18. The Thunderers

Animikiig.

The Thunderers.

from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).

Mewiinzha anishinaabeg omaa gaawiin wiikaa gii-izhaasiiwag imaa Animikiineyaashiing.

Long ago the people of this place never went to yonder Thunder Cape.

Moozhag imaa animikiig gii-noondaagoziwag, pane aanakwad gii-ayaamagad ogidajiw; mii dash gaa-onji-gotamowaad.

All the while at that place could be heard the sound of the Thunderers, continually was there a cloud on top of the mountain; and that was the reason why they were afraid of the place.

O'omaa inakakeyaa Animikii-wiikwedong gii-izhaawag ahishinaabeg.

Over by this way toward Thunder Bay went the people,

Owidi gaye inakake zhaawanong Minong gii-izhi-giiwitaa'owag.

and over by yonder direction toward the south, toward Isle Royal,(1) they went paddling about.

Ningoding idash niizh oshkinaweg gii-ikidowag: "Daga, makadekedaa wii-waabandanadaa aaniin ezhiwebadogwe i'imaa nwaandaagwak!"

Now, once two youths said: "Come, let us fast, that we may see what it is like at yonder place where the sound(2) is heard!"

Mii dash gii-makadekewaad, Animikii-wiikwedong gii-onji-maajitaawag.

Thereupon they fasted, and from Thunder Bay was the place from whence they started.

Gaa wiikaa gii-wiisinisiiwag biinish ginwenzh.

For a long time they had not eaten, (and they were not to eat) for a long while yet to come.

Neshwaasagonagak idash gii-aamajiwewag imaa weji'oong [=wajiwing].

After a period of eight days was when they ascended yonder mountain.

Eshkam aapiji enigok noondaagoziwan animikiin.

(As up they went), ever louder kept growing the roar of the Thunderer.

Ningoding idash dibishkoo gegoo baakaakonigaadeg mii iw gaa-inikaanig aanakwad.

And then suddenly it seemed as if something were now opening and now closing, for such was the way the cloud behaved.

Mii dash imaa gii-waabamaawaad niizh gichi-binesiwa', niizh gaye aya'aansa'; mii go ashkode ezhisenig bapasangaabiwaad odizhinaawaawaan.

And then at that place they beheld two big birds, and also two young (birds); and it was like the play of fire as (the birds) opened and closed their eyes, when (the youths) were seeing (them).

Ganabaj niizhing ekoonaamong mii iw minik gaa-waabamaawaad; miinawaa gii-gibise aanakwad.

Perhaps it was as long as it takes to hold in the breath twice,(3) such was the length of time they had to observe them; then again up closed the cloud.

Mii dash gaa-ikidod a bezhig oshkinawe: "Aaniish mii sa gii-waabamang," odinaan owiijiiwaaganan.

Thereupon said one of the youths: "Therefore we have now really seen them," he said to his companion.

Mii dash ekidod a'aw bezhig: "Geyaabi daga wii-waabamaadaa!"

And then said one: "Again, I say, let us try to see them!"

Ginwenzh gaganoonindiwag.

For a long while were they debating together.

"Mii debiseg," gii-ikido a'aw bezhig.

"That suffices (me)," said the other.

Bezhig idash geyaabi wii-izhaa imaa; odaanongii'andomaan [=ogiid-aano-andomaan] owiijiiwaaganan.

But one still wished to go thither; in vain he tried to persuade his comrade.

Mii dash animaajaad giiwed, mii iw waasigan gii-bi-izhisenig i'imaa niibawiban a'aw shkinawe, mii iw gii-nisigod.

And as he started on his way back (to the place), then came the lightning, striking the place where the youth was standing, whereupon he was killed.

Mii dash gii-bi-giiwed a'aw bezhig oshkinawe.

And so back home came the other youth.

Mii dash iw apii gii-maajaad igiw animikiig; ishkwaaji idash gii-waabamaa namadabid gichi-binesi i'imaa Gaamaanetigweyaag wajiw eyaamagak.

Now, that was the time when the Thunderers went away; and the last time that the big bird was seen was when it was seated upon the mountain over by the River-of-Plenty;(4)

Mii dash i'iw gaa-izhinikaadamowaad anishinaabeg Animikii-wajiw, mii iw Makes-wajiw edamowaad wayaabishkiwejig.

and on that account the people have named it Thunder Mountain, But Makes(5) Mountain is what the white people call it.

Mii dash i'iw bijiinag gii-izhaawaad imaa neyaashiing, gaawiin geyaabi ogii-gotanziinaawa.

And then after a while (the people) began going over to the cape, and no longer were they afraid of the place.

Aanawi geyaabi awiya ogii-waabamaawaan i'imaa neyaashiing, anishinaabeng izhinaagoziwan.

It was a fact that another time they saw some kind of creature over there at the cape, like human beings was their look.

Asin ojiimaaniwa; apii idash waabamigoowad mii iw ezhi-maajiikwazhiwenid; gwayak igo giishkaabikaang izhi-biindigekwazhiwewan.

Of stone was their canoe; and when they were seen by the people, then away they went paddling their canoe; and straight into the steep cliff they entered, for fear of being seen.

Aanawi ogii-wiikwaji'aawaan besho wii-ganoonaawaad gaawiin dash ogii-gashki'aasiwaan.

In vain have (the people) tried to get near enough to speak to them, but they have not succeeded.

Ningoding bezhig anishinaabe ogii-waabaman mizhawagaam ayaanid.

Once a man saw some one who was far out on the lake.

Mii idash bi-gichi-animikiikaanig, aapiji bi-gichi-izhiwebadinig.

And then there came a great thunder-storm, a very great storm then arose.

Mii dash gii-noondawaad madwe-nagamonid:

Whereupon he heard the voice of the creature singing a song: —

"Bayagwaanakwak maandan ningiizhigom, aapiji ningotaan.

Bayagwaanakwak maandan ningiizhigom, aapiji ningotaan.

Bayagwaanakwak maandan ningiizhigom, aapiji ningotaan."

"A clear sky is verily my firmament, much am I in fear of it.

A clear sky is verily my firmament, much am I in fear of it.

A clear sky Is verily my firmament, much am I in fear of it."

Mii dash baabige gaa-izhi-gichi-anwaating, gaye dash baabige gaawiin aanakwad gii-ayaasinoon; baabige gii-gichi-mino-giizhigad.

And then straightway there fell a great calm, and there was also at once no (sign of a) cloud; of a sudden there was a very beautiful day.

Mii iw gii-bimi-giiwe'owaad igiw memegwesiwag.

And so immediately back home in their canoes went the water-fairies.

Moozhag ogii-waabamaawaan iniw memegwesiwan, naaningodinong idash ogii-ganoonigowaan.

Many a time have they seen those fairies, and once in a while they have been addressed by them.

"Aapiji ozaagi'aan semaan," gii-ikidowag anishinaabeg.

"Very fond are they of tobacco," said the people.

Ningoding idash miinawaa waabamaawaad mizhawagaam agomonid; ogii-gagwe-aazikawaawaan i'imaa shkwaandaamiwang asining.

And one other time they saw them far out on the lake in a canoe; they tried to head them off from going into a rock.

Geget ogii-aazikawaawaan; mii dash gaa-izhi-animiko-bagizowaad; gaawiin bi-inaabisiiwan.

Of a truth, they did succeed in heading them off; whereupon (the fairies) then flung their heads down low upon their bosoms, covering themselves from above with their arms; and they would not look towards (the people).

Bezhig idash ogii-ganoonaan: "Aaniin endiyeg?" odinaan.

But one spoke to them: " Where do you live?"(6)

Bezhig idash a'aw memegwesi giigido, oganoonaan waajiiwaad: "Daga, giin inaabin! eniwek giin anishinaabeng gidizhinaagoz."

But one of the fairies spoke, he spoke to his comrade: " Come, you should look! for as handsome as a human being do you look."

Mii dash gii-onishkaad bezhig a'aw memegwesi, miishiingwe.

Thereupon up rose (so as to be seen) one of the fairies, he had hair on the face.

Mii dash gii-bagidinaawaad maanoo ji-bimishkaanid.

Thereupon they were released to go peacefully on their way in their canoe.

Mii dash gwayak igo giishkaabikaang; gii-baakise bangii i'iw aazhibik, gaa-izhi-biindigewaad ojiimaaniwa gaye; madwe-baapiwa', abwiin gaye madweyaagwisinoon.

And then straight for the steep cliff (they went); with a small entrance opened the cliff, and in they went with their canoe. They could be heard laughing, and the sound of their paddles was audible.