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.
UDCĪG ÄSIBẠN KAYÄ.
OJIIG ESIBAN GAYE
THE FISHER AND THE RACCOON.
Narrated by Penesi — Series 2 (Nos. 4–43), Fort William (per Jones Part II Introduction p. ix; not credited on the story page itself).
from Ojibwa Texts collected by William Jones (1919).
(1) Ningudingisa’ udcīg mạdāpi sāga∙i∙gạnīng uskābānädinini.
Ningoding sa ojiig madaabii zaaga’iganiing oskaabaanedinini.
Now, once on a time a Fisher came out upon a lake that had just frozen with a covering of thin ice.
Ningoding sa (now once on a time) ojiig madaabii (a Fisher came down to the water) zaaga’iganiing (at a lake) oskaabaanedinini (where it had just frozen over with thin ice).
(2) Mīdạc kägōn unōndān, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Mii dash gegoon onoondaan “Tank, tank, tank, tank!”
And then he heard the sound of something, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Mii dash gegoon onoondaan (and then he heard the sound of something) “Tank, tank, tank, tank!” (“Tank, tank, tank, tank!” — vocable, carried verbatim).
(3) Inābit awīya owâbạmān pimipa’tōnît, mē∙i∙dạc änwänit, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Inaabid awiiya owaabamaan bimibatoonid, mii dash enwenid, “Tank, tank, tank, tank!”
As he looked, he saw somebody who was running across, and who was making the sound, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Inaabid (as he looked) awiiya owaabamaan (he saw somebody) bimibatoonid (who was running along), mii dash enwenid (and who was making the sound), “Tank, tank, tank, tank!” (“Tank, tank, tank, tank!”).
(4) “Îctäyā, nīdcī! Ondās, pījān!”
“Ishteyaa*, niijii! Ondaas, biizhaan!”
“Oh, (I) say, my friend! Hither, come here!”
“Ishteyaa*, niijii! (“well now, my friend!) Ondaas, biizhaan!” (come over here, come!”)
(5) Mīdạc kījipījānit äsipạnạn. Mēdạc pā∙i∙nwänit, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Mii dash gii-izhi-biizhaanid esibanan. Mii dash baa-inwenid, “Tank, tank, tank, tank!”
Thereupon hither came a Raccoon, and he came with the sound “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Mii dash gii-izhi-biizhaanid esibanan (thereupon a Raccoon came over). Mii dash baa-inwenid (and he came going about making the sound), “Tank, tank, tank, tank!” (“Tank, tank, tank, tank!”)
(6) “Wägunän ‘iᵉi´ᵘ kā∙i∙nwäg?”
“Wegonen i’iw gaa-inweg?”
“What is that noise?”
“Wegonen i’iw gaa-inweg?” (“what is that noise?”)
(7) “Kāᵘ, ningīpạgujwā, ningīpạgujwā nîndī, mēdạc nînạgic kīsāgāpīgiskāg!
*Gaa, ningii-bagozhwe, ningii-bagozhwe nindii, mii dash ninagizh gii-zaagaabiigishkaag!**
“Oh, I have cut it open, I have cut open my anus, and therefore my entrails have fallen out into exposure!
“Gaa, ningii-bagozhwe (“oh, I have cut myself open), ningii-bagozhwe nindii (I have cut open my anus), mii dash ninagizh gii-zaagaabiigishkaag*! (and so my entrails have slid out into the open!)
(8) Mīdạc mi‘kwạm imā ningī∙ạ∙sa, mī∙i∙dạc äjipimipa‘tōyān; mīdạc awä mi‘kwạm kā∙i∙jiodābānạg, mīdạc awä, ‘Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!’ kā∙i∙nwäwäcing.
Mii dash mikwam imaa ningii-asaa, mii dash ezhi-bimibatooyaan; mii dash awe mikwam gaa-izhi-odaabaanag, mii dash awe “Tank, tank, tank, tank!” gaa-inweweshing.
And so I placed a piece of ice there (on the entrails), whereupon I then started to run; and then as I dragged that piece of ice, accordingly, ‘Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!’ was the sound it made.
Mii dash mikwam imaa ningii-asaa (and so I put a piece of ice there), mii dash ezhi-bimibatooyaan (whereupon I started running along); mii dash awe mikwam gaa-izhi-odaabaanag (and so that ice, when I dragged it), mii dash awe “Tank, tank, tank, tank!” gaa-inweweshing (that was the sound it made by being dragged).
(9) Nạckä! Kayägīn ‘iᵉi´ᵘ tōdạn!” Mīdạc kīmādcāt äsipan.
Nashke! Gaye giin i’iw doodan!” Mii dash gii-maajaad esiban.
Now, come! the same thing do you!” Whereupon away started Raccoon.
Nashke! (look here!) Gaye giin i’iw doodan!” (you do the same thing too!”) Mii dash gii-maajaad esiban (whereupon Raccoon started off).
(10) Udcīgidạc ogīpạgucwān udīyạn.
Ojiig idash ogii-bagozhwaan odiiyan.
And now Fisher cut open his anus.
Ojiig idash ogii-bagozhwaan odiiyan (and Fisher cut open his anus).
(11) Pạngī∙i∙dạc ugīwī‘kupidōn onạgic.
Bangii idash ogii-wiikobidoon onagizh.
A small part of his entrails he pulled out.
Bangii idash ogii-wiikobidoon onagizh (and a small part of his entrails he pulled out).
(12) Mī∙i∙dạc äjimādcād, mādcipạ‘tot; mī∙i∙dạc pạngī nōndāgwạdinig “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Mii dash ezhi-maajaad, maajiibatood; mii dash bangii noondaagwadinig “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Whereupon he started away, he started running; whereat a feeble sound he could hear, “Tạnk, tạnk, tạnk, tạnk!”
Mii dash ezhi-maajaad (whereupon he started off), maajiibatood (he started running); mii dash bangii noondaagwadinig (whereat a little could be heard) “Tank, tank, tank, tank!” (“Tank, tank, tank, tank!”)
(13) Äckạmigo wāsa udạni‘tān.
Eshkam igo waasa odanitaan.
Farther he kept hearing it.
Eshkam igo waasa odanitaan (farther and farther off he kept hearing it).
(14) Ningudingigu kāwin ugaskitōsīn tcimādcād ‘iᵉi´ᵘ ka‘kina unạgec kīmādcāmạgadinig, ka‘kina unạgic.
Ningoding igo gaawiin ogashkitoosiin ji-maajaad i’iw gakina onagizh gii-maajaamagadinig, gakina onagizh.
And presently not was he able to go, for all his entrails began spilling out, all his entrails.
Ningoding igo gaawiin ogashkitoosiin (and presently he was not able) ji-maajaad (to go on) i’iw gakina onagizh gii-maajaamagadinig (because all his entrails had started coming out), gakina onagizh (all his entrails).
(15) Mēdạc kā∙i∙jipa‘kibi‘tōd, mē∙i∙dạc kīmādcād.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-bakibidood, mii dash gii-maajaad.
And so after he broke (the entrails) off, he accordingly started away.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-bakibidood (and so after he broke them off), mii dash gii-maajaad (he accordingly started off).
(16) Ogi∙ạ∙ndawâbamān äsibạnạn, kīnîckādizid.
Ogii-andawaabamaan esibanan, gii-nishkaadizid.
He went hunting for Raccoon, for he was angry.
Ogii-andawaabamaan esibanan (he went searching for Raccoon), gii-nishkaadizid (for he was angry).
(17) Ningudingidạc ogīnạgickawān äsibạnạn.
Ningoding idash ogii-nagishkawaan esibanan.
And by and by he met Raccoon.
Ningoding idash ogii-nagishkawaan esibanan (and by and by he met Raccoon).
(18) Mēdạc änād:
Mii dash enaad:
Whereupon he said to him:
Mii dash enaad (whereupon he said to him):
(19) “Kīnîna kāwâbạminạn sāga∙i∙gạning?”
“Giin ina gaa-waabaminan zaaga’iganiing?”
“Are you the one I saw at the lake?”
“Giin ina gaa-waabaminan zaaga’iganiing?” (“are you the one I saw at the lake?”)
(20) “Kāwīn,” i‘kido äsipạn.
“Gaawiin,” ikido esiban.
“No,” said Raccoon.
“Gaawiin,” (“no,”) ikido esiban (said Raccoon).
(21) “Kägä‘t kīnguca!”
“Geget giin gosha!”
“Indeed, you surely are!”
“Geget giin gosha!” (“indeed you surely are!”)
(22) Mī∙i∙dạc äjimīgānād.
Mii dash ezhi-miigaanaad.
Whereupon he fought him.
Mii dash ezhi-miigaanaad (whereupon he fought him).
(23) A‘pī∙i∙dạc gānisāt wäwīp ogīpạgudcīnān.
Apii dash gaa-nisaad wewiib ogii-bagojiinaan.
And when he had slain him, quickly he cut him open.
Apii dash gaa-nisaad (and when he had killed him) wewiib ogii-bagojiinaan (quickly he cut him open).
(24) Mägwādec kījidänig äsipạnunạgic, udcīg ogīpīna∙ā∙n udī∙ā∙ng.
Megwaa dash giizhidenig esiban-onagizh, ojiig ogii-biina’aan odiiyaang.
And while warm were yet Raccoon’s entrails, Fisher put them inside of his own anus.
Megwaa dash giizhidenig esiban-onagizh (and while Raccoon’s entrails were still warm), ojiig ogii-biina’aan odiiyaang (Fisher put them inside his own anus).
(25) Mīdac wīn ‘iᵉi´ⁿ kā∙u∙nagijīd ‘aᵉaᵘ udcīg. Kayädạc ugī∙ạ∙mwān īni’ äsibạnạn.
Mii dash wiin i’iw gaa-onagizhiid a’aw ojiig. Gaye dash ogii-amwaan iniw esibanan.
And this was how Fisher got his entrails back again. And likewise he ate up Raccoon.
Mii dash wiin i’iw gaa-onagizhiid a’aw ojiig (and this was how that Fisher got his entrails back). Gaye dash ogii-amwaan iniw esibanan (and likewise he ate up that Raccoon).
(26) Misaⁱ ä‘kōsit.
Mii sa ekoozid.
That is as far as (the story) goes.
Mii sa ekoozid (that is as far as it goes).