Read the entry note first. Not a fable — an Anishinaabe ontology carried as story. Come in to wonder.
⚠️ Draft — under many eyes. Converted and readable; not yet finally vetted, and it will wear the word draft for a good while, on purpose. Living, not final.
5. NÄNABUSHU AND THE WINGED STARTLERS.¹
Nänabushu and the Winged Startlers (1)
Narrated by Wâsagunäckạnk — Series 1 (Nos. 1–18), Bois Fort (per Michelson’s roster, Part I Preface p. XX; not credited on the story page itself).
from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1917).
(1) Mīdạc cayīgwa ạnibạpimusät ningutingigu ogīwâbạmān awīya ukucininit.
Mii dash zhayiigwa ani-babimosed ningoding igo ogii-waabamaan awiya okoshininid.
And now, while he was walking along, he suddenly saw something lying [together] in a heap.
Mii dash zhayiigwa (and now then) ani-babimosed (as he was walking along) ningoding igo (all at once) ogii-waabamaan awiya (he saw something) okoshininid (lying heaped together).
¹ For another version see No. 24. — Jones’s footnote, printed p.41. — carried from the document into the record 2026-09-02 (register §5 law 7).
(2) “Kunigä kīwīⁿsumwātug?” ugī∙i∙nān ‘iᵉi’ᵘ wayābạmāt.
“Gonige gii-wiinzomwaadog?” ogii-inaan i’iw wayaabamaad.
“I should like to know if perchance you have a name?” he said to the creatures which he saw.
“Gonige gii-wiinzomwaadog?” (“might it be that you have a name?” — dubitative; stem flagged) ogii-inaan i’iw wayaabamaad (he said to the ones he saw).
(3) “Mīnạngä,” ugī∙i∙gōn; “o∙o∙ ninticini‘kāsomin, kuckungäsīnạg, nindigōmin.”
“Mii nange,” ogii-igoon; “o’ow nindizhinikaazomin, Goshkongesiinag, nindigoomin.”
“To be sure,” he was told; “this is our name, little winged startlers, such are we called.”
“Mii nange,” ogii-igoon (“to be sure,” he was told); “o’ow nindizhinikaazomin (“this is what we are called) Goshkongesiinag (little winged startlers) nindigoomin.” (so we are named.”)
(4) “Kägätsa, mīnạngwani iᵘ äcinikāsoyäg!”
“Geget sa, mii nangwani iw ezhinikaazoyeg!”
“Oh, indeed, so that is what you are called!”
“Geget sa (“truly indeed) mii nangwani iw ezhinikaazoyeg!” (so that is what you are called!”)
(5) Mīdạc kā∙i∙cimītcināt, ‘oᵉō’dạc kā∙i∙cī∙i∙nāt: “Waᵉaᵘ kucayä‘ta kuckungäsi, ugō kucayä‘ta,” ugī∙i∙nān.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-miijinaad, o’ow dash gaa-izhi-inaad: “Wa’aw gosha eta Goshkongesi, ogow gosha eta,” ogii-inaan.
Whereupon, after he had eased himself upon them, this he then said to them: “This is really the only winged startler, this is the only thing,” he said to them.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-miijinaad (then, after he had eased himself upon them), o’ow dash gaa-izhi-inaad (this he then said to them): “Wa’aw gosha eta Goshkongesi (“this is really the only winged startler), ogow gosha eta,” (these are the only ones,”) ogii-inaan (he said to them).
(6) Mīdạc kānījimādcāt, kī∙ạ∙nibạpimusät.
Mii dash gaa-ni-zhi-maajaad, gii-ani-babimosed.
Thereupon on his way he started, on his way he went walking.
Mii dash gaa-ni-zhi-maajaad (thereupon he started on his way), gii-ani-babimosed (going along on foot).
(7) Kā∙i∙cimạtāpīt ‘iᵉi’ᵘ ki‘tcigạmi, ugīwâbạndān ki‘tcikīckāpi‘kānig; ināpit, kägä‘t nāwināgwatini iwidi nibī‘kāng.
Gaa-izhi-madaabiid i’iw Gichigami, ogii-waabandaan Gichi-giishkaabikaanig; inaabid, geget naawi-naagwadini iwidi nibiikaang.
When he came out upon the sea, he saw a very high cliff with steep sides; as he looked, truly far seemed the distance down to where the water was.
Gaa-izhi-madaabiid i’iw Gichigami (when he came out upon the sea), ogii-waabandaan Gichi-giishkaabikaanig (he saw a great steep cliff); inaabid (as he looked), geget naawi-naagwadini iwidi nibiikaang (truly far down it seemed to where the water was).
(8) “Undcitạmāwīn nindā∙i∙cikwāckwạn i‘kwätug a‘tāting; ā‘pitcigu tạtā‘kuntcīgwạnät.
“Onjida maawiin nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan ikwedog ataading, aapiji go dataakonjiigwaned.
“With good reason would I leap down if a woman were up for a prize, particularly if she were short from knee to groin.
“Onjida maawiin nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan (“with good reason would I leap down) ikwedog ataading (if a woman were up for a prize — ikwe + dubitative; staking/wager stem flagged), aapiji go dataakonjiigwaned (particularly if she were short from knee to groin — measure stem flagged).
(9) Undcitạmāwīn nintāijikwāckwạn: ‘Awägwän kä∙i∙jikwāckwạnigwän?’ i‘kitung.
Onjida maawiin nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan: ‘Awegwen ge-izhi-kwaashkwanigwen?’ ikidong.
With good reason would I leap down if some one should ask: ‘Who will jump down?’
Onjida maawiin nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan (with good reason would I leap down): ‘Awegwen ge-izhi-kwaashkwanigwen?’ (‘who is it that would jump down?’) ikidong (if it were said).
(10) Undcitạmāwīn nintā∙i∙jikwāckwạn.”
Onjida maawiin nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan.”
With good reason then would I leap down.”
Onjida maawiin nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan.” (with good reason then would I leap down.”)
(11) Mīgu∙i∙mā ä‘kukībābi‘kānig nībawit.
Mii go imaa eko-giibaabikaanig niibawid.
There on the very brink of the cliff he stood.
Mii go imaa eko-giibaabikaanig (there at the very edge of the cliff) niibawid (he stood).
(12) O∙ō∙dạc tōtạm, mīzạn äjiwāninigātänit.
O’ow dash doodam, miizan ezhi-waaninigaadenid.
Now, this happened to him: as he started to jump, he lost his footing.
O’ow dash doodam (now this he did), miizan ezhi-waaninigaadenid (and his leg slipped / lost its footing — stem flagged).
(13) Mīdạc cīgwa kī∙u∙disāt a∙a∙wäti kāmīdcinimint mī∙i’∙ᵘ unītcānisaᵉ.
Mii dash zhigwa gii-odisaad a’awedi gaa-miijinimind mii i’iw oniijaanisan.
And so in the mean time (the mother) had come to where her young had been eased upon.
Mii dash zhigwa gii-odisaad (and so by now she had come) a’awedi gaa-miijinimind (to where they had been eased upon) mii i’iw oniijaanisan (that is, her young).
(14) “Ānīn kā‘tiyäg?” udināᵉ ‘iᵉi’ᵘ unītcānisaᵉ.
“Aaniin gaadiyeg?” odinaan i’iw oniijaanisan.
“What has happened to you?” she said to her children.
“Aaniin gaadiyeg?” (“what has happened to you?” — stem flagged) odinaan i’iw oniijaanisan (she said to her children).
(15) “Kā, nạngwana Nänabucu ningīmīdcinigunān.”
“Gaa, nangwana Nenaboozhoo ningii-miijinigonaan.”
“Why, it was by that old Nänabushu that we were eased upon.”
“Gaa, nangwana Nenaboozhoo (“why, it was Nanabushu) ningii-miijinigonaan.” (that eased himself upon us.”)
(16) “Ningutạnō māwīn ināwägubạn.”
“Ningodanoo maawiin inaawegoban.”
“Something or other must you have said to him.”
“Ningodanoo maawiin inaawegoban.” (“something or other you must have said to him — dubitative preterite.”)
(17) “Kāwīn,” kī∙i∙‘kitō ‘aᵉa’ᵘ päji‘k i∙i∙māⁿ mōwīng usibi‘tōt.
“Gaawiin,” gii-ikido a’aw bezhig i’imaa moowiing osibitood.
“Nay,” said one moving about there in the slush of the dung.
“Gaawiin,” gii-ikido (“no,” said) a’aw bezhig (one of them) i’imaa moowiing osibitood (moving about there in the slush of the dung).
(18) “Kägä‘t ningagwätcimigunān, ‘Ānīn äjini‘kāsoyäg?’ ningī∙i∙gunān.
“Geget ninga-gwejimigonaan, ‘Aaniin ezhinikaazoyeg?’ ningii-igonaan.
“Truly, we were asked, ‘What is your name?’ we were told.
“Geget ninga-gwejimigonaan (“truly, we were questioned), ‘Aaniin ezhinikaazoyeg?’ (‘what are you called?’) ningii-igonaan (we were asked).
(19) O∙ō∙widạc ningī∙i∙nānān, ‘Kuckungäsīnạg nintigōmin,’ ningī∙i∙nānān.
O’ow idash ningii-inaanaan, ‘Goshkongesiinag nindigoomin,’ ningii-inaanaan.
And this was what we said to him, ‘Little winged startlers are we called,’ we said to him.
O’ow idash ningii-inaanaan (and this is what we said to him), ‘Goshkongesiinag nindigoomin,’ (‘little winged startlers we are called,’) ningii-inaanaan (we said to him).
(20) O∙ō∙widạc kī∙i∙‘kito: ‘Nābisa kuckungäsi!’ ningī∙i∙gunān; mīdạc kā∙i∙jimamackitciciyạngit, mīdạc kā∙a∙nicimādcāt.”
O’ow idash gii-ikido: ‘Naabisa Goshkongesi!’ ningii-igonaan; mii dash gaa-izhi-mamashkijishiyangid, mii dash gaa-ani-zhi-maajaad.”
And this he said: ‘Like the deuce (you are) little winged frighteners!’ we were told by him; whereupon he squirted at us, after which he went his way.”
O’ow idash gii-ikido (and this he said): ‘Naabisa Goshkongesi!’ (‘like the deuce, little winged startler!’) ningii-igonaan (we were told by him); mii dash gaa-izhi-mamashkijishiyangid (whereupon he squirted upon us — stem flagged), mii dash gaa-ani-zhi-maajaad.” (after which he went on his way.”)
(21) Wa∙a∙widạc wänītcānisit kā∙i∙cikisībīgināt; kā∙i∙ckwā kisībīgināt, cīgwa kā∙i∙jimādcāt.
Wa’aw idash weniijaanisid gaa-izhi-giziibiiginaad; gaa-ishkwaa-giziibiiginaad, zhigwa gaa-izhi-maajaad.
Then the mother washed them with water; and after she had finished washing them, she then started away.
Wa’aw idash weniijaanisid (and the mother) gaa-izhi-giziibiiginaad (washed them with water); gaa-ishkwaa-giziibiiginaad (after she had finished washing them), zhigwa gaa-izhi-maajaad (she then started away).
(22) “Mîcạnim!” ugī∙i∙nān Nänabucūwan.
“Mishanim!” ogii-inaan Nenaboozhoowan.
“Confound him!” she said of Nänabushu.
“Mishanim!” (“confound him!”) ogii-inaan Nenaboozhoowan (she said of Nanabushu).
(23) Mīdạc kā∙i∙ci∙a∙dimāt i∙i∙māⁿ kīckābi‘kāng, mīdạc päcu ugīunsābạmān.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-adimaad i’imaa giishkaabikaang, mii dash besho ogii-onzaabamaan.
And so after she had overtaken him yonder at the cliff, then close by she took a peep at him.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-adimaad (and so after she had overtaken him) i’imaa giishkaabikaang (yonder at the cliff), mii dash besho ogii-onzaabamaan (then from close by she peeped at him).
(24) Mīdạc kā∙i∙nänimāt: “Wī‘kāgäsa mīnawā tawāninigātäni.”
Mii dash gaa-inenimaad: “Wiikaage sa miinawaa da-waaninigaadeni.”
Now, this was her thought of him: “I wish that again he would swing his leg.”
Mii dash gaa-inenimaad (now this was her thought of him): “Wiikaage sa miinawaa da-waaninigaadeni.” (“I wish that again he would swing his leg.”)
(25) Cīgwa kägä‘t umbigātäni Nänabucu.
Zhigwa geget ombigaadeni Nenaboozhoo.
Now, sure enough, up Nänabushu raised his leg.
Zhigwa geget ombigaadeni Nenaboozhoo (now, sure enough, up went Nanabushu’s leg).
(26) “Undcītasa nintā∙i∙jikwāckwạn ningutwā‘kwa∙ā∙gạn ä‘kwutcīngwạnät a‘tāting.”
“Onjida sa nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan ningodwaakwa’aagan ekwo-jiingwaned ataading.”
“For a purpose would I leap if the object of the prize measured one span of the hand from groin to knee.”
“Onjida sa nindaa-izhi-kwaashkwan (“for a purpose would I leap) ningodwaakwa’aagan (one span of the hand) ekwo-jiingwaned ataading.” (if the prize measured that from groin to knee — measure/wager stem flagged.”)
(27) Mīdạc kā∙i∙jipạsigwa∙u∙t ‘aᵉa’ᵘ pinä, mīdạc kā∙i∙jikwāckwaninit i∙i∙māⁿ kīckābi‘kāng.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-bazigwa’od a’aw bine, mii dash gaa-izhi-gwaashkwaninid i’imaa giishkaabikaang.
Thereupon as up flew the ruffed grouse, then (Nänabushu) leaped off the steep cliff.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-bazigwa’od a’aw bine (thereupon as up flew the ruffed grouse), mii dash gaa-izhi-gwaashkwaninid (then he leaped) i’imaa giishkaabikaang (there off the steep cliff).
(28) Mīdạc i∙i∙mā kā∙i∙cipōnīt kạnawâbạmāt ạnimibisu´nit; mīdạc i∙i∙witi nibī‘kāng kā∙i∙jipạngicininit.
Mii dash i’imaa gaa-izhi-booniid ganawaabamaad animibizonid; mii dash i’iwidi nibiikaang gaa-izhi-bangishininid.
And so after she had alighted there (on the edge), she watched him as he went falling; and then yonder into the water he fell.
Mii dash i’imaa gaa-izhi-booniid (and so after she had alighted there) ganawaabamaad animibizonid (she watched him as he went falling); mii dash i’iwidi nibiikaang (and then yonder into the water) gaa-izhi-bangishininid (he fell).
(29) Mīdạc i∙i∙māⁿ kā∙u∙nsābimāt, kägä‘t kabäya∙ī∙ kī∙i∙nāndīwạn i∙i∙māⁿ nibī‘kāng; wī‘kā ayạgōsit.
Mii dash i’imaa gaa-onzaabimaad, geget gabeya’ii gii-inaandiiwan i’imaa nibiikaang; wiikaa ayagoozid.
And so from there she kept watch of him, truly a long while was he gone in the water; a long time was she perched up there.
Mii dash i’imaa gaa-onzaabimaad (and so from there she kept watch of him), geget gabeya’ii gii-inaandiiwan i’imaa nibiikaang (truly a long while was he under the water — stem flagged); wiikaa ayagoozid (a long time she sat perched up there — stem flagged).
(30) Undcimō‘kisäwạn, mīgu iwiti kābīnābinit; o∙ō∙widac ogī∙i∙gōn: “Kägätsa kikuckungäsīᵘ,” ugī∙i∙gōn.
Onji-mookisewan, mii go iwidi gaa-bi-inaabinid; o’ow idash ogii-igoon: “Geget sa gi-goshkongesiw,” ogii-igoon.
When he came to the surface, straightway at yonder place he cast a look; now this was she told by him: “Of a truth, you are a winged startler,” she was told.
Onji-mookisewan (when he came up to the surface), mii go iwidi gaa-bi-inaabinid (straightway he looked over toward there); o’ow idash ogii-igoon (now this was she told by him): “Geget sa gi-goshkongesiw,” (“of a truth, you are a winged startler,”) ogii-igoon (she was told).
(31) Mīdạc kā∙i∙cikīwät ‘aᵉa’ᵘ pinä; mīdạc kayäwīn kā∙i∙cimādcīyātạgāt, mīsa kā∙i∙ci∙a∙gwā‘tāt.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-giiwed a’aw bine mii dash gaye wiin gaa-izhi-maajiiyaadagaad, mii sa gaa-izhi-agwaataad.
Thereupon back home went the ruffed grouse; and as for himself he started swimming inshore, after which he then went out of the water.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-giiwed a’aw bine (thereupon back home went the ruffed grouse); mii dash gaye wiin gaa-izhi-maajiiyaadagaad (and as for himself he started swimming inshore), mii sa gaa-izhi-agwaataad (after which he went up out of the water).
(32) Mīdạc mīnawā kī∙ạ∙nimādcāt.
Mii dash miinawaa gii-ani-maajaad.
Thereupon again he started on his way.
Mii dash miinawaa gii-ani-maajaad (thereupon again he started on his way).