Hocąk Syllabic Text — Trickster and the Plums

Told by an elder of the tribe in 1912

Transcribed by Sam Blowsnake

Translation based on the interlinear of Oliver LaMère

   
Oliver LaMère, Translator   Winnebago V, #7: 269

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

English Translation

 

p. 269 —
w Ke A w i L deKe. Ko Lo d de. e Ki di Ke
Wakehawira ške kuružaže, égi žigé
His coonskin blanket also he washed, also again

 

 

Ko KL deKe Ko Lo d de. de Ko Aiy n K.
kogera ške kuružaže. Žegų hianąga
his box also he washed. Thus he did, and

 

 

ni Le Ki Ao Lo xotto Ktt tt.* te we L Ki. ni Lo Ke tt. doAo tteLe
nįregi horuxucgáją, tewéraki nįrogeja šujere
in the water he looked, and unexpectedly, in the water all red


*this spelling suggests -gająją, which doesn't appear to be well formed, so I take the spelling to express -gaj-ją.

 

 

p. 270 —
A tt de. liAi Ai we rAi wi K tt te we L Ki. K ttL
hajáže. Pįhí wesįwįgają, tewéraki kąjera
he saw. Carefully he looked over, and unexpectedly, plums

 

 

Lo K n de ni L Ko L. Ko wo K n K. Ai d
rokanaže, nį rokora. Kųwųkanąga hižą
there were many water very many. He dove, and some

 

 

Lo rn i K tt. i ni Koro Kiri KL dA n. n lL Aoyi xitti
rusną’įgają, iniksųksįgera šana nąbera hoixjį
he tried to get, but small stones only his hands full

 

 

p. 271 —
A ni Ki Li de. di Ki Ko ra de. o tt o. i ni d. e tt
hanikiriže. Žigigųs’aže. ’Ųja’ų, įnį́žą éja
he got. Again he would do it. As he did thus, a rock there

 

 

Ai Ki lA n K. lo lA n Ki de. lo rAK Ki de.
hikípanąga bopą́nągiže. Bosakiže.
he bumped against, and he bruised himself. He made himself unconscious.

 

 

Ai n A tti nK deAe. Kr lede. niye tt A xA L xitti Ki A n Koo.
Hinąhąnąkše. Ksapše. Nįeja haxáraxjį kihanąk’ų.
He floated up. He came to. In the water flat on his back he was when he came to.

 

 

p. 272 —
Krl loKo K tt. ttl Ki nililK tt. e we L Ki.
Ksapugają,* ją́p kinipgáją, e weraki,
When he came to, to open his eyes after he got, there unexpectedly,


*this seems to be from ksap-hu-gają, spelled as ksap-pug-ga-ja.

 

 

mo K. Ai A KLe Ki. K ttL. Lo K n de. niye tt.
móga hihagrégi kąjera rokanaže. Nįeja
the bank on top of plums there were many. In the water

 

 

n xi L KL. w tt tte L. K tt K e tt. Ai lAe Lere deAe.
nąǧíragerá wajajera, gają́ga éja hipéresše.
this reflection he had seen, only then [there] he knew.

 

 

p. 273 —
Ao Ao. Ao tt w d wo w KL. tty rKe xitti Ki di.
"Hohó, hoją́, wažą wową́gera jaisgexjįgiži,
"Oh my, [yes] [thing] foolish I must be, and

 

 

Ai leAe Lere liAi A ni K tt. xoAo riKi xitti A Ki.
hiperes pį hanigają. xusgįxjį hagi ,"
to know [better] I ought to. I have put myself in pain,"

 

 

a tte de. e tt. a tti n K n K. Ktt Lo ttL o xitti de.
aježe. Éja ajinąkanąga kąc rujera ’ųxjįže.
he was saying. There he came on shore, and plums eat [he did much.]

 

 

p. 274 —
Lo dtt Ki di. w Ke A L. Ai K L Ki liAi L K n K. Ai reKe
Rušcągiži, wakehara hikaragipirakanąga hisgé
When he got through, his coonskin he put a belt around, and some

 

 

o ttAo ttAow n K. ni L A Le Ko Le de.
’ucucuanąga nįra harekú reže.
he put with it, and the stream downstream he went.

 

Source:

The original text is "Wakdjukaga," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, ca. 1912) Winnebago V, #7: 269-274. English translation found in Paul Radin, The Trickster: A Study in American Indian Mythology (New York: Schocken Books, 1956) 28-29.