Hocąk Syllabic Text — Trickster Loses His Meal, Version 1

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: 307

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


English Translation


 

p. 307 —
e Ki. wy rey n K. Le tte tte Le L. e ttA Ai dK K
Égi waiseanąga rejejerera écą hišgaga
Then he took them out, and* the bottom ones [instead] [this time]

* in the previous story, Trickster killed a family of raccoons, and has now finished cooking them.

 


 

p. 308 —
Ai A Ke tt w do de. e Ki. de Ko Aiy n K.
hihagéja wažuže. Égi žegų hianąga
on top he put them. Then thus he did, and

 


 

n KiriKi r rtt. Lo diAi diAi d n K. e Ki. e tt Ay rey n K.
nąksiksasac rušišižanąga égi éja haiseanąga
twigs he broke off, and then there he dished it, and

 


 

w Lo tti Ko Lo Ao de. ni Ke Lo r n K. i K nK
warujikoroho, nįgé rusanąga ikanąk
he was about to eat, piece he took, and to put in his mouth

 


 

p. 309 —
Ai Ko Lo xitti K tt. Ki Ki Kiri. e de. Ao w a n K.
hikoroxjįgają, gigįgįs éže. "Howa," ánąga,
as he was about to put it, squeaking noise [it uttered.] "Well!" he said, and

 


 

A Ke i K nK ni de. di Ki no l A L. ni Ke i K nK
hąké ikanąkniže. Žiginųbahąra, nįgé ikanąk
not he did not put it in his mouth. The second time, piece to put in his mouth

 


 

Ai Ko Lo Ao K tt di Ki Ko. e de. di K Ke i K nK ni de.
hikorohogają, žigígų éže. Žigąke ikanąkniže.
as he was about to put it, again [it uttered.] Again he did not put it in his mouth.

 


 

p. 310 —
di Ki t ni A L. o de Ai tto l A L o K tt. te we L Ki.
Žigidanihąra ’ųže. Hijobą́hąrá ’ųgają, tewéraki,
[Again] the third time it did it. The fourth time it did it, unexpectedly,

 


 

n xeAe teyi d. e Ki n di Ki di. Ao ttA Ki d Ke tt w tte de.
nąxeteižą égi nąžįgiži, hocakižąkeja waježe.
a big tree there [it stood, and] in a fork [it uttered it.]

 


 

n K L Ki reKeyi d w tte de. n tte K. Ao ti nK deAe. w Att
Nąkaragįsgeižą waježe. Nąjega hotiną́kše. "Wahác
[A tree's own squeak] [it uttered it.] The tree he climbed. "I eat

 


 

p. 311 —
n i L tt Ko e K tt te e Ai L ditti tte.
ną’įra, jagú egają tee hįražice?"
I tried, why he does this he teases me?"

 


 

a n K w o de. no ttA Ki doKolo lette K. Ao Lo ax
ánąga, wa’ųže. Nocakišgopjega horu’áx
he said, and as he did it. The [noisy] fork of the tree to split

 


 

n i n Koo. e tt a L. A L rtK Ki de.
ną’į́, nąk’ų éja ara harastakiže.
he tried, when [there] his arm it got pinched.

 


 

e tt a L Ao Ki L ttA Ki de. Ko Lo rL Lo daK deAe.
Éja ara hokiracakiže. Kurusra ruš’ákše.
There his arm it got held fast. To get it out he could not.

 


 

p. 312 —
o nK Koo. te we L Ki. doAo KttK Ao ni Aeyi d e tt
’Ųnąk’ų, tewéraki, šųkjąk honiheižą éja
Thus he was, unexpectedly, wolf a pack there

 


 

tti L Ae de. w Ki w de. Aeyi. Ko diAi Ki Ao w wi Le.
jiraheže. Wagiwaže, "Heyi, gušígi howawire
it was going by. He shouted to them, "Say, a little farther go around

 


 

e Ki. w A tti Kette Ke. w o L. e Ki a L
égi. Wahajíkjege, wa’ųra égi ara
here. I was going to eat, but [the one that did it] here my arm

 


 

p. 313 —
Ao L ttAK A Ki Ke w o nK dA n. Ko A Le Ki Ai Ki Ki tte n.
horacák hagige, wa’ųnąkšaną. Kųhą́regi higigijeną.
held fast why I am here, [that is it.] Below me it is for me.

 


 

A Ke Ai Ki Lotto wi ni Le e de. A Aowo. w d Ko ni
Hąké higirujwinire," éže. "Hahowo, wažągųnį,"
Not do not eat it for me," he said. "Well, something must be the matter,"

 


 

ay L n K. Ai tto no wK A Aoyi Le de. Ai tt tti Le K tt
airánąga hijonųwąk hahúireže. Hijajiregają,
they said, and there they ran [they came.] When they got there,

 


 

p. 314 —
te we L Ki. e tt w Lo ttL Ai Lo dtt xitti tte de. w diAi L
tewéraki, éja warújera hirušjąxjįježe. Wašį́ra
unexpectedly, there the food it was all ready. Food*

* this word actually means "fat".

 


 

Lo K n de. Ko te Ao tt Ltt wi n. ni Ke
rokánaže. "Koté, hoją́ rajwiną, nįgé
there was much. "Say, [since] you have eaten, piece

 


 

niKi Ao t Ai Ki Ki wi Le. a no ni Ke.
nįk hotá higigiwire," a, nųnįgé
[little] [left overs] you must leave me," he said, but

 


 

p. 315 —
tt Ko Kette. ttAe li Le de. di Ke we de. ni lA n L di.
jagukje cebireže. Žigé weže, "Nipanaraži,
it was of no avail* they had eaten it up. Again he said, "[At least] the soup,

* the translation has "What of that?".

 


 

A Ke Ai Ki L ttK wi ni Le. Ao tt Ao Lo L. ttAe li
hąké hikiracgąwinire, hoją́ horora cebí
not do not drink, as the meat [finished]

 


 

L Ki Ki wi n. e Ki di di Ke ni lA n L. Lo ri L n K
ragigiwiną," égi, žižige nipanara rusiranąga
[you have done,"] he said, but again the soup they took, and

 


 

p. 316 —
L ttK Ai Le de. L reKe li Le de. de Ko Ai L n K.
racgą́ hireže. Rasgepireže. Žegų hiránąga
to drink they did. They had drunk it up. Thus they did, and

 


 

ni Ko Ki nK Ai Le de. Aow A K w d n tteAeKe wi Le d.
nįgoginąk hireže. "Howá, hagáwažą, nącgewirežą
to run somewhere they did. "Oh, how sorry

 


 

w Lo Ko Ko Ke L. ne wy doow n K. n tteAeKe wi Le n.
warugųgųgera ne waiš’ųanąga nącgewireną,"
the coveters you you are the cause of it, and it is my sorrow,"

 


 

p. 317 —
a n K. no ttA Ki d Ke tte K. Ao Lo a ax
ánąga nocąkižą, gejega, horu’ą ’áx
he said, and a forked tree, the one wrapped around him, [he lifted up] he split

 


 

Le Ai de. de Ko Aiy n K tal deAe. e Ki.
rehiže. Žegų hianąga t’ąpšé. Égi
[he threw it aside.] Thus he did, and he came down. Then

 


 

doAo KttK n K Ao w K Ly Le Ki di rA niKi eyo w Le de.
šųkjąknąka howakarairegiži, sanįk eyowáreže.
the wolves they went, direction he went.

 


Source:

The original text is found in "Wakjukaga," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, ca. 1912) Winnebago V, #7: 307-317. An English translation is found in Paul Radin, The Trickster: A Study in American Indian Mythology (New York: Schocken Books, 1956) 31-32.