14. The First-born Sons Play Ball

Majiikiwisag gaa-baaga’adowewaad.

The First-Born Sons play Ball.

from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).

Ningudingsa kīnwän kīdāwạg mạdcī‘kiwisạg; udätōwạg; ā‘pidci kistciōdäna ī·i·mān ayāwāt.

Ningoding sa giiwen' gii-daawag majiikiwisag; oodetoowag; aapiji gichi-oodena imaa ayaawaad.

Once on a time, as the story goes, there lived some first-born sons; in a town they dwelt; exceedingly large was the town where they were.

Ạnōdc ijitcigäwạg udạminōwāt; tạsing kājigadinigin udaminōwạg.

Anooj izhichigewag odaminoowaad; dasing gaazhigadinigin odaminowag.

All sorts of things they did in the way of games; as often as the days came round, they played at games.

Ningudingidạc unākunigä ‘agaw'u mạdcī‘kiwis tci·a·‘tādiwād tcibāga·ā·dowäwād.

Ningoding idash onaakonige a'aw majiikiwis ji-ataadiwaad ji-baaga'adowewaad.

Now, once (one of) the first-born announced that there would be a ball-game.

Mīdạc gäegä‘t äjimādcitāwāt wī·a·‘tādiwāt.

Mii dash geget ezhi-maajitaawaad wii-ataadiwaad.

Whereupon truly began they to get ready for the contest.

Kayä wīn ‘aga'u päejik mạdcī‘kiwis päpạngī pa‘kān aiyendiwạg.

Gaye wiin a'aw bezhig majiikiwis bebangii bakaan ayiyendiwag(?).

Now, another first-born (and his friends) did a little differently.

Ābi‘ta ändạciwāt uwīwītcīwâwān wīpāga·ā·towäwāt.

Aabita endazhiwaad owii-wiijiiwaawaan wii-baaga'adowewaad.

Half of them were on one side to play ball (against the other half).

‘Agau päjig mạdcī'kiwis ugī·u·ndinān pigwā'kwạt wā·ā·bạdci‘tōwād, ujāwackuminạgạt ī·i·'u bigwā‘kwạt.

A'aw bezhig majiikiwis ogii-ondinaan bikwaakwad waa-aabajitoowaad, ozhaawashkominagad i'iw bikwaakwad.

One of the first-born took out the ball which they were to use, blue was the color of the ball.

Mīdạc ä‘kidot ‘aga'u mạdcī'kiwis: "Wâbạnūng nīn nīngạtinạgatō," i‘kido. "Kīnidạc," udinān īni'u wā·a·‘tawāt, "nīngābī·a·nung ina‘kakäyā."

Mii dash ekidod a'aw majiikiwis: "Waabanoong niin ningad-inagadoo," ikido, "Giin idash," odinaan iniw waa-atawaad, "ningaabii'anong inakakeyaa."

Thereupon said the first-born: "Towards the east will I play for goal." he said. "And you," he said to them against whom he was to play, "toward the west."

Mīdạc kī‘kagīgi·i·nāwāt kägicī‘kānit ininiwag.

Mii idash gii-gagiiginaawaad ge-gizhiikaanid ininiwag.

Accordingly they picked out the men that were fleet of foot.

Weyâbang kigijäb kīmādci‘tāwạg.

Weyaabang gigizheb gii-maajitaawag.

On the morning of the next day they began (playing).

Mēdạc cigwa nimbawāwāt, kāwīn nayānj awiya mijạgạdōsī.

Mii dash zhigwa nimbawaawaad, gaawiin nayaanzh awiya mizhagadoosii.

And when they started the ball going, it was a long while before any one could make a goal.

Änī·i·ckwānā·u·‘kwag mī cigwa cāgōdci·i·nt, ocāgōdci·i·gōn īni'u pipōnisän.

Eni-ishkwaanaa'okweg mii zhigwa zhaagooji'ind, ozhaagooji'igoon iniw biboonisen.

Along in the afternoon was when (one of the first-born) was being beaten, he was being beaten by Winter-Wind.

Käga‘pī kī·ạ·nicāgōdciwinā ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis, wīn dạc pipōnisä kīmījạgadō ningābī·a·nunk ina‘kakä.

Gegapii gii-ani-zhaagooji'winaa a'aw majiikiwis, wiin dash biboonise gii-mizhagadoo ningaabii'anong inagake.

At last was the first-born being beaten, for Winter-Wind had made a goal on the side toward the west.

A‘pā·i·dạc kāpa‘kinawint ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis ugīkạnōnigōn pipōnisän: "Ānīc, mīsa kīpa‘kinōnān," īnā ‘aga'u mādcī‘kiwis.

Apii idash gaa-bakinawind a'aw majiikiwis ogii-ganoonigoon biboonisen: "Aaniish, mii sa gii-bakinoonaan," inaa a'aw majiikiwis.

And when the first-born was beaten, he was addressed by Winter-Wind saying: "Well, therefore have I beaten you," was the first-born told.

"Pîdcīnạgigu wâbạnunk pā·ū·ndānima‘kin mīgō·i·'u cigwa tcîbinīskādagōtäg ‘ugu kījig tcigîmiwunk. Mīsa·i· äjipa‘kinōnān," inān.

"Bijiinag igo waabanong ba-ondaanimakin mii goo iw zhigwa ji-bi-niiskaadagooteg o'o giizhig ji-gimiwang. Mii sa i' ezhi-bakinoonaan," inaan.

"As soon as ever the wind blows from the east, then will foul weather hang aloft in this sky for the rain to fall. Therefore such is what I have won from you," he was told.

Mīdạc ī·i·'u kā·u·ndci·i·jiwäba‘k.

Mii dash i'iw gaa-onji-izhiwebak.

And that is what happens.

Kīcpîn wâbạnunk wändānima‘kin mīgu·i·'u cigwa mạdcigījiga‘k.

Giishpin waabanong wendaanimakin mii go iw zhigwa maji-giizhigak.

When the wind blows from the east, then that is a sign for a bad day.

Mī·i·'u kā·i·jipa‘kinawān-windibạnän ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis.

Mii iw gaa-izhi-bakinawaan windibanen a'aw majiikiwis.

It is because the first-born was once beaten in a contest.

Kāwīn kiminwändazī pa‘kinawint.

Gaawiin giminwendazii bakinawind.

He was not pleased to be beaten.

Minawā wī·ā·ndcī·e· ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis.

Miinawaa wii-aanjii'e a'aw majiikiwis.

Over again did the first-born wish to play.

"Tạga, mīnawā a‘tādidāe!" i‘kido ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis.

"Daga, miinawaa ataadidaa!" ikido a'aw majiikiwis.

Come, let us have another game!" said the first-born.

"Āwâwisa'," udigōn pipōnisän.

"Aawaawisa." odigoon biboonisen.

"Very well," he was told by Winter-Wind.

Weyâbạning mī·i·'u minawā ujigābawiwād wībāga·ā·dowäwād.

Weyaabaninig mii iw miinawaa ozhigaabawiwaad wii-baaga'adowewaad.

On the morrow they then took their places for another game of ball.

"Kīwädinūnk nīn ningạtinạgatū," i‘kidō ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis.

"Giiwedinong niin ningad-inagadoo," ikido a'aw majiikiwis.

"Towards the north will I play for goal," said the first-born.

"Gīn idạc, pipōnisä, câwanūnk ina‘kakä inagạdōn," undinān pipōnisän.

"Giin idash, biboonise, zhaawanong inagake inagadoon." odinaan biboonisen.

"And you, Winter-Wind, towards the south do you play for goal," he said to Winter-Wind.

Mī jigwa umbawâwāt, usāsā‘kwānigōwa känawâbamigowāt.

Mii zhigwa ombawaawaad, ozaasagwaanigoowa genawaabamigowaad.

So when they began playing, they were cheered on by the yells of them who were watching them.

Kạbägījik menawā ubạbāmiwäpa·ā·nāwa pi‘kwā‘kwạt.

Gabe-giizhik miinawaa obabaami-webaanaawa bikwaakwad.

All day long again they carried the ball back and forth and all around.

Mîskuminagạt dạc ī'·i·'u pigwā‘kwāt.

Miskominagad dash i'w bikwaakwaad.

Red was the color of the ball.

Ā‘pī·ä·ni·u·nāgucininig mī·i·'u cigwa minawā câgōdci·i·nt ‘agau mạdcī'kiwis.

Apii eni-onaagoshininig mii i'w zhigwa miinawaa zhaagooji'ind a'aw majiikiwis.

When it was getting well on towards the evening, then again was the first-born being beaten.

Käga‘pī mīnawā kīmījagạdō pipōnisä cāwạnunk ina´kakä.

Gegapii miinawaa gii-mizhagadoo biboonise zhaawanong inagake.

At length again did Winter-Wind make a goal at the end towards the south.

Mīdạc mīnawā äjikạnōnint ‘aga'u mạdcī‘kiwis: "Ānīc, mīsa iu mīnawā kīpa‘kinōnān," inān.

Mii dash miinawaa ezhi-ganoonind a'aw majiikiwis: "Aaniish, mii sa iw miinawaa gii-bakinoonaan," inaan.

Thereupon once more was the first-born addressed: "Well, therefore again have I beaten you," he was told.

"Pîdcīnagigu kīwädonūnk pā·u·dānima‘kin mī·i·'u ka‘kina tcî·u·jimōwād kidockinīgīmạg, nīnidạc kāwīn ogaku‘tạnzīnāwa nindockinīgīmạg."

"Bijiinaagigo giiwedinong ba-odaanimakin mii i'w gakina ji-ozhimoowaad gidoshkiniigiimag, niin idash kaawiin oga-gotanziinaawa nindoshkiniigiimag."

"As soon as ever the wind blows from the north, then will all your youths flee away, but of me will my youths not be afraid."

Mīsa īgiu ka‘kina päbāmisätcig pinäsiwạg, mīwag īgi'u kā·a·‘tadiwagobạnän.

Mii sa igiw gakina bebaamisejig binesiwag, miiwag igiw gaa-atadiwagobanen.

Now, they were all the birds that fly about in the air, it was they that were in the contest.

Ka‘kina nībinisän mīwanini'u kawīdcīwāgubạnän ‘aga'u mạdcī'kiwis kāku‘tạmuwād pîbōn.

Gakina niibinisen miiwan iniw gaa-wiijiiwaagobanen a'aw majiikiwis gaa-gotamowaad biboon.

All the birds of summer with whom the first-born played were the ones that feared the winter.

Mī·i·'u kā·i·nāwindibạnän ‘aga'u mạdcī'kiwis: "Nīnidạc pipōnisä. Kāwīn nīn ta·u·jimisīwạg nindōckinīgīmạg."

Mii iw gaa-inaawindibanen a'aw majiikiwis: "Niin idash biboonise. Kaawiin niin da-ozhimisiiwag nindooshkiniigiimag."

This, then, was the first-born told at the time: "I am Winter-Wind. Not from me would flee my youths."

Mīwag īgi'u pîbōnk äyāwāt pinäsiwạg; mīwạniniu kāwīdcīwāgubạnän ‘aga'u pipōnisä.

Miiwag igiw biboong eyaawaad binesiwag; miiwan iniw gaa-wiijiiwaagobanen a'aw biboonise.

They are the birds that pass the winter here; it was on their side that Winter-Wind played.

Mīdạc iu wändci·i·jiwäba‘k ānind pinäsiwạg cāwạnunk kī·i·jāwād päpōngîn; ānind tạc kāwīn mādcāsīwạg, mîwạn īni'u pipōnisä udōckinīgīmag.

Mii dash iw wenji-izhiwebak aanind binesiwag zhaawanong gii-izhaawaad beboongin; aanind dash gaawiin maajaasiiwag, miiwan iniw biboonise odooshkiniigiimag.

And that is how it came to pass that some of the birds go south in the winter-time; and some do not go away, for they were the youths of Winter-Wind.

Mīdạc indawā kī·ā·nawändcigät ‘aga'u mạdcī'kiwis; mīdạc ānawi mīnawā māmawi pimādisiwāt.

Mii dash indawaa gii-aanawenjiged a'aw majiikiwis; mii dash aanawi miinawaa maamawi bimaadiziwaad.

So thereupon the first-born gave up (the contest), whereat they then lived together again.