Hočąk Syllabic Text — Trickster Takes Little Fox for a Ride

Told by an elder of the tribe in 1912

Transcribed by Sam Blowsnake

Translation based on the interlinear of Oliver LaMère

Winnebago V, #7: 548

The syllabic text appears to have been written in pencil in large and, for the most part, clear letters. It was transcribed in syllabic script by Sam Blowsnake from oral presentations made by an old member of the tribe living in Nebraska in 1912. The interlinear translation for the Trickster Cycle was done by John Baptiste and Oliver LaMère. In the earlier part of the Trickster Cycle, which was translated by John Baptiste, the name of Trickster's adversary is rendered as "Little Fox"; however, in the later part of the cycle and in later translations, the very same name is translated as "Coyote." Since Oliver LaMère took over as Radin's translator and held the job exclusively for the rest of Radin's corpus, we may conclude that it was he who translated this part of the cycle.

For a description of this manuscript, its source, style, transcription, and interlinear translation, see the syllabic text to Trickster's Warpath.

English Translation

 

p. 548 —
ttiAi nK de e. doAo Ke te ni Ai se de ay se n. no liAi wi
Činąk žee šųkedenįhireže, aíreną. Nųpiwi
Village of people this owned horses, they say. Two of them

 

 

ni Ai se de ay se n. ttiAi nK e tt Ai deKe. w deAe se Ke ni K
nįhireže, aíreną. Činąkeja hišgé Wašerekénįka
they owned it is said. At that village also Little Fox*

*translated as "Coyote".

 

 

p. 549 —
w to Ao ttA tte de ay se n. de e w Ktt K K. w deAe se Ke ni K.
watohočaježe, aíreną. Žee Wakjąkaga Wašerekénįga
was a son-in-law, it is said. He Trickster Little Fox

 

 

w d Ki dK so Ko tte de. w Ktt K K. w d Ki dK so Ko Ai se de.
wažągįšgąrukoježe. Wakjąkaga wažągįšgąrukohireže.
something to do he wished. To the Trickster he wished to play a trick on.

 

 

p. 550 —
Ai Ki leAe sere deAe. A Ke Ki liAi ni de. Ko s. Ao tt so A
Hikiperezše. Hąké gipįnįže. "Korá! hojąrohą
But he discovered it. Not he did not liked it. "Well! many times

 

 

A Ke lAi ni Ai Ki Ki s. Ai Ke w d y Ki s ni
hąké pįni hįgigíra hįké wažą yagirani
[not] liked it* [let me] [not] anything [I think of it]

*hąké pįni is translated as "he did me wrong but".

 

 

A tte K tt. di Ke w di K deK so Ko tte tt Ko w d
hajegáją. Žigé wažigažegarukoje jagú wažą
[I am].* Again he wishes to do something to me how something

*hįgigíra hįké wažą yagirani hajegáją is translated as "but I overlooked it".

 

 

p. 551 —
Ay deK Kette n e de. e Ki. w o de. Ki xA s.
haišgejeną," éže. Égi wa'ųže. Gixara
even I will do to him,"* he said. Then he did it.† In the wilderness

*háišge means "I hitch".
†the word "did" has been crossed out. Nevertheless, it is proper as a translation of this word, however awkward it is in English.

 

 

Ao w se de. de. e tt. doAo Ke te ni w A se K.
howareže. Že éja šųkede nįwaharega,
he went out. This there the horses that were owned,

 

 

Ai Ko ttiAi nK Ai lAy tt. ni Ke o nK ra de.
higų́ činąk hipaija nįgé 'ųnąks'aže.
near the village [that far] [the place] they would always be.

 

 

p. 552 —
de e wo ni se de. e tt Ai d Ai e de. e Ki.
Žee wonįreže. Éja hižą hi'éže. Égi
Those he went to look for. There one he found. Then

 

 

w Ki o de. n Ai de. n xitti Ki di. Ai lAe se riKi di. Ai n sKe ni K.
wagi'ų́že nąhiže. Nąxjįgiži, hiperesgiži, Hinarageniga
[he did this] he put it to sleep. When it was fast asleep, and was sure of it, the mouse

 

 

o tte Ki di. Ko Ko Ai de. e Ki. w niyo tteKe d. ta nK dA n.
'ųjegiži gogohiže. "Égi waniyočgežą t'ánąkšaną.
there it was so he went after it. "Here an animal is dead.

 

 

p. 553 —
w deAe se Ke ni K. e tto w s n K w K tte. Ai ttAo deKe niKi A xitti.
Wašerekénįka ejowaranąga wagaje, 'Hičųšgenįkahaxjį,
Little Fox go and say to him, 'My grandson!

 

 

e Ki. w niyo tteKe d ta nK dA n. so ti s to daK dA n.
égi waniyočgežą t'ánąkšaną. Rutira tuš'ákšaną.
here an animal is dead. To move it I failed.

 

 

Ai Ko ttiAi nK Ai lA se Ki w o nK dA n. Ai s so tteAe tt
Higų́ činąk hiparegi wa'ųną́kšaną. Hiraručéja
[Just] the village near it is. To one side

 

 

p. 554 —
so tiy n K. i ne Ki Ai K s Ki deAe se Kette n Ai s Ke Kette n.
rutiyanąga inéki hikaragišerekjeną,' hiragékjeną,"
pull it and alone we shall have it,' you may say to him,"

 

 

e de. Ai n se Ke ni K. Ai Ke w di so K n Ai ni de. m wK deAe
éže. Hinaregeniga hįke wažirukanahinįže. Mawakše.
he said. Mouse she was very willing. So she ran.

 

 

p. 555 —
w deAe se Ke ni K e tt Ai de. Ai ttAo deKe niKi A xitti.
Wašerekénįka éja híže. "Hičųšgenįkhaxjį,
Little Fox there she went. "My grandson,

 

 

w m ni dtt doAo no n. e Ki. ttiAi nK Ai lA se Ki.
wamanišjašununą. Égi činąk hiparegi
you are very strong. Here the village near

 

 

w no tteKeyi d ta nK dA n. ni Ke Ai s so tteAe tt. i ne Ki
wanočgeyižą t'ánąkšaną. Nįgé hiraručéja inéki
an animal is dead. Somewhere to one side alone

 

 

p. 556 —
Ai Ki deAe se. sow Ko s. so ti s to daK dA n e rKe
hikišére ruwąkura. Rutira tuš'ákšaną, ésge
to tend to it I wish. To move it I failed, therefore

 

 

Ao ni Ki toK Ao n. ni dA n n tteKe wo ni ttiAi Ke. e de.
honigitokhoną, nišaną nąčgewoničige," éže.
I came to tell you, as you only I feel for," she said.

 

 

w deAe se Ke ni K Ai Ke w di so K n Ai ni de. Ai tt A Ai se de. e Ki
Wašerekénįka hįke wažirukanahinįže. Hijáhahíreže. Égi
Little Fox he was very delighted. So there they went. Even then

 

 

p. 557 —
se tt de e de w Ktt K K. ttAi n Ks. Ao Ki nK K nK.
reja žeeže, Wakjąkaga. Činąkra hokinąkanąk
he ran back [this one,] Trickster. To the village he ran back

 

 

A Ki wi s leAe tte de. K tt K. Ai n se Ke wi K. w o de. w deAe se Ke ni K.
hagiwirapeježe. Gająga Hinaregewįga wa'ųže. Wašerekénįka
and was waiting for them. There Mouse did thus. Little Fox

 

 

p. 558 —
doAo Ke te n K. riAi tts w wi so Ki deKe de. dtt xitti so riKitti dAe.
šųketenąka sįjra wawirugišgeže. Šjąxjį rusgíčše.
the horse's tail she tied together. Very tight she tied them.

 

 

w deAe se Ke ni K we de. w m dtt A ni n. to ti Ktt ne n e de.
Wašerekénįka wéže, "Wamąšjąhaniną. Tutikjaneną," éže.
Little Fox said, "I am strong. I will pull it," he said.

 

 

p. 559 —
de rKe to ti doAo no n. Ao w. ttA Ao ay se doAo no s.
žesge tutišonuną. Hųwą́, ča, ho! airešonúra.
This kind I am used to pulling. Elk, deer, ho! they are called.

 

 

de rKeyi d w owK dA n. e de. A Ao.
Žesgeyižą wa'ųwąkšaną," éže. "Hąho!
That is what it is," he said. "Hąho,

 

 

de Ko n. so ti n se Ai Ke de. Ao. a n K.
žegųną. Rutinare higeže. "Ho!" anąga.
All is ready. You may pull it," she said to him. "All right," he said.

 

 

so ti n i K tt. so xiAiKi deAe. n xi se Ai se de. Ki K w a n K tt.
Rutina'įgają, ruxikše. Naxire hireže. Gigawa'anagają
He tried to pull it but woke it up. Scared it became. It got up and

 

 

p. 560 —
riAi tte tt. w no tteKe d Ai so K s Ki di n xi se de. no Ki wK deAe.
sįjeja wanočgežą hirokarakiži, naxireže. Nųgíwąkše.
[on his tail] an animal fastened to it, it became afraid. It ran away.

 

 

w deAe se Ke ni K. x xtt so ti se de. ttiAi n Ks.
Wašerekénįka xaxaja rutireže. Činąk
Little Fox looking like a branchy thing was dragged. To the village

 

 

p. 561 —
A n Ao Ki nK deAe. tt tti ne tt. w Ktt K K. A xe Ki ni de. w xeAe te o de.
hanahoginąkše. Jajineją Wakjąkaga haǧeginįže. Waǧede'ųže,
it ran. Right away Trickster shouted at him. He shouted very loudly,

 

 

Ao so xotto wi se. w deAe se Ke ni K. w to Ao ttAi K w d o n.
"Horuxújwire Wašerekénįka, watohóčiga, wažą 'ųną.
"Look at him Little Fox, the son-in-law, something he is doing.

 

 

p. 562 —
Ao so xotto wi se. e de. A ntt Ai Ai nl n Ki se de. te we s Ki.
Horuxújwire," éže. Haną́č hihinąbnąkireže. Tewéraki
Look at him," he said. All of them ran out. There unexpectedly,

 

 

doAo Ke te riAi tte tt. Ai soyi deKe. Ki w tti K s K s nK deAe. A Ko se d.
šųkedesįjeja hiroíšge giwajikarakaranąkše. Hagoréžą,
on the horse tail he was tied to and bouncing up and down. Finally,

 

 

p. 563 —
Ai d ni Ai Ki di e tt Ki Ki di. A so Ko ri se de.
hižą nįhigiži éja kigiži. Harukósireže.
[the one] the owner [there] it went back to. There they caught it.

 

 

e tt Ki so deKe Ai se de. i ni Ks xK se niKi nK deAe. m dtt
Éja girušgehireže. Inikra xakareniknąkše. Mąšją
There they untied him. His mouth just twitched as he sat. Very

 

 

Ai so diAiKi deAe. A Ke deKe ttAiye tt Ki ni de.
hįróišíkše. Hąkéšge čieja kinįže.
ashamed he was. Not even to his house go back.

 

 

e tt. de Ko ni Ke Ao w se Ki di de Ko de.
Éja žegų́ nįgé howáregíži žegų́že.
From there [now] [someplace] he went away and that was the last of him.

 

 

p. 564 —
Ai ttA wi s. ni Ktt Kini Ks dKe so A A ni no ni Ke. de Ko
Hičáwįrá nįkją́knįkrašge rohahanį, nunige žegų́
His wife and children many he had, but [now]

 

 

e tt w too ne de. e rKe. e tt A Ke
éja wat'ųneže. Ésge éja hąké
there he left them all. Therefore, since then not

 

 

w K di Kese Ki o ni de. Ai no l A s. ni Ke
wąk žigeregi 'ųnįže. Hinųpahara nįgé
among the people [ever again] he has not been. [Secondly] anywhere

 

 

p. 565 —
A tty se K deKe. Ai so diAi ra de. e rKe. ni Ke a deKe xitti
hajairegašge hirošis'aže. Ésge nįgé ašgéxjį
when they see him he would get shame. Therefore, [someplace] very close

 

 

Ai d A tty deKe. i s xK s. mi nK n n.
hižą hajaišge ira xakra minąkananą.
one if he is seen his mouth would twitch as he sits.

 

 

Ai Ko de e Ai so Ki diAiKi w o tte n
Higų́ žee hirokišik wa'ųjeną,
For the same thing to be ashamed he would be,

 

 

p. 566 —
Al te e.
hąp tee.
day this.

 

Source:

"Wakjukaga," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1912) Winnebago V, #7: 548-566. A translation has been published in Paul Radin, The Trickster: A Study in American Indian Mythology (New York: Schocken Books, 1956) 50-52.