Hocąk Syllabic Text — Trickster Takes Little Fox for a Ride

Hocąk Syllabic Text — Trickster Takes Little Fox for a Ride

Told by an elder of the tribe in 1912

Transcribed by Sam Blowsnake

Translation based on the interlinear of Oliver LaMère

The syllabic text appears to have been written in pencil in large and, for the most part, clear letters. It was transcribed in syllabic script by Sam Blowsnake from oral presentations made by an old member of the tribe living in Nebraska in 1912. The interlinear translation for the Trickster Cycle was done by John Baptiste and Oliver LaMère. In the earlier part of the Trickster Cycle, which was translated by John Baptiste, the name of Trickster's adversary is rendered as "Little Fox"; however, in the later part of the cycle and in later translations, the very same name is translated as "Coyote." Since Oliver LaMère took over as Radin's translator and held the job exclusively for the rest of Radin's corpus, we may conclude that it was he who translated this part of the cycle.

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

Oliver LaMère

English Translation

p. 548 —

ttiAi nK	de e.	doAo Ke te ni Ai Le de	ay Le n.	no liAi wi
Cinąk	žee	šųkedenįhireže,	aíreną.	Nųpiwi
Village of people	this	owned horses,	they say.	Two of them

ni Ai Le de	ay Le n.	ttiAi nK e tt	Ai deKe.	w deAe Le Ke ni K
nįhireže,	aíreną.	Cinąkeja	hišgé	Wašerekénįka
they owned	it is said.	At that village	also	Little Fox*

* translated as "Coyote".

p. 549 —

w to Ao ttA tte de	ay Le n.	de e	w Ktt K K.	w deAe Le Ke ni K.
watohocaježe,	aíreną.	Žee	Wakjąkaga	Wašerekénįga
was a son-in-law,	it is said.	He	Trickster	Little Fox

w d Ki dK Lo Ko tte de.	w Ktt K K.	w d Ki dK Lo Ko Ai Le de.
wažągįšgąrukoježe.	Wakjąkaga	wažągįšgąrukohireže.
something to do he wished.	To the Trickster	he wished to play a trick on.

p. 550 —

Ai Ki leAe Lere deAe.	A Ke	Ki liAi ni de.	Ko L.	Ao tt Lo A
Hikiperezše.	Hąké	gipįnįže.	"Korá!	hojąrohą
But he discovered it.	Not	he did not liked it.	"Well!	many times

A Ke	lAi ni	Ai Ki Ki L.	Ai Ke	w d	y Ki L ni
hąké	pįni	hįgigíra	hįké	wažą	yagirani
[not]	liked it*	[let me]	[not]	anything	[I think of it]

* hąké pįni is translated as "he did me wrong but".

A tte K tt.	di Ke	w di K deK Lo Ko tte	tt Ko	w d
hajegáją.	Žigé	wažigažegarukoje	jagú	wažą
[I am].*	Again	he wishes to do something to me	how	something

* hįgigíra hįké wažą yagirani hajegáją is translated as "but I overlooked it".

p. 551 —

Ay deK Kette n	e de.	e Ki.	w o de.	Ki xA L.
haišgejeną,"	éže.	Égi	wa'ųže.	Gixara
even I will do to him,"*	he said.	Then	he did it.†	In the wilderness

* háišge means "I hitch".
† the word "did" has been crossed out. Nevertheless, it is proper as a translation of this word, however awkward it is in English.

Ao w Le de.	de.	e tt.	doAo Ke te	ni w A Le K.
howareže.	Že	éja	šųkede	nįwaharega,
he went out.	This	there	the horses	that were owned,

Ai Ko	ttiAi nK	Ai lAy tt.	ni Ke	o nK ra de.
higų́	cinąk	hipaija	nįgé	'ųnąks'aže.
near	the village	[that far]	[the place]	they would always be.

p. 552 —

de e	wo ni Le de.	e tt	Ai d	Ai e de.	e Ki.
Žee	wonįreže.	Éja	hižą	hi'éže.	Égi
Those	he went to look for.	There	one	he found.	Then

w Ki o de.	n Ai de.	n xitti Ki di.	Ai lAe Le riKi di.	Ai n LKe ni K.
wagi'ų́že	nąhiže.	Nąxjįgiži,	hiperesgiži,	Hinarageniga
[he did this]	he put it to sleep.	When it was fast asleep,	and was sure of it,	the mouse

o tte Ki di.	Ko Ko Ai de.	e Ki.	w niyo tteKe d.	ta nK dA n.
'ųjegiži	gogohiže.	"Égi	waniyocgežą	t'ánąkšaną.
there it was	so he went after it.	"Here	an animal	is dead.

p. 553 —

w deAe Le Ke ni K.	e tto w L n K	w K tte.	Ai ttAo deKe niKi A xitti.
Wašerekénįka	ejowaranąga	wagaje,	'Hicųšgenįkahaxjį,
Little Fox	go and	say to him,	'My grandson!

e Ki.	w niyo tteKe d	ta nK dA n.	Lo ti L	to daK dA n.
égi	waniyocgežą	t'ánąkšaną.	Rutira	tuš'ákšaną.
here	an animal	is dead.	To move it	I failed.

Ai Ko	ttiAi nK	Ai lA Le Ki	w o nK dA n.	Ai L Lo tteAe tt
Higų́	cinąk	hiparegi	wa'ųną́kšaną.	Hirarucéja
[Just]	the village	near	it is.	To one side

p. 554 —

Lo tiy n K.	i ne Ki	Ai K L Ki deAe Le Kette n	Ai L Ke Kette n.
rutiyanąga	inéki	hikaragišerekjeną,'	hiragékjeną,"
pull it and	alone	we shall have it,'	you may say to him,"

e de.	Ai n Le Ke ni K.	Ai Ke w di Lo K n Ai ni de.	m wK deAe
éže.	Hinaregeniga	hįke wažirukanahinįže.	Mawakše.
he said.	Mouse	she was very willing.	So she ran.

p. 555 —

w deAe Le Ke ni K	e tt	Ai de.	Ai ttAo deKe niKi A xitti.
Wašerekénįka	éja	híže.	"Hicųšgenįkhaxjį,
Little Fox	there	she went.	"My grandson,

w m ni dtt doAo no n.	e Ki.	ttiAi nK	Ai lA Le Ki.
wamanišjašununą.	Égi	cinąk	hiparegi
you are very strong.	Here	the village	near

w no tteKeyi d	ta nK dA n.	ni Ke	Ai L Lo tteAe tt.	i ne Ki
wanocgeyižą	t'ánąkšaną.	Nįgé	hirarucéja	inéki
an animal	is dead.	Somewhere	to one side	alone

p. 556 —

Ai Ki deAe Le.	Low Ko L.	Lo ti L	to daK dA n	e rKe
hikišére	ruwąkura.	Rutira	tuš'ákšaną,	ésge
to tend to it	I wish.	To move it	I failed,	therefore

Ao ni Ki toK Ao n.	ni dA n	n tteKe wo ni ttiAi Ke.	e de.
honigitokhoną,	nišaną	nącgewonicige,"	éže.
I came to tell you,	as you only	I feel for,"	she said.

w deAe Le Ke ni K	Ai Ke w di Lo K n Ai ni de.	Ai tt A Ai Le de.	e Ki
Wašerekénįka	hįke wažirukanahinįže.	Hijáhahíreže.	Égi
Little Fox	he was very delighted.	So there they went.	Even then

p. 557 —

Le tt	de e de	w Ktt K K.	ttAi n KL.	Ao Ki nK K nK.
reja	žeeže,	Wakjąkaga.	Cinąkra	hokinąkanąk
he ran back	[this one,]	Trickster.	To the village	he ran back

A Ki wi L leAe tte de.	K tt K.	Ai n Le Ke wi K.	w o de.	w deAe Le Ke ni K.
hagiwirapeježe.	Gająga	Hinaregewįga	wa'ųže.	Wašerekénįka
and was waiting for them.	There	Mouse	did thus.	Little Fox

p. 558 —

doAo Ke te n K.	riAi ttL	w wi Lo Ki deKe de.	dtt xitti	Lo riKitti dAe.
šųketenąka	sįjra	wawirugišgeže.	Šjąxjį	rusgícše.
the horse's	tail	she tied together.	Very tight	she tied them.

w deAe Le Ke ni K	we de.	w m dtt A ni n.	to ti Ktt ne n	e de.
Wašerekénįka	wéže,	"Wamąšjąhaniną.	Tutikjaneną,"	éže.
Little Fox	said,	"I am strong.	I will pull it,"	he said.

p. 559 —

de rKe	to ti doAo no n.	Ao w.	ttA	Ao	ay Le doAo no L.
Žesge	tutišonuną.	Hųwą́,	ca,	ho!	airešonúra.
This kind	I am used to pulling.	Elk,	deer,	ho!	they are called.

de rKeyi d	w owK dA n.	e de.	A Ao.
Žesgeyižą	wa'ųwąkšaną,"	éže.	"Hąho!
That is what	it is,"	he said.	"Hąho,

de Ko n.	Lo ti n Le	Ai Ke de.	Ao.	a n K.
žegų́ną.	Rutinare	higeže.	"Ho!"	anąga.
All is ready.	You may pull it,"	she said to him.	"All right,"	he said.

Lo ti n i K tt.	Lo xiAiKi deAe.	n xi Le	Ai Le de.	Ki K w a n K tt.
Rutina'įgają,	ruxikše.	Naxire	hireže.	Gigawa'anagają
He tried to pull it but	woke it up.	Scared	it became.	It got up and

p. 560 —

riAi tte tt.	w no tteKe d	Ai Lo K L Ki di	n xi Le de.	no Ki wK deAe.
sįjeja	wanocgežą	hirokarakiži,	naxireže.	Nųgíwąkše.
[on his tail]	an animal	fastened to it,	it became afraid.	It ran away.

w deAe Le Ke ni K.	x xtt	Lo ti Le de.	ttiAi n KL.
Wašerekénįka	xaxaja	rutireže.	Cinąk
Little Fox	looking like a branchy thing	was dragged.	To the village

p. 561 —

A n Ao Ki nK deAe.	tt tti ne tt.	w Ktt K K.	A xe Ki ni de.	w xeAe te o de.
hanahoginąkše.	Jajineją	Wakjąkaga	haǧeginįže.	Waǧede'ųže,
it ran.	Right away	Trickster	shouted at him.	He shouted very loudly,

Ao Lo xotto wi Le.	w deAe Le Ke ni K.	w to Ao ttAi K	w d	o n.
"Horuxújwire	Wašerekénįka,	watohóciga,	wažą	'ųną.
"Look at him	Little Fox,	the son-in-law,	something	he is doing.

p. 562 —

Ao Lo xotto wi Le.	e de.	A ntt	Ai Ai nl n Ki Le de.	te we L Ki.
Horuxújwire,"	éže.	Haną́c	hihinąbnąkireže.	Tewéraki
Look at him,"	he said.	All of them	ran out.	There unexpectedly,

doAo Ke te riAi tte tt.	Ai Loyi deKe.	Ki w tti K L K L nK deAe.	A Ko Le d.
šųkedesįjeja	hiroíšge	giwajikarakaranąkše.	Hagoréžą,
on the horse tail	he was tied to and	bouncing up and down.	Finally,

p. 563 —

Ai d	ni Ai Ki di	e tt	Ki Ki di.	A Lo Ko ri Le de.
hižą	nįhigiži	éja	kigiži.	Harukósireže.
[the one]	the owner	[there]	it went back to.	There they caught it.

e tt	Ki Lo deKe Ai Le de.	i ni KL	xK Le niKi nK deAe.	m dtt
Éja	girušgehireže.	Inikra	xakareniknąkše.	Mąšją
There	they untied him.	His mouth	just twitched as he sat.	Very

Ai Lo diAiKi deAe.	A Ke deKe	ttAiye tt	Ki ni de.
hįróišíkše.	Hąkéšge	cieja	kinįže.
ashamed he was.	Not even	to his house	go back.

e tt.	de Ko	ni Ke	Ao w Le Ki di	de Ko de.
Éja	žegų́	nįgé	howáregíži	žegų́že.
From there	[now]	[someplace]	he went away and	that was the last of him.

p. 564 —

Ai ttA wi L.	ni Ktt Kini KL dKe	Lo A A ni	no ni Ke.	de Ko
Hicáwįrá	nįkją́knįkrašge	rohahanį,	nųnįgé	žegų́
His wife	and children	many he had,	but	[now]

e tt	w too ne de.	e rKe.	e tt	A Ke
éja	wat'ųneže.	Ésge	éja	hąké
there	he left them all.	Therefore,	since then	not

w K	di KeLe Ki	o ni de.	Ai no l A L.	ni Ke
wąk	žigeregi	'ųnįže.	Hinųpahara	nįgé
among the people	[ever again]	he has not been.	[Secondly]	anywhere

p. 565 —

A tty Le K deKe.	Ai Lo diAi ra de.	e rKe.	ni Ke	a deKe xitti
hajairegašge	hirošis'aže.	Ésge	nįgé	ašgéxjį
when they see him	he would get shame.	Therefore,	[someplace]	very close

Ai d	A tty deKe.	i L	xK L.	mi nK n n.
hižą	hajaišge	ira	xakra	minąkananą.
one	if he is seen	his mouth	would twitch	as he sits.

Ai Ko	de e	Ai Lo Ki diAiKi	w o tte n
Higų́	žee	hirokišik	wa'ųjeną,
For the same	thing	to be ashamed	he would be,

p. 566 —

Al	te e.
hąp	tee.
day	this.

Source:

"Wakjukaga," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1912) Winnebago V, #7: 548-566. A translation has been published in Paul Radin, The Trickster: A Study in American Indian Mythology (New York: Schocken Books, 1956) 50-52.