Nanabushu Pretends to be a Woman
WomanMii sa eni-izhi-maajaad babimosed.
Mii sa ogii-debitawaa’ ikwewa’ manisenid; aaniish ogiimitawaa’: “Amanjigish ge-izhchige’ongobanen ji-wiidigemang a’aw inini?” ikidowa’. “Ambe sa noo, wawiyazh ninga-doodawaag awegweniwigwenag,” gii-inendam Nenaboozhoo Ogikenimaan ge-mawinid wegwisisinid. Mii dash gaa-izhi-wawezhi’od gaa-izhi-ikwekaazod. Mii dash adikoo’obiinisagosiin mii dash iniw gaa-aawechiged i’iw ikweng. Gaa-izhinaagwo’od, gaa-izhi-naazikawaad i’iw ikwewa’, o’ow idash ogii-inaa’ apii gaa-odisaad: “Aaniindi ayaad a’aw inini zhiingenimaad i’iw ikwewa’ gaa-inind?” Mii dash gaa-igod: “Mii omaa naaw-oodena ayaad,” ogii-igoo’. “Gagwaanisagizi, endogwen ji-inendang.” “Daga shkomaa, awii-inik,” odinaa’; “Nin-bi-izhi-nisha’ogoo ni-niigi’igoog,’” odinaa’ iw ikwewa’. Mii sa geget gaa-izhi-giiwed bezhig, gaa-izhi-wiindamawind wa’aw mindimooyenh wegosisid. E-kidod a’aw ikwe mayaajii’aajimod: “Biiwide omaa ayaa.” O’ow dash ikido: “Nimbi-izhinizha’ogoo ni-niigi’igoog,” ikido. “Mii dash gaa-pi-izhi-maajinizha’od, ‘awi-dibaajimon,’ nindig. Ni-zhaagwenim. ‘Daa-bi-izhaawag nindaangwayag.’(1)” Mii dash e-kidod aw mindimooye(2): “Aaniin dash i’iw andawaabamaasiweg,(1)” odinaa’ i’iw odaanisa’. Mii dash geget ba-izhi-nandawaabamaawaad igiw ikwewag, mii sa gaa-giiwewiijiiwaawaad igiw ikwewag. (1) Mii dash gaa-izhi’onoode’ind iwidi wendabinid iniw niniwan. (3) Mii sa zhigwa gii-onaabemid. (1) (4) Zhigwa owiishaamaa’ odaangweya’ ji-manisewaad(5). Aaniish ajina go gii-mamadwe’igewan, aazha niibiwa misan. “Awenen dash aw memindage ge-zhi-nshawisid?” odinaawaan, owiindamawaawaan ogiwaan. “Geget sa gii-zhi-nshawisii a’aw nindaangwewaan.” (6) Aaniish geget sa minwendam a’aw mindimooye, gaye a’aw akiwenzii gii-zhinshawisinid ona’aanganikwemiwaan.(7) Mii dash gaa-izhi-ganoonaad waabizheshiwan: “Ambe sa noo wiidookawishin o’ow ezhichigeyaan,” ogii-inaan. Mii dash iniw gaa-oniijaanisid; o’ow idash ogii-inaan: “Ambe sa noo, moozhag mawin,” ogii-inaan. Mii dash geget gaa-izhichigenid, dakobinaad ezhichiged mii eta i’imaa shkiinzhigoning zagapinaad; dakobinaad bimoomaawizod. Mii sa go pane mawinid. “Wo’ow idash ikidon,” ogii-inaan. “ ‘Dagwaagishoob niwii-amwaa,’ ikidon i’iw ji-mamawiyan,” ogii-inaan. Mii dash geget enwed a’aw abinoojii. “Dagwaagishoob niwii-amwaa!” inwed. Zhayiigwa nisidotawaa. Aaniish zhigwa zaagidoowan ozhinisan, aaniish ogimaawiwan; booch gii-zhichigenid i’iw anishinaabe ge-ikidod a’aw akiwenzii. “Aaniish, anishinaabedog, e-kidod wa’aw noozhishenh, ‘dagwaagishoob niwii-amwaa,’” ikido. Mii dash geget ge-bi-izhi-miinind Nenaboozhoo dagwaagishoobiin. Bizaan apii gaa-onizhishininig maajid. Mii dash waawiidigemaad iniw ininiwan, zhigwa ogikenimaan bigishkananinid iniw obiinisagosiin. Mii dash gigizheb aazha namadabiwan ozhinisan gaye ozigosisan mii sa zhigwa gikenimaad bigishkanijijaakaamaad. “Bisoo,” ikidowan ozhinisan. “Wegonenda gaa-izhimaagwag?” ikidowan ozhinisan. Geget mamiidaawendam; e-zhi-bazigwiid, aano-anishigaskabenid. Ezhi-bangishimaad ozhinisan e-naasamabinid, ezhi-maajiibatood. “Gegeti go ikwe inendamoog!” ikidowan Nenaboozhoowan. |
And then away he started upon his journey, travelling afoot.
And so he came within the sound of some women who were gathering fire-wood; now he secretly overheard them saying: “(I) wonder how we can bring it to pass so that we can marry that man!” they said. “Now, a trick I am going to play on them, whoever they are,” thought Nanabushu. He knew that the mother (of the man) would cry. And so he got into gay attire after he had taken on the form of a woman. There was a caribou spleen which he turned into a woman’s thing. After he had taken on the form (of a woman), (and) after he had gone over to where the women were, this he then said to them when he came upon them: “Where is the man who is said to be a hater of women?” Whereupon he was told: “Here in the centre of the town he is,” he was told. “He is hopelessly impossible, it is uncertain what his feeling would be (concerning you).” “Then pray, do you go and give him a message,” he said to them; “I have been sent hither by my parents,” he said to the women. And so truly, when back one (of them) went, then was the old woman who was mother (to the man) given the message. Then said the woman who had conveyed the message: “A stranger is here.” And this she said: “I have been sent hither by my parents,” she said. “And so when I was set upon my way hitherward, ‘Go give the news,’ I was told. I was loath (to go). ‘Let my friends come hither.’ (said the woman(1)).” Thereupon said the old woman(2): “Why do you not go look for her(1)?” she said to her daughters. And so truly came the women seeking for her, whereupon back home the women went, taking her(1) with them. And then a place was made for her there where the man(3) was seated. Therefore she(1) now had a husband(4). By and by she wished her sisters-in-law to go with her to gather firewood(5). So in a little while after the sound of her chopping was heard, already (was there) much firewood. “Who is she that is such a remarkable worker?” they said to their mother, they said to her, telling her about it. “Truly a good worker is our sister in law.” (6) Now, thoroughly pleased was the old woman, as was also the old man, that such a good worker was their daughter-in-law.(7) And then she (Nanabushu) addressed the Marten, saying: “I wish you would help me in this that I am undertaking,” she said to it. And so that was the creature she had for child; and this she said to it: “Come, now, all the while do you cry,” she said to it. And that truly was what (the Marten) did. When she had it strapped to the cradle-board, her arrangement was such that she has it bound up as far as over the eyes; with it bound to the cradle-board, she played the nurse carrying it about on her back. And so all the while did (the Marten) weep. “Now, this do you say,” she said to it. “Some tenderloin do I wish to eat,’ do you say, so that you may cry,” she said to it. And that truly was what the infant cried. “Some tenderloin do I want to eat!” it cried. Presently they understood what it wanted. Now then out went her father-in-law to cry aloud, for he was chief; for of necessity were the people bound to do whatever the old man should say. “Now, O ye people! Thus says my grandchild, ‘Some tenderloin do I want to eat,’” he said. And so truly was Nanabushu given some tenderloin. It hushed while it was given something good to eat. And so while she (Nanabushu) continues living (as a wife) with the man, she then became aware that the spleen was decaying. And so one morning, while her father-in-law and mother-in-law were seated, she then began to realize that she was becoming rotten between the loins. “Phew!” said her father-in-law. “What is that which smells so?” said her father-in-law. Truly was she worried about it; when she rose to her feet, in vain she tried to keep it from falling. When she dropped it in front of where her father-in-law was seated, then away she started running. “Truly a real woman they thought!” said Nanabushu. |