Little Fox Goes on the Warpath

narrated by Charlie Houghton

interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère

The MS is written in ink with a clear hand. It's pages have been numbered and renumbered so many times that there are four sets of page numbers. At the very top of the page is the Roman numeral "III". Just below it is written "Coyote on the war-path" which is followed with a slight indentation by, "Told by Charlie Hougton" which is followed with another slight indentation with, "Translated by Oliver Lamere".

Words placed in brackets '[ ]' are supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).

English Translation

 

p. 242 —
"Hąhó žejaíñxjį tocainikjáwiną. Égi koté,
"[Well] thus far on the warpath let us go. [And] say,

 


Wašerekéniñka kižu-inekją́winą. Wowáñgera éja wažokit’unekjéną†
Little Fox* with him let us go. Foolishness there get into something

*this is always translated by LaMère as "Coyote," but its literal meaning is "Little Fox." For the identity of this character, see Little Fox.
†at the bottom of the page by an asterisk is the following note: "some trickery or trouble".

 

higuñkíni. Wowóñgera haicéxjį híną, Wašerekénika.
he is always. Bad too much* he does, Little Fox.

*"(beyond)" is written above the English line.

 

 

Hąhá, hižą́ hijowarawi-ánañga gikarahérawire." Hó
[Hąhá,] one go there and ask him to." [Ho!]

 

 

žéjuñga hižįjahi-ánañga "Wašerekénigro koté, tocą
now then one got there [and] "Little Fox [koté!] go on the warpath

 

 

p. 243 —
aíreną. Jagwañke šaraníkjaneže?" "Hó koté
they say. What, not you are not going?" "Ho, koté!

 

 

nišgé tekjonihéną." "Hojiá." Žéjuñga, hakįžuakiríregi
me also going I will." "All right." [Now then,] with him they came back

 

 

ho haną́cinxjį. Wáñgera* éja nąži-ánañga,
ho all together. The man there stood and,

*an original initial /u/ has been crossed out and a /w/ written above it.

 

 

žéjuñga, nąwaį́neže. T’é’ųnąwaíneže. Hagaréžą Wašerekénika
now then, they sang. Do death, they sang. Once on a time Little Fox

 

 

hišgé ho žéjuñga hiragíži. "Hó
also [ho!] [now then] it got to him. ["Ho!]

 

 

p. 244 —
Wašerekénigro nišgága nąnáwañkjanéną." "Hojiá,
Little Fox you also to sing you are to." "All right,

 

 

Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá
Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá

 

 

Wašerekénika t’ešge, t’ešge, péže giǧákikježe?*
Little Fox if he dies, if he dies, who will weep for him?

*"[Repeat]" is written after this stanza.

 

Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá Wašerekénika t’ešge,
Wi iá ió ho hiá ha ia wi iá io ho hiá ha iá Little Fox if he dies,

 

 

t’ešge, péže giǧákikježe? Yo-o-o-o-o-o!"
if he dies, who will weep for him? Yo-o-o-o-o-o!"

 

Source:

Charles N. Houghton, "Coyote on the Warpath," translated by Oliver LaMère, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #11a, Freeman #3892 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) 242-244.