5. Snapping-turtle And Caddice-fly

Mi‘kināk umi‘tigwapicimuni‘kä kayä

Mikinaak omitigwapishimonike gaye

Snapping-Turtle and Caddice-Fly

from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).

Ningoding sa giiwenh odetoowag gakina endaswewaanagizid - mikinaak, detabikinaak, boozikado, miskwaadesi; mii iw gakina ezhi-maamawi-oodetoowaad. Wiin idash mikinaak ogimaawi.

Now, once on a time they say there was a town of every kind (of turtle) that was, — a Snapping-Turtle, a Soft-Shelled Turtle, a Musk-Turtle, a Painted-Turtle; thus the total number of them that lived together in a town.

Ningoding idash mikinaak inaakonige wii-andobanid; omitigwapishimoniken owii-awi-miigaanaan.

So once on a time Snapping-Turtle announced that he planned to go to war; against Caddice-Fly was he going to fight.

Mii zhigwa ozhiitaawaad wii-andobaniwaad; gii-gichi-manidookaazo mikinaak.

Thereupon they then made ready to go to war; greatly did Snapping-Turtle conjure for magic power.

Apii waa-andobanid gii-gichi-inendam gaye.

At the time when setting out for war, very proud was he too.

A yo-o nindaamayaa'ose,

Ya oo, ya i', ya i', ya i', ya i'.

A yo-o nindaamayaa'ose,

Ya oo, ya i', ya i', ya i', ya i'.

A yo-o nindaamayaa'ose,

Ya oo, ya i', ya i', ya i', ya i'.

A yo-u, I am leader of a war-party,

Ya oo, ya i', ya i', ya i', ya i'.

A yo-u, I am leader of a war-party,

Ya oo, ya i', ya i', ya i', ya i'.

A yo-u, I am leader of a war-party,

Ya oo, ya i', ya i', ya i', ya i'.

Mii dash gii-maajaawaad aapiji niibiwa owiijiiwaan odooshkiniigima'.

And so, when they started away, very many youths he had in his company.

Apii dash wedisaad omitigwapishimoniken oodetoonid, bizhishig bagamaaganan odakonaanaawaan; gaawiin bakaan gegoo ogii-ayaasiinaawaa, mii eta go bagamaaganan.

And when he got to where Caddice-Fly had a town, nothing but their war-clubs did they have in their hands; nothing different did they have, simply their war-clubs.

Mii idash zhigwa mawinadamowaad i'iw oodena, mitigwapishimonish odoodena, mii iwe miigaadiwaad.

Accordingly, when they rushed to attack the town, the town of Caddice-Fly, then did they fight with (the Caddice-Flies).

Giishpin awiya nisind boodaanidiwag mii i'w miinawaa bimaadiziwaad; gaye dash baapaasaganaandiwag mii go gaye iw endoodaadiwaad, boodaanidiwag.

When any one was slain, they breathed upon him, whereupon back to life he came; and if they had their shells cracked, then the same thing they did to one another, they breathed upon one another.

Gaye iniw mitigwapishimonish odooshkiniigima' endoodaminid awiya biigwaganaamind, boodaanidiwag; mii dash neyaab naabisewaad ezhinaagoziwaad.

The same, too, did the youths of Caddice-Fly whenever any one was torn to pieces, they breathed upon him; whereupon they would take their places, looking the same as before.

Apii eni-naawakweg, mii iw zhigwa zhaagooji'ind mikinaak; gaawiin gashki'idiziiwag ji-bimaaji'idiwaad, aapiji gichi-miigaadiwag.

When it was getting well on towards noon, then was Snapping-Turtle being overcome; (his youths) were becoming unable to bring one another back to life again, very hard were they fighting one another.

Gegapii mikinaak zhaagooji'aa.

At last Snapping-Turtle was vanquished.

Gegapii gakina gii-nisimaa odoshkiniigima'; wiin eta mikinaak gaawiin gii-nisaasii, gii-dakonaa.

In the end all his youths were slain; only Snapping-Turtle himself was not slain, he was taken captive.

Ogii-ganawenimigoon omitigwapishimoniken.

He was guarded by Caddice-FIy.

Gaawiin bagidinaasii ji-babaamosed.

He was not allowed to walk about the place.

Gegapii dash ikido mikinaak: "Daga, bagidinishiyok! Gaawiin ninga-maajaasii. Moozhag ninda-wiijiiwaa gigwisis," odinaan iniw omitigwapishimoniken.

So at length said Snapping-Turtle: "I say, do you set me free! I will not go away. All the time will I go in company with your son," he said to Caddice-Fly.

Gii-bagidinaa.

He was set free.

Geget moozhag owiijiiwaan iniw oshkinawen, omitigwapishimonike ogwisan moozhag babaamosewag.

Sure enough, all the while was he in company with the youth, the son of Caddice-Fly and he were always walking about the place.

Ningoding idash ikidowag a'aw oshkinawe mikinaak gaye: "Daga naa, babaamaadizidaa!" ikidowag. "Owidi inakake ningaabii'anong izhaadaa!"

Now, once on a time said the youth and Snapping-Turtle: "Come, let us go on a journey!" they said. "Over this way, toward the west, let us go!"

Ogii-gagwejimaan oosan a'aw oshkinawe, ogii-bagidinigoon dash oosan.

The youth asked his father, and he was given leave by his father.

Mii dash gii-maajaawaad mikinaak wiijiiwaad iniw oshkinawen; biinish gii-madaabiiwaad gichi-gichi-gamiing. Mii dash imaa babaamosewaad mitaawangaang. Ningoding gegoo onoondaanaawaa madwesininig, jiisakaan agaamakiing. Mii dash ekidod a'aw oshkinawe: Apegish sa izhaayang," ikido aw oshkinawe.

Thereupon they departed, Snapping-Turtle going in company with the youth; (they continued on) till they came out upon the great sea. And then there they wandered along the beach. Presently they heard the sound of something fall, (it was) a conjuring-lodge on the other shore. Thereupon said the youth: "Would, indeed, that we might go over there!" (so) said the youth.

Aawaw, izhaadaa!" odinaan mikinaak. "Aaniin dash ged-izhi-gashkitooyang ji-izhaayang?" odigoon. Omaa sa biinzon niningwiing."

"Very well, let us go over there!" to him said Snapping-Turtle "And how shall we be able to get over there?" (Snapping-Turtle) was asked. "Do you get into this armpit of mine."

Mii dash geget imaa gii-asaad iniw 'shkinawen oningwiing.

Whereupon truly there in his armpit he placed the youth.

Mii dash gii-bakobiid aw mikinaak agaamakiing izhaad eniweg; ginwenzh gii-ani-dazhitaa agaamakiing gii-izhaad.

So then down into the water went Snapping-Turtle; to the other shore he went in a fairly easy way; a long while he spent getting over to the other coast.

Apii dash eni-mooshkamod ogii-bagidinaan iniw oshkinawen.

And when he came out on the shore, he let the youth out.

Mii idash ezhi-waabandamowaad badakidenig jiisakaan.

Thereupon they beheld the conjuring-lodge standing there.

Mii dash gaa-ani-izhi-biindigewaad i'imaa jiisakaaning, aapiji mooshkinewa' imaa eyaanid biindig jiisakaaning; gaagiidowa' nagamowa' gaye.

And so, when they went into the conjuring-lodge, (they saw that) it was very full of them who were there inside; they were talking and singing.

Igiw biindig jiisakaaning eyaawaad odazhindaanaawaa miziwe owe giizhig ondinoon gaye; mii iw wenji-mamaazikaag i'iwe jiisakaan.

They that were inside of the conjuring-lodge were talking about the full extent of this sky, and of the winds; that was what caused the conjuring-lodge to sway.

Giiwitaagiik (giiwitaagiizhig?) wendaanimak, gaa-bi-izhiwebak mewinzha, gaye ged-ani-izhiwebak baanimaa - mii iw gakina endazhindamowaad.

Of the wide circle of the sky from whence blow the winds, of what had happened in times long ago, and of what was to come to pass in the future, — concerning all such things did they talk.

Ginwenzh idash gaa-ayaawaad imaa jiisakaaning, gii-ani-zaaga'amoog miinawaa.

And after they had been in the conjuring-lodge a long while, they up and went outside again.

Inabiwaad iwidi awas inakake ningaabii'anong waabandaanaawaa (owaabandaanaawaa?) wajiw, niibiwa gaye bebaamisenid binesiwa' waabamaawaa'.

On looking off towards the west, they beheld a mountain, and many birds that flew about they saw.

Miinawaa dash ikido a'aw omitigwapishimonike ogwisan: "Daga, izhaadaa!" odinaan mikinaakwan.

So again said the son of Caddice-Fiy: "Pray, let us go over there!" he said to Snapping-Turtle.

"Aw, izhaadaa!"

"Allright, let us go!"

Gii-izhaawag, niibawa ogii-waabamaawaa' banajaanya'.

They went over there, many young birds they saw.

Bezhig idash ogii-odaapinaan a'aw oshkinawe mii wiin iniw gaa-bi-giiwenid.

Now, one of them the youth took up, and that one he fetched back.

Miinawaa gii-bi-biindigewag iwe jiisakaan; gaa wiikaa anwaasesinini.

Again they went into the conjuring-lodge; never did it cease swaying to and fro.

Aw idash oshkinawe ogii-gagwejimaan iniw naaganizinid: "Ningoding ina go gibijise o'o jiisakaan?"

And the youth asked of him who was leader there: "Is there ever a time when this conjuring-lodge is still?"

"Gaawiin wiikaa gii-bijisesinoon minik ba-akiiwang, gaawiin gaye wiikaa da-gibijisesinoon minik ged-ani-akiiwang.

"Never has it ceased swaying since the world began, and never will it be still as long as the world lasts.

Giishpin eta miziwe enigokwaag owe giizhig anwaating mii eta maagizhaa ji-gibijisegiban.

Save only when the whole expanse of this sky is calm, then only might it perhaps cease swaying.

Gaawiin ganabaj wiikaa daatetago (... eta go?) anwaatinsinoon enigokwaag owe giizhig.

Never seemingly is it calm at one and the same time in all the length and breadth of this sky."

Mii dash gaa-bi-izhi-zaaga'amowaad; miinawaa ogii-bina'owaan imaa oningwiing iniw oshkinawen, gaye iniw banajaanyan.

Thereupon they came on out of doors; again (Snapping-Turtle) placed the youth in his armpit, and the young bird also.

Mii dash gaa-bi-izhi-bakobiid mikinaak, bi-giiwewaad.

And then down into the water came Snapping-Turtle, back on their homeward way they came.

Gegaa dash ba-mizhaagaad mikinaak ogii-mikwendaan gakina gii-nisimindiban odoshkiniigima'.

And when nearly reaching the shore, Snapping-Turtle became mindful of all his youths that had been slain.

Mii dash gaa-izhi-gichi-webinaad iniw oshkinawen banajaanyan gaye.

Whereupon he flung out (in to the water) the youth and the young bird.

Ningoji gii-inakwazhiwe mikinaak.

Off in another direction through the water went Snapping-Turtle.

Aw idash omitigwapishimonike ogwisan agaawaa gii-mooshkamo.

And the son of Caddice-Fly had a hard time keeping on the surface of the water.

Besho ayaamagadini, agaawaa dash ogii-gashkitoon gii-bi-mizhaagaad; gaye iniw obanajaanyensiman aapiji gii-zhaabwaabaawewan.

A short way was the (land), and barely was he able to reach the shore; and his young bird was soaking wet.

Ogii-baaswaan dash gaa-mizhaagaad.

He dried it by the fire when he got ashore.

Mii dash gii-bi-maajaad bi-giiwed.

Whereupon he started hitherward on his way back home.

Apii idash gaa-dagwishing oosan endaanid, aapiji ogii-zaagi'aawaan iniw banajaanyan.

And after he had arrived at where his father lived, very fond became they of the young bird.

Naagaj idash gii-ba-animikiikaa; dibishkoo imaa ayaad banajaanh mii imaa gii-bi-noondaagoziwaad animikiig gii-bi-waabamaawaad oniijaanisiwaan.

And after a time there came up a thunder-storm;, straight over where the young bird was came the roar of the Thunderers that had come to see their young.

Miinawaa dash gii-ani-giiwewag animikiig.

So back on their homeward way went the Thunderers.

Mii dash gaa-izhi-maajaawaad binewidis gii-agoode.

And so, after they had gone, the gizzard of the ruffed grouse hung aloft.