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.
WĪSẠGĀ‘TIG.
WIISAGAATIG.
STRONG, BITTER STICK.
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) Ninguding päᵉjik anicinābä pabāmādisigobạn nō‘pimīng; ā‘pidc, nībiwa awäsīⁿyaᵉ pimi‘kawäᵉ, ki‘tcimi‘kạnan owâbạndānạn pimamuninik.
Ningoding bezhig anishinaabe babaamaadizigoban noopiming; aapij niibiwa awesiinyag bimikaweg, gichi-miikanan owaabandaanan bimamoninig.
Once on a time a certain man was journeying about in the bush; very numerous were the tracks of the game-folk (that he saw), great paths he saw leading away.
Ningoding (once) bezhig anishinaabe (one person) babaamaadizigoban (he was journeying about) noopiming (in the bush); aapij niibiwa (very many) awesiinyag (animals) bimikaweg (leaving tracks), gichi-miikanan (big trails) owaabandaanan (he saw them) bimamoninig (leading along).
(2) Gäga‘pī owâbạndān wā‘kā∙i∙gāns, ā‘pidci mäwija a‘pīsināgwạt ī∙i∙ᵘ wā‘ka∙i∙gāns; mēgu äji∙a∙‘kīyunk.
Gegapii owaabandaan waakaa’igaans, aapiji mewizha apiisinaagwad i’iw waakaa’igaans; mii go ezhi-akiiwang.
After a while he saw a hut, very ancient was the aspect of the hut; it was covered over with earth and moss.
Gegapii (finally) owaabandaan (he saw it) waakaa’igaans (a little lodge), aapiji mewizha apiisinaagwad (it looked very old) i’iw waakaa’igaans (that little lodge); mii go ezhi-akiiwang (it was covered over with earth).
(3) Ugī∙ạ∙nināzi‘kān ‘aᵉa´ᵘ anicinābä.
Ogii-ani-naazikaan a’aw anishinaabe.
Up to where it was went the man.
Ogii-ani-naazikaan (he went up to it) a’aw anishinaabe (that person).
(4) A‘pī∙i∙dạc kā‘kānimigut ī∙i∙māⁿ ändānit kīpizāga∙ạ∙mōn.
Apii idash gekenimigod i’imaa endaanid gii-bi-zaaga’amoon.
And when his presence became known by the one that lived there, then outside came (the dweller).
Apii idash (and when) gekenimigod (his presence was known by) i’imaa endaanid (the one dwelling there) gii-bi-zaaga’amoon (that one came outside).
(5) Mēdạc ägut sạgīnidcinigut: “Wäwäni, wäwäni! Pīndigän, nīdci!” udigōn.
Mii dash egod zaginijiinigod: “Weweni, weweni! Biindigen, niijii!” odigoon.
Whereupon he was told, while being greeted with a shake of the hand: “Welcome, welcome! Enter in, my friend!” he was told.
Mii dash egod (and then he was told) zaginijiinigod (while being greeted by the hand): “Weweni, weweni! (welcome, welcome!) Biindigen, niijii! (come in, my friend!)” odigoon (he was told).
(6) Mīdạc äjiwâbạndạnk ạnōdc kägō mạcki‘ki ī∙i∙´ᵘ tînōwa kāyābạdci‘tōwād ạnicinābäᵉk nạndawändcigäwād, “onạmạn” kā∙i∙dạmowād ạnicinābäᵉk.
Mii dash ezhi-waabandang anooj gegoo mashkiki i’iw dinowa gaa-ayaabajitoowaad anishinaabeg nandawenjigewaad, “onaman” gaa-idamowaad anishinaabeg.
Thereupon he beheld various kinds of medicine of the sort that people use when they go on a hunt for game, “magic paint” is what the people call it.
Mii dash ezhi-waabandang (and then he saw) anooj gegoo mashkiki (all kinds of medicine) i’iw dinowa (the kind) gaa-ayaabajitoowaad anishinaabeg (that the people use) nandawenjigewaad (when they hunt for game), “onaman” (magic paint) gaa-idamowaad anishinaabeg (as the people call it).
(7) “A‘kawä kīgạtacạmin, nīdcī,” udigōn.
“Akawe gigad-ashamin, niijii,” odigoon.
“First of all, let me give you food to eat, my friend,” he was told.
“Akawe (first of all) gigad-ashamin (I will feed you), niijii (my friend),” odigoon (he was told).
(8) “Pānimā kīgāki‘kino∙a∙mōn ä∙i∙nwātäg u mạcki‘ki.”
“Baanimaa giga-gikinoo’amoon enwaadeg* o mashkiki.”
“Not till later on will I teach you how this medicine is used.”
“Baanimaa (not until later) giga-gikinoo’amoon (will I teach you) enwaadeg* (how it is used) o mashkiki (this medicine).”
(9) Mīdạc a‘kawä kī∙ạ∙camigut ma‘kudä.
Mii dash akawe gii-ashamigod makode.
Whereupon, before proceeding further, he was given the heart of a bear to eat.
Mii dash akawe (and so first) gii-ashamigod (he was given to eat) makode (a bear’s heart).
(10) Kā∙i∙ckwāwīsinit ‘aᵉa’ᵘ anicinābäᵉ mī∙i∙´ᵘ kī∙u∙nạbiwāt.¹
Gaa-ishkwaa-wiisinid a’aw anishinaabe mii iw gii-onabiwaad.
When the man had finished eating, they then sat back.¹
Gaa-ishkwaa-wiisinid (when he had finished eating) a’aw anishinaabe (that person) mii iw gii-onabiwaad (then they sat back).
¹ From the place of the food. (Jones’s note)
¹ From the place of the food. (Jones’s note)
(11) Kīwīndạmāgut kādijitcigät kīcpîn wī∙ā∙bạdci‘tōd mī∙i∙´ᵘ mạcki‘ki; ka‘kina ändaswäwānạgisiwāt — mạnidōwäncạg, awäsīyänsạg, kunimā gayä gitci∙a∙wäsīyạg, kumā gayä kāpimisäwāt, kānūdci∙i∙ndwā — tōwạg ka‘kina iᵘ tōwa mạcki‘ki; kayäku anicinābäᵉk wīsāgi∙i∙tiwād udābạdci‘tōnāwa ī∙i∙ᵘ tōwa mạcki‘ki, unạmạn.
Gii-wiindamaagod ged-izhichiged giishpin wii-aabajitood mii iw mashkiki; gakina endaswewaanagiziwaad — manidoowenshag, awesiiyensag, gonimaa gaye gichi-awesiiyag, gomaa gaye gaa-bimisewaad, gaa-noojii’indwaa — dinowag gakina iw dinowa mashkiki; gaye go anishinaabeg wii-zaagi’idiwaad odaabajitoonaawaa i’iw dinowa mashkiki, onaman.
Then he was instructed what to do in case he should want to use the medicine; that (it was for) all things that lived, — insects, small animal-folk, or big animal-folk or beings that flew in the air, the creatures that were hunted, — for all such was that kind of medicine; or if people wished to make love one with another, they used that kind of medicine, the magic paint.
Gii-wiindamaagod (he was instructed) ged-izhichiged (what he should do) giishpin wii-aabajitood (if he wished to use) mii iw mashkiki (that medicine); gakina endaswewaanagiziwaad (all the kinds of living beings there are) — manidoowenshag (insects), awesiiyensag (small animals), gonimaa gaye gichi-awesiiyag (or also the big animals), gomaa gaye gaa-bimisewaad (or also those that fly), gaa-noojii’indwaa (those that are hunted) — dinowag gakina (all such kinds) iw dinowa mashkiki (is what that kind of medicine is for); gaye go anishinaabeg (and also people) wii-zaagi’idiwaad (when they wish to love one another) odaabajitoonaawaa (they use it) i’iw dinowa mashkiki (that kind of medicine), onaman (the magic paint).
(12) Kīcpin ī∙i∙´ᵘ tōwa ābạdci‘tōd inini wī‘kạnōnāt i‘kwäwạn, mīgō∙i∙´ᵘ pạnādci∙ā∙t.
Giishpin i’iw dinowa aabajitood inini wii-ganoonaad ikwewan, mii go iw banaaji’aad.
If a man used such a thing when he desired to speak to a woman, why, he rendered her powerless.
Giishpin (if) i’iw dinowa aabajitood (he uses that kind) inini (a man) wii-ganoonaad ikwewan (when he wants to speak to a woman), mii go iw banaaji’aad (then he ruins her; renders her powerless).
(13) Ka‘kina ugīpi∙ā∙bạdci‘tōnāwa ạnicinābäᵉk kīnạndawändcigäwād.
Gakina ogii-bi-aabajitoonaawaa anishinaabeg gii-nandawenjigewaad.
All the people have used it when hunting for game.
Gakina (all) ogii-bi-aabajitoonaawaa (they have used it) anishinaabeg (the people) gii-nandawenjigewaad (when they hunted for game).
(14) Nānīngutînō kāwīn kạnagä uwīki‘kändazīn tci∙u∙cimut ‘aᵉa´ᵘ awäⁿsī, kumā gayä ni‘kạg.
Naaningodinoo gaawiin ganage owii-gikendanziin ji-ozhimod a’aw awesiinh, gomaa gaye nikag.
Frequently a game-animal does not even know enough to run away, the same too with geese.
Naaningodinoo (frequently) gaawiin ganage (not even) owii-gikendanziin (does it know enough) ji-ozhimod (to flee) a’aw awesiinh (that game animal), gomaa gaye nikag (likewise also the geese).
(15) Mīdạc igu iᵘ kayä wīn ‘aᵉa´ᵘ i‘kwä ändōdāgut īni´ᵘ unamạnạn.
Mii dash igo iw gaye wiin a’aw ikwe endoodaagod iniw onamanan.
In the same way, too, is it with a woman who has had the magic paint used on her.
Mii dash igo iw (and so it is the same) gaye wiin a’aw ikwe (also with that woman) endoodaagod (what is done to her) iniw onamanan (by the magic paint).
(16) Kumā gayä i‘kwäwạg nānīngutînō udābạtci∙ā∙wān īni´ᵘ unamạnạn.
Gomaa gaye ikwewag naaningodinoo odaabaji’aawaan iniw onamanan.
And women too often use the magic paint.
Gomaa gaye (and also) ikwewag (women) naaningodinoo (often) odaabaji’aawaan (they use it; onaman takes animate marking here) iniw onamanan (the magic paint).
(17) Kāwīn ā‘pidci ‘aᵉa´ᵘ i‘kwä mīnāsī īni´ᵘ unamạnạn; nạnīzānädāgwạt i‘kwä äcimīnint īni´ᵘ unamạnạn.
Gaawiin aapiji a’aw ikwe miinaasii iniw onamanan; naniizaanedaagwad ikwe ezhi-miinind iniw onamanan.
Not often is woman given the magic paint; it is dangerous when a woman is given the magic paint.
Gaawiin aapiji (not often) a’aw ikwe (a woman) miinaasii (is given) iniw onamanan (the magic paint); naniizaanedaagwad (it is dangerous) ikwe ezhi-miinind (when a woman is given) iniw onamanan (the magic paint).
(18) Pa‘kān ijitcigātä ī∙i∙´ᵘ nānīngutînū wīmīnint ‘aᵉa´ᵘ i‘kwä.
Bakaan izhichigaade i’iw naaningodinoo wii-miinind a’aw ikwe.
In a different way is it frequently put up when it is intended to be given to a woman.
Bakaan (in a different way) izhichigaade (it is prepared) i’iw (that) naaningodinoo (often) wii-miinind (when it is intended to be given) a’aw ikwe (to a woman).