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.
ANICINĀBÄᵉ KĀ∙I∙NIBUT MA‘KADÄ‘KÄT.
ANISHINAABE GAA-INIBOD MAKADEKED.
THE ONE THAT FASTED ONCE AND DIED.
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) Nīnguding mīnawā kä∙i∙jiwäbizit päᵉjik ạnicinābäᵉ; uzām mōⁿjạg ugīgạgānzomān ugwisạn tcîgī∙u∙gwī∙i∙cimunit. Ānawi ‘aᵉa´ᵘ uckinawägubạn ugīwīndạmawān ōsạn cīgwa ga‘kina kägōn kīki‘kändạnk äjināgwa‘k miziwä kīcigunk kayä a‘kīng äjiwäba‘k kistcigạmīng gayä icpîmīng kayä äjinägwa‘k, awidạc a‘kiwäⁿzī kāwīn ugīpōnimāsīn käyābi tcîma‘kạdä‘känit. Wạdciwing ugidā‘ki kī∙a∙yā ‘aᵘ ckinawä. Kāga‘pī kāwīn kīgạcka‘tōsī tcîbạzigwīt, ä‘pītcipa‘kạdät.
Ningoding miinawaa gaa-izhiwebizid bezhig anishinaabe; osaam moonzhag ogii-gagaanzomaan ogwisan ji-gii’ogwiishimonid. Aanawi a’aw oshkinawegoban ogii-wiindamawaan oosan zhigwa gakina gegoon gii-gikendang ezhinaagwak miziwe giizhigong gaye akiing ezhiwebak gichigamiing gaye ishpiming gaye ezhinaagwak, aw idash akiwenzii gaawiin ogii-boonimaasiin geyaabi ji-makadekenid. Wajiwing ogidaaki gii-ayaa aw oshkinawe. Gegapii gaawiin gii-gashkitoosii ji-bazigwiid, epiichi-bakaded.
One other time there befell an experience of a certain man; too often had he urged upon his son to fast. Even though the youth had told his father that already had he learned how everything looked everywhere in the sky, and how things were on earth and in the sea, and how it looked above, yet the old man would not cease urging him to continue his fasting. Upon the summit of a mountain did the youth remain. At length he was unable to rise to his feet, he was so hungry.
Ningoding miinawaa (one other time) gaa-izhiwebizid (there befell an experience of) bezhig anishinaabe (a certain person); osaam moonzhag (too often) ogii-gagaanzomaan ogwisan (he urged his son) ji-gii’ogwiishimonid (to fast — the fasting verb; flagged, see footnote). Aanawi (even though) a’aw oshkinawegoban (that youth — preterite -goban: now gone) ogii-wiindamawaan oosan (had told his father) zhigwa gakina gegoon gii-gikendang (that already he had learned everything): ezhinaagwak miziwe giizhigong (how it looks everywhere in the sky), gaye akiing ezhiwebak (and how things are on the earth), gichigamiing (in the sea) gaye ishpiming gaye ezhinaagwak (and how it looks above), aw idash akiwenzii (yet the old man) gaawiin ogii-boonimaasiin (would not leave off from him) geyaabi ji-makadekenid (that he still keep fasting). Wajiwing ogidaaki (upon the summit of a mountain) gii-ayaa aw oshkinawe (the youth remained). Gegapii (at length) gaawiin gii-gashkitoosii ji-bazigwiid (he was unable to rise to his feet), epiichi-bakaded (so hungry was he).
(2) Nīngudingidạc mīnawā awiwâbạmāt ugwisạn awiya ugīwâbạmān, kistcipinäsiwạn imāⁿ undcipasigwa∙o∙nit. A‘pī∙i∙dạc äni∙u∙di‘tạnk īmāⁿ ayāni‘pạn ugwisạn, mīyä‘ta u‘kạnạn a‘tänig ‘aᵉa´ᵘ uckinawäbạn. Mī∙i∙dac ī∙i∙ᵘ wändci∙i∙jitcigäwād uzām kînwäⁿj tcîgī∙i∙gwucimusigwā. Īgi´ᵘ anicinābäᵉk a‘pītcînāk ugâgwätcimāwān unīdcānisiwān mini‘k kägōn gäki‘kändạminit. Kīcpîn awiya i‘kidot: “Mī∙i∙´ᵘ ci´gwa ga‘kina kägōn gīki‘kändạmān,” i‘kidot ‘aᵉa´ᵘ mä‘kadä‘kät, mī∙i∙´ᵘ äji∙u∙ndci∙i∙gut ōsạn tcī∙i∙ckwāma‘kadä‘kät.
Ningoding idash miinawaa awi-waabamaad ogwisan awiya ogii-waabamaan, gichi-binesiwan imaa onji-bazigwa’onid. Apii idash eni-oditang imaa ayaaniban ogwisan, mii eta okanan atenig a’aw oshkinaweban. Mii dash i’iw wenji-izhichigewaad osaam ginwenzh ji-gii’igwoshimosigwaa. Igiw anishinaabeg apiichinaag ogagwejimaawaan oniijaanisiwaan minik gegoon gekikendaminid. Giishpin awiya ikidod: “Mii iw zhigwa gakina gegoon gii-gikendamaan,” ikidod a’aw mekadeked, mii iw ezhi-onji-igod oosan ji-ishkwaa-makadeked.
At another time when he went to see his son, some kind of living thing he saw, a great bird flew up from the place there. And when he got to the place where his son had been, only the bones of the youth now no more were there. That is why (the people) now follow the custom of not fasting too long. The people now ever so often ask their children how much they have learned. If any one should say, “Therefore now have I learned of everything,” if (thus) should say one who is fasting, then is one told by one’s father to cease from fasting.
Ningoding idash miinawaa (and at another time) awi-waabamaad ogwisan (when he went to see his son) awiya ogii-waabamaan (some living thing he saw), gichi-binesiwan (a great bird) imaa onji-bazigwa’onid (flew up from that place). Apii idash eni-oditang (and when he reached) imaa ayaaniban ogwisan (the place where his son had been), mii eta okanan atenig (only the bones lay there) a’aw oshkinaweban (of the youth that was — preterite -ban). Mii dash i’iw wenji-izhichigewaad (that is why they follow the custom) osaam ginwenzh ji-gii’igwoshimosigwaa (of not fasting too long — the fasting verb again; flagged). Igiw anishinaabeg (the people) apiichinaag (ever so often — flagged) ogagwejimaawaan oniijaanisiwaan (ask their children) minik gegoon gekikendaminid (how much they have learned). Giishpin awiya ikidod (if any one should say): “Mii iw zhigwa gakina gegoon gii-gikendamaan (therefore now have I learned of everything),” ikidod a’aw mekadeked (if so says the one who is fasting), mii iw ezhi-onji-igod oosan (then is one told by one’s father) ji-ishkwaa-makadeked (to cease from fasting).