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.
23. NÄNABUSHU EATS THE ARTICHOKES.¹
Nenabosho eats the Artichokes (2)
Narrated by probably Midāsugaⁿj (Michelson’s own hedge, carried) — Series 2 (Nos. 19–32), 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) Ningutingigu papimōtät owâbạndān kägō sāga‘kīnig, kumā omōna∙ā∙n; kägō äjimi‘kwāni‘kātank, kumāgu a‘kwāni.
Ningoding igo babimooded owaabandaan gegoo zaagakiinig, gomaa omoona’aan; gegoo ezhi-mikwaanikaadang, gomaa go akwaani.
And once, when he was crawling about, he saw something that grew out of the ground, accordingly he dug it up; something he then found on digging it up, a certain length it extended.
Ningoding igo babimooded (and once, as he was crawling about) owaabandaan gegoo zaagakiinig (he saw something growing out of the ground), gomaa omoona’aan (so he dug it up a little); gegoo ezhi-mikwaanikaadang (something he found on digging it up), gomaa go akwaani (a certain length it extended).
(2) Mīdạc ‘iᵉi’ᵘ äjikạnōtạnk: “Kāwīnina kītạmagōsīn? Kīⁿwīzumina? ānīn iᵘ äcini‘kāsuyäg?”
Mii dash i’iw ezhi-ganoodang: “Gaawiin ina giidamagoosiin? Giinwiizom ina? Aaniin iw ezhinikaazoyeg?”
Whereupon he then spoke to it, saying: “Are you not eaten for food? Have you a name? What are you called?”
Mii dash i’iw ezhi-ganoodang (whereupon he spoke to it): “Gaawiin ina giidamagoosiin? (“are you not eaten for food? — passive stem flagged) Giinwiizom ina? (have you a name?) Aaniin iw ezhinikaazoyeg?” (what are you called?”)
(3) “Askibwā nintigōmin.”
“Ashkibwaa nindigoomin.”
“Artichoke we are called.”
“Ashkibwaa nindigoomin.” (“Artichoke we are called.”)
(4) “Ānīn äni‘kā‘käyäg kīcpin nībiwa ämukōyäkun? Kägōna kitini‘kāgäm?”
“Aaniin enikaakeyeg* giishpin niibiwa emokooyegon? Gegoo na gidinikaagem?”
“What physical effect do you produce if much of you be eaten? Do you cause some sort of bodily ill?”
“Aaniin enikaakeyeg* (“what physical effect do you produce — stem flagged) giishpin niibiwa emokooyegon? (if much of you be eaten?) Gegoo na gidinikaagem?” (do you cause some bodily ill?”)
(5) “Kāwinsạgu; ningīciwackatä∙i∙wämin, kayä dạc nimpōgisi‘kāgämin. Ānīc mīsạgu iᵘ äni‘kāgäyāng.”
“Gaawiin sa go; ningiizhiwashkade’iwemin, gaye dash nimboogisikaagemin. Aaniish mii sa go iw enikaageyaang.”
“Not at all; we produce a pain in the stomach, and we cause wind. Now, that is the bodily effect we produce.”
“Gaawiin sa go (“not at all); ningiizhiwashkade’iwemin (we cause a pain in the stomach), gaye dash nimboogisikaagemin (and we cause wind). Aaniish mii sa go iw enikaageyaang.” (now, that is the effect we produce.”)
(6) Nänabucu omā äjimādci‘tāt, nībiwa omōna‘wā ‘iᵉi’wä ạskibwāᵉ; äcigisībīgināt, äjimādạntcigä, wäntcitạgu täwīsini.
Nenabosho omaa ezhi-maajitaad, niibiwa omoonawaa i’iwe ashkibwaan; ezhi-giziibiiginaad, ezhi-maadanjige, wenjida go de-wiisini.
Nänabushu then here set to work, he gathered many artichokes; when he wiped them clean with his hands, then he began eating them, till he was quite satisfied he ate.
Nenabosho omaa ezhi-maajitaad (Nenabosho here set to work), niibiwa omoonawaa i’iwe ashkibwaan (he dug up many of those artichokes); ezhi-giziibiiginaad (when he washed them clean with his hands), ezhi-maadanjige (he began eating), wenjida go de-wiisini (until he ate quite to his fill).
(7) Ā‘pidci nībiwa kā‘kitạmwāt kudcipạsigwī.
Aapiji niibiwa gaagidamwaad goji-bazigwii.
When he had eaten a bountiful supply of them, he tried to rise to his feet.
Aapiji niibiwa gaagidamwaad (when he had eaten a great many of them) goji-bazigwii (he tried to rise to his feet).
(8) Kāwīn kạnagä minān ici∙a∙yāsī, kägä‘t minumạdci∙ō∙.
*Gaawiin ganage minaan izhi-ayaasii, geget minomaji’oo.**
He was feeling very well, truly very well was he feeling.
Gaawiin ganage minaan* izhi-ayaasii (not in the least did he feel unwell — minaan flagged), geget minomaji’oo (truly well did he feel).
(9) Äjimādcāt, kägä‘t minopimusä.
Ezhi-maajaad, geget minobimose.
When he started to go, really he went walking easily.
Ezhi-maajaad (when he started off), geget minobimose (truly he walked along easily).
(10) Kumāgu a‘pī tägwicing kägä‘t kīciwackạtä.
Gomaa go apii degwishing geget giizhiwashkade.
After he was come a certain distance, truly his stomach ached.
Gomaa go apii degwishing (after he had come a certain distance) geget giizhiwashkade (truly his stomach ached).
(11) Cigwasa ā‘pidci kīciwackạtä.
Zhigwa sa aapiji giizhiwashkade.
Presently he had a very painful ache in the stomach.
Zhigwa sa aapiji giizhiwashkade (presently his stomach ached very much).
(12) Ningutingigu mägwā pimusät äjipōgitit.
Ningoding igo megwaa bimosed ezhi-boogidid.
Then by and by, while walking along he broke wind.
Ningoding igo megwaa bimosed (then by and by, while he was walking along) ezhi-boogidid (he broke wind).
(13) Kägä‘t kuckupạgiso; äjikwä‘kipạgisut.
Geget goshkopagizo; ezhi-kwekipagizod.
Truly was he startled with surprise; then he whirled about.
Geget goshkopagizo (truly he was startled); ezhi-kwekipagizod (then he whirled about).
(14) “Awänän känōcit?”
“Awenen genoozhid?”
“Who spoke to me?” (he said.)
“Awenen genoozhid?” (“who spoke to me?”)
(15) Āca mīnawā iwiti upi‘kwạnāng.
Aazha miinawaa iwidi obikwanaang.
The same thing over again (he heard) there behind him.
Aazha miinawaa iwidi obikwanaang (again the same thing, there behind him).
(16) Käga‘pī umi‘tigwābīn uti‘kwạtäwān.
*Gegapii omitigwaabiin odikwadewaan.**
Finally he strung his bow.
Gegapii omitigwaabiin odikwadewaan* (finally he strung his bow — odikwadewaan flagged).
(17) “‘Āᵘ, kạnōciciyu‘k.”
“Aaw, ganoozhishiyog.”
“Now, do you speak to me.”
“Aaw, ganoozhishiyog.” (“now, do you speak to me.”)
(18) Mägwāgu wī‘pimutcigät, u‘pi‘kwạnāng āca mīnawa, “Pūⁿ!”
Megwaa go wiipimojiged, obikwanaang aazha miinawaa, “Poo!”
And as he was going to shoot, then behind him once again, “Pū!”
Megwaa go wiipimojiged (and as he was about to shoot), obikwanaang aazha miinawaa, “Poo!” (behind him once again, “poo!”)
(19) Iwiti u‘pi‘kwanāng Nänabucu kāwīn kägō owâbandạⁿzīn.
Iwidi obikwanaang Nenabosho gaawiin gegoo owaabandanziin.
Over there at his back Nänabushu saw not a thing.
Iwidi obikwanaang (over there at his back) Nenabosho gaawiin gegoo owaabandanziin (Nenabosho saw not a thing).
(20) “Wägunän dạc iᵘ nwāntạmān?”
“Wegonen dash iw nwaandamaan?”
“And what do I hear?”
“Wegonen dash iw nwaandamaan?” (“and what is this I hear?”)
(21) Ācagu mīnawā, mīsạgu päcigwạnung äni‘tạnk.
Aazha go miinawaa, mii sa go bezhigwanong enitang.
And the same thing over again (he heard), and it was the same sound that he heard.
Aazha go miinawaa (again the same thing), mii sa go bezhigwanong enitang (and it was the same sound that he heard).
(22) Käga‘pī mādcība‘to, mīgu iᵘ äjikātäpạgisut, “Puⁿᵉ, puⁿᵉ, puⁿᵉ, puⁿᵉ,” inwäni.
Gegapii maajiibatoo, mii go iw ezhi-kaade-bagizod, “Ponh, ponh, ponh, ponh” inweni.
Finally he started running, whereupon at every step he made, “Pu, pu, pu, pu,” was the sound made.
Gegapii maajiibatoo (finally he started running), mii go iw ezhi-kaade-bagizod (and so at every step he took), “Ponh, ponh, ponh, ponh” inweni (“Ponh, ponh, ponh, ponh” was the sound made).
(23) Ningutingigu pimipa‘tōd käga‘pī nōgiba‘tō, kibi‘tcisä.
Ningoding igo bimibatood gegapii noogibatoo, gibijise.
And once, as he was running along, he came to a sudden halt, he ceased running.
Ningoding igo bimibatood (and once, as he was running along) gegapii noogibatoo (at last he came to a halt), gibijise (he stopped short).
(24) Nänabucu äjikīkitut: “‘Āᵘ, mīgāciciyu‘k!”
Nenabosho ezhi-giigidod: “Aaw, miigaazhishiyog!”
Nänabushu then said: “Now, do you fight me!”
Nenabosho ezhi-giigidod (Nenabosho then said): “Aaw, miigaazhishiyog!” (“now, do you fight me!”)
(25) Ānīc kāwīn kägō owâbạndaⁿzīn.
Aaniish gaawiin gegoo owaabandanziin.
Of course, not a thing did he see.
Aaniish gaawiin gegoo owaabandanziin (of course, not a thing did he see).
(26) Ningutingigu mīnawā mīdạc kägä‘t änigu‘k äjimādcība‘tōt, mīsa untcita, “Puⁿᵉ, puⁿ‘, puⁿᵉ, puⁿ‘,” inwänik.
Ningoding igo miinawaa mii dash geget enigok ezhi-maajiibatood, mii sa onjida, “Ponh, ponh, ponh, ponh”, inwenig.
So another time, when he really started to run with all his speed, the same thing happened as before, “Pu, pu, pu, pu,” was the sound that was made.
Ningoding igo miinawaa (so another time again) mii dash geget enigok ezhi-maajiibatood (when he really set off running with all his speed), mii sa onjida (the same thing happened on purpose), “Ponh, ponh, ponh, ponh”, inwenig (“Ponh, ponh, ponh, ponh” was the sound made).
(27) Nänabucu kibi‘tcisä.
Nenabosho gibijise.
Nänabushu stopped in his career.
Nenabosho gibijise (Nenabosho stopped short).
(28) Kā‘kibi‘tcisät, mi‘kwäntān ‘iᵉi’ᵘ kī∙i∙gut īni’ᵘ askibwān.
Gaagibijised, mikwendaan i’iw gii-igod iiniw ashkibwaan.
When running he had come to a stop, he thought of what he had been told by the Artichoke.
Gaagibijised (when he had come to a stop), mikwendaan i’iw gii-igod iiniw ashkibwaan (he thought of what he had been told by that Artichoke).
(29) “Māgicānanta nimpōgit.”
“Maagizhaa nanda nimboogid.”
“Perhaps I am breaking wind.”
“Maagizhaa nanda nimboogid.” (“perhaps it is that I am breaking wind.”)
(30) Äni∙ä∙jimādcāt; äninōmạgäskāt mīnawā pōgiti.
Eni-ezhi-maajaad; eni-noomageshkaad miinawaa boogidi.
Then he started on his way; when he was come a little ways, again he broke wind.
Eni-ezhi-maajaad (then he started on his way); eni-noomageshkaad (when he had gone a little ways) miinawaa boogidi (again he broke wind).
(31) “Ēⁱ, nimpōgit! Mīsa kä∙i∙cini‘kātạng pitcīnạg kä∙ạ∙nipimādisit, ‘nimpōgit,’ ta∙i∙kito.
“Ii!, nimboogid! Mii sa ge-izhi-nikaadang bijiinag ge-ani-bimaadizid, ‘nimboogid,’ da-ikido.
“Halloo, I am breaking wind! And this is what he who will live in the future shall call it, ‘I am breaking wind,’ he will say.
“Ii!, nimboogid! (“hallo! I am breaking wind!) Mii sa ge-izhi-nikaadang bijiinag ge-ani-bimaadizid (and this is what the one who is yet to live will call it), ‘nimboogid,’ da-ikido. (‘I am breaking wind,’ he will say.)
(32) Päpäcig tapōgisi‘kāgäwạn, askibwā ka‘kinạgu kägō, kayä u‘pinīg kayä wā‘kunạg.”
Bebezhig da-boogisikaagewan, ashkibwaa gakina go gegoo, gaye opiniig gaye waakonag.”
Various things will make (one) windy, (such as) the artichoke and all sorts of things, and potatoes and lichens.”
Bebezhig da-boogisikaagewan (one thing and another will make one windy), ashkibwaa gakina go gegoo (the artichoke and all sorts of things), gaye opiniig gaye waakonag.” (and potatoes and lichens.”)
(1) For another version see No. 12.