Hotcâk Syllabic Text -- Young Man Gambles Often

translated by Richard L. Dieterle

based upon a typed translation (probably of Oliver LaMère)

At the top right of the first page is written "#22". A little below this numeral at the center of the top of the page is written in Hotcâk syllabary, "Ao tti tti w Ki o Ke K", and directly below it the translation, "Young man shoots for them often". What appears to be a large superscripted numeral "1" is placed after the word "shoots", but the expected footnote is absent.

While most syllabic MSS were dictated to Sam Blowsnake, it is clear from an examination of the handwritting that he was not the stenographer for this MS. This can be seen from the fact that Blowsnake elsewhere writes the syllabic letter /s/, which is equivalent to our /r/, about the same size as the letter /a/, etc. However, in this MSS, the same syllabic letter is as tall as the syllabic letters /K/ and /A/.

Stylistically, the raconteur of this story has a number of singular linguistic habits:

  He makes unusually frequent use of the exclamations, "hâhó" (39 times) and "kodé" (30 times) including the rare combination, "hâhó kodé." Also unusual is "hâhó égi," "well, well."
  The rare exclamation "hicdjâ´ge," "well then," is used often (five times).
The expression "anâkra," "to speak, talk," which is not attested elsewhere, is used four times here.
He uses "hasdjinîk" for the more usual "hasdinîk" ("blueberries").
The word "higí," meaning, "here, in its place," which is rare elsewhere, is used seven times here.
The word "wajî´", which is not very common, is used here six times.
The word "jedjâga" ("now, then, even"), which is not used by most authors, is used seven times.
There is a strong preference for "hagoreíjâ" over "hagorejâ."
  It is occasionally the case in standard Hotcâk stories that the subject will follow a sentence terminator ("-je/ce", "(ca)nâ"), but this raconteur often puts a great deal of material in this otherwise restricted post-position.
  There are also a number of nearly redundant sentences.

The style of the translation is consistent with that of Oliver LaMère.

| Part II, pp. 44 - 86  |  Part III, pp. 87 - 130  |  Part IV, pp. 131 - 173  |

English Translation

p. 1 --

de e
e tt
ttAi n Ki d
nK deAe.
Ao Ks
Jee
édja
tcinâkijâ
nâkce.
Hûgra
[At]
there
a village
it sat.
The chief

deKe
Ai tt
nK deAe.
Ao Ks.
ni Ktt Ks.
cke
hidja
nâkce.
Hûgra
nîkdjâkra
also
there
he sat.
The chief
the children

Ke se lA n no liAi wi
A ni ne de.
w Ks.
Ke se lA ny d
n K.
kerepananûpiwi
haníneje.
Wâkra
kerepanaijâ
nâk
twenty
he had.
Of males
ten
sat (there were)

e Ki
Ai no Ks
Ke se lA ny d de.
e Ki.
xoo Ke s.
égi
hinû´kra
kerepanaijâje.
Égi
x'okera
and
the girls
ten.
And
the parents

da Ki se de.
ni Ktt K ni s.
so dtt Ai se de.
e Ki
da Kitti ni Ki s n K.
c'akireje.
nîkdjâknira
rucdjâhîreje.
Égi
c'akdjînikiranâga
they were old.
The children
they were done having.
Then
they were very old and

p. 2 --

e Ki.
A Ko sey d.
di Ke.
Ai to Ke niKi n K.
w o ttK nK deAe.
égi
hagoreijâ
jigé
hidokenîknâka
waûtckanâkce.
and
in the course of time
again
the old woman
was pregnant.

A Ko sey d.
w KeKe ttAo de.
te we s Ki.
w Kini Ki d ttAo de.
Hagoreijâ
wakektcû´je.
Dewéraki
wâknikijâtcûje.
Finally,
she gave birth.
Unexpectedly,
she gave birth to a boy.

w Ki no ls.
wo xtt xitti Ai se de.
e Ki.
de de Ko Ki di.
A Ko sey d.
Wâkinûpra
woxdjaxdjîhireje.
Égi
jejegûgiji,
hagoreijâ
The second people
they were very fond of him.
And
having been thus,
in the course of time,

s.
tt tti ne tt.
m ni de.
Ki di
m dtt dA n tte Kede.
ra
djadjinedjâ
manije,
giji
mâcdjâcanadjekce.
[he went]
already
to walk,
and
he was full of mischief.

e Ki.
e Ki.
A Ai.
Ao ttAi ttAi niKi
Ki dKtt Ki di.
Égi
égi
hahi
hotcîtcînîk
gicgâdjagiji
And
then
to go out
boys
when he was able

p. 3 --

A Ke
Ki si ni ra de.
Ai tt n ra de.
e Ki.
A Ko seyi d.
Ko no K
hâké
kirinîs'aje.
Hidjanâs'aje.
Égi
hagoreijâ
Kunuga
not
he would not return.
He would sleep over.
And
in the course of time
Kunu (the eldest brother)

we de.
Ao Ks.
Ai ni Ks.
w d
y se n.
wéje,
hûgra
hinîkra,
"Wajâ
yarénâ :
he said,
the chief
the son of,
"Something
I know:

Ai roAo Ki tti wi s.
wy tteKe xitti wi s.
te e.
hisû´gidjîwira
waitcgexdjîwira
dee
my brothers,
my sisters,
this one

Ai rAo KiniKi Ki Ai wi s.
e
Ao Ks
hisûknikihiwira
e
hûgra
our little brother,
he
the chief

Ae se Ki di.
e
ttAi n Ks
Ai so K n Ki di.
heregíji,
e
tcinâkra
hirukanagiji,
he should be,
he
the village
to have charge of,

e
s ds
s tti se Ki di.
n xi xoAo no ni K.
e
racra
ratciregiji,
'Naxíxununîka,
he
the name
they may call him,
'Youngest Son,

p. 4 --

Ao Ki ttA liwi s.
Ai Ky se doAo no Kette n.
e de.
Hûgitcapwira',
higairecûnûkdjenâ,"
éje.
Our Own Chief,'
they shall always call him,"
he said.

A Ao.
liAi
w s Ke n.
A ntt
ay se de.
e lA
"hâhó,
pî
waragenâ,"
hanâtc´
aíreje.
epa
"All right,
well
you mean,"
all
they said.
Since that time

de rKe
Ai Ky se de.
n xi xoAo no ni K
Ao Ki ttA liwi s.
jesge
higaíreje.
"Naxíxununîka,
Hûgitcapwira,"
that way
they called him.
"Youngest Son,
Our Own Chief,"

Ai Ky se ra de.
Ai K K
ttAi s
Ao n ni de.
Ai K tt
higaires'aje.
hîkaga
tcira
honânîje.
higádjâ
they would call him.
Never
the lodge
he would sleep.
He would go back to

tt n K.
ni Ke
o ni Ae ra de
A Ky s xitti dA n
djánâga
nîge
'unihes'aje.
Hagaíraxdjîcânâ
as many as
place
he would continue.
Only once in awhile

Ai tt
Ki si ra de.
A Ke
deKe
Ao mi n Ke tt
hidja
kiris'aje.
Hâké
cke
homînâkedja
there
he would return.
Not
also
at his seat

p. 5 --

mi nK ni ra de.
Ai Ko.
ttAiyo Ki rA Ke tt.
n di Ke se
n di Ki di.
mînâknîs'aje.
higû
tciokisakedja
nâjî´kere
nâjîgiji
he would not sit.
Now
on the center lodge pole
he leaned against
having stood

e tt
A Ki
K w xiAiKi
n di tt o
di Ke
Ai Ai nl ra de.
édja
hagi
kawaxik
nâjîdjâ'û
jigé
hihinâps'aje.
there
at
lodge pole
as he stood
again
he would go out.

A Ai.
di Ke
o tt o.
xeAe te ni Ki di.
w Ki o
Hahi
jigé
ûdja'û
xedenigiji,
waki'û´
Finally,
again
finally (?)
when he grew old enough
to gamble

Ai lAe se riKi di.
w Ki o de.
tt Ko
Ai Ki
K xiKi di.
hiperezgiji,
waki'ûje.
Djagú
higí
kaxgiji
after he knew it,
he gambled.
How
here
what he was wearing

A ntt
Ao Ai se de.
e Ki.
Ai tt Ki si de.
di Ke
hanâtc´
hohiréje.
Égi
hidjagirije.
Jigé
all
they won from him.
Then
he went back.
Again

p. 6 --

n di Ke se tt.
A Ki
K w xiAiKi Ki si tte de.
n so K xitti de.
nâjîkeredjâ
hagi
kawaxikiridjeje.
Narokaxdjîje.
he stood leaning
on
the center lodge pole.
He was completely naked.

ttAo we xitti
w d
Ai so Ki
Ke we tt de.
A Ao.
tcowéxdjî
wajâ
hirogi
kewedjâje.
"Hâhó.
Very little
thing
it was tied to him
as he entered.
"Hâhó.

di Ke
tt Ko
o de.
n xi xoAo no ni K.
Jigé
djagú
'ûje
Naxíxununîka,
Again
what
have you done
Youngest Son,

Ao Ki ttA liwi s.
ay se de.
e Ki.
Ao Ai se s.
Ao K sK deAe.
Hûgitcapwira,"
aíreje.
Égi
hohirera
hokárakce.
Our Own Chief,"
they said.
Then
they had won
he told them.

e Ki
Ko no K.
w d
A ni Ki di.
A ntt.
Égi
Kunuga
wajâ
hanigiji
hanâtc´
Then
Kunu
things
belonging to him
everything

Ao Koo de.
e Ki.
wy ni s deKe.
Ai n xitti
Ao Ki w xo Ki se de.
huk'ûje.
Égi
wainiracke
hinâxdjî´
hogíwaghúkireje.
he gave him.
Then
clothing also
plenty
they put on him.

p. 7 --

e Ki.
di Ke
de Ko
xA w ni tti K s
Ki ni de.
Égi
jigé
jegû
xawanidjìkara
Kinîje.
Then
again
just
he disappeared.
He went back.

di Ke
w Ki o s.
o ni Ae de.
di Ke
A ntt
Jigé
waki'ûra
'unihéje.
Jigé
hanâtc´
Again
gambling
he was.
Again
all

Ao Ai se de.
di Ke
Ai tt
Ki Ki di.
Ae n K.
hohiréje.
Jigé
hidja
gigíji,
Hénaga
he lost.
Again
there
when he returned,
Second Born

w d
w ni Ki di.
A ntt
wo Koo de.
wy ni deKe
wajâ
wanigiji
hanâtc´
wok'ûje.
Wainicke
things
that he had
all
he gave him.
Clothing also

Ki o de.
di Ke
se de.
tt tti ne tt.
di Ke
ki'ûje.
Jigé
reje.
Djadjinedjâ
jigé
he made for him.
Again
he went.
Already
again

w Ki o s.
o xitti de.
A Ko sey d.
A ntt
Ao Ai se de.
waki'ûra
'ûxdjîje.
Hagoreijâ,
hanâtc´
hohiréje.
gambling
he did very much.
Finally,
all
he lost.

p. 8 --

di Ke
ttAiye tt Ki de.
di Ke
A K K.
w d
Jigé
tciedjagije,
jigé
Hágaga
wajâ
Again
when at the lodge,
again
Third Born
things

w ni Ki di.
A ntt
wo Koo de.
wy ni deKe
Ki o de.
wanigiji
hanâtc´
wok’ûje.
Wainicke
ki'ûje.
that he had
all
he gave him.
Clothing also
he made for him.

di Ke
A ntt
wo Ai se de.
o tti se Ki di.
Ai ni w Ai s.
Jigé
hanâtc´
wohireje.
'ûdjiregiji
hiniwahira
Again
all
they won it.
Thus he kept on and
his elder brothers

tt n K
w d
s A ni ne Ki di.
A ntt
wo Ai se de.
djánâga
wajâ
rahaninegiji,
hanâtc´
wohireje.
as many as
things
that they had,
all
they won it.

e Ki.
di Ke.
d aK w Ai s deKe
w d
w ni ne Ki di.
Égi
jigé
c'akwahiracke
wajâ
waninegiji,
And
again
his parents also
things
that they had,

p. 9 --

A ntt
wo Ai se de.
di Ke
Ai noKo
w tt ls
hanâtc´
wohireje.
Jigé
hinûk´
wadjapara
all
they won it.
Again
women
[they placed with him]

tt n K.
w d
s A ni ne Ki di.
A ntt
wo Ai se de.
djánâga
wajâ
rahaninegiji,
hanâtc´
wohireje.
as many as
things
that they had,
all
they won it.

A Ai
K tt K.
w reKe
liAi niKi
w ni ne Ki deKe
Hahi
gadjâga
wasgé
pinîgí
waninegicke,
Finally,
now
dishes
good
that they had also,

A ntt
Ao Ai se de.
e Ki.
de e Ai d
hanâtc´
hohiréje.
Égi
jee hijâ
all
he lost.
Then
someone

to ttA
m stt deAe.
e Ki.
n xi xoAo no ni K
dotcâ
mârádjce.
Égi
Naxíxununîka
to go on the warpath
made a date.
And
Youngest Son

A Ke
w di
so K n
Ai ni de.
A K K
ni Ke
hâké
wajî´
rokana
hinîje.
Hágaga
nîge
not
anything
much
he was not.
Third Born
anywhere

p. 10 --

Ao w K s ni de.
de Ko
w Ki o s.
K tto
too ne de.
howakaranije.
jegû
waki'ûra
gadju
t'unéje.
[he would go with him.]
Thus
gambling
[?]
he abandoned.

wo Ki ro K
Ao Ao de.
to ttA
m s ttn K
wogizok
huhuje.
Dotcâ
mâradjnâka
he was really for it
he was anxious.
To go on the warpath
the one he made a date with

Aoyi diAili l
Ki do o de.
e Ki.
A Ko sey d.
hoicíp
kic'ûje.
Égi
hagoreijâ,
always
he was going about with him.
And
finally,

K tt K.
tti Ke se Ktt n Ae Ki di.
tee o s
o xitti ne de.
gadjâga
djikerekdjanahegiji,
dee'ûra
'ûxdjîneje.
now
when he was ready to go,
this one which they do
they did much.

n xi xoAo no ni K.
e
se x so lAo so Ks
wo Ki tti nK deAe.
Naxíxununîka
e
régharupòrokra
wogidjînâkce.
Youngest Son
he
the oval drum
beating.

Ko te.
Ao Ki ttA liwi s.
A Ke
w di
so K n
"Kodé,
Hûgitcapwira
hâké
waci
rokana
"Say,
Our Own Chief
not
dance
much

p. 11 --

Ai ni tte n
ay se de.
K tt K.
A ttiy K sy se de.
A Ai e tt.
hinîdjenâ,"
aíreje.
Gadjâga
hadjiakaraíreje.
Hahiedja
[does not step],"
they said.*
Then
they started out.
On the way

*this sentence is translated as, "Say, our chief seems to be very anxious," they said.

Ai wo dA Ai se de.
Ki K s li se Ktt n Ae Ki di.
e Ki.
we de.
hiwucahireje.
Gikarapirekdjanahegiji,
égi
wéje,
they stopped.
As they were going to count up the number
there
he said,

n xi xoAo no ni K.
n diy n K.
Ao ttAi ttAi xitti wi s.
Naxíxununîka,
nâji-ánâga,
"Hotcîtcîxdjîwira,
Youngest Son,
he got up,
"My dear young men,

w di Ae Ktt n Ae n.
e de.
A Ao.
ay se de.
e Ki.
wajîhekdjanahenâ,"
éje.
"Hâhó,"
aíreje.
Égi
I am going to say something,"
he said.
"All right,"
they said.
Then

we de.
te e
w d
y se n.
te e.
wéje,
"Dee
wajâ
yarénâ :
dee
he said,
"This
thing
I know:
this

p. 12 --

A n ttAi
w Ke se wi K tt.
tt n K.
Ao ttAi ttAi s.
e Ki.
hanâtcî
wagerewigadjâ
djanaga
hotcîtcîra
égi
all
being these ones
as many as
the young men
and

tt n K.
Ai xK so
da Ks
dA n
Ai too s.
djanaga
hixgâro
c'akara
cana
hit'ûra.
as many as
[helpless]
the old people
alone
they have been left behind.

Ai s wi s.
leAe wi s.
A Ke
de rK ni de
y se n.
Hirawira
pewîra
hâké
jesganîje.
yarénâ
[It may be done to them]
I am thinking
not
not this way.
I think

wo no w w Ke rK K tt.
A Ke
te e
e Ki.
w too ne
wonowawagesgagadjâ
hâké
dee
égi
wat'ûne
[?]
not
this
there
to leave them

liAi ni de
y se n.
Ao t
Ai Ki tti
A leAe
pinîje,
yarénâ .
Hodá
higitci
hapé
it is not good,
I think.
Some
at home
to stay

liAi de
y se n.
te e.
ttAi
Ao m s
pîje,
yarénâ .
Dee
tci
homara
good,
I think.
This
lodge
place

p. 13 --

se Ki
wi s tti se Ki di.
Aoyi wo tti s n
y se s.
regi
wiradjiregiji,
hoiwodjîranâ,
yaréra,
here
if some should come upon them,
they would kill them all,
I think,

e rKe.
Ao ttAi ttAi s.
Ao Ki w riAiKi
ttAi
ésge
hotcîtcîra
hokiwásik
tci
so
the young men
half the number
lodges

A leAe wi Ki di.
y se n.
w d
te de n K.
s so A xtti K tt.
hapewigiji,
yarénâ .
Wajâ
déjenagá
rarohaxdjîgadjâ
they should stay,
I think.
Things
this is all
it is too much and

Ao rKe deKe
tt Ko
Ai Ki n
Ai Ki Ktt wi de.
hosgecke
djagû
higinâ
higikdjawije?
besides
how
enough
they will be for us?

tt n K.
Ai Ke
s ni Kette Ki di.
s ds
Djánâga
hîké
ranikdjegiji,
racra
As many as
not
they should go,
the names

t tti Ktt n Ae n.
e de.
e Ki
to we
s ds
datcikdjanahenâ,"
éje.
Égi
dowe
racra
I will call their names out,"
he said.
Then
he started
the names

p. 14 --

w stt se de.
tt n K
w Ki o
Ke
wacdjareje.
Djánâga
waki'û
ke,
he called them out.
As many as
gambled
regularly,

w Ki o ra Ki di
w s tt se de.
A Ai ny di.
waki'ûs'agiji,
wacdjareje.
"Hahinaiji
having habitually gambled,
he called them out.
"That's at least

Ao Ki w riAi Ko ni
e de.
Ao t
n tteKe s
te Ki s
hokiwásigûnî,"
éje.
hodá
nâdjgera
dégira
about half the number,"
he said.
Some
they were sorry

no ni Ke.
e
Ao Ks
w tt n K
A Ke
nunige
e
hûgra
wadjanâga
hâké
but
he
the chief
he was and
not

w do o liAi ni de.
e tt.
w Ki do.
w Kd
Ai Ko so Ao Ki di.
wac'ûpinîje.
Édja
wakíju
wakcâ
hikuruhogiji,
there was no help for it.
There
with them
to come home
when he got ready,

Ai ni w Ai s.
A ntt
w wo K.
tee de.
tt Ko
hiniwahira
hanâtc´
wawoga
deeje.
Djagú
his brothers
all
he had a talk
with these.
What

p. 15 --

dA n
Ki liAi se ra Ki di
de rKe
w wi Ki wx we de.
cana
gipîres'agiji,
jesge
wawigiwâxweje.
only
what they liked best
[that sort of thing]
he asked them.

Ao K s Ki se de.
e Ki.
w Kd wi de.
Ao Ki w riAi Kitti
Hokarakireje.
Égi
wakcâwije.
Hogiwasikdjî
They told him.
Then
they came home.
Exactly half of them

ttAo Ke se
Ki si de.
w Kde
Ko te e
e w w d
tcokére
kirije.
Wákce,
"Kodeé,*
ewawajâ
with them
he returned home.
He was saying,
"Say,
this is something

*the spelling "Ko te e" is probably meant to reflect an emphatic lengthening of the last syllable, as the version "kot'é" is unattested.

liAi
Ai o wi n
tt Ko
Ai Ki n.
w K Ai s wi n de.
pî
hi'ûwinâ.
Djagû
higinâ
wâgahirawinaje?
good
[we are doing.]
How
enough
there are for us?

w d
K ny xtti K tt.
e
te e
e Ki
Wajâ
ganaîxdjîgadjâ
e
dee;
égi
Something
very much
they
these;
and

A Ki Ki o
A tte Ktt n
A wi K tt
aK deAe.
hagiki'û
hadjegádjânâ.
Hawigádjâ,"
akce.
gamble
we can do.
We can do it,"
he was saying.

p. 16 --

Ao ttiy
Ai K nK deAe.
n tteKe s
teKe
Kn Kono ni Ke
"hodjiyá,"
higanâkce.
Nâdjgera
dek
kanâknunige
"Yes,"
they said to him.
Hearts
ached
they bore, but

w nK deAe.
e Ki.
A Ki se Ki di.
Ao w se s.
Ki o s.
wanâkce.
Égi
hagiregiji,
howaréra
ki'ûra
they said that to him.
Then
when they got back,
sure enough
to gamble

tt tti ne tt.
o tti s wi de.
e liA
wo Ai
tti se de.
djadjinedjâ
'ûdjirawije.
Epî,
wohi
djiréje.
already
they started.
It was good,
to win
he began to.*

*this sentence is translated, "From that time on he began to win, and beat them very bad."

w w n xitti de.
A ntt
wo Ai K.
di Ke
A Ktt
Wawanaxdjîje.
Hanâtc´
wohiga
jigé
hagadjâ
He returned it.
Everything
he won