Hocąk Text — Earthmaker Sends Rušewe, Version 2

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

The manuscript is in the hand of Paul Radin, the Hocąk line is written in bolder letters with a different writing implement than was used for the English lines. In general, the MS is not difficult to read. About 50% of the hand written interlinear text has no English translation, but almost all of the untranslated words could be found elsewhere. Radin also used symbolic abbreviations for common whole words or syllables some of which he interpreted here and in other manuscripts, although there are some whose values are unknown. The symbols used in the text appear on the table below:

α β γ ɜ λ
égi éja giži caną žesge

ρ τ υ ϕ ʆ ɕ
ánañga aire* regi† hañké že, ce xjį
*explicitly stasted on p. 37.
†explicitly stated on p. 30.

|· bar ⨪ - ·/, or ·/ /
hire* ną nañk ra -kjanèną
*explicitly stated on p. 30.

Words supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle) are found in brackets '[ ]'. It was also necessary for the editor to supply all punctuation and to determine the beginning and ending of sentences.

English Translation

p. 39 —
[α] mąnégi hakdjá hakirír[ρ] wa-įna
Egi mąnégi hakjá hakiríranañga wa-įna
[And] on earth back they came back and their blanket

 

 

kurúzir[ρ´] [α] wa-'úine[ʆ]. Nyóxederá harek'ú-ire[ʆ]
kurúziránañga egi wa-'úineže. Nyóxeterá harek'ú-ireže
they took and [then] [they did it.] The Mississippi they went down

 

 

[γ]. [β] Wakdjexíjañki wagaíre[ʆ], "Deé
giži. Eja Wakjexížañki wagaíreže, "Teé
[.] [There] a Waterspirit that is [they said to him,] ["This one]

 

 

p. 40 —
hinudjíkdjaną." T'ehihi[ρ´] Kaghómą(nį́)djega* hirorukúnig[β´]
hinujíkjaną." T'ehihiánañga Kaǧómąnį́jega hirorukúnigéja
it we will eat." After killing it, De Soto, Wis. down stream from it
*the parenthetical material is in the text.

 

 

Hinuñgáze[⨪]a ágaki[⨪] hirorúku [β] wa'ų́įne[ʆ].
Hinuñgázenañka ágakinañk hirorúku eja wa'ų́įneže.
from Lacrosse opposite down stream there it was.

 

 

Kerédjire[ʆ]. Hiją́ x'epara kikúrudi how[ρ´]
Keréjireže. Hižą́ x'epara kikúruti howánañga
They snuck up on it. [One] along the hills by crawling he went [and]

 

 

[α] hiją́ x'esániñgra howádji[ʆ]. [α]
egi hižą́ x'esániñgra howájiže. Egi
[then] [one] from over the hill he came around. [And]

 

 

Wakdjexiáka hatcíndja[ɕ], añkí* [β´][ɕ] hibozaíją
Wakjexiáka hacínjaxjį, añkí éjaxjį hibozaížą
[the Waterspirit] where it was, [both] [about then] a post
*this word is written above an earlier one that has been heavily crossed out.

 

 

hioín[ρ] bodá [|·]gí wahás re[|·´][ʆ].
hioínanañga botá hiregí wahás rehiréže.
they used and to pound they did and [chasing it] [they flushed it out].*
*wahás rehiréže is translated as, "they scared it out".

 

 

Ninárek'u kiruxé haraire[ʆ].* "Warorá, hidadjé
Ninárek'u kiruxé haraireže. "Warorá, hitajé
Downstream to chase it [they two went.] "Flesh, [try hard]
*after the first /r/ the symbol [τ] has been crossed out and aire written above it.

 

 

wa-ųné. Nyoicódj[-] hogit'ąp´[γ], wotcéxi[·/][/].
wa-ųné. Nyoišójra hogit'ą́pgiži, wocéxikjaneną.
[to do it.] The muddy water if he runs, it will be difficult.

 

 

Keréhi[·/][/]." Maį́'ų-įn[ρ´] aghukǫ[ɕ][β´] ónañgenúnige
Keréhikjaneną." Maį́'ų-įnánañga aǧukǫxjįéja ónañgenúnige
It will get away from us." Arrows they used and under the arm pit they were shooting it, but

 

 

[ϕ] t'ehíni[⨪][ɜ]. Gadjuñga nahúitc hikaróke
hañké t'ehíninañkšaną. Gajuñga nahúic hikaróke
[not] they didn't kill it. [Now] [stump] [grandmother]

 

 

hídjega wa'ų[ʆ´]. Gudj[ρ´] mąná érek'įr[ρ´]
híjega wa'ųžé. Gujánañga mąná érek'įránañga
[the one who has] [he did it.] He shot it the arrow he went as it and*
*a line connects this translation with a note at the bottom of the page which reads, "i.e. he turned himself into the arrow".

 

 

mątcgéra rucárotc [|·][ʆ´]. Gadjuñga [β]
mącgéra rušároc hirežé. Gajuñga ejaxjį
[bow] he pulled on out with him [they did.] [Now] [there]

 

 

t'ehí[ʆ]. Wowágax aíregi [β][ɕ] hahí
t'ehíže. Wowágax aíregi eja hahí
he killed it. They imprinted themselves [they said] where [at]

 

 

t'ehíre[ʆ]. [β] wakdjexiáka rúdjire[ʆ]. Rutc
t'ehíreže. Eja wakjexiáka rújireže. Ruc
[they killed it.] [There] [the Waterspirit] they ate it. [Eating]

 

 

rucdjaį[υ], [α] [β] kiwágax [|·][ʆ´].
rucjaįregi, egi eja kiwágax hirežé.
[when they got done,] [then] [there] they painted themselves [they did].

 

 

p. 41 —
[α] Wakdjéxiákacge [β] wagáxire[ʆ].* [α]
Egi Wakjéxiákašge eja wagáxireže. Egi
[Then] [the Waterspirit also] [there] they wrote. [And]
*what appears to be /hir/ is crossed out just before this word.

 

 

[β] Mą'úna e wa'ų[ʆ´], haruxá haitcé
eja Mą'úna e wa'ųže, haruxá haicé
[there] [Earthmaker] he he did it, [kept on] too much

 

 

hiarairegi.* Wajį́ją zizíke† aziówaróiją hirahí
hiarairegi. Wažį́žą zizíke aziówaróižą hirahí
as they were doing. [A thing] turkey with a hanging tustle‡ to go to them
*the symbol τ is crossed out and above it is written aire.
†just before this word, the expression rucé waj has been crossed out.
‡perhaps "tustle" is for "tassel".

 

 

wagigí[ʆ]. Nañkawaire[ʆ].* "Warorá, gųci rucewéją,
wagigíže. Nañkawaireže. "Warorá, gųši rucewéžą,
he caused it. They were afraid of it. "[Flesh,] beyond you† a rucewe,
*the symbol [τ] has been crossed out and aire written above it.
†between "beyond" and "you", the word "near" has been crossed out.

 

 

nína ią́dje." Maną́gere howakcą́ waruxé[ʆ].
nína ią́je." Maną́gere howakšą́ waruxéže.
try and live (flee for your life)."* [The face of the earth] about it he chased them.
*the parenthetical matter is Radin's.

 

 

Jedjuñga, [ϕ]áwają [λ]ániñgi, hatcį́dja hotcirá
Žejuñga, hañkáwažą žesgániñgi, hacį́ja hocirá
[Now then,] as it was difficult,* where their lodge
*literally, "it did not amount to anything".

 

 

higiré[υ] hikarapérez[⨪´]ki. [β] wowáhase. [β]
higiréregi hikarapéreznáñki. Eja wowáhase. Eja
[having thought of] they still remembered. [There] he chased them. [There]

 

 

mąnégųs hiránihékdje. Mą'úna [λ] wagi'úną.†
mąnégųs hiránihékje. Mą'úna žesge wagi'úną.
forever there they should be.* [Earthmaker] [this way] he did it for them.
*"there" is inserted a little above the English line by a caret.
†just before this word, wagųn has been crossed out.

 

 

Mąnégųs [β] náñgikdje. [λ] Mą[']úna
Mąnégųs eja náñgikje. Žesge Mą[']úna
[Forever] [there] they would be. [This way] [Earthmaker]

 

 

hí[bar]. Higų́ mejegúnigícge, higų́ [β]
híną. Higų́ mežegúnigíšge, higų́ eja
[he made.] Even now they are there, yet [there]

 

 

náñk[ɜ]. Jegúną.
náñkšaną. Žegúną.
[they are.] [That's all.]

 

 

Source:

Jasper Blowsnake, "Waretcawera," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman Numbers 3850, 3896, 3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Notebook 67: 1-41 [39-41].