The Origin of Likeness of Nenabosho
Mii dash imaa gchi-gbeyiing gii-yaad wa Nenabosho.
And so there for a long while continued Nanabushu.
Ngoding dash gii-aanjiiwag Nenaboozhoo wiidgemaagnan, gookmisan dash ogii-wiijii’aagoowaan.
Now, once on a time to another place moved Nanabushu and his wife and by his grandmother were they accompanied.
Pane gii-ndawenjige.
Ever was Nanabushu in quest of game,
Nenaboozhoo, amikwan gaye gii-nooj’aan; naab’gan gii-zhitoon Nenaboozhoo mii wi gaa-aabajtood mikwan gii-bjibwaad; michigiw(1) zhinkaade wi okan gaa-zhitood.
For beavers too he hunted; a harpoon Nanabushu made, and that was what he used when he speared the beaver; spine-of-a-pickerel-fin is the name of the bone (point) which he made.
Ngoding dash gii-mkawaan gchi-amikwan daanid mii owe gchi-gaming, aapji maangmingizwag.
Now, once he found a place over here in the sea where the giant beavers dwelt, they were very huge.
Mii dash e-naad wiidgenmaagnan: “Nga-nooj’aag giwi amikwag.”
Thereupon he said to his wife: “I am going after these beavers.”
Niizhinoon niwi amikwag endaawaad, mii iwe bezhig Minong(2) miinwaa dash Mishibiigwadoo-mnising.(3)
Two were the places where those beavers dwelt, one was over here at Isle Royal, the other was at Michipicoten Island.
Mii iwe gaye amikwag gaa-daawagbanen.
Now, those were the places where the beavers dwelt.
Ogii-biig’aanan niwi amik-gamgoon.
He destroyed the beaver dwellings.
Mii dash gii-bbaamaazhgaamed owe gchi-gami; aanind gii-nsaan amikoonsan bezhig gaye gchi-amikwan; bezhig dash gchi-amikwan gaawiin mkawaasiin.
Thereupon he wandered away, following the shore of this sea; some of the small beavers he killed, one large beaver too; but one other large beaver he did not find.
Gegpii dash gii-nendam: “Indawaa nga-biig’aan wi gbaakwignan,(4) maanoo dash da-skate maanda gchi-gami, mii wi ji-mkawag wa amik.”
So at last he thought: “Therefore I will destroy the (beaver) dam, no matter if this sea should go dry, for then I shall find the beaver.”
Mii dash gaa-zhi-wiijiiwaad gookmisan widi gbaakwigning.
Thereupon he had his grandmother go with him to yonder (beaver) dam.
Pii dash gaa-biig’ang gbaakwigan, “Mii maa yaan, ga-kwaabmaa wa amik jibwaa-bmaaboozod wa amik,” dinaan.
And when he demolished the dam, “In this place do you remain, do you watch that the beaver does not float by with the current,” he said to her.
Aa! Mii dash gii-zaagjiwang wi nbi.
Ah! And then out the water flowed.
Miinwaa dash Nenaboozhoo gii-maajiiyaazhgaame naagdood maanda gchi-gami.
So once more Nanabushu set out, following the shore of this sea.
Mii dash maa Mishibigwadoo-mnising gaa-aazhigwaashkonid; megwaa dash imaa naaniibwid waabmaan ngigwan eni-skatenig.
And then across to Michipicoten Island he leaped; and while he was standing over there, he saw an otter where the water was running low.
Mii dash gaa-ni-bskaabigwaashkonid, mii dash imaa gii-zhaazh’shing zhashkiikaang, gii-zhaashkjiishkweshing.
Accordingly back across he leaped, whereat he slipped and fell in the mud.
Mii dash gaa-bzigwiid, gii-baaptoon imaa gaa-mzinaakdiyeshing; myaa go e-zhinaagzid zhinaagwadni.
And so, when he rose to his feet, he laughed at the spot where he had left an imprint of his bottom; precisely like the form on him was the way it looked.
“Maanoo, noozhshenyag(5) bjiinag ge-ni-bmaadziwaad oga-baaptoonaawaa.”
“No matter, let my grandchildren that shall live hereafter have it to laugh at.”
Mii dash gaa-zhi-noopnanaad niwi ngigwan gii-bjibwaan wi mchigiwanit.
And when he pursued the otter, he pierced it with the fin spine of his harpoon.
Wii-wiisni giiwenh.
He was eager to eat, they say.
“Indawaa kawe nga-mwaa wa ngig(6),” gii-nendam.
“Accordingly before (proceeding further) I will eat the otter.” He thought.
Mii dash gaa-zhi-bkonaad, gii-boodwe; mii dash ezhi-bwed.
And so, when he had flayed it, he built a fire; thereupon he roasted it on the spit.
Pii dash gaa-giizhizwaad, gii-bdakinaan.
And when he had finished cooking it, he stuck (the spit into the ground) with (the otter still) on it.
Mii wi ezhi-wawenabid.
Then he sat down.
Zhigwa dash gaa-giizhkizhang bezhig wi ngig-otawag,(7) mii wi noondwaad gookmisan mdwe-gwiishk’zhinid widi Baawting.
And when with a knife he sliced off one of the otter’s ears, he then heard the sound of his grandmother whistling off yonder at the Sault.
Mii dash gaa-zhi-bzingonjised, gii-maajiibtood.Mii dash gaa-zhi-bzingonjised, gii-maajiibtood.Thereupon leaping to his feet, he started off a-running.
Pii dash begmabtood widi Baawting, “Aaniin?” dinaan gookmisan.
And when he came running up to yonder Sault, “What (is it)?” he said to his grandmother.
Mii dash ekidod wa magkii-mdimooye;(8) “Zhaazhi go gii-bmaaboozo wa amik.”
Thereupon said the old Frog-Woman: “It is gone, floating with the current went the beaver.”
Epiichi-nshkaadzid dash wa Nenaboozhoo mii wi gaa-zhi-naaniimadwaad niwi gookmisan.
And so angry was Nanabushu, that he then smote his grandmother (till she was dead).
Mziwe dash gii-mskwiiwaabkaa wi wajiw.
And everywhere was the mountain reddened with blood.
“Magkiiwaabkong da-zhinkaade,” gii-kido Nenaboozhoo.
“Frog Mountain shall it be called,” said Nanabushu.
Mii dash widi aano-gii-bbaa-ndawaabmaad niwi amikwan, gaawiin dash ogii-mkawaasiin.
Thereupon off yonder he wandered, looking in vain for the beaver, but he did not find it.
Miinwaa dash gii-bi-giiwe, geyaabi gii-bbaa-ndawaabanjiged geyaabi ji-yaanid amikwan; gaawiin dash wiya gii-mkawaasiin.
So again he turned his way homeward, still yet was he roaming from place to place to find if yet there were any beavers; but he found none.
Mziwe aano-gii-bbaa-zhaa; imaa amik-gamgoon gaa-nji-biig’ang, mii eta mtigoon gaa-biingdamwaad amikwag gaa-waabandangin.
Everywhere he went wandering, but without success; there where he had broken up the beaver dwellings, all that he saw were the logs which the beavers had gnawed to pieces.
Miinwaa dash gii-ni-giiwe’aazhgaame.
So again he turned back home, going by way of the shore.
Pane dash go enso-waamdang eni-piiskaad oodi gaa-nji-mzinaakdiyeshing, gchi-baaptoon.
As often as he beheld the places on the way where he had slipped and fell, heartily he laughed at them.
Mii dash imaa Mishibiigwadoo-wiikwedong mii maa gaa-zhi-wenabid.
And so yonder at Michipicoten Bay was where he sat down.
“Giishpin anishnaabeg ge-bmi-waabmiwaad giishpin bangii semaan miizhwaad nendawendmowaad ji-naam’amwaad, mii wi negaaj ji-boodaajgeyaan.”
“If people behold me when passing by, if they should give me a little tobacco in their wish for a fair wind, then gently would I blow (with my breath).”
Mii dash go imaa pane nmadbid, anishnaabe gii-nmadbid, mii wi ezhinaagwag wi asin(9).
And so there he still sits, like a person sitting is the way the rock looks.
Mii dash go geget e-zhwebag; giishpin wiya bngii bgidnaad semaan, “Nenaboozhoo! G-biindaakoonin ga-bgosenmin ji-mnowaanmak,” mii go geget ezhi-mnowaanmak.
And that, sure enough, is what happens; if any one offers a little tobacco (with) “O Nanabushu! I come with an offering to you, we wish for a fair wind,” verily there comes up a fair wind.
Mii sa ekoozid, binewidis gii-agoode.
That is as far as the story goes, the gizzard of the ruffed grouse now hangs aloft.
And so there for a long while continued Nanabushu.
Ngoding dash gii-aanjiiwag Nenaboozhoo wiidgemaagnan, gookmisan dash ogii-wiijii’aagoowaan.
Now, once on a time to another place moved Nanabushu and his wife and by his grandmother were they accompanied.
Pane gii-ndawenjige.
Ever was Nanabushu in quest of game,
Nenaboozhoo, amikwan gaye gii-nooj’aan; naab’gan gii-zhitoon Nenaboozhoo mii wi gaa-aabajtood mikwan gii-bjibwaad; michigiw(1) zhinkaade wi okan gaa-zhitood.
For beavers too he hunted; a harpoon Nanabushu made, and that was what he used when he speared the beaver; spine-of-a-pickerel-fin is the name of the bone (point) which he made.
Ngoding dash gii-mkawaan gchi-amikwan daanid mii owe gchi-gaming, aapji maangmingizwag.
Now, once he found a place over here in the sea where the giant beavers dwelt, they were very huge.
Mii dash e-naad wiidgenmaagnan: “Nga-nooj’aag giwi amikwag.”
Thereupon he said to his wife: “I am going after these beavers.”
Niizhinoon niwi amikwag endaawaad, mii iwe bezhig Minong(2) miinwaa dash Mishibiigwadoo-mnising.(3)
Two were the places where those beavers dwelt, one was over here at Isle Royal, the other was at Michipicoten Island.
Mii iwe gaye amikwag gaa-daawagbanen.
Now, those were the places where the beavers dwelt.
Ogii-biig’aanan niwi amik-gamgoon.
He destroyed the beaver dwellings.
Mii dash gii-bbaamaazhgaamed owe gchi-gami; aanind gii-nsaan amikoonsan bezhig gaye gchi-amikwan; bezhig dash gchi-amikwan gaawiin mkawaasiin.
Thereupon he wandered away, following the shore of this sea; some of the small beavers he killed, one large beaver too; but one other large beaver he did not find.
Gegpii dash gii-nendam: “Indawaa nga-biig’aan wi gbaakwignan,(4) maanoo dash da-skate maanda gchi-gami, mii wi ji-mkawag wa amik.”
So at last he thought: “Therefore I will destroy the (beaver) dam, no matter if this sea should go dry, for then I shall find the beaver.”
Mii dash gaa-zhi-wiijiiwaad gookmisan widi gbaakwigning.
Thereupon he had his grandmother go with him to yonder (beaver) dam.
Pii dash gaa-biig’ang gbaakwigan, “Mii maa yaan, ga-kwaabmaa wa amik jibwaa-bmaaboozod wa amik,” dinaan.
And when he demolished the dam, “In this place do you remain, do you watch that the beaver does not float by with the current,” he said to her.
Aa! Mii dash gii-zaagjiwang wi nbi.
Ah! And then out the water flowed.
Miinwaa dash Nenaboozhoo gii-maajiiyaazhgaame naagdood maanda gchi-gami.
So once more Nanabushu set out, following the shore of this sea.
Mii dash maa Mishibigwadoo-mnising gaa-aazhigwaashkonid; megwaa dash imaa naaniibwid waabmaan ngigwan eni-skatenig.
And then across to Michipicoten Island he leaped; and while he was standing over there, he saw an otter where the water was running low.
Mii dash gaa-ni-bskaabigwaashkonid, mii dash imaa gii-zhaazh’shing zhashkiikaang, gii-zhaashkjiishkweshing.
Accordingly back across he leaped, whereat he slipped and fell in the mud.
Mii dash gaa-bzigwiid, gii-baaptoon imaa gaa-mzinaakdiyeshing; myaa go e-zhinaagzid zhinaagwadni.
And so, when he rose to his feet, he laughed at the spot where he had left an imprint of his bottom; precisely like the form on him was the way it looked.
“Maanoo, noozhshenyag(5) bjiinag ge-ni-bmaadziwaad oga-baaptoonaawaa.”
“No matter, let my grandchildren that shall live hereafter have it to laugh at.”
Mii dash gaa-zhi-noopnanaad niwi ngigwan gii-bjibwaan wi mchigiwanit.
And when he pursued the otter, he pierced it with the fin spine of his harpoon.
Wii-wiisni giiwenh.
He was eager to eat, they say.
“Indawaa kawe nga-mwaa wa ngig(6),” gii-nendam.
“Accordingly before (proceeding further) I will eat the otter.” He thought.
Mii dash gaa-zhi-bkonaad, gii-boodwe; mii dash ezhi-bwed.
And so, when he had flayed it, he built a fire; thereupon he roasted it on the spit.
Pii dash gaa-giizhizwaad, gii-bdakinaan.
And when he had finished cooking it, he stuck (the spit into the ground) with (the otter still) on it.
Mii wi ezhi-wawenabid.
Then he sat down.
Zhigwa dash gaa-giizhkizhang bezhig wi ngig-otawag,(7) mii wi noondwaad gookmisan mdwe-gwiishk’zhinid widi Baawting.
And when with a knife he sliced off one of the otter’s ears, he then heard the sound of his grandmother whistling off yonder at the Sault.
Mii dash gaa-zhi-bzingonjised, gii-maajiibtood.Mii dash gaa-zhi-bzingonjised, gii-maajiibtood.Thereupon leaping to his feet, he started off a-running.
Pii dash begmabtood widi Baawting, “Aaniin?” dinaan gookmisan.
And when he came running up to yonder Sault, “What (is it)?” he said to his grandmother.
Mii dash ekidod wa magkii-mdimooye;(8) “Zhaazhi go gii-bmaaboozo wa amik.”
Thereupon said the old Frog-Woman: “It is gone, floating with the current went the beaver.”
Epiichi-nshkaadzid dash wa Nenaboozhoo mii wi gaa-zhi-naaniimadwaad niwi gookmisan.
And so angry was Nanabushu, that he then smote his grandmother (till she was dead).
Mziwe dash gii-mskwiiwaabkaa wi wajiw.
And everywhere was the mountain reddened with blood.
“Magkiiwaabkong da-zhinkaade,” gii-kido Nenaboozhoo.
“Frog Mountain shall it be called,” said Nanabushu.
Mii dash widi aano-gii-bbaa-ndawaabmaad niwi amikwan, gaawiin dash ogii-mkawaasiin.
Thereupon off yonder he wandered, looking in vain for the beaver, but he did not find it.
Miinwaa dash gii-bi-giiwe, geyaabi gii-bbaa-ndawaabanjiged geyaabi ji-yaanid amikwan; gaawiin dash wiya gii-mkawaasiin.
So again he turned his way homeward, still yet was he roaming from place to place to find if yet there were any beavers; but he found none.
Mziwe aano-gii-bbaa-zhaa; imaa amik-gamgoon gaa-nji-biig’ang, mii eta mtigoon gaa-biingdamwaad amikwag gaa-waabandangin.
Everywhere he went wandering, but without success; there where he had broken up the beaver dwellings, all that he saw were the logs which the beavers had gnawed to pieces.
Miinwaa dash gii-ni-giiwe’aazhgaame.
So again he turned back home, going by way of the shore.
Pane dash go enso-waamdang eni-piiskaad oodi gaa-nji-mzinaakdiyeshing, gchi-baaptoon.
As often as he beheld the places on the way where he had slipped and fell, heartily he laughed at them.
Mii dash imaa Mishibiigwadoo-wiikwedong mii maa gaa-zhi-wenabid.
And so yonder at Michipicoten Bay was where he sat down.
“Giishpin anishnaabeg ge-bmi-waabmiwaad giishpin bangii semaan miizhwaad nendawendmowaad ji-naam’amwaad, mii wi negaaj ji-boodaajgeyaan.”
“If people behold me when passing by, if they should give me a little tobacco in their wish for a fair wind, then gently would I blow (with my breath).”
Mii dash go imaa pane nmadbid, anishnaabe gii-nmadbid, mii wi ezhinaagwag wi asin(9).
And so there he still sits, like a person sitting is the way the rock looks.
Mii dash go geget e-zhwebag; giishpin wiya bngii bgidnaad semaan, “Nenaboozhoo! G-biindaakoonin ga-bgosenmin ji-mnowaanmak,” mii go geget ezhi-mnowaanmak.
And that, sure enough, is what happens; if any one offers a little tobacco (with) “O Nanabushu! I come with an offering to you, we wish for a fair wind,” verily there comes up a fair wind.
Mii sa ekoozid, binewidis gii-agoode.
That is as far as the story goes, the gizzard of the ruffed grouse now hangs aloft.
