Nanabush and the Buzzards - Classic Dialect

Mii dash ezhi-maajaad, gii-babaamosed.

And so he started away, round about he travelled.
Ningoding igo babaamosed inaabid ishpiming  awiya ogii-waabamaan namadabinid aanakwadong.

Now, once while journeying about, he looked above (and) saw some one seated upon a cloud.
Geget omisawinawaan. “Ambe dash gaye niin,” Gii-inendam gaa-izhi-ganoonaad: “Gaawiin ina  gidaa-bi-izhaasii, nishiimisa?” ogii-inaan.

Truly envious was he of him. “Would that I (could) too,” he thought, after which he addressed him, saying: “Would you not come down, my little brother?” he said to him.

Mii dash gaa-igod: “Gaawiin,” ogii-igoon.

Upon which he was told: “No,” he was told.

“Aaniin gegii-izhinaagwag minik awiya gaa-waabamag giin idash i’iw ji-bizindawisiiwaambanen?”

“How would it look, (in view of) as many as I have seen, for you not to heed me?”
“Nenaboozhoo, Gi-gosin.”

“Nanabushu, I am afraid of you.”
“Gaawiin gidaagwashisii,” odinaan.

“You have no cause to fear me.” he said to him.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-wayeshimaad, aanish mii sa  gaa-ganoonigod: “Ambe sa noo, geget sa gi-misawinawin. Gonige naa waasa gidakwaabimidog,” odinaan.

And so after (Nanabushu) had deceived him, then was he brought into conversation with him. “Oh, really, I am so envious of you! I fancy that afar must you  be able to see,” he said to him.

“Eye’,  Geget.”

“Yes, (that is) true.”
“aw,” odinaan. Mii dash gaa-izhi-inaad: “Ambe sa noo, giga-wiijiiwin.”

“Good,” he said to him. Upon which he then said to him: “Pray, let me bear you company.”
“Awawa,” ogii-igoon. Mii dash gaa-izhi-ombiiwaad  i’imaa  aanakwadong.

“Certainly,” he was told. Whereupon up they went to yonder cloud.
Mii dash ezhi-maajaawaad, maajiiyaasinig i’iw aanakwad.

And so when they started away, with the wind went wafting the cloud.
Ningoding agaawaa debinaagwadini i’iw aki zhigwa odinenimigoon. “indashiidog waawiyazh nendaginitaadoodawaad. Ambe sa noo, wawiyazh ninga-doodawaa,” Gii-inendam.

By and by hardly was the earth to be seen. Then thoughts concerning him did the other entertain. “Apparently he is ever playing a trick on some one. Now, I will play a trick on him,” (thus) he thought.
Mii dash gaa-izhi-bakweyaasininig i’iw aanakwad.

Thereupon apart then broke the cloud by reason of the wind.
Miinawaa ezhi-bakweyaasininig; eshkam igo agaasaani inaa ayaawaad.

Again it broke apart on account of the wind; gradually smaller grew the space where they were.
Gegapii gegaa go enigokwabiwaad inigokwaani.

At last almost space enough for them to sit on was how much that yet remained.
Ningoding igo gaa-izhi-daashkikaanig bebakaan gii-namadabiwag.

And anon when it was rent asunder, then in different places they sat.
Aanish miinawaa ezhi-daashkaasininig ezhi-bazigwa’onid, ezhi-booniinid i’iwedi  eni-michaanig i’iw aanakwad.

So when again it blew apart, then away flew the other, alighting upon yonder place where there was a bigger cloud.
Mii dash odaano-ganoonaan: “Aaniin gediyaan, nishiimisa” ogii-inaan.

Whereupon in vain he tried to speak to him, saying: “What will become of me, my little brother?” he said to him.
Mii zhigwa gii-waabandang ji-bangishing. Zhigwa miinawaa bakweyaasinini mii imaa ayaad;  gegapii igo bigoshkaani.

So then he knew that he was going to fall. Then again apart flew the place where he was; and in the end it broke completely.

Agaawaa odebaabandaan ozhaawashkwaakamigaanig.

Faintly could he see the green of the landscape.
Ezhi-bangishing apane ii ban babimibizod.

When he fell, a long while was he falling through the air.
Zhigwa  e-zhi-debaabandang edaadaa  gichi-mitigokaani  ge-izhi-bangishing.

Now, when he came in full sight (of the earth, he saw) how so dreadfully wooded was the place into which he was to fall.
Zhayiigwa  gaa-izhi-biinjised gichi-mitigoon wiimbizinid.

Then down he fell into a great tree that was hollow.
Mii sa gaa-izhi-biinjinikised, mii sa ezhi-bwaabwaanawi’od.

Thereupon when he had dropped into the hollow, then was he unable (to get out).
Aano-wiikwaji’od awiiya  ogii-noondawaa, bibaapinid  ikwewa’,  mii dash gaa-ikidonid: “Mii sa o’omaa ningoji endaad gaa-ikidong waabigaag,” ikidowa’  i’iw ikwewa’.

While vainly trying (to get out), he heard some one, those were women coming laughing; and this was what they were saying: “Now, somewhere hereabouts lives a Gray Porcupine, so they say,” said the women.
Ezhi-giigidod: “Waabigaagoowiyaan endaayaan.”

Then up he spoke, saying: “I am the Gray Porcupine that dwells here.”
O’ow dash ikidowa’: “Gonogena  mikawang  a’aw  waabigaag, nishiim,” ogii-inaan mii aw majiikwewis.

And this they said: “Suppose we should find the Gray Porcupine, my little sister,” to the other said she that was older.
“Gaa na giin gi-noondawaasii?” odigoon iniw oshimeyan. “Gi-mikawaanaan, maawiin.”

“And did you not hear him?” she was asked by her little sister. “We have found him, maybe.”
Mii dash mii imaa miinawaa gaa-izhi-ganoonaad: “Waabigaagoowiyaan endaayaan,” ogii-inaan.  Mii dash gaa-izhi-maajikawa’ogod.

And so what he said before, he said to them again: “ I am the Gray Porcupine that dwells (here),” he said to them. Whereupon they began felling the tree he was in.

“Nishiim, gii-kawawang, awegwenina  ge-ayaanigwen ge-mikawaagwen, mii aw ge-onaabemid,” ogii-inaan  iniw oshiimeyan. Mii sa zhigwa  geget odaano-giishkikaa’ogon.

“My little sister, when we have felled the tree, then whosoever is there, (and) whichever the one that finds him, she will be the one to have him for a husband,” she said to her little sister. And so they truly chopped away unavailingly.

“Wiikaage sa  i’imaa  dayaawi  a’aw  weshiime’im aawid,” gii-inendam aw Nenaboozhoo.

“ I wish the younger one would be there,” thought Nanabushu.
Zhigwa sa odaashkika’ogoon  i’iw nandogaa’ogod, biinish majiikwewis  gakina gaa-piigoga’ang;  mii sa gaa-izhi-gwiinawaabamaad.

Now, (the women) began splitting a tree in an effort to find him, (keeping it up) till the elder sister had it all in pieces; but she had failed to find him.
Mii sa aw ikwe weshiimemaawid i’imaa  eyaad gegapii gaa-izhi-bookwisdood i’iw  owaagaakwad.

And then the younger women yonder, where she was, finally broke her axe.
“Nishiim,” odinaan  apii gaa-bookwisidoonid i’iw owaagaakwadooni; “Mii sa niin ji-onaabemiyaan,” ogii-inaan iniw oshimeyan.

“My little sister,” (the elder sister) said to her after she had broken her axe, “so it will be I who will have a husband,” she said to her little sister.
“Wekaage sa  gaye wiin.” O’ow dash gii-inendam: “Ambe sa noo, mii eta go aabiding ji-biyaabaagidood  i’iw  owaagaakwad,” odinenimaan.

“Would the same happen to her too!” And this he thought: “Now, would that only once she might strike (the tree) with her axe,” was the thought he had of her.
Ezhi-aazhoowinaad; zhigwa geget odaashkika’ogoon; ezhi-bazigonjised.

Then he watched for her; presently was the tree really split up by her; then up he leaped.
Nenaboozhoowan iniw  onji-bazigonjisewan, ani-gagawaabiwan. “Gegeti go  waabigaag endaad inendamoog!”

And there was Nanabushu leaping away, falling headlong with laughter as he went. “That it actually was the home of a Gray Porcupine they thought!”
Mii sa gaa-ani-izhi-mamaajaad Nenaboozhoo. “Amanjigizh ge-izhichigewaanen,” Gii-inendam; “wawiyazh  ji-doodawag  gaye wiin?” odinenimaan  iniw binesiwan.

And so upon his way continued Nanabushu. “I wonder what I shall do,” he thought, “in order that I may play a trick on him too!” such was his thought of the bird.

Ezhi-madaabiid zaaga’igan, mii dash i’imaa  mishawikwam gaa-izhi-ozhishing. “Ambe sa noo, ninga- amogoog anooj, binesiwag,” Gii-inendam.

When he came out upon a lake, then far out there on the ice he went and lay down, “Now, I shall be eaten by all kinds of birds,” he willed.
Owiikwadenimaan iniw  wawiyazh  gaa-doodaagod.

He formed a scheme to get the one that had done him a trick.
Zhigwa geget odamogoo’  andegwa’  enooji sa go binesiwa’.

Then truly was he eaten by crows and by various kinds of birds.
Mii dash gaa-inaad: “Gego wiin  i’iwidi  ninjiiding  ondamishikegon,” ogii-inaa’.

Then this he said to them: “Don’t you eat upon me yonder at my buttocks,” he said to them.
Mii dash geget gaa-izhichigenid, aaniish bane go gaa-danwewetoonid.

Whereupon truly such was what they did, and a continuous din did they keep up.
Zhigwa sa owaabamaan obabaamaasimoononid iniw binesiwan. “Aa, mii sa gaawiin bi-izhaasiiwan!” aanish owiikwadenimaan ji-bi-izhaanid.

At last he then saw the bird sailing about through the air. “Alas, he is not coming!” for he longed in his mind for him to come.
Eshkam igo dasing gaazhigadinigin beshonaagoziwan, gegapii ezhi-booniinid; naagewaasa go i’iwidi  bangishing  odoonzaabamigoon.

Gradually as the days came and went, nearer it could be seen, till at last it then alighted; and a good way off from yonder place where it came down was (Nanabushu) observed.

Mii dash geget aapiji ogosigoon. Zhigwa sa wiikaa  obi-naazikaagoon.

And it was true that much was he feared (by the bird). Then after a while to where he was came (the bird).
E-zhi-bakiiwagiid, e-zhi-gwaashkwaashkwaninid.

As he raised the muscle on his calf, away went the other hopping.
Mii dash zhigwa eshkam igo gaawiin doondansiiwan gegapii igo owawangawenimigoon.

And then presently it gradually became less afraid, till at last (Nanabushu) was made free and easy with.
Gegapii igo o’ow ikidowan: “Aaniinde giinawaa ondamaasiweg  o’owidi wiininwaakoshiiganed?” Mii sa geget i’iwidi  wendamigod.

Then finally this it said: “Why do you not eat of him from the small of the back, where he is fat?” Thereupon truly from that place was he eaten.
Zhigwa eshkam igo waasa izhi-biindikwenowan i’imaa ojiiding, gegapii go gaawiin zaagidikwenisiiwan.

Presently farther into the anus yonder it put its neck, then at last it did not take its neck out from there.
Ezhi-bazigonjised gashkidiyaandamawaad i’iw oshtigwaanini.

Then up he sprang closing his anus tight over the other’s head.
“mishanim  Nenaboozhoo, ningii-gagwaanisagi’ig!”

“Confound Nanabushu, by him am I frightfully treated!”
Maajiibatood i’iw zaaga’igan. Aaniish aano-bimiwiikwaji’onid.

While(Nanabushu)went running along the lake,naturally the other tried in vain to get free.
Mii sa zhigwa beshwaabandang wekwaagamiiwaninig  i’iw zaaga’igan  ezhi-bagijidiyaamaad, mii dash gaa-izhi-bangishininid imaa  michaya’ii.

And then presently, when nearing the far end of the lake, (Nanabushu) freed (the bird) from his anus, whereupon down it fell on the ice.
Mii dash gaa-inaad: “Wiinaange giga-igoo ji-ani-akiiwang,” ogii-inaan. “Giga-wiinenimig aw  anishinaabe.”

And this was what was said to it: “Buzzard shall you be called till the end of the world,” he said to it. “For your filth will you be loathed by the people.”