15. The Origin Of Dogs

Wändcīwād ạnimucạg

Wenjiiwaad animooshag

The Origin of Dogs

from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).

Ningoding niizh anishinaabeg bimishkaawaad jiimaaning gichigaming iwidi giiwedinong inakake mii iw gaa-izhi-gichi-noodininig;

Once on a time two men were paddling along in their canoe on the sea by a northerly route, when there arose a mighty wind;

mii dash gaa-izhiwebaazhiwaad mizhawagaam gichigaming;

accordingly they were blown by the wind far out at sea;

gaawiin ogii-waabandanziinaawaa aki.

athey did not see land.

Aapiji gii-gichi-noodinini, gaawiin gii-gonaboshkaasiiwag; ginwenzh gichigaming gii-babaa-ayaawag.

Very strong blew the wind, but they were not capsized; a long while over the sea they continued aimlessly.

Ningoding gii-agwaaweba'oowag agaamakiing.

In course of time they were carried by the sea upon shore.

Gii-gabaawaad owaabandaanawaa awiya bimikawenid gichi-anishinaaben.

When they landed, they saw the footprints of some mighty human being.

Mii dash gii-zegiziwaad ogii-gopiwidoonaawaa ojiimaaniwaa, mii dash i'imaa anaamoonag gii-gaazowaad.

Therefore, becoming alarmed, they carried their canoe up from the shore, and then there underneath they hid themselves.

Ningoding onoondaanaawaa gegoo madwesininig; mii dash inaabiwaad waabandaanaawaa gichi-bikwak atenig.

By and by they heard the sound of something fall; and when they looked, they saw a huge arrow there.

Mii dash geget zegiziwaad.

Thereupon, to be sure, were they afraid.

Wiiba go ogii-bi-odisikoowaan gichi-anishinaaben, oganoonigowaan: "Nishiime, gego zegizikegon! Niin misaabe egooyaan. Gaawiin niin nimbanaaji'aasiig anishinaabeg," odigowaan.

And in a little while to where they were came a great human being, and they were addressed by him saying: "My little brothers, do not be afraid! I am he who is called Giant, I do not destroy people," they were told.

Owaabamaawaan adikwan zhegwazonid, mii wiin iniw bebaabimwaad wii-amwaad a'aw misaabe.

They saw a caribou hanging from the girdle at his side; and that was what Giant had wandered off to shoot (with his arrow), that he might have it to eat.

Mii idash gaa-izhi-odaapinigowaad aapiji mindidowan iniw misaaben.

Thereupon were they taken up by Giant, who was so very huge.

Ogii-biindomonaan iniw anishinaaben a'aw misaabe.

In the bosom of his garment Giant carried the people.

Mii dash gii-giiwewinigowaad endaanid.

And so they were carried back to where he lived.

Apii idash gaa-biindigewaad, naanaage gii-biindige aw wiindigoo.

And when they had gone in, then after a while in went the Wīndigō.

Mii dash enaad iniw misaaben a'aw wiindigoo: "Anishinaabeg gidayaawaag," odinaan.

Whereupon to Giant said the Wīndigō: "Some people you have," he said to him.

Ogii-gaanigowaan biindig endaanid iniw misaaben jibwaa-biindigenid iniw wiindigoon.

They had been concealed inside of where Giant lived before the Wīndigō came in.

"Gaawiin anishinaabeg nindayaawaasiig," ikido a'aw misaabe.

"No people have I," said Giant.

"Geget," ikido a'aw wiindigoo.

"Yes, (you have)," said the Wīndigō.

Mii go ezhi-noondaagozid ikwanaamod.

Accordingly the sound of him was heard as he drew in his breath

"Oop!" ikoonamod a'aw wiindigoo, epiichi-misawenimaad anishinaaben wii-amwaad.

"Up!"1 was the way the Wīndigō sucked in his breath, so eager was he to have the people to eat.

1 Uttered by drawing in the breath.

Gegapii igo nishkaadizi ginwenzh gaganoonidiwaad.

At length he grew angry while in long conversation with (Giant).

Gegapii gaye wiin misaabe nishkaadizi.

Finally Giant too became angry.

Mitigonaagan ateni imaa biindig endaad.

A wooden bowl was there inside of where he lived.

Mii dash i'iw gabaagigwaadang, mii dash imaa animoons ayaad imaa anaamaya'ii onaaganing, odayaansan a'aw misaabe.

And so, prying it up with a stick, behold! a dog was there underneath the bowl, the pet of Giant.

"Daga, bashkwadaash, awi-miigaazh a'aw maji-anishinaabe."

"Up, Hairless, go fight the impious man!"

Mii iw geget bazigwiid a'aw animoons; 

So then truly up to his feet rose the dog; 

gii-babawi, mii dash gii-ani-mindidod. 

he shook himself, whereupon he began growing in size.

Eshkam gii-ani-babawi a'aw animoosh, aapiji gii-ani-mindidod a'aw animoosh.

The more the dog shook himself, ever so much larger he continued to grow.

Apii dash wayaabamaad animoon mindidonid gii-ani-zaaga'am a'aw wiindigoo. 

So, when the Wīndigō saw the dog that now was (so) big, then on out of doors he went.

Ogii-gagaanzomaan odayaan ji-nisaad wiindigoon. 

(Giant) urged on his pet to slay the Wīndigō. 

Mii dash gii-miigaanaad iniw wiindigoon a'aw animoosh biinish ogii-nisaan. 

Accordingly the dog fought with the Wīndigō till he slew him. 

Apii idash gaa-nisaad, miinawaa gii-biindige a'aw animoosh. 

And when he had slain him, then back inside came the dog. 

Gii-babawi miinawaa; eshkam igo gii-agaashiinyi eniginiban miinawaa gii-inigini. 

He shook himself once more; and smaller he grew, as big as he was before was now his size again. 

Miinawaa gii-biindige imaa anaamaya'ii onaaganishing.

Back he went beneath the miserable bowl.

Mii dash egowaad iniw misaaben: 

Thereupon they were told by Giant: 

"Nishiimeyidog, onjida ningii-inendam ji-bi-izhaayeg o'omaa. 

"My little brothers, a purpose did I have in mind, that you should come here. 

Wii-waabamininagog. 

I wanted to see you. 

Mii sa indawaa ji-giiweyeg. 

Therefore now you may go back home. 

Wa'awe nindayaans gimiininim. 

This little pet of mine I will give to you.

Gaawiin miinawaa da-bi-giiwesii. 

Not back here will he come again.

Gaawiin awiya animosh ayaasii iwidi giinawaa endanakiiyeg. 

There is no dog over there where you dwell.

Maagizhaa eniweg gad-aabaji'aawaa, gegaa go anishinaabeng da-izhiwebizi."

Perhaps to some kind of use you can put him, and almost like a human being will he behave."

Mii dash gaa-izhi-ganoonaad iniw odayaansan a'aw misaabe: 

Accordingly to his pet spoke Giant: 

"Daga, giiwewizh ogow nishiimeyag!" 

"Come, do you take back home these little brothers of mine!"

Ogii-naazibiiwinaan iniw adayaansan; 

He carried his little pet down to the water;

nawaj gii-ani-mindido a'aw bashkwadaash. 

much bigger now did Hairless continue to grow. 

Ogii-niibawi'aan iniw odayaan, mii dash imaa ogidaawigan gii-asaad iniw anishinaaben. 

He placed his pet in standing position, and then on the (dog´s) back he put the people. 

"Aw," mii iw izhi-maajiizh, gwayak endanakiiwaad izhiwizh!"

"There, now do you bear them hence, straight to their native land do you carry them!"

Mii dash gii-maajiibatood a'aw bashkwadaash, eshkam gii-ani-mindido; 

And so, when off on a run started Hairless, bigger he kept on getting;

gii-aazhawagaamebatood iwe gichi-gichi-gaming; 

through the water he ran, crossing over to the other shore of the great sea;

ayaabitawagaad eta gii-akobii biinish gii-dagwishing omaa akiing. 

half way up the legs only was he in the water, continuing thus till he reached this country here.

Eshkam miinawaa gii-bi-agaashinyi apii gegaa ba-oditang owe aki, biinish miinawaa animoonsing gii-inigini a'aw bashkwadaash. 

Smaller again he grew when on his way hither he was nearly reaching this land, continuing thus till as big as a little dog was Hairless.

Mii dash gaa-izhi-naganigowaad iniw animoon, wiinawaa dash gii-giiwewag endaawaad. 

Thereupon were they abandoned by the dog, so then they themselves came on back to where they lived. 

Baanimaa idash ningoding ogii-odisigowaan animoon, mii go iw gii-bi-inawemigowaad. 

And not till later on, to where they were did the dog come, whereupon he made up with them at once.

Mii go iw miziwe gaa-izhiwebak akiing gii-odisigowaad animooshan igiw anishinaabeg. 

That, accordingly, is what happens everywhere upon earth when a dog comes to people.

Mii iw bijiinag apii gii-ayaawaad animoog o'omaa akiing; 

That was then the time when they began having dogs here on earth; 

mii aw bashkwadaash oniijaanisa', niibawa daswewaanagizi a'aw animoosh ezhinikaazod. 

they were the offspring of Hairless, of many kinds of dogs they had, of every kind of appearance were the dogs; numerous is the kind that goes by the name of dog.

Mii go aw bashkwadaash gakina imaa wenjiwaad igiw animooshag miziwe noongom eyaawaad animoog.

Therefore it was from Hairless that came all the dogs, wherever now there are dogs.

Mii sa ekoozid.

And that is as far as (the story) goes.