11. The Awl and The Cranberry

Megoos mashkiigimin gaye.

The Awl and the Cranberry.

from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).

Ningoding sa giiwenh gii-daawag megoos mashkiigimin gaye; agaamindekodaadiwag.

Now, once on a time, they say, there lived an Awl and a Cranberry; they lived on opposite sides of the fire.

Mii dash ekidowaad ganoonidiwaad: "Aaniin giin ge-doodamamban wii-bi-nisigooyang?"

And this they said when they conversed together: "What would you do if some one should come to kill us?"

Mii dash ekidod megoos: "Nindaa-zaagijibi'iwe sa niin. Giin dash, aaniin ge-doodamamban?" inaanh mashkiigimin.

And then said Awl: "I would indeed betake myself outside. And as for you, what would you do?" she said to Cranberry.

"Gaye giin nindaa-zaagijibi'iwe."

"I would also run outside."

Ningoding dash anishinaaben odoodisigowaan wii-nisindwaa.

Now, once by some people were they visited, in order that by them they might be killed.

Mii dash geget waa-izhi-zaagijibatood megoos, mii dash imaanh gii-badakaakwised; gaawiin ogii-gashkitoosiin ji-giichigwataad.

Accordingly, in truth, out of doors did Awl mean to run, whereupon she stuck into a pole; she was not able to get herself free.

Gaye wiin dash mashkiigimin, gii-zaagijibatoo, mii dash imaanh agwajing gii-baashkijiishing.

And as for Cranberry, she ran outside, and there out of doors she burst herself.

Mii daabishko gii-nisididisoowaad.

And so both of them killed themselves.

Mii sa ekoozid.

And now that is the end (of the story).