The Were-fish

by George Ricehill


English Translation


p. 63 --

Hâhâ´, edja uáñgera nûpíwi nañkíkara haraíre
Well, there man two hunting went


gadjâ waké síje hot'â´birecgùni Hiró-e harairecgúni.
and then coon track they came on. Tracking it they went.


'Uâhíregadja xédejâ édja djecgúni síra
After going a distance tree a big one [there] was standing tracks


édja jedjâcgúni, égi uañgenáñka hijâ nâdjega
[there] ended, [and] these men one that tree


hodícguni. Gádjâ édja pox djecgúni. Horughútc
climbed. And then [there] a hole was. He looked


gadjâ ho sgáxdjîdje edjakcgúni. Maíndja hot'unecgúni égi
and then a [very] white fish there was. Down he threw it [and]


p. 64 --

gisákcguni égi rutcgúni. Tcebígiji iwúzera rokánagìji.
he killed it [and] ate it. After consuming it he was thirsty very much.


Nína howárecgùni. Ni-édja higìji nirátcganâ. Rucdjánâ
Water he went for. The water [there] when he got to he drank. Get done


rucakcgúni, jégû 'ú'wañk'û ho incgúni. Wakéjâ
he couldn't, and then continuing fish he turned into. A coon


ruxára nihéra. Hówak'û rutcgá ásge uáñkdjega ho
chasing after he started. I (?) gave him [or they got a fish?] he ate so the man fish


iñgúni, aíre. Jenuñgánâ.
turned into, they say. That's all.


Notes:

[1] George Ricehill, [untitled], in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman Number 3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) pp. 63-64.