Nänabushu and the Winged Startlers (1)
Mii sa iw ezhi-maajaad Nenaboozhoo babimosed;
gomaago apii degoshing owaabamaa’ binensa’ wadiswaning, aapiji go mooshkinewa’ i’imaa wadiswaning. Nenaboozhoo odonabiitawaa, aapiji ozhawenimaa’. Odagimaa endashinind; midaaswi-ashi-niizh dashiwa’. Zhigwa dash oganoonaa’: “Aaniin ezhinikaazoyeg?” Aaniish zegiziwag igiw binensag. Gaawiin ogashkitoosiinaawaa’ ji-giigidowaad. Bezhig giigido: “Gaawin ni-wiinzosiimin.” Nenaboozhoo niskaaji-giigidoo: “Aaniin gegii zhinaagwag ge-wiinzosiweg? Giishpin dibaajimosiweg e-zhinikaazoyeg, ganaaniiwano’inim.” Aaniish aapiji ozegimaa’; wiikaa giigidowa’: “Aaniish, goshkongeshiins mii i’iw e-zhinikaazoyaang.” “Oonh,” Nenaboozhoo ikido; “mii nangwana iw!” ezhi-pazigwiid Nenaboozhoo; Ezhi-nisawawaad ezhi-miijinaad. Bane go gaawasibitoonid, Nenaboozhoo oganoonaa’: “Naapisawogo goshkongeshiins!(2) Mwn!” inwe Nenaboozhoo ezhi-gichi-baapi’aad. “Weweni wiindamawik gi-maamaa’iwaa dagwishing.” Mii sa go iw e-ni-izhi-maajaad Nenaboozhoo; Besho go eni-dagwishing, bane go mishawaabaminaagwadini e-izhaad. “Onjida maawiin zaaga’igan medaabiiyaan,” inendam. Geget zaaga’igan omadaabiin, aapiji sa giishkaabikaani. Geget naawinaagwadini i’iw nibi. Geget sa onizhishinini mii i’imaa ogidaabik. Aapiji i’imaa egookiishkaabikaanig gaa-izhaad, ezhi-waaniinigaadenid Nenaboozhoo ezhi-giigidod: “Etiwe, ambegish sa ataading, maamwechi go weshkiniigid ikwe ataading, gaye go dataakojiingwaned, aapiji go gaye minogid; onjida maawiin nindaa-izhigwaashgon, awegwen ge-izhigwaashgonigwen mii a’aw ge-wiidigemaad ikidong ikwe. Gwayak igo nindaa-izhigwaashgon.” Mii go miinawaa ezhi-waaniinigaadenid. “Onjida nindaa-izhigwaashgon.” Zhigwa dash iwidi bine obiidawaa’ ge-miijinid oniijaanisa’, aaniin ge-izhinawaad oniijaanisa’! Etawaa, wendago gaawosibitoonid. “Awenesh gaa-inigaa’ineg.” “Nenaboozhoo.” “Gegoo na gidigoowaaban?” “Aaniin e-zhinikaazoyeg? ikido. ‘Goshkongeshiins,’ nindinaanaaban, mii dash i’iw gaa-izhi-miijishiiyangid. Apii dash eni-maajaad gichi-baapi’igonaan. Ningii-kanoonigonaan dash: ‘Weweni wiindamawik gi-maama’iwaa dagwishin.’ Mii dash i’iw gaa-ani-zhi-maajaad ezhi-giigidod. ‘Nepisane goshkongeshiins!’ nindigonaan.” Ataaya, bine onawadamaan bezhig gaye odoodebinaan bezhig; Ezhi-bazigo’od, zaaga’iganing odizhiwinaan giziibiiginaad. Mii sa iw gaa-izhi-biini’aad, mii sa gwa pane gaa-toodawaad biinish ashi-niizh dashinid. Oniijanisa’ gakina gaa-izhi-gisiibiiginaad, abaapish gaa-kiizhiitaad, ezhi-giigidod: “Ambe sa, ninga-noosone’waa a’aw Nenaboozhoo, gaye wiin wawiyazh niwii-doodawaa.” Ezhi-maajaad omaada’anaan. Ningoding igo mii i’imaa dayoozh odebitawaan medwe-gaagiigidoonid iniw Nenaboozhoowan. Diwe, onjida gosha inaabid na’idaa bimiwaaniinigaadenowan. Bine inendam: “Wiikaa ge miinawaa da-doodam.” Nawaj besho ani-izhaa. Zhigwa miinawaa oniinigeniwan wegoneniiwinen ezhi-bazigo’od; aapiji i’imaa jiigidawag ani-izhisewan, baamaa go Nenaboozhoo gaa-initang: “D!”(3) Aataa, Nenaboozhoo dabazi, etawaa ezhi-kakaabikised, anishaa go gaa-shookaanig iniw otawagan. Aataa, ezhi-pangishing nibiikaang, “Dshamw,” inwewegamishin. Aataa, gichi-wiikaa bapimagoojing mizhakiised. Mii dash iw gaa-mizhakiised, gichi-enigok gii-ziinjigamii; Agaawaa mooshkamo, aapiji gegaa wayekwaanaamo. Aaniish mii i’iw bine namadabid ganawaabamaad Nenaboozhoowan. Zhigwa mooshkamowan, deye, mii go iwidi gaa-pi-inaabinid giigidowan: “Iii, geget sa goshkongeshi.” Aataa, Nenaboozhoowan madwe-baapiwan. “Bine, mii gwayak doodawiyan gii-miijinagwaa igiw gi-niijaanisag. Gaawiin wiikaa miinawaa ninga-izhichigesii.” Mii sa ezhi-agwaataad Nenaboozho, ezhi-maajaad babimosed. |
Thereupon departed Nänabushu, travelling about;
when he was come a certain distance, he saw some young ruffed rouse in a nest, and very full they filled the place in the nest. Nänabushu sat down beside them, very tender was his feeling for them. He counted how many they were ; twelve was their number. And then he spoke to them, asking: "By what name are you called?" Naturally afraid were the little ruffed grouse. Not were they able to speak. One spoke up: "We have no name." Nänabushu spoke in an angry way: " How is it possible for you not to have a name? If you do not tell me what you are called, I will club you to death." Naturally much did he alarm them ; after a long while they said: "Why, Little Frightener is the name we are called." "Oh," Nänabushu said; "that is it!" Then up to his feet rose Nänabushu ; standing over them with legs spread apart, he eased himself upon them. (Observing) them suddenly groping about in the slush, Nänabushu addressed them, saying: "Yes, you are a little frightener!(2) Phew!" exclaimed Nänabushu, laughing heartily at them. "Correctly inform your mother when she arrives." And so upon his way went Nänabushu; when a little way on his journey he was come, immediately a wide view opened out, whither he was bound. "It seems as if out upon a lake I am coming," he thought. In truth, out upon a lake he came, and there was a very steep precipice. Truly distant was the sight of the water. Really beautiful was it there on the summit. When he had gone over to the very edge of the cliff, then about over the verge Nänabushu swung his leg, saying : " Ah, would that there were a wager, and that a particularly youthful woman were up as the prize, and that she were short from the knee to the groin, and that she were of a very handsome figure ! if such could be, I would jump off, if it were said of the woman that whosoever would leap off would be the one to have her for a wife. Actually would I jump off." And so again he swung his leg out over the cliff. "For a purpose would I leap off." And when at yonder place the Ruffed Grouse was come, fetching home to her children some food for them to eat, how was she to find her children ! Oh, they were completely submerged in it. "Who has done you the injury?" "Nänabushu." "Were you told something?" “By what are you called?’ he asked. ‘Little Frightener,’ we said to him, and thereupon was when we were eased upon. And when he started away, we were very much laughed at. And we were told : Correctly inform your mother when she arrives. And so when he was setting out, he then said: Yes, you are a little frightener! we were told." Well, the Ruffed Grouse took up one with her mouth and another with her claws , then, flying up, to a lake she carried them to wash them. And when she had made them clean, then the same thing she did to the rest until (she had finished with) the twelve. When she had made all her children clean, and by the time she was done with her work, then she said: "Now, then, I am going to follow up Nänabushu, and I intend doing him a trick too." When she started, she followed his trail. So by and by she came within hearing distance of Nänabushu, who still could be heard talking. Ah, it was precisely at the moment she looked when he was swinging his leg out over (the precipice). The Ruffed Grouse thought: "Would that he might do it again !" Nearer to the place she went. When again he was making ready (to swing his leg), she happened then to fly up ; ever so near past his ear she flew, and suddenly Nänabushu heard the sound of “T!"(3) Well, Nänabushu dodged, but unfortunately over the precipice he fell, going so fast that the wind went whistling past his ears. Ah, when he fell into the water, "Tcam" was the sound of his fall there. Oh, for a great while was he falling through the water. And so when he got up to the surface ; barely was he able to reach the surface, to the bottom, all his strength he used in pushing back almost was he on the very point of losing his breath. Naturally there was the Ruffed Grouse seated watching Nänabushu. When he came to the surface, ah, then up from where he fell he looked, saying: "Well, (that) really is a little frightener." Oh, how Nänabushu could be heard laughing! "Ruffed Grouse, it was right what you did to me for easing upon your children. Never again will I do so." And so when out of the water came Nänabushu, then off he started walking about. |