Wzôkhilain (1830)

This selection is an extract from Peter Paul Wzôkhilain (1830), Wobanaki kimzowi awighigan [Abenaki study book], pp. 68–69. Boston: Crocker and Brewster.

Note: Wzôkhilain’s published text is given in each numbered section in (a); (b) is my retranscription followed by a proposed translation. Slashes indicate line breaks in the original text. The parts labeled here as A and B are given as separate paragraphs in the published text.

A.

1.   a.   ˂Wakasigadenki wjitôguat almakiwik, Kolôbia / aliwitôzik, tôni adoji ngemôwzimŭk ta tôni adoji / nabi kizi mamhlawi pguatôzik môni.˃

      b.   Wahkahsikatən=ki wəcihtąk^wat aləmahkiwik, Koląpia aliwihtąsik, tąni atoci-nəkəmąwəsimək tta tąni atoci- napi -kisi-mamhlawi-pək^wahtąsik mąni.

            ‘A few years ago, news came from off in a land called Columbia about how one could have an easy life and how a lot of money could soon be earned.’

2.   a.   ˂Ta kahala / chowiba alwa awani nabi kizi mamhlawi pguato / agmatta kizi nihlôji sôgnawi nadialwawzida; wa / kanwa tônwa ôgazawit ala niadialwawwat chowi / tôni alakwamhômŭk waji ôda nôdami kizi mam- / hlawaguahalowakw.˃

      b.   Tta kahala ccowi-=pa aləwa awani napi -kisi-mamhlawi-pək^wahto akəma=tta kisi- nihląci -sąkənawi-natialəwawəsita, wa=kanəwa tąnəwa ąkasawit ala niatialəwawat ccowi- tąni -alahk^wamhąmək.

            ‘And truly almost anyone should be able earn a lot soon if he could just hunt by himself quietly, but he who worked for hire or who hunted for someone else would be cheated in some way so that he could not get a great deal.’

3.   a.   ˂Unawa ôjmowôgan pattô- / kwkwŭp pita wskinnosak owigsedamennôp,˃

      b.   Yo=nawa ącəmowąkan pattąk^wk^wəp, pihta wskinnohsak owiksətamənąp.

            ‘So when this account came along, the young men were very glad to hear it.’

4.   a.   ˂agua- / chi alwa manniwi mziwi kizôjobanik waji losaha- / dit;˃

      b.   Ak^wahci aləwa manniwi məsiwi kisącopanik waci-lohsahətit.

            ‘They were actually ready almost immediately to go there.’

5.   a.   ˂pita owigtôgwzowôdamennôp, ta maasa ki- / zôdokazobanik tôni kadawi adoji wilawigihdit pa- / iôhdida tahaji adoji wiginôgohdit kdagihi wskin- / nosa odanak ôttali kissasiliji.˃

      b.   Pihta owiktąk^wəsowątamənąp, tta maahsa kisątohkasopanik tąni katawi atoci-wilawikihətit payąhətita ttah=əci atoci-wiginąkohətit kətakihi wskinohsa otanak ąttali-kissahsilici.

            ‘They very much liked the way it sounded, and they talked amongst themselves beforehand about how rich they would be when they arrived and how much the other young men at Odanak would envy the ones who had always declined.’

B.

6.   a.   ˂Nitta almi siguak kamôdalobanik môjitbanik, /˃

            Nit=ta aləmi-sik^wak kamątalopanik mącitəpanik,

            ‘Then when spring came they were late in leaving.’

7.   a.   ˂nemô paiôhdit ôda ngemi nôdami wlôwziwiak nô-/ ngueji agua aguachi wibiwi asesiia ala almossiia / lipoak.˃

      b.   Nəmą payąhətit ąta nəkəmi-nątami-wəląwəsiwiak. Nąnək^wəci=ak^wa ak^waci wipiwi ahsəssiya ala aləmossiya lihpoak.

            ‘When they got there, they did not find it particularly easy to live. Sometimes, they say, they actually had only horse meat or dog meat to eat.’

8.   a.   ˂Nasigadek ni wbaiônô ngemi ôda nô-/ damilawigiwiak, ôdatômô mskawiktigan waji pô-/ lalzimŭk, aguachi agua nahwji kôthlezozhanik / wzômi awakôji awani wbaji ôzwitakawô owôhô-/ baksemma.˃

     b.   Nahsikadək ni wəpayąną nəkəmi ąta nądamilawikiwiak, ądatąmą mskawiktikan waci-pąlaləsimək. Ak^waci=ak^wa nahwəci kąthləsoshanik wəsąmi awahkąci awani wəpaci-ąsəwihtahkawą owąhąpaksəma.

            ‘When it had been four years since they arrived there, they were certainly not particularly rich, and there was no discovery anywhere to be proud of. Some even hid themselves, it seems, because they arrived with their shirts on a little crooked.’

9.   a.   ˂Pidigamga agua tôni kiodawinno / adali paiôt, ôda aguachi kizi namihôwi, ôlawi-/gaki agua awani li namihôn abonek, ôda ôzoka / laldôziwi enna ato, / laldam awani nagaki chamo-/cha pamakwessik.˃

      b.   Pitikaməka=ak^wa tąni kiotawinno atali-payąt, ąta ak^waci kisi-namihąwi. Ąlawi=ka=hki=ak^wa awani li-namihąn abonək. Ąta=ąsohka lalətąsiwi. Ənna=ahto lalətam awani na=ka=hki camohca pamahk^wəssik.

            ‘If someone entered, they say, where a hunter had come in, he couldn’t even see him. Never, they say, did someone spot him in bed. One would not think about it, however. One would very likely think instead that it was a masked man stretched out there.’