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.
NĀNABUSHU FLIES WITH THE GEESE.
Nanabozho flies with the geese.
Nānabushu Flies with the Geese.
Narrated by Penessi — Series 7 (Nos. 44–56), Fort William (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) Ningudingisa mīnawa ạnipapîmosägubạn Nänabujū, mīdạc äjiwâbạmād minawā ni‘kaᵉ ayānit imāⁿ sāga∙i∙gạnīng. Mīdạc äjikạnōnāt: “Tạga, kayä nīn äjināgusiyäg iji∙i∙ciyu‘k.”
Ningoding isa miinawa ani-babimosegoban Nanabozhoo, mii dash ezhi-waabamaad miinawaa nikan ayaanid imaan zaaga’iganiing. Mii dash ezhi-ganoonaad: “Daga, gaye niin ezhinaagoziyeg izhi’ishiyok.”
Now, once again was Nänabushu travelling along, when he then saw some more geese that were in a lake. Thereupon he spoke to them, saying: “Pray, do you make me look the same as you.”
Ningoding isa (once again, indeed) miinawa (again) ani-babimosegoban (he was travelling along, it is said) Nanabozhoo (Nanabozho), mii dash (and then) ezhi-waabamaad (when he saw) miinawaa (again, some more) nikan (geese) ayaanid (that were there) imaan (over there) zaaga’iganiing (in a lake). Mii dash (and then) ezhi-ganoonaad (he spoke to them): “Daga (pray, come now), gaye niin (me too, like me) ezhinaagoziyeg (the way you look) izhi’ishiyok (make me so).”
Printed footnote 1 (attached to the title): “In various places in the Ojibwa country may be observed a rock, island, or high land looking like a human being either reclining or seated, when seen from the distance, and it is generally called Nînabushu.” | Printed footnote 2 (attached to the title): “For another version see No. 15 (p. 127).”
(2) Kînwäⁿj ogītajimāᵉ. Käga‘pī, “‘Āwisa,” udigōn. Mī∙i∙dạc päᵉpäcik kā∙i∙jimīnigut umīguniwān. A‘pī∙i∙dac tayäpisänit mīgwạnaᵉ, mī∙i´∙ᵘ käᵉgä‘t ni‘king kī∙i∙jināguzit Nänabuju. Kīpạzigwa∙u∙ gayäwīn kīpạbāwidcīwād ni‘kaᵉ. A‘pī∙i∙dạc änitạgwāgininik, “Mīsa cigwa tcîmādcāyạnk,” udigōn. Mī∙i∙dạc cigwa pạzigwa∙o∙wāt, cāwạnunk ạni∙i∙jāwād nạgạmōwạg:
Ginwenzh ogi-dazhimaag. Gegapii, “‘Aawiisa,” odigoon. Mii dash bebezhig gaa-izhi-miinigod omigoniwaan. Apii dash dayebizenid migwanag, mii iw geget niking gii-izhinaagozid Nanabozho. Gibazigwa’o gaye win gii-babaa-wijiwaad nikan. Apii dash ani-dagwaagininig, “Mii sa zhigwa ji-maajaayank,” odigoon. Mii dash zhigwa bazigwa’oowaad, zhaawanong ani-izhaawaad nagamowag:
A long while he coaxed them. At last, “All right,” he was told. Accordingly by each one was he given a feather. And when the number of feathers was enough (to cover him), then truly like a goose was the look of Nänabushu. Up he also flew when he went about in company with the geese. And when it was getting well on towards the fall, “Therefore now is it time for us to be going away,” he was told. Thereupon then up they rose on the wing, as on their way southward they went, (and) they sang:
Ginwenzh (a long while) ogi-dazhimaag (he coaxed/talked them over). Gaagapii (at last) “‘Aawiisa (all right),” odigoon (he was told). Mii dash (and then) bebezhig (one by one, each one) gaa-izhi-miinigod (by which he was given) omigoniwaan (their feather). Apii dash (and when) dayebizenid migwanag (the feathers were enough), mii iw geget (then truly) niking gii-izhinaagozid (like a goose he looked) Nanabozho (Nanabozho). Gibazigwa’o (up he flew) gaye win (he too) gii-babaa-wijiwaad nikan (going about with the geese). Apii dash (and when) ani-dagwaagininig (it was getting on toward fall), “Mii sa zhigwa (therefore now) ji-maajaayank (it is time for us to go),” odigoon (he was told). Mii dash (and then) zhigwa (now) bazigwa’oowaad (they rose up on the wing), zhaawanong (to the south) ani-izhaawaad (as they went along) nagamowag (they sang):
(3) “Ä∙i∙nạtināg kījigä ä∙i∙nạtciwäsäyāni.
Ä∙i∙nạtināg kījigä ä∙i∙nạtciwäsäyāni.
Ä∙i∙nạtināg kījigä ä∙i∙nạtciwäsäyāni.”
“Ä∙i∙nạtināg kījigä ä∙i∙nạtciwäsäyāni.
Ä∙i∙nạtināg kījigä ä∙i∙nạtciwäsäyāni.
Ä∙i∙nạtināg kījigä ä∙i∙nạtciwäsäyāni.”
“By way of the mountain-ranges do I fly along through the sky,
By way of the mountain-ranges do I fly along through the sky,
By way of the mountain-ranges do I fly along through the sky.”
(Song carried verbatim — sung line, repeated three times. By way of the mountain-ranges I fly along through the sky.)
(4) Mī∙i∙dạc ägut: “Kägu miziwä inābi‘kän, kwaya‘kigu äjāyạnk inābin. Cigwa päcu´ ạnicinābek ōdä‘tōwạg kädạni∙i∙jāyank. Kägu´ kạnạgä inābi‘kän. Tạmạdwänānōndāgusiwạg anicinābek. Kägu´ kạnawâbamā‘kän.”
Mii dash egod: “Gego miziwe inaabiken, gwayak igo ezhaayank inaabin. Zhigwa besho anishinaabeg oodetoowag ged-ani-izhaayank. Gego ganage inaabiken. Da-madwe-naanoondaagoziwag anishinaabeg. Gego ganawaabamaaken.”
And then he was told: “Do not look everywhere, but straight toward the way we are bound do you look. For not far away do some people dwell in a town who shall be in the way of our course. Do not for any reason look. Everywhere will be heard the voices of the people shouting. Do not look at them.”
Mii dash (and then) egod (he was told): “Gego (do not) miziwe (everywhere) inaabiken (look), gwayak igo (straight) ezhaayank (the way we are going) inaabin (look). Zhigwa (now) besho (near) anishinaabeg (people) oodetoowag (they have a town) ged-ani-izhaayank (where we shall be going). Gego (do not) ganage (for any reason at all) inaabiken (look). Da-madwe-naanoondaagoziwag (they will be heard sounding off again and again) anishinaabeg (the people). Gego (do not) ganawaabamaaken (look at them).”
(5) A‘pī äni∙u∙di‘tạmuwād anicinābäᵉ odäᵉtōnit cīgwa wâbạmāwag ni‘kạg pimisäwād. “Ä‘ä, inaskä kuca ni‘kạg! Käᵉgätsa mindi‘to päᵉjik ‘aᵉa´ᵘ ni‘ka!” Anōdc mạdwä∙i∙nwä‘kāzowạg ạnicinābēg. Käga‘pī kī∙i∙nābi Nänabujū, mī∙i´∙ᵘ kā∙i∙jipi‘tạganāmigut unīngwīgạnāng, kīpō‘kwisäni uningwigạn; mīdạc kīpạngicink Nänabujū.
Apii ani-oditamowaad anishinaabeg odetoonid zhigwa waabamaawag nikag bimisewaad. “E’e, inaaske gosha nikag! Geget sa mindido bezhig a’aw nika!” Anooj madwe-inwekazowag anishinaabeg. Gegapii gii-inaabi Nanabozho, mii iw gaa-izhi-bitaganaamigod oningwiganaang, gibookwiseni oningwigan; mii dash gibangishing Nanabozho.
When they came to where the people lived in a town, already were the geese seen flying past. “Hey! Just look at the geese! Truly big is one of the geese!” All sorts of noise did the people make. At last did the people look, whereupon he was accidentally hit on the wing, broken was his wing; and then down fell Nänabushu.
Apii (when) ani-oditamowaad (they arrived at) anishinaabeg odetoonid (where the people had a town) zhigwa (now) waabamaawag (they were seen) nikag (the geese) bimisewaad (as they flew past). “E’e (hey!), inaaske gosha (just look) nikag (geese)! Geget sa (truly) mindido (he is big) bezhig (one) a’aw nika (that goose)!” Anooj (all sorts of) madwe-inwekazowag (they made noise/called out) anishinaabeg (the people). Gaagapii (at last) gii-inaabi (he looked) Nanabozho (Nanabozho), mii iw (then) gaa-izhi-bitaganaamigod (whereupon he was hit) oningwiganaang (on his wing), gibookwiseni oningwigan (his wing was broken); mii dash (and then) gibangishing (he fell down) Nanabozho (Nanabozho).
(6) “Ē‘ēⁱ, päᵉjik pạngicin ni‘ka!” Ugīnōdci∙ā∙wān, ugipabāminīca∙a∙wāwān wītäbibināwāt. A‘pī∙i∙dạc wädcānimi∙i∙nt, indawā kīpạsigwī. “Wī‘i‘i‘i‘i, Nänabujūn nangwana kā∙i∙jināgwi∙u∙nit!” Mīdac kīki‘tcipā‘pi∙ā∙wād Nänabujūn.
“E’eyi, bezhig bangishin nika!” Ogi-noojii’aawen, ogi-babaaminizha’awaawaan wii-debibinaawaad. Apii dash wejaanimi’ind*, indawaa gii-bazigwii. “Wī‘i‘i‘i‘i, Nanabozhoon nangwana gaa-izhinaagwi’onid!” Mii dash gii-gichi-baapi’aawaad Nanabozhoon.
“Hey! One of the geese is falling!” They went after it, they chased it hither and thither to capture it. And when he was on the point of being brought to bay, then thereupon rose to his feet. “Wrïïïï, that was what Nänabushu made himself look like!” And so they laughed heartily at Nänabushu.
“E’eyi (hey!), bezhig (one) bangishin (is falling) nika (goose)!” Ogi-noojii’aawaan (they went after it), ogi-babaaminizha’awaawaan (they chased it about) wii-debibinaawaad (wanting to catch it). Apii dash (and when) wejaanimi’ind (he was being hard pressed / brought to bay — stem flagged), indawaa (so then) gii-bazigwii (he rose to his feet). “Wī‘i‘i‘i‘i (vocable cry), Nanabozhoon (Nanabozho) nangwana (so it was) gaa-izhinaagwi’onid (what he had made himself look like)!” Mii dash (and then) gii-gichi-baapi’aawaad (they laughed heartily at him) Nanabozhoon (Nanabozho).
(7) Pinäwidis kī∙a∙gōdä.
Binewidis gii-agoode.
The gizzard of the ruffed grouse hangs aloft.
Binewidis (the ruffed-grouse gizzard) gii-agoode (it hangs aloft).