Hocąk Text — Black Otter’s Sacrifice to a Thunder

by Stella (Blowsnake) Stacey, a.k.a. Mountain Wolf Woman
transcribed by Sheila Shigley
translated by Richard Dieterle

Stella Stacy (Mountain Wolf Woman)

English Translation

00:14.1  
Že’é, žigé, kízá hikórohóire žégų́, wą́kšígᵉra égų́,* égų́ wą́gᵉra
Those, again, war they are getting ready so/then the men then then the men,

* these two words are elided, wą́kšígᵉrégų́.

  00:22.3
égų* kókíwaxárac égų́, hokízára jikéré hikórohó–hokít’ą́b
well, running around back and forth† and, the war to be ready to get ready–he arrived and jumped in

* these two words are also elided: wą́gᵉrégu.
† "to be in a commotion going in two ways, back and forth" (Marino).

  00:26.9
hikórohóiregi, égų́ wą́giyą́ že’é Tóšą́nąksépka higáiregiži,
when they were getting ready, then a man this one Black Otter as he was called,

 

  00:35.8
ną́ǧíreže. "Hą́táginą́c š’ų́r̨égi, jágúšge hagoréižą yápéresgųnį,*
he was frightened. "Fasting if/when you did, what at one time I may have known,

* these three words are elided: jágúšgagoréižiápéresgųnį.

00:39.9
hą́p te’é haké wewı̨́gi, éja,* égų kéšge wažą́ hižą́ yápéresnįn’.
day this not when thinking it over, there, then [heretofore] thing a I did not know.

* two words are elided here: wewı̨́géja.

00:43.9 00:46.8
Nųnįge žégų́, ’gu, pı̨́kjenégają. "Waką́já," wigáiregiži, že’é, hižą́
However anyhow, well, it might be good. "Thunderbird," as it is called, these one

 

00:55
cónı̨́xjį gújégiži, že’é, tánı̨́ wágižúkjen’. Tánı̨́(n)įkgi*
the first one when he shot, that one, three he will bring them back. A little tobacco and

* in the audio, pronounced, tánı̨́gi, < tánı̨́-nı̨́k-gi. The concluding -gi is probably an elided front clip of égi, "and."

  00:59.4
wagúcą́negi, hinąt’ų́-kerégirégi,* tánı̨́(n)įk,† éja harušı̨́,‡
leggings, and [legging strings, and] some tobacco, there he made into a bundle,

* Hinąt’ų́ means, "you left me," but the meaning of kereg- seems to be, "to leave going back." None of this makes any sense in the present context. What does make sense is the very similar word, hinąt’ų-geraišge, which means "legging strings" and which matches perfectly the previous word, wagúcą́, "leggings." We should recall that Stella listens first to an original recording on a wax cylinder, then attempts to repeat the story. This is made necessary because of the degeneration of the original cylinders. Therefore, we can expect occasional errors of this sort.
† here Stella seems to be repeating herself, as this duplicates the first item on the list. This shows that there is some confusion, and may help explain the previous word.
‡ haruši ?

 

   
haką́ną́k-gájᵉra. "Ž̌é, že’é Waką́já, gújégaže,* ho, é že’é,
[putting them within.] "That, that one Thunderbird, to bring forth, ho, he himself that one,

* gújégiži? In either case, we have gu-je, or gu-jega, both of the same meaning, "to come, to bring forth, to seek," with both -je and -jega expressing the standing position.

  01:09.3
tánı̨́ wágižúkjen’." Hireánąga héesgé híže. Tánı̨́ hogižúže.
tobacco I shall offer." Along with ? he did. Tobacco he offered.

 

01:12.5
Nųnįge,* égīgé† wéže, "Hagígíži, hagígíži, šų́giyą́ nįhára
However, then again he said, "When I get back, when I get back, a dog of mine

* this sounds rather like nųmge. This phenomenon is also seen below.
† presumed to be an elide of égi-higé.

    01:20
hijá* t’éra že’é, pı̨́ hagiánąga ų́gi, že’é honįgíhą́kjéną,"†
there killing this one, good if I do it, and if I do, this one he will assent,"

* these two words are elided as nįhárijá.
† this is voiced rather like homgíhą́kjéna, which is also seen above.

01:23.8   || 01:28
é esge* Waką́já jégi,† "Šų́gᵉrá wíkáragáxše,"‡ éja ákšąn'.  
he said, so Thunderbird it was, "The dog I am making a gift of my own to him," there he said.  

* these two words are elided as ḗsge.
† -jéga ?
‡ < wa-hi-kara-gax-še.

Source:

Stella Stacy, "Black Otter's sacrifice to Thunder when he was scared of war," reading by Sheila Shigley, from audio tapes in the American Philosophical Society. 10-04. Fraenkel, Gerd. Mss.Rec. 29, recorded 13 July 1959, 1 .mp3; 00:00:14.1 - 00:01:28. Copy made by Gerd Fraenkel of an original tape held at the Archives of Languages of the World, Indiana University. This program comes from original tape 528.4. APS accession number 7233; APSdigrec_2179; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 31.