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.
13. NÄNABUSHU AND THE CRANBERRIES.
Naanabozhoo gaye iniw aniibiiminan
Nanabushu and the Cranberries (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) Äyeᵉ, ạnipạpimusät äcimạdābīt sībi a‘pạnägu inābit ạnībiminạn kā∙a∙yitcitāgiskōtänig. “Kägä‘t pāmā tämītciyān ningapōni‘tōnạn,” inäntạm. Mīdạc igu cīgwa äci∙u∙cigābawi‘tạnk; inābit i∙i∙witi nibī‘kāng, pạnägu ạnībiminạn. “Tạga, mī iwiti ni‘tạm ningamītcinạn,” kī∙i∙nändạm. Äcigāgītcikunayä∙u∙t äciba‘kubīkwāckwạnit ānupapānāntubīkạntcigät. Wägunäc kämī‘kwandạnk? Ä‘kwanāpāwät, äcimōckamut; inābit, mī gäyūbi kā∙i∙nagōtänik īni’ᵘ ạnībiminạn. “Ạmantcigic ‘iᵉi’ᵘ kīmī‘kwandạnziwān?” inändạm. Mīnawā äjipa‘kubīkwāckwanit, äcikīckīngwäcink; mīdac äci∙ạ∙gwāsīt äcimawit. Ānīc wīsạgicin, pạnä mīgu mîskwi uskīcigunk. Ạgwasītidac äjiki‘tcimawit; mägwāgu mawit, kägō unānācābickāgun. Äcipā‘katawābit inābit, pạnägu ạnībiminạn. Utạnimāmātạntānạn. Kā‘tämītcit äcipōni‘tōt.
Eye’, ani-babimosed ezhi-madaabiid ziibi apane go inaabid aniibiiminan gaa-ayitchitaagiskotenig. “Geget baamaa de-miijiyaan ninga-boonitoonan,” inendam. Mii dash igo zhigwa ezhi-o-zhigaabawitang; inaabid i’iwidi nibiikaang, apane go aniibiiminan. “Daga, mii iwidi nitam ninga-miijinan,” gii-inendam. Ezhi-gaa-giijigonaye’od ezhi-bakobii-gwaashkwanid aanobabaanaandobiiganjiged. Wegonesh ge-miikwandang? Ekwanaabaawed, ezhi-mooshkamod; inaabid, mii geyoobi gaa-i-nagodenig iniw aniibiiminan. “Amanj igo i’iw gii-miikwandanziwaan?” inendam. Miinawaa ezhi-bakobii-gwaashkwanid, ezhi-giishkiingweshing; mii dash ezhi-agwaasiid ezhi-mawid. Aaniish wiisagishin, apane go mii go miskwi oshkiinzhigong. Agwaasidid dash ezhi-gichi-mawid; megwaa go mawid, gegoo onaanaa-zhabishkaagon. Ezhi-baakatawaabid inaabid, apane go aniibiiminan. *Odani-maamaadandaanan. Gaa-temiijid ezhi-boonitood.
Yea, as he went walking along, he came out upon a river, where, while looking about, he saw nothing but high-bush cranberries that hung with drooping head. “Truly, not till after I have eaten enough will I leave them alone,” he thought. So thereupon he then went and stood in their midst; as he looked down in the water, nothing (could be seen) but high-bush cranberries. “Now, those yonder first will I eat,” he thought. When he was undressed, he then leaped into the stream where beneath the water he sought for things to eat. But what was there for him to bite upon? He was getting out of breath in the water when he then came up to the surface; as he looked, there still hung the high-bush cranberries. “Wonder how I did not bite upon any!” he thought. When again into the water he leaped, he cut his face by landing (on a rock); and so when he came out of the water, he was weeping. Naturally, he was hurt in the fall; and, to crown all, his eyes were filled with blood. And as he came out of the water, he was crying bitterly; and while he cried, he felt the rub of something across the face. On opening his eyes to see, he glanced about, and there were the high-bush cranberries without measure. Thither he went, and ate of them without stint. After he had eaten enough, then he quit.
Eye’ (yea) ∙ ani-babimosed (as he went walking along) ∙ ezhi-madaabiid ziibi (as he came out upon a river) ∙ apane go inaabid (and steadily as he looked) ∙ aniibiiminan (high-bush cranberries) ∙ gaa-ayitchitaagiskotenig (that hung drooping). “Geget (truly) ∙ baamaa de-miijiyaan (not until I have eaten enough) ∙ ninga-boonitoonan (will I leave them alone),” inendam (he thought). Mii dash igo zhigwa (so thereupon now) ∙ ezhi-o-zhigaabawitang (he went and stood in their midst); inaabid i’iwidi nibiikaang (he looked down there in the water), apane go aniibiiminan (nothing but high-bush cranberries). “Daga (now), ∙ mii iwidi nitam (those yonder first) ∙ ninga-miijinan (will I eat),” gii-inendam (he thought). Ezhi-gaa-giijigonaye’od (when he had undressed) ∙ ezhi-bakobii-gwaashkwanid (he leaped into the water) ∙ aanobabaanaandobiiganjiged (he sought in vain for things to eat — stem uncertain). Wegonesh ge-miikwandang? (what was there for him to bite upon?) ∙ Ekwanaabaawed (getting out of breath in the water), ezhi-mooshkamod (he came up to the surface); inaabid (he looked), mii geyoobi gaa-i-nagodenig (there still hung) ∙ iniw aniibiiminan (those high-bush cranberries). “Amanj igo i’iw (wonder how it was that) ∙ gii-miikwandanziwaan?” (I did not bite upon any?) inendam (he thought). Miinawaa ezhi-bakobii-gwaashkwanid (again he leaped into the water), ezhi-giishkiingweshing (he cut his face landing); mii dash ezhi-agwaasiid (and so he came out) ∙ ezhi-mawid (he was weeping). Aaniish wiisagishin (naturally he was hurt in the fall), apane go mii go miskwi oshkiinzhigong (his eyes were full of blood). Agwaasidid dash (and as he came out) ∙ ezhi-gichi-mawid (he was crying hard); megwaa go mawid (while he was crying), gegoo onaanaa-zhabishkaagon (something rubbed across his face). Ezhi-baakatawaabid inaabid (on opening his eyes he looked about), apane go aniibiiminan (nothing but high-bush cranberries). *Odani-maamaadandaanan (he ate them without measure — stem flagged). Gaa-temiijid (after he had eaten enough) ∙ ezhi-boonitood (he then quit).
(1) For another version see No. 21.
(1) For another version see No. 21.