Nanabush Flies with the Geese (Classic)

Ningoding igo ani-babimosed zaaga’igan izhi-madaabiid, apane go nika’ manoominikewa’

Now, once while walking along, out upon a lake he came, and everywhere were Geese feeding on rice.

Geget sa omisawinawaa’, aaniish ezhi-ganoonaad: “Ambe sa noo, giga-wiijiiwininim,” odinaa’

Truly much he envied them, so he then addressed them saying: “I pray you, let me in among you,” he said to them.
“Awawa, Nenaboozhoo,” odigoo’. “Mii go i’iw akawe ozhitooyaang waa-nawapoyaang.”

“Very well, Nanabushu,” he was told. “But we first are laying in store the food that we shall eat on the way.”
Aaniish ezhi-bakobiid gaye wiin Nenaboozhoo. Mii sa gaye wiin endoodaminid aano-doodang, mii sa gaawiin omikoobiigaansiin i’iw manoomin.

So into the water went Nanabushu too. And what they did he tried to do too, but he found no rice in the water.
“Aaniin, Nenaboozhoo? indigoo gosha go gibwaanawitoon i’iw manoomin.”

“What, Nanabushu? Seemingly, indeed, are you without success in finding rice.”
“Eye’, nimbwaanawitoon.”

“Ay, I am not successful.”

“Aa Aw, indawaa mii iw minik. Bebangiins i’iw manoomin.” idiwaa’ i’iw nika.

“There, now, that is enough. Each (of us) now has a small bit of rice,” to one another said the Geese.
Ningoding igo zhigwa odigoo’: “Mii sa waabang wii-maajaayaang.” odigoo’ i’iw nika.

And presently then he was told: “Therefore on the morrow shall we expect to start,” he was told by the Geese.

Mii dash gaa-inaad: “Anigekaa gidaa-gashkii’siim gaye niin ji-bimiseyaambaan?”

And this he then said to them: “I want to know if you could fix me up so that I too might fly.”
“Nenaboozhoo, aanawi giga-gashkii’igoo ji-bimiseyan, gaawiin idash gidaa-bizindanzii i’iw ge-igooyambam.”

“Nanabushu, it is quite within our power to fix you up so that you can fly, but you would not listen to what would be told you.”

“Oonh, maanoo, nishimise, izhi-ishiyok ji-bimiseyaan!”

“Do please, my little brothers, fix me up so that I may fly!”
Mii dash geget aw ogii-igoon: “Ayaangwaamizin dash wiin. oo omaa aabitawaiya’ii anishinaabeg baata’iinowag.

Whereupon truly he was told: “Take care that you do it! Off here about halfway are many people.
Apii imaa ani-dagwishinang, Gego inaabiken, Giga-saakwaanigonaanig. Ayaangwaamizin, gego inaabiken; mii go i’iw ji-bangishinan giishpin inaabiyan. Mii eta go i’imaa ezhi-zhaagwenimigooyan,” odigoo’.

When we are coming there, don’t you look down, for we shall be whooped at. Do you be careful, don’t you look down; for you will surely fall if you look down. That is the only thing we fear you might do,” he was told.
Mii dash endazhinid gakina bebezhig omiigwanini gaa-izhi-miinigod.

Accordingly by every one that was there was he given a feather.
“Daga shkomaa, goji-bazigwa’on.”

“Therefore, now, just you try to fly up.”

Mii dash geget gaa-izhi-bazigwa’od, gaa-izhi-giiwitaagaamesed.

Thereupon truly up he rose on the wing, then round over the lake he flew.
“Mii sa iw ji-wiijiiwigooyan. Mii sa waabang ji-maajaayang.”

“Therefore now you may go with us. Now, tomorrow is when we shall start.”

Zhigwa waabanini, zhigwa bazigwa’ owa’ aapiji naawaya’ii izhinoo’amawaa.

Now was the morrow come, now was when they flew away; in the very centre was he given a place where to fly.
“Mii omaa ji-bimiseyan. Nawaj igo onaagoshig ji-waabamangwaa igiw anishinaabeg.”

“It is here you are to fly. Along towards evening shall we see the people.”

Zhigwa geget oganoonigoon: “Mii zhigwa debaabandamang i’imaa ayaawaad igiw anishinaabeg.”

Sure enough, was he addressed by one saying: “There, now, are we coming into view of the place where the people are.”
Zhayiigwa geget madwe-saakwaanigowaa’: “E e e, nikag! Nenaboozhoo owiijisemaa!” madwe’inaa.

Already could they truly hear (the people) whooping at them: “Halloo, Geese! Nanabushu is flying along with them!” was the sound of them speaking to him.
Gegapii madwe-ikidowan: “Ganawaabamik, nashke gosha bangishin!”

At last he heard them saying: “Why, look, he is really falling!”
“Gego inaabiken, Nenaboozhoo,” odigoo i’iw nika’.

“Don’t you look, Nanabushu,” he was told by the Geese.

Gegapii madwe-nagamowan:

Finally he heard them sing:
“Nenaboozhoo owiijisemaa oshiimisa’, oshiimisa’. Da-bangishin. Nenaboozhoo owiijisemaa oshiimisa’, oshiimisa’. Da-bangishin. Nenaboozhoo owiijisemaa oshiimisa’, oshiimisa’. Da-bangishin.”

  “Nanabushu flies in company with his little brothers, with his little brothers. May he fall.   Nanabushu flies in company with his little brothers, with his little brothers. May he fall.   Nanabushu flies in company with his little brothers, with his little brothers. May he fall.”

“Daga bina, ninga- inaab,” inendam.

“I say, really, I will take a look,” he thought.
Ezhi-inaabid, ataa, gichi-oodena! Aaniin ge-initang bane go gaa-zhookaanig otawagan.

When he looked, oh, what a great town! Then what was he to hear but a continuous whizzing in his ears.
Aano-daataaganaabid, aazha waasa owiijiiwaagana’. Aapiji naa oodena izhi-bangishin.

In vain he tried keeping his look upwards, but already afar (had gone) his companions. In the very centre of the town was where he fell.

Mii dash gaa-izhi-mamaanjigwapinind. “Ambe sa noo, miijinaadaa!” ikidowag.

Thereupon was he then thoroughly bound with cords. “Come on, let us ease ourselves upon him!” they said.
Mii sa geget gaa-izhi-miijinind, gakina minik imaa waadetoonid omiijinigoo.

Whereupon truly was he then eased upon, by everyone there in the town was he eased upon.
Abaapish zhigwa negashkijinigod zhiipidoonenid.

In the course of time he became engulfed so deep in the dung that he had to purse his lips.
Awiiya onoondawaa: “Aandi gaa-miijinind?” ikidowa’.

Somebody he heard (asking): “Where is he who was eased upon?” they were saying.

Goniginiin, mindimooyeya’, niishiwa gagiibiingwewa’.

Lo, (there were) some old women, two that were blind.
“Aandi gaa-miijinind?” Bi-ikidonid.

“Where is he that was eased upon?” they said as they came.
Ezhi-ganoonaad: “Omaa nindayaa.” odinaa’. Zhigwa odoodisigo.

Then he spoke to them, saying: “Here I am,” he said to them. Then to where he was they came.
Zhayiigwa owii-miijinigoon iniw mindimooyeyan, ezhi-ganoonaad: “ish,” odinaan; “Gaagishwiin, gosha mii go i’iw waa-izhi-miijishiyan? Akawe niin iko nindaapaa’ogo waa-miijinigowaanin.”

Already was he desired by an old woman to ease herself upon when he addressed her: “Wait,” he said to her; “really, now, is this the position you mean to relieve yourself upon me? Usually I am first unbound before I am relieved upon.”

“Oonh,” odigoon. “Gegaa gi-wanidoodawaanaan a’aw gaa-miijinind.”

“Really,” he was told. “Nearly did we do a mistake to him who has been eased upon.”
Mii sa geget ezhi-aabiskwamigod ganawaabamaad; gaa-mamoowaabidenid igo iw mindimooyeya’.

And so truly, while being unbound, was he watching them; (he saw that) the old women had dung in their teeth.

Gaa-kiizhiikaagod ezhi-naaniiwanowaad.

When he was set free, then he clubbed them to death, first one, then the other.
Eni-izhi-maajaad o’omaa.

Then on his way he continued from this place.
Ani-babimosed zaaga’igan omadaabiin, mii go iw ezhi-bakobiid ezhi-giziibiigid.

As he went walking along, out upon a lake he came, whereupon into the water he went (and) washed himself.

Ganawaabandang i’iw nibi mii go iw ezhi-bimangodenig i’iw moo.

While looking at the water, he then saw the dung floating thereon.
Gaa agwaasiid mii dash ekidod: “Ge-izhinikaadamowaad anishinaabeg nizhisheyag, Wiinibiig!’ Da-izhinikaade iw zaaga’igan.”

When he came out of the water , this then he said: “The name which the people my uncles shall call it – ‘ah, filthy water! such shall be the name of the lake.”