Hotcâk Syllabic Text -- Mâznî'âpra (The Live Iron)

pp. 90-134

Pages 1-44

Pages 45-89

The Hotcâk Syllabic Script

The Hotcâk syllabic script is essentially an adaptation of modern Latin cursive script as exemplified in ordinary handwriting. However, several of the letters have been switched and further complications introduced. The following table shows what this script looks like in an idealized font --

 Hotcâk
letter
Non-script
version
 Trans-
literation		  
 Hotcâk
letter
 Non-script
version
Trans-
literation
  
 Hotcâk
letter
 Non-script
version
Trans-
literation
 
 a
 a
i
 i
 rA
 s
 
 l
 b, p
d
 j
tA
 t
 
 dA
 c
 
 KA
 k
 ttA
 tc
 
t
 d, t
 m
 m
 oo
 u
 
tt
 dj, tc
 n
 n
 w
 w
 
e
 e
 o
 o, u
 xA
 x
 
 K
 g, k
 lA
 p
 y
 y
 
 x
 gh, x
 s
 r
 r
 z
 
 a
 h

As can be seen, a non-script (non-cursive) font can give a fair approximation to the Hotcâk syllabary.

English Translation

p. 90 --

de tt ny xitti.
w to Ao ttiAin KeK.
Jedjanaíxdjî
wadohotcinâkega
About time
these sons-in-law

ni Ke
Ao w tti w o ni Ki di.
ny di.
nîgé
howadjiwa'ûnigiji
naiji
wherever
they came from
about now

w Ko no ni se Ko ni.
e de.
e Ki.
A Koy se de.
wakununiregûnî,"
éje.
Égi
haguireje.
they must be lonesome for them,"
he said.
Then
[they came back.]

p. 91 --

ni ttAe tte tt
A Ki si se Ki di.
Ai noKo n K.
Nîtcedjédja
hagiriregiji,
hinûknâka
To the edge of the waters
when they got to ,
the women

ni s
m ni
Ai se de.
wK n Kese n
ttK wi K deKe.*
nîra
mani
hireje.
Wâknâkrena
tcgawigacke
the [water]
to walk
[they did.]
These men
[when they] would try it

*the syllable ttK appears to have been written as tteK.

Ai Ke
w d
de rK ni de.
e rKe.
Ai noKo
hîké
wajâ
jesganîje.
Ésge
hinûk´
not
anything
they could not make of it.
So
the woman

p. 92 --

xoAo no tt ne
we de.
tto l A.
Aoy tte s.
xunudjâne
wéje,
"Djobâ´hâ
hoidjéra
the youngest
said,
"Four times
our steps

Ao Ki tte wi se
w wi Ke de.
de rKe
Ai se de.
hogidjewire,"
wawigeje.
Jesge
hirejé.
step in,"
she said to them.
[Thus]
they did it.

K tt de Ko xitti
ni s
A m ni
A ttiy K sy se de.
Gadjâjegû´xdjî
nîra
hamani
hadjiakaraireje.
And right off
the water
to walk
they started to.

p. 93 --

e tt A Ki.
tee w Ai s ni Ae s.
ni al w Ai se de.
e Ki.
Édja hagi
t'ewahiranihera
nî'âpwahireje.
Égi
Thereat where
they had killed the others
they brought them back to life again.
Then

e tt.
Ai ttA Ko so Ai se s.
n m ttdAe s.
Ao Koo Ai se de.
Édja
hitcakórohirera
nâmâ´tcera
hok'ûhireje.
there
their friend
the warclub
they gave to him.

Ai o tt Ki Ki se de.
A Ke
liAi Ai o s
w so liAi ni de
Hi'ûdjagigireje.
Hâké
pîhi'ûra
warupînîje,
They made him try it.
Not
easily
he could not learn to use it,

p. 94 --

ay se n.
m dtt xitti
rAi s sx e tti Ke se Ai Ki ra de
aírenâ.
Mâcdjâxdjî
siraraxedjigerehigis'aje,
they say.
Very loud
he would make it [...]* sound,

*there are unreadable marks in the dieresis that may represent an erasure.

ay se n.
A Ke
liAi Ai o
so xoAo so Kini de
aírenâ.
Hâké
pîhihi'û
ruxuruknîje,
they say.
Not
easily
he could not use it,

ay se n.
e Ki.
w Ky se de.
A Ke
Ai ttA Ko so.
aírenâ.
Égi
wagaíreje,
"Hâké
hitcakóro
they say.
Then
they said to him,
"Not
my friend

p. 95 --

Aoy ni Ke xitti
A K
te e.
Ki Ao niy tte.
di Ke
hoinîgexdjî
hâka
deé
gihunîadje.
Jigé
for nothing
never
this
do not swing it.
And

Ai doo Kette Ki di.
lAi Ai
so r tte.
A Ke
hi'ûkdjegiji,
pîhí
rusadje.
Hâké
when you want to use it,
take it out
carefully.
Not

m dtt
so Koso ttini doAo now tte
Ai Ky se de.
mâcdjâ´
rokorodjinîcûnûwadje,"
higaíreje.
jar it
do not ever do it too much,"
they said to him.

p. 96 --

e Ki.
e tt
w Ki so tteAe de.
tee w Ai s ni Ae s.
Égi
édja
wakirudjeje.
T'ewahiranihera
Then
there
he separated from them.
The ones that were killed

ni al
w Ai s n K.
w Ki do
A K sy se de.
w K tt s.
nî'âp
wahiranâga
wakíju
hakaraíreje.
Wakâdjara
alive
they made again, and
with them
went home.
The Thunders

Ao w K sy se de.
e Ki
Ai deKe.
Ai ttA wi s.
howakaraireje.
Égi
hicgé
hitcawîra
they went home.
Then
he also
with his wife

ni Ktt Kini Ks.
wi Ki
t ni
 ttAi s.
Ao w K s w de.
nîkdjâknîkra
wigi
daní
 tcira
howakarawaje.
his child
together
the three
home
they went to.

e Ki.
Ki wi Ki di.
wK no n K.
we de.
Égi
giwigiji,
wâknunâka
wéje,
Then
when they got home,
the old man
said,

Ai ttAo deKe.
Ai ttAo deKe niKi A s.
e ttAo ni
"Hitcûcgé!
hitcûcgénîkhara!
etconi
"My grandson!
my little grandson!
first

Aoyi Ke we Ki Ki wi se
e de.
e ttAo ni
hoikewekigiwire,"
éje.
Etconi
let him come in,"
he said.
First

Aoyi Ke we Ki Ki se de.
A Ao
e Ki.
di di Ke
hoikewekigireje
"Hâho!
égi
jijige
they let him go in.
["Hello!]
then
again

Ai noKo tteAe Ks.
Aoyi Ke we Ki Ki Ki di.
A Kini xitti.
hinûktcékra
hoikewekigigiji."
Haknixdjî
my daughter-in-law
let her come in."
Last of all

p. 99 --

w Kette K
Aoyi Ke we de.
K tt.
te n Kde.
A Ke
wâkdjéga
hoikewéje.
Gádjâ
denâk'ce.
Hâké
the man
came in.
There
they were.
Not

w wi Keye rKy s ni de.
to i w Ki Ki de.
wawigiesgairanije.
Do'îwagigije.
he did not know them.
He had dressed them up.

p. 100 --

so K n K nl li se de.
Ai ttAo deKe niKi s
m dtt
Rokanaganapireje.
Hitcûcgenîkra
mâcdjâ
Very bright they were.
His little grandson
very much

w K s
Ki xeAe te de.
de Ko
wy deAe de.
wâkra
gixedeje.
Jegû´
waiceje.
[the man]
he loved him.
[Thus]
he was with him always.

e
ni Ktt Ks
o mK deAe.
de e
A Ko sey d.
E
nîkdjâkra
umâkce.
Deé
hagoreijâ
Him
the child
got used to.
Then
after a time

A Ae se Ki.
w K Kese
Ai Ki Ki di.
Ai ttA wi s
hâhéregi
wâ´gere
hikîgiji.
Hitcawîra
in the night
the man
he woke up.
To his wife

p. 101 --

w K s
Ke de
tt rKe
Ai ttA wi A xitti.
wâkra
geje,
"Djasgé
hitcawîhâxdjî?"
[the man]
said,
"How are you
my wife?"

woy s Ki xeAe te de
e de.
Ai no K KeAe.
A A a.
Woiragixedeje?"
éje.
Hinûké,
"Hâhâ'â ,"
Do you love me?"
he said.
The wife:
"Yes,"

e de.
e Ki.
w Ke de.
Ay ni Ki di.
w Ki d.
éje.
Égi
wageje,
"Hainigíji
wâgíjâ
she said.
Then
he said,
"In the morning
a man

p. 102 --

Ai Ki tti Ktt n Ai n.
Ai Ki o tti
w o Ktt n Ae n.
higidjikdjanahinâ.
Hiki'ûdji
wa'ûkdjanahenâ.
will come here.
to gamble with me
He will come.*
*this actually means, "he will do it."

Ai Ko y Ki rKe Ktt on Ae n.
A o A tti t wi Ki di.
Hikuaigisgekdjonahenâ.
Ha'ûhadjidawigiji
 He will look just like me.
As we go on to wrestle

Ai Ko tt rKe Ki di.
m
w too te Ktt n Ae n.
hikûdjasgegiji
mâ
wat'ûdekdjanahenâ.
without fail
to the ground
I will throw him.

p. 103 --

Ai Ki rA K tte.
A A a
A o Ktt n Ae n
e de.
hikisakdje.
"Hâhâ'â,
ha'ûkdjanahenâ,"
éje.
Kill him for me.
"Yes,
I will do it,"
she said.

Ao w se s.
Ay ni K tt.
te we s Ki.
w Ki d
howarera,
hainigádjâ
dewéraki
wâgíjâ
Sure enough,
in the morning
there unexpectedly
a man

tti de.
A Ao.
Ai Ki Ki o Ktt n Ae K tt.
djijé.
"Hâho!
higiki'ûkdjanahegadjâ.
came.
"Hello!
we shall gamble, of course.

p. 104 --

w Ks
ni Ke
A Ki Ki tty se Ki
Ki Ki oyi se
doAo no K tt
Wâkra
nîge
hagigidjairegi,
kiki'ûire
cunugadjâ,"
Men
anywhere
when they meet,
they gamble
always,"

e de.
A Ki Ki w Ki o ni n.
Ao rKe deKe
Ai Ke
éje.
"Hagigiwaki'ûninâ.
Hosgecke
hîké
he said.
"I never gamble.
Besides
not

w se Ai Ai ttAo ni n.
e de
tt rK n K.
warehíhitcûninâ,"
éje.
"Djasganâka?
I have nothing to bet,"
he said.
"How can it be?

p. 105 --

Ao o s de Ko K tt.
w se Ai deKe ni ttAo d nK dA n.
Ho'ûrajegûgadjâ.
Warehícgenitcûjanâkcanâ.
It is customary.
You have plenty to bet.

Ai ttAo Ke s K
deKe
Ae sey n K.
Ai ttA wi s K
deKe.
Hitcokeraga
cke
hereanâga
hitcawîraga
cke
Your grandfather
and
[besides]
your wife
and

p. 106 --

Ai niKi s K
deKe
e de.
A Ao.
Ai o Kette Ko ni
hinîkraga
cke,"
éje.
"Hâho!
hi'ûkdjegûnî,"
your boy
[also],"
he said.
"Yes indeed!
we shall do it,"

e de.
tt Ko
Ai o K tt n Ae de.
e de.
éje.
"Djagú
hi'ûkdjanaheje?"
éje.
he said.
"What
shall we play?"
he asked.

Ao Ki n K Ktt n Ae K tt
e de.
e Ki.
"hûkinagakdjanahegadjâ,"
éje.
Égi
"We shall wrestle,"
he said.
Then

n m ttAe lA s ri d.
Ai tt
w r Ke se de.
de e e.
nâmâ´tceparasijâ
hidjá
wazakereje.
Je'e
a flat, baldheaded warclub*
there
he stuck in the ground.**
It

*nâmâ´tce, "warclub"; paras, "broad, flat"; -ijâ, "a, one." The description of the warclub as "baldheaded" is added from the knowledge of the translator. For a picture of this sort of club, see the translation.
**"in the ground" is an interpolation.

p. 107 --

w K rA Ks
Ae se de.
A Ki ni n di wi Ke se.
wâgasakra
hereje.
Hakíninâjîwigere.
to kill the loser with
he was.
They got a hold of one another.

o xitti wi de.
A Ko sey d.
Ai d
A ni Ki ni li se de.
'Ûxdjîwije.
Hagoréijâ,
hijâ
hanîginîpireje.
Very much they did.
Finally,
one
he was thrown down.

p. 108 --

A Ko Ai Ki Ki rK wi de.
A ttA tte K Ae se Ki
A Ke
Haguhikikisgawije.
Hatcâdjegaheregi,
hâké
Exactly alike they looked.
Which was which,
not

Ai lAe sere liAi ni de.
A ni Ki ni li se K.
we de.
hiperezepînîje.
Hanîginîpirega
wéje,
it could not be known.
The one thrown down
he said,

Ao Ao Aow.
Ai Ae xitti A ni Ae s.
Ai ttA wi A xitti
"Hohohowá!
hihexdjîhanihera,
hitcawîhâxdjî,
"Oh my!
I told you about this,
my wife,

p. 109 --

mo too ne n
e de
A Ao.
Ai ttA wi A xitti
mot'ûnénâ,"
éje.
"Hâho,
hitcawîhâxdjî,
but he has thrown me [to the ground],"
he said.
"Now,
my wife,

Ai Ki rA Kn ne
e de.
Ai tt ney Kese.
Ai no Ks.
e tt
hikisaknane,"
éje.
hidjaneakre.
Hinûkra
édja
kill him for me,"
he said
the other.
The woman
there

Ao Ki datt deAe.
de Ko
A ttA K
si li Kette ni rKe de.
hugic'atcce,
jegû
hatcâgá
ripikdjeniskeje.
she was puzzled,
[and]
which
to strike, she did not know.

p. 110 --

o tt o.
Ai ttAo Ke s.
we de.
Ai noKo tteAe Ks.
ûdja'û,
hitcokera
wéje,
"Hinûktcekra,
Finally,
her father-in-law
said,
"My daughter-in-law,

Ai ttAo deKe A s
tt Ko
e Ki di
o se
e de.
hitcûcgehara,
djagú
egiji,
'ûre,"
éje.
my grandson,
what
he told you,
that do,"
he said.

e Ki
K tt K.
A w roAo ttn K
Ki rAK deAe.
Égi
gadjâga
hawasûtcnâka
gisákce.
Then
only
the under one
did she kill.

Ao Ao Aow.
Ai tteKe wi n.
de rKe
"Hohohowá!
hîtcgewínâ.
jesge
"Oh my!
tired he made me.
That is what

p. 111 --

sy Ke
y se Ke
Ai Ae xitti K tt
e de.
raige
yarége,
hihexdjîgadjâ,"
éje.
you would do
I thought,
so I told you very much,"
he said.

e Ki.
leAe tts
so K n xitti
Ao tooyi s n K
Égi
pédjara
rokanaxdjî
hot'ûiránâga
Then
a fire
great
they built, and

e tt
Ao too sy se de.
t xAo Ai se de.
di Ki Ko
édja
hot'ûraireje.
Daxuhíreje.
Jigígû
there
they threw him.
They burnt him up.
Again

p. 112 --

e de.
Ai tti t tte
w ow tte.
di Ki d
éje.
"Hidjidadje
wa'ûwadje.
Jigijâ´
he said it.
"Mighty
do you.
One again

tti Ktt n Ae n.
Ai Ko di Ke
m
w too te Ktt n Ae n
djikdjanahenâ.
Higûjigé
mâ
wat'ûdekdjanahenâ,"
he will come.
Again
to the ground
I will throw him,"

e de.
Ao w se s.
Ay ni Ki di
di Ki d
tti de
éje.
howarera,
hainigíji
jigíjâ´
djije.
he said.
Sure enough,
in the morning
again one
came.

p. 113 --

di Ki Ko
Ao Ki nK deAe.
di Ki Ko
mo too ne de.
Jigígû
hûkinâkce.
Jigígû
mot'ûneje.
Again
he wrestled with him.
Again
he threw him to the ground.

di Ki Ko
Ai noKo tte K.
rii xitti
Ao Ki datt deAe.
Jigígû
hinûkdjega
s'ixdjî
hugic'atcce.
Again
the woman
very long
she was puzzled.

di Ke
Ai ttAo Ke s
e Ki K tt K
Ki rAK deAe.
Jigé
hítcokera
egigadjâga
gisákce.
Again
her father-in-law
only when he spoke
did she kill him.

p. 114 --

di Ke
t xAo Ai se de.
e Ki.
di Ki Ko
Ai d
Jigé
daxuhíreje.
Égi
jigígû
hijâ
Again
they burnt him.
Then
again
one*

*the translation has "another one."

tti de.
tto l A.
de de rKe
wi s tti se Ki di.
djije.
Djobâhâ
jejésge
wiradjiregiji.
came.
Four times
this kind
came to them.

Ai tto li Ke
tee w Ai de.
de e.
Hidjóbike
t'ewahije.
Jeé
All four of them
he killed.
This, the one

p. 115 --

xeAe te K s Ki
Ai s ni Ae s.
e
w o nK deAe.
xedekaragi
hiranihera.
E
wa'ûnâkce.
to be raised for them
they left.
Them
it was.

Ai s n Ki Ki se
o w oyi se de.
e Ki.
wK no ni K.
Hiranákíkire
'ûwa'ûireje.
Égi
wâknunik
To beat one another to him
they were trying to do.
Then
the old man

we de.
Ai Ke
w d
de rK ni Ktt n Ae n.
wéje,
"Hîké
wajâ
jesganikdjanahenâ.
said,
["Not]
[thing]
[like this will ever be.]*

*translated as, "very might it will be."

p. 116 --

Ai Ki xA n Ktt wi n
e de.
Ai ttAo Ke Ai se s.
Higixanâkdjawinâ,"
éje.
hitcokehirera
Let us move,"
he said.
The grandfather

we de.
e Ki.
wK no n K
w o de.
wéje.
Égi
wâknunâka
wa'ûje.
[said it.]
Then
the old man
did [it].

ttAi doAoyi d.
so doAo so tt n K.
e tt.
Tcicuijâ
rucoródjânâga
édja
One of the tent poles
[he] pull[ed] up, and
there

Aoyi K w wi de.
e Ki.
Ai so A si xitti
A Ki
hoikawawije.
Égi
hiroharixdjî
hagi
they went in.
And
away off
at

p. 117 --

ttAi d
Ki Koo Ai se de.
n w ttA Ks.
rA ttA
tcíjâ
k'i'kûhireje.
Nâwatcakra
satcâ
a house
they made for themselves.
Fences
five of them

A Ki A Ao we Ai se de.
e Ki.
K tt.
hikihahowehireje.
Égi
gadjâ
they put one within the other.
Then
there

wK so tteKe
ttAi n Ke tt.
Ao Ks.
Ai niKi
Wâkrútcge
tcinâkedja
hûkra
hiník
Giant
at the village
the chief
his sons

p. 118 --

w Ai Ki di
xA w ni
Ai se de.
tt rKe
w oyi se Ki di
wahigiji,
xawanî´
hireje.
Djasgé
wa'ûiregiji,
[that were sent,]
to be lost
they were.
What
became of them,

A Ke
w w leAe se ri s ni de.
e rKe.
hâké
wawapereziranîje.
Ésge
not
they did not know.
Therefore,

w K ttA Ks.
w so K n
w Ki Ki Ai se de.
A Ko sey d
wakâtcâkra
warukânâ
wagigihireje.
Hagoréijâ
the holy ones
to ask to locate them*
[they caused them to do.]
Finally,
* warukânâ means, "to go into a trance to recover a lost thing" (Miner).

p. 119 --

Ai d
w wi leAe sere deAe.
A Ko se d.
ttAi n Ki d.
hijâ
wawíperezce.
"Hagoréjâ
tcinâgijâ
one
knew of them.
"Once
a village

de tt s wi s.
e tt.
w Kono d.
Ao ttAi ttAi ni Ki d.
jedjârawira.
Édja
wâknujâ
hotcîtcînîgìjâ
you ended.
There
an old man
a boy

xeAe te
Ai s Ki Ki wi s.
xeAe te
ni Ki Ki wi s
xedehi
ragigiwira.
Xede
nigigiwira,
to raise him
you let him.
To raise him
he has done it for you,

p. 120 --

e
w o n.
tee w Ai n.
e Ki.
Kiy ri se n.
e
wa'únâ
t'ewahínâ.
Égi
kiasirenâ."
and
he is the one that
has killed them.
Then
they ran away."

A Ao.
A Ke
liAi ni Ai se n.
Ai Ki n Ki di.
Hâho!
hâké
pînîhirenâ.
Higinâkiji
Ho!
not
they have not done right.
If they were here

A ro Ai Ai
w ttAi wi doKo ni ni de.
te e di.
hazohíhi
watciwicgûnînîje.
Déeji,
fair[ly]
we would try them over.
As it is,

p. 121 --

Ki[y] r s.
e Ki liAi se Ke
w o Ai se K tt.
ki[a]sara
ekipihirege
wa'ûhiregadjâ
to run away
they like best
[so they did it]

Kiy ri s se.
ay se de.
e rKe.
tee w Ai se Ktte
kiasirare,"
aíreje.
Ésge
t'ewahirekdje,"
they have run away,"
they said.
Therefore,
go kill them,"

ay s n K.
wo ni
A Ao Ai se de.
wi s tti se de.
airanâga
wonî´
hahuhireje.
Wiradjireje.
they said, and
to look for them
they came.
They came upon them.

p. 122 --

wK no n K.