8. The Fisher and The Raccoon

Udcīg Äsibạn kayä.

The Fisher and the Raccoon.

Ojiig Esiban gaye

from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).

Ningudingsa’ udcīg mạdāpi sāga∙i∙gạnīng uskābānädinini. Mīdạc kägōn unōndān, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!” Inābit awīya owâbạmān pimipa’tōnît, mē∙i∙dạc änwänit, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!” “Îctäyā, nīdcī! Ondās, pījān!”

Now, once on a time a Fisher came out upon a lake that had just frozen with a covering of thin ice. And then he heard the sound of something, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!” As he looked, he saw somebody who was running across, and who was making that sound, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!” “Oh, (I) say, my friend! Hither, come here!"

Ningoding sa ojiig madaabii zaaga'iganiing oskaabaanedinini. Mii dash gegoon onoondaan "Tank, tank, tank, tank!" Inaabid awiiya owaabamaan bimibatoonid, mii dash enwenid, "Tank, tank, tank, tank!" "Ishtenyaa, niijii! Ondaas, biizhaan!"

Mīdạc kījipījānit äsipạnạn. Mēdạc pā∙i∙nwänit, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”

Thereupon hither came a Raccoon, and he came with the sound “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”

Mii dash gii-izhi-biizhaanid esibanan. Mii dash baa-inwenid, "Tank, tank, tank, tank!"

“Wägunän `igi’u kā∙i∙nwäg?”

“What is that noise?”

"Wegonen i'iw gaa-inweg?"

“Kāa, ningīpạgujwā, ningīpạgujwā nîndī, mēdạc nînạgic kīsāgāpīgiskāg! Mīdạc mi`kwạm imā ningī∙ạ∙sa, mī∙i∙dạc äjipimipa`tōyān; mīdạc awä mi`kwạm kā∙i∙jiodābānạg, mīdạc awä, ‘Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!’ kā∙i∙nwäwäcing. Nạckä! Kayägīn `igi’u tōdạn!” Mīdạc kīmādcāt äsipan.

“Oh, I have cut it open, I have cut open my anus, and therefore my entrails have fallen out into exposure! And so I placed a piece of ice there (on the entrails)? whereupon I then started to run; and then as I dragged that piece of ice, accordingly, ‘Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!’ was the sound it made. Now, come! the same thing go you!” Whereuppon away started Raccoon.

Gaa, ningii-bagozhwe, ningii-bagozhwe nindii, mii dash ninagizh gii-zaagaabiigiskaag! Mii dash mikwan imaa ningii-asaa, mii dash ezhi-bimibatooyaan; mii dash awe mikwam gaa-izhi-odaabaanag, mii dash awe "Tank, tank, tank, tank!" gaa-inweweshing. Nashke! Gaye giin i'iw doodan!" Mii dash gii-maajaad esiban.

Udcīgidạc ogīpạgucwān udīyạn. Pạngī∙i∙dạc ugīwī`kupidōn onạgic. Mī∙i∙dạc äjimādcād, mādcipạ`tot; mī∙i∙dac pạngī nōndāgwạdinig “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!” Äckạmigo wāsa udạni`tān. Ningudingigu kāwin ugaskitōsīn tcimādcād `igi’u ka`kina unạgec kīmādcāmạgadinig, ka`kina unạgic. Mēdạc kā∙i∙jipa`kibi`tōd, mē∙i∙dạc kīmạdcạd. Ogi∙ạ∙ndawâbamān äsibạnạn, kīnîckādizid. Ningudingidạc ogīnạgickawān äsibạnạn. Mēdạc änād: “Kīnîna kāwâbạminạn sāga∙i∙gāning?”

And now Fisher cut open his anus. A small part of his entrails he pulled out. Whereupon he started away, he started running; whereat a feeble sound he could hear, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!” Farther he kept hearing it. And presently not was able to go, for all his entrails began spilling out, all his entrails. And so after he broke (the entrails) off, he accordingly started away. He went hunting for Raccoon, for he was angry. And by and by he met Raccoon. Whereupon he said to him: “Are you the one I saw at the lake?”

Ojiig idash ogii-bagozhwaan odiiyan. Bangii idash ogii-wiikobidoon onagizh. Mii dash ezhi-maajaad, maajibatood; mii dash bangii noondaagwadinig "Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!" Eshkam igo waasa odanitaan. Ningoding igo gaawiin ogaskitoosiin ji-maajaad i'iw gakina onagizh gii-maajaamagadinig, gakina onagizh. Mii dash gaa-izhi-bakibidood, mii dash gii-maajaad. Ogii-andawaabamaan esibanan, gii-nishkaadizid. Ningoding idash ogii-nagishkawaan esibanan. Mii dash enaad: "Giin ina gaa-waabaminan zaaga'iganiing?"

“Kāwīn,” i`kido äsipạn.

“No,” said Raccoon.

"Gaawiin," ikido esiban.

“Kägä`t kīnguca!” Mī∙i∙dạc äjimīgānād. A`pī∙i∙dạc gānisāt wäwīp ogīpạgudcīnān. Mägwādec kījidänig äsipạnunạgic, udcīg ogīpīna∙ā∙n udī∙ā∙ng. Mīdac wīn `igi’u kā∙u∙nagijīd `agau udcīg. Kayädạc ugī∙ạ∙mwān īni’ äsibạnạn.

“Indeed you surely are!” Whereupon he fought him. And when he had slain him quickly he cut him open. And while warm were yet Raccoon's entrails, Fisher put them inside of his own anus. And this was haw Fisher got his entrails back again. And likewise he ate up Raccoon.

"Geget giin gosha!" Mii dash ezhi-miigaanaad. Apii dash gaa-nisaad wewiib ogii-bagojiinaan. Megwaa dash giizhidenig esiban-onagizh, ojiig ogii-biina'aan odiiyaang. Mii dash wiin i'iw gaa-onagizhiid a'aw ojiig. Gaye dash ogii-amwaan iniw esibanan.

Misai ä`kōsit.

That is as far as (the story) goes.

Mii sa ekoozid.