again] when you're ready to see him

honiñgidaíkdjanènâ.* Égi hitcûcgé, higuáñga wajínihiniñgègi,
I will tell you. And my grandson, sometimes [when] I will ask you something,

*After this word "jigé" is crossed out.

hinágicuñkdjanènâ. Égi hitcûcgé, déji nâdjonidjána.
you will do it. And my grandson, but me I bless you.

Égi djagúra hañké hijâ rorágûniñkdjanènâ,
[And] whatever not one you will want,

p. 133 --

higû´ wani-oítcge djagúra hijâ´ t'erákdjegìji,
and whenever animal any kind one you wish to kill,

c'uñkdjanénâ. Kéni hicdjáni wagénâ. Égi
you will do it. Before you saw me I mean. [And]

je-éji djagú ragûzíkdjegi c'uñkdjanénâ. Ro-áninegi
then what you wish to make you can do it. In my body

djagú ragû´sgiji jesgékdjanènâ. Hâhâ´, tcowéregi
whatever you make it will be so. Yes, hereafter

hâ´beniñk hacínina. Hâb idjóbahaîdja wirarotcâ´djègi égi
day is [or, little day/light] your kind [or, you have]. Day fourth at noon [then]

'De Wákâtcañk' hicáwiconùna, édja hîcdjákdjanenâ."
'Lake Holy' what you used to call, there you will see me."

p. 134 --

Uañgenáñgere hâp´ je wagegá édja
These men day that which he meant there

hidjowarénâ. Égi acgéniñk higádjâ. Hâp
went he there. And close to he came. Day

dée wirarotcâ´djegi hadjákdjanènâ. Acgéniñk hínâ
this at noon he was to see him. Near as he approached

hoisáwaijâ howákcanâ. Égi mañxíwi nijuxótcge
a ravine he was going down. And clouds drizzly rain

hoxerénâ. Wagaírenâ, "Horais'íñkdjegi, nuñxáwâ hois'iâ´dje,
caught him. He was told, "If you are going to peep, secret peep you at him,

jeguñgí égi hagútcanènâ." Uañgáñgere nijédja
that way [and] I will shoot him." This man on the bank

p. 135 --

hahí hois'iñgádjâ. Égixdjî gudjirénâ.* Wipámañkere
there looked he over. Just then they shot him. A rainbow

*Above this word the translator has written "(not the man)", by which is meant that only the Waterspirit engaged in the hostile action.

hirakéredjidjehirenâ. Égi ruâ´ haguregácge. Denáñgre
they shot forth at him. [And] [to] lift they came. Thus ?there [or, the standing lake]

nina hanâtc´ hirawádje hiruzíga. Sgiñgerégi
water all with him (he went?)* he brought him. Heavy he got

*Parenthetical matter added by the translator.

ásge hañké ruâ´ karaíranìnâ. Hakdjá
so not lift him [to return] home. Back

nina hówe Wakandjádjane. Tcówe k'uhâ´na
water went this Thunderbird. That way below

haniáñk karainañgácge jigé hicgé haga
they took him, but again he in time

ruâ´djenâ. Hagakítc[e]canâ hakíni karadjâwínâ. Hikísge
lift. One at a time [alternating] they took back towards their place. The same

p. 136 --

hináñkcanâ. Égi uañkcíkdjane* hidjowarènâ. Mâhakárani-anañga.
they did. There this Indian went towards them. His arrows he had with him.

*Just before this word, "w" is crossed out.

Hidjahínâ. Horughúdjiregàdjâ égi nâjidjénâ. Égi
He arrived. [When] they looked at him [there] he stood. [And]

Wakándjadjèga wénâ, "Hikinû´bera, uáñgera hîtcgewínâ,
the Thunderbird he said, "My brother, the man has tired me,

hiñgigúdjera. Hínagigutcge tcëkdjína uangeríjâ hakikuégiregi
shoot him for me. If you shoot him the 1st time a man fight they one

wanânácekdjènâ. Égi Wakdjexi-áka hicgé wenâ,
you will get him. And the Waterspirit also he said,

p. 137 --

"Hitcûcgé nâdjonidjâ´nihèra. Néwa'ûmàñkcanâ. Uañgera hî´tcgewinâ,
"My grandson, I have blessed you at one time. I am he. The man tired me,

hiñgigúdjere." Égi, "Hañké écanâ jesgé
shoot him for me." And, "Not only that kind

hirukánanìnâ, nicgé jesgé e duxúrukcanâ. Hikínûbra,
he does not have charge of, I also that kind [it] can do. My brother,

hoské wakcanâ, gudjináne. Wonáñghire 'únâ
he is not telling the truth, shoot him. At war when [or, to do]

djágu gipî´, c'uñkdjénâ. Néji jesgé
whatever you like, [you can do it]. I that kind

hídukonànâ." "Hitcûcgé, hoské wakcanâ. Nâdjonidjánâ. Néwahamàñkcanâ.*
am in charge of." "My grandson, he's not telling the truth. I bless you. He is I (?!).*

*The parenthetical punctuation in the English section is in the manuscript. The Hotcâk does not seem to be correct. The word no doubt should have been, néwa-'ûmañkcanâ, "I am he." See above, where there is a parallel construction.

p. 138 --

Wanigéjare hagaréjâ wajinigégi hinagéc'uñkdje, hiniñgera.
I told you sometime I would ask you you would do, I told you.

De-érenâ. Wágere uáñgera hîtcgewínâ, hiñgigúdjere.
This is it. This one the man tired has made me, shoot him for me.

*This word is introduced above the line in brackets.

Djagu áka nicgé jesgé duxúrukcanâ.
What anytime you that kind I can also do.

Gudjináne." "Hikínûbra, hoské wakcanâ. Hinagutcgíji, ásge
Shoot him." "My brother, he did not tell the truth. If you shoot me, so

nicgé hañké s'i horawácaraniñkdjanènâ."
you/I also* not long you will not last."
*The expression "you/" is inserted just above the words "I also." The latter expression makes no sense in this context.

"Hitcûcgé, hoské wakcanâ. Gudjináne nâdjónidjañgenìnâ.
"My grandson, he is not telling you the truth. Shoot him now. He has blessed you already.

p. 139 --

Djágu hinigéga jésgekdjanènâ. Hitcûcgé, jigû
What he has said will be true. My grandson, just

gudjináne. T'ehági hohíkdjanènâ." Ásge uañkcíkdjane
shoot him. If I kill him we will win." So this Indian

mána kuruzánañga. Wakándjadjàne maiñgutccánâ ásge
arrow he took. The Thunderbird shoot him and then

k'uhánegi howé haniáñkaraìrenâ. Égi hagí
below went they [took back] with him. And there

tciwî´na rokáneje, aírenâ. Harúkozirènâ Wakandjádjega.
noise on the way they made lots, they say. Caught they him the Thunderbird.

Hikéwarekèga ewa'únâ. Déjenagánâ. Wórak dee wágenâ.
The Traveler he did it. This is all. [Story] [this] [I mean].

English Translation

Source:

[1] "The Struggle between the Son of the Thunderbird and the Son of the Waterspirit," in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman Number 3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) Story 10, pp. 126-139 [= 45-59 = 1-27 (odd number pagination only)].