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.
WÂGUC ANDĒG KAYÄ.
WAAGOSH AANDEG GAYE.
THE FOX AND THE CROW.
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 wâgus pạbāmiba‘tōd ugīnisān wâbōzōn.
Ningoding waagosh babaamibatood ogii-nisaan waaboozoon.
Once on a time, while a Fox was running about over the country, he killed a hare.
Ningoding (once) waagosh (a fox) babaamibatood (while running about) ogii-nisaan (he killed) waaboozoon (a hare).
(2) Mīdạc kī∙ạ∙mwād ābi‘ta, ugīnạgạnān ābi‘ta.
Mii dash gii-amwaad aabita, ogii-naganaan aabita.
Accordingly, when he had eaten one half of it, he left behind (the other) half.
Mii dash gii-amwaad (and when he had eaten) aabita (half), ogii-naganaan (he left behind) aabita (half).
(3) Minawā kībạbāmibạ‘tō, kāwīn mīnawā ugīnisāsīn wâbōzōn.
Miinawaa gii-babaamibatoo, gaawiin miinawaa ogii-nisaasiin waaboozoon.
Again he went running hither and thither, but he did not kill another hare.
Miinawaa gii-babaamibatoo (again he ran about), gaawiin miinawaa (but not again) ogii-nisaasiin (did he kill) waaboozoon (a hare).
(4) Mī∙i∙dạc mi‘kwändạnk udạsạndcigun wâbōzōn ābi‘ta kī∙ạ∙sā‘pan.
Mii idash mikwendang odasanjigon waaboozoon aabita gii-asaapan.
Whereupon he remembered his cache where he had placed one-half of a hare.
Mii idash mikwendang (and then he remembered) odasanjigon (his cache) waaboozoon aabita (the half of the hare) gii-asaapan (he had placed there).
(5) Ninguding kayä wīn āndēg pạpāmisät owâbạmān wâbōzōn ạbinit.
Ningoding gaye wiin aandeg bapaamised owaabamaan waaboozoon abinid.
Once when the Crow too was flying about, he saw where there was a hare.
Ningoding (once) gaye wiin aandeg (the crow for his part) bapaamised (flying about) owaabamaan (he saw) waaboozoon abinid (a hare lying there).
(6) Kistciminwändạm tcîwīsinit.
Gichi-minwendam ji-wiisinid.
Greatly pleased was he, now that he was going to have some food to eat.
Gichi-minwendam (greatly pleased was he) ji-wiisinid (that he was going to eat).
(7) Cayīgwạdạc wāmādạngdcigät owâbạmān wâgucạn pīdciba‘tōnit.
Zhayiigwa dash waa-maadanjiged owaabamaan waagoshan biijibatoonid.
And just as he was about to eat, he saw a Fox coming along on a run.
Zhayiigwa dash (and just then) waa-maadanjiged (as he was about to begin eating) owaabamaan (he saw) waagoshan (a fox) biijibatoonid (running this way).
(8) Mēdạc änwät: “Ha´wi, ha´wi, ha´wi!”
Mii dash enwed: “Hawi, Hawi, Hawi!”
Whereupon he exclaimed: “Háwi, háwi, háwi!”
Mii dash enwed (and this is how he cried out): “Hawi, Hawi, Hawi!” (the crow’s cry, kept as spoken).
(9) Mīdạc kī∙u∙dā‘pināt kīmādcīnāt, mi´tigunk kīpūni; ā‘pidci pa‘kadäbạn ‘aᵉa´ᵘ āndēg.
Mii dash gii-odaapinaad gii-maajiinaad, mitigong gii-booni; aapiji bakadeban a’aw aandeg.
And so, taking up (the meat), he carried it away; upon a tree he alighted; very hungry at the time was the Crow.
Mii dash gii-odaapinaad (and so taking it up) gii-maajiinaad (he carried it off), mitigong gii-booni (on a tree he alighted); aapiji bakadeban (very hungry was) a’aw aandeg (that crow).
(10) Wâgucidạc ugīwâbạmān kī‘pūnīnit āndēgwạn.
Waagosh idash ogii-waabamaan gii-booniinid aandegwan.
Now, the Fox saw the Crow alight.
Waagosh idash (now the fox) ogii-waabamaan (saw him) gii-booniinid (alighting) aandegwan (the crow).
(11) Kī∙i∙jā imāⁿ tîbickō ạgōzinit, mēdac änāt: “Āndēk, kä‘gä‘t unicicinōn pāzi‘kimạn. Ā‘pidci kimino‘kwạnayä.”
Gii-izhaa imaa dibishkoo agoozinid, mii dash enaad: “Aandeg, geget onizhishinoon baazikiman. Aapiji gimino-gwanaye.”
He went over to the place underneath where (the Crow) was perched, and this he said to him: “Crow, truly beautiful is the garment you have on. Very handsomely are you clad.”
Gii-izhaa imaa (he went over there) dibishkoo agoozinid (directly under where he perched), mii dash enaad (and this he said to him): “Aandeg (Crow), geget onizhishinoon (truly beautiful are) baazikiman (the things you wear). Aapiji gimino-gwanaye (very handsomely are you clad).”
(12) Mīdạc mīnawā pā‘pit; “‘Āᵃ, ‘āᵃ, ‘āᵃ, ‘āᵃ!” uzāmidạc ki‘tāwạni pā‘pit; mī∙i∙´ᵘ kā∙i∙jipicigunāt wâbōzōn kīpạngicinūn mi‘ta‘kạmig.
Mii dash miinawaa baapid; “Aa, Aa, Aa, Aa!” onzaam idash gii-daawani baapid; mii iw gaa-izhi-bizhigonaad waaboozoon gii-bangishinoon mitakamig.
And so when (the Crow) laughed, “’Āᵃ, ’āᵃ, ’āᵃ, ’āᵃ!” too wide did he open his mouth as he laughed; whereupon, when he dropped the hare, it fell to the ground.
Mii dash miinawaa baapid (and then as he laughed); “Aa, Aa, Aa, Aa!” (the crow’s laugh, kept as spoken) onzaam idash gii-daawani (too wide he opened his mouth) baapid (as he laughed); mii iw gaa-izhi-bizhigonaad (whereupon he let slip) waaboozoon (the hare) gii-bangishinoon (and it fell) mitakamig (to the bare ground).
(13) Wāgucidạc ugīnawạdinān uwâbōzumạn; ugīpā‘pi∙ā∙n āndēgwạn, “Hwạᵘ, hwạᵘ, hwạᵘ, hwạᵘ!” Mīdạc kī∙ạ∙mwāt.
Waagosh idash ogii-nawadinaan owaaboozoman; ogii-baapi’aan aandegwan, “Hwaw, hwaw, hwaw, hwaw!” Mii dash gii-amwaad.
So the Fox seized his hare; he laughed at the Crow, “Hwaᵘ, hwaᵘ, hwaᵘ, hwaᵘ!” Whereupon he ate (the hare).
Waagosh idash (so the fox) ogii-nawadinaan (seized) owaaboozoman (his hare); ogii-baapi’aan (he laughed at) aandegwan (the crow), “Hwaw, hwaw, hwaw, hwaw!” (the fox’s laugh, kept as spoken) Mii dash gii-amwaad (and then he ate it).
(14) Āndēgidạc kīnickādizi, ānawi pä‘kic pā‘pi, “‘Āᵃ, ‘āᵃ, ‘āᵃ, ‘āᵃ!” Mī∙i∙dạc nindawa kī∙ạ∙nipạsigwa∙u∙t.
Aandeg idash gii-nishkaadizi, aanawi bekish baapi, “Aa, Aa, Aa, Aa!” Mii idash nindawaa gii-ani-bazigwa’od.
Now, the Crow was angry, even though at the same time he laughed, “’Āᵃ, ’āᵃ, ’āᵃ, ’āᵃ!” And so with that he rose and flew away.
Aandeg idash (now the crow) gii-nishkaadizi (was angry), aanawi bekish baapi (even though at the same time he laughed), “Aa, Aa, Aa, Aa!” Mii idash nindawaa (and so with that) gii-ani-bazigwa’od (he rose up and flew away).
(15) Mīsai ä‘kōzit.
Mii sa i ekoozid.
That is as far as (the story) goes.
Mii sa i ekoozid (that is as far as it goes; the traditional closing).
¹ It is plain where this tale comes from, but it is simpler (more naïve) than the usual European versions; in fact, if the narrator had in mind any of the morals usually attached to the European versions, he concealed them absolutely. (Editor’s 1919 note, attached to the title — the narrator declined the European moral.)