Hotcâk Text -- Turtle and the Merchant

narrated by Charlie Houghton

interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère

Words in brackets, [...,] were missing in the MS are were therefore supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).

English Translation

p. 132 --

Ketcúñgega manégi djínâ. Tcinógeniñgìjâ édja
[Turtle] to earth came. A little village there

tcíje. Hitcáwina hakijú djinâ. Égi
he lived. His wife with him [she came.] [And]

tcaninégi hanâtc´ édja tciréje. Ni xédejâ
in the fall all [there] they lived. [A] large water*

*Radin has written above the English line, "Missouri?".

édja tcíre wáha honíne égi Waxopínina
[there] [they] lived looking for furs [and] Frenchman

waruwína édja tciréje, wáha ruwíne.
store-keeper* [there] they lived, furs buying.

*the word "buyer" is written above the English line, reflecting the literal meaning of the term.

Égi uáñgera wawagáxhire warútc wanícge
[And] the men got credit for food meat also

giwagáxire, égi Ketcúñgega hinké wawagáx
they got from him on credit [and] [Turtle] not credit

p. 133 --

gigiwínine wawagáx rucagíkdjanihènâ. Hiñké wawagáx
he was unable credit he will be unable to get. [Not] credit

nîje, aírenâ. Égi hâpíjâ hitcáwina
get, they said. [And] one day* his wife

*'one day' is actually written above the line to replace 'no one (?!)', the punctuation apparently having been written in later.

hakaraikíju wawagáx égi, "Hitcakáro nâbrónâñk.
with him [to get] credit [and] "My friend shook hands.

Wapagáx hadjínâ. Warútc haku-ádjinâ." Égi
to get credit I came. For food I came after." [And]

waruwína roghi égi, "Kétcuñge hañké
[the] trader objected [and,] ["Turtle] not

wajâ´ horáni curuxúrugeni, aírenâ. Wawagáx
something you hunt you can, [they said.] Credit

p. 134 --

curuc'aíkdjanènâ." Jigé, "Ho tcakaró, wapagáx
unable for you to get." [Again,] ["Ho] [friend,] [to get myself] credit

hadjínâ. Warúdjera hisgé pagaíxdje. Niñktcóñgeniñgra
I came for. Food also I wish to get credit for. [The] children

dokéwehire." "Hañkerécge," uáñgera roghínâ, "ásge
are hungry "Impossible," the man objected, "and so

hañka'úni." Hojedjaî´dja, "Ho hitcakaro! wapagáx
not I will do." In the end, "Ho [friend!] [to get myself] credit

hádjinâ. Warútc pagaíxdjenâ." "Hodjiá, niñgi'úñkdjanènâ.
I came for. Food I want on credit." "All right, I will do it.

Hitcakáro, uañgenáñgere roghirénâ hañké wajonína
[Friend,] these men objected not to hunt

p. 135 --

wacúrupìnije, aírenâ, nunigé jégû nigiáñkdjanènâ.
do they not know, [they said,] [but] [anyhow] I will do it.*

*After this word begins a sentence inserted from the top of the page. This sentence has no accents indicated, and unlike the rest of the text, nasalized vowels are indicted by a subscripted hook rather than a superscripted small 'n' following the letter.

Égi wawagáx curuc'akgekdjanenâ, aírenâ, nunigé
[And] credit cannot (will not) you pay,* [they said,] but then

*the parentheses appear in the MS.

jégû nîgiâkdjanenâ.* 'Yapérezcànâ. Niñkdjóñgeniñk nicgé
anyhow I'm going to. I knew it. Children I also

*This word ends the passage written in at the top of the page and connected by a line and caret to the place of insertion.

hanínâ. Niñkdjóñgwanina dokéwe hiregá hinké
I have. My children hungry when they get [not]

nâtcgé rahiñgípiniconùnâ, ásge nigi'únâ." Égi
heart feel good it does not, and so I do it for you." [And]

hâbíjâ uañgenúniñka djíje Ketcuñgéga hotci-édja,
one day the old man came, [Turtle] to his house,

"Hitcakáro, waha roágû," ánañga. Égi,
["Friend,] furs I want," he said. [And,]

p. 136 --

"Hó hitcakáro, dekdjénâ. Haínigi radjikdjénâ."
"Ho my friend, to go I will. Tomorrow [you will] come over."

Égi hâhéregi haininégi waruwína djíje,
[And] at night in morning the buyer came,

aírenâ. Ketcuñgéga hitcáwiwahìra wakarakíju wajónihije.
[they said.] [Turtle] his wives with him hunt he went.

Hinúñgenoñka e rábera waísak
The women they the beaver kill

wagigíji. Wadjéroka nâji wagíji, égi
he let them. Naked he stood them, [and]

waísak wagigíji hinû´bike hitcáwîwahìra wa'u-inéje.
kill he made them both of them wives his they did.

Égi hanâ´tciñxdjî âdjédja wakûdákireje. Égi
[And] [absolutely] all on shore carried they them. [And]

p. 137 --

waruwína djíje. Waruwína harukózire
the trader came. The trader he him arrested

hijúk-mowédja. Édja hainijâ´ kiríre. Égi
at bullet-moulding-place. [There] one morning they came. [And]

Ketcuñgéga hidjahicgúni. Hitcakáro hanañgá háni-añkaraìrenâ.
[Turtle] went there. [The friend] him too they took along back.

Harukózirènâ. Wawagáx rucákcanâ. Hani-añkaraírenâ. ásge
They arrested him. Credit he could not pay. They took him back. and so

Ketcuñgéga wahára wokik'cúje wadjédja. Wádjera
[Turtle] the furs loaded them in a boat. The boat

hoixdjî´ hosá hitcawína gináñgigi-ànañga rusgísgitc.
full [a certain material]* his wife twist rope fibers he made her tied it.

*the bracketed material is in the MS.

p. 138 --

Hâhâ´ égi Ketcuñgéga hidjomináñkcanâ. Réje,
[Yes] [and] [Turtle] got in. Went,

aírenâ. Niñkúse Xonúniñgra harek'úje, aírenâ. 'Uâhigádjâ
they said. The Wisconsin River* he went down, [they said.] As he went along

*the translation has 'the Mississippi' under nikúse and 'the small part' under xonúniñgra. See the Commentary.

niná harutcéxdjî wak'aî´jâ, wak'â´ tco-ijâ´
the waters real across* a snake, snake a blue [one]

*"completely across" would be more appropriate.

wa'uáñkce, aírenâ. Éje, aírenâ, "Hidjahî´
it was, [they said.] He said, [they said,] "Another place

hinúñgre."* Éje, aírenâ, "Hiñké 'uníje,"
you set." (!)** [He said,] [they said,] "Not do it not,"

*a terminal 'a' was crossed out and an 'e' was placed above it.
**the exclamation point occurs in the MS. This entry replaces an original question mark.

aírenâ. Djobóhâ higéje, aírenâ. "Hehó,
[they said.] Four times he asked it, [they said.] "Heho,

ne warákik'uñkdjonènâ," éje Ketcuñgéga. ásge
you will bring this upon yourselves," [he said] [Turtle.] [And so]

p. 139 --

jédjuñga mâcdjâ´ niwánâ. 'Uñgíji, kisák
[now] mighty hard he rowed. [When] he did it, half

wak'áñka bokónok hiréje, aírenâ. Égi
the snake broke* they did, [they said.] [And]

*'[by natural force]' is written at the top of the page and connected to 'broke' by a line.

Niñkúse Hoxedéra* hot'â´pce huje, aírenâ.
Miss[issippi] the large part he came into this way, [they said.]

*This is the name used to distinguish the Mississippi proper from the "Little Mississippi" (the Wisconsin River). See the Commentary.

Égi Ketcuñgéga hijúk mowédja édja djíje,
[And] [Turtle] bullet moulding place [there] he came,

aírenâ. Howaréda Waxopínina hidjadjíre, égi
[they said.] Sure enough the Frenchmen they came, [and]

Ketcúñgega, "Ho, nâbra wonóñka, hitcakárohara. Djasgéje
[Turtle,] "Ho, he shook hands, my friend. How is it

p. 140 --

tci uañgédja?" "Honâsánañkcanâ." "Ho, hatcakdjége wahádjenâ."
upstairs?" "He is locked up." ["Ho,] I will see him [that] is why I ask."

Wádjera édja rusgítc karat'û´pce, aírenâ.
The boat [there] tied he left it, [they said.]

Égi hidjowáreje tci uáñgera howáreje, aírenâ.
[And] he went there upstairs he went, [they said.]

Édja waruwína. "Ho hitcakáro, hadjínâ."
[There] the trader. ["Ho] [friend,] I have come."

"Hâ´," eje waruwína. "Hitcakáro, djánuñga
["Yes,"] he said the trader. ["Friend,] how much

curucákadjâ haninañkózireje? Hitcakáro, wahá hani-âdjínâ.
did you owe that they arrested you? [Friend,] furs I brought with me.

p. 141--

Wawagáx kawajáre." ásge t'âpiréje, wadjédja
Credit pay off." And so they came down, to the boat

hahíreje. Mâhî´ xederá rokánâ. Jégû wadjáñgere
they went. White people plenty there were. [Now] this boat

jégû hixgáñxgâ míñkce. Rábera wa'uinéje.
indeed tremble would it lay. Beaver did it.

ásge Ketcuñgéga wéje, "Hotcintcíniñgwira, hañkcí
And so [Turtle] said he, "Boys, up high

nâjíwine." Égi jédjuñga rabera warusiréje,
stand you." [And] [then] beaver furs they took them,

égi gikárap'irèje égi waruwína djánañga
[and] counted them [and] trader how much

waruwî´djega ruc'áki hanâtc´ hirowehíje.* Égi
the trader he owed [all] paid. [And]

*at the bottom of the page is written "hirowe hi, hirowe ra, hirowe na."

p. 142 --

hagikínije. "Hitcakáro, jégû rúzere. Woruwótcira
some left over. ["Friend,] [now then] take it. A store

pik'úne." "Hodjá," waruwína eje, aírenâ.
fix you up." "All right," the trader he said, [they said.]

"Hâhâ´, jedjúñga Ketcuñgéga kerekdjáneje?" airenâ.
["Yes,] [well then] [Turtle] is it to go home?" [they said.]

Égi, "Hitcakáro, warúdjere," eje, aírenâ.
[And,] ["Friend,] eat," he said, [they said.]

Waruwína wéje, aírenâ. Ketcuñgéga wéje,
The trader said, [they said.] [Turtle] [said,]

"Hitcakáro, hañké dokéwehenìnâ," éje, airenâ.
[Friend,] [not] hungry I am not," [he said,] [they said.]

p. 143 --

"Hitcakáro, pedjenína hisgé datcgâ´ gipînána,"
"My friend, whiskey some I drink would be good,"

éje, aírenâ. "Hodjá." Kokíjâ Ketcuñgéga
[he said,] [they said.] "All right." A barrel [Turtle]

gixúxce, aírenâ. Égi hanídjinañgànañga ratcgâ´je
broke open, [they said.] [And] he got hold of it [and] drank it up

rasgépce, aírenâ. Égi Ketcuñgéga kerekarohógi
entirely, [they said.] [And] [Turtle] when ready to go home

wéje, "Hitcakáro, pedjenína hisgé hani-áñkerekdjènâ,"*
[he said] ["Friend,] whiskey some I'll take home with me,"

*the ending -anenâ is crossed out and ènâ written in above it.

éje, aírenâ. Hâhâ´, hâbíjâ wa-ehíreje,
[he said,] [they said.] [Well,] a day* they had a council,

*"one day" would be better.

égi Mâ'úna djagú egíji Ketcuñgéga
[and] Earthmaker what he said [Turtle]

p. 144 --

hanâ´tcî horákce, aírenâ. ásge Waxopinináñka
[all of it] he told, [they said.] And so [to] the Frenchman

wéje, "Hâhâ´, hisgé wahénâ. Jesgekdjénâ.
[he] said ["Yes,] truth I said. Be it so.

Djadjaíñxdjî manáñgere uañkcíg'a-iñgìji hoicípdjî jésgekdjanènâ,"
As long [as] this earth as human I live always it will be thus,"


éje, aírenâ. ásge épa wahára
[he said,] [they said.] [And so] since then the furs

piñkísge wahiâhú-ireje, aírenâ. Hâhâ´, Ketcuñgéga
good piece they gave for them, [they said.] [Yes,] [Turtle]

hanâtc´ piníje, aírenâ uañkcígera Waxopínina.
[all] they fixed, [they said] the people the Frenchman.

p. 145 --

Hâhâ´, Ketcuñgéga jédjuñga keréje, aírenâ.
[Yes,] [Turtle] [then] went home, [they said.]

Niñkúsera hamâ´hâ keréje, aírenâ. Pedjeníkogra
The Mississippi went up [he went] home, [they said.] Whiskey barrels

djopíwi wadjédja hokéreje, aírenâ. Hagaréjâ
four in the boat put he in, [they said.] At a time

gíje, aírenâ. Égi uañkcígera wawogírakce,
got home, [they said.] [And] the people he told them,

aírenâ. "Gádjuñga pî uañkcíkc'iñkdjanàwinâ.* Hâhâ´,
[they said.] ["And now] good you [will] live. [Yes,]

*the ending -ènâ is crossed out and àwinâ written above it.

jegúnâ. Hi-â´tchihiwira dée pi'ûhícige wa'ûhadjínâ.
that's all. Father ours this fix he told me is why I came here.

p. 146 --

Djobóhañgi hakérekdjanènâ. Hâhâ´ hâp dée
Four days from now I will go home. [Yes,] day this

hakérekdjanènâ. Hagaréjâ manáñgere wajanaíjâ hiñké
I am going home. [At one time] this earth something not

piniñgí jigé hádjikdjanènâ," éje, aírenâ.
good [again] I will come," [he said,] [they said.]

Hâhâ´, keréje, aírenâ. Uañgerégi howá
[Yes,] he went home, [they said.] Up above went

keréje, aírenâ. Jégû.
he did, [they said.] [That's all.]

English Translation

Source:

Charlie Houghton, Turtle and the Merchant, translation by Oliver LaMere, in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #9, Freeman #3894 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) 2-29 = 132-146.