François Neptune
Wôlinak, PQ
1914
Source: Speck, Frank G. 1928. Wawenock myth texts from Maine. Forth-Third Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1925–1926, 165–197. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Note: Speck’s transcription and his free translation are given in (a). A tentative retranscription and retranslation by Philip LeSourd are given in (b).
1. a. ˂Negawa´ida pemi·zo·bek‘wke´t Gluskα̨be´ ni·uni·´łαn podeba´l‘ ni·ugizi·nłα´n podeba´l‘ ni·unα̨dji·´ wa´wαndokewα`n wusa´si·za`l‘ Toləba´˃
“Well, then, as he wandered along the shore of the ocean, Gluskabe killed a whale and when he had killed the whale he went to inform his uncle, the Turtle.”
b. Ni=ka=wa aita pemi-supekwket Kəloskąpe, ni wənihląn potepal, ni wəkisi-nhląn podepal, ni wənąči-wawątohkewąn wəsahsisal Toləpa.
‘Well, then, as Kəloskąpe was traveling along the shore of the ocean, he killed a whale, and when he had killed the whale, he went to inform his maternal uncle, Turtle.’
2. a. ˂ni·udi·´łαnα “naba´tci·eli·` podebε´”ñ
“Then he said to him, ‘Great luck! Killed a whale.’”
b. Ni wətihląn, “Nənapačili potepe.”
‘Then he told him, “I have killed a whale.’
3. a. ˂ni·wusasi·za´l‘ udi·´łəgun “negateci´ gα̨djip‘tonenα̨´ podebaiya´.”˃
“So he told his uncle, ‘And also we will go and get it, the whale meat.’”
b. Ni wəsahsisal wətihləkon, “Ni=ka=tte=ci kənąčiptonena potepaiye.”
‘Then his uncle said to him, “So we can go and get whale meat.”’
4. a. ˂negeła´ ni·unα̨dji·na´ ni·wədlosenα´ sobegu´k‘ ni·bayα̨hα̨di·´t wabodebe´ls·ik ni·wədnαmna´ kesi´tcweldamohodi·`t˃
“So accordingly they went, went to the ocean; and when they arrived there where the whale lay they took as much of it as they wanted;”
b. Ni kehla ni wənąčiną, ni wətəlohseną sopekok, ni payąhətit wa potepe elsik, ni wətənəməną kehsi-hčəwelətamohətit.
‘Then indeed they went there, they walked to the sea, and when they arrived where the whale lay, then they took as much of (the meat) as they wanted.’
5. a. ˂ni·gizi·´wikwu`nəmohodi·`t ni·bla´ pali·wi·´ obunəmona´ ni·wadoləba´edudji·´wehemα̨`t si·psa` ges·i·k·i·gi·´t msi·´wi· wski·tkami´k‘w negan·i·´ sα̨khedəwoldihi·di·´t˃
“and when they had taken it they placed it to one side for a while and that Turtle called together the birds, as many kinds as there were in all the world, and they came along flying in droves.”
b. Ni kisi-wihkwənəmohətit, ni pəla paliwi wəponəmoną, ni wa Toləpa etoči-wehemąt sipsą kehsikkikit msiwi wskitkamikw, ni=ka=ni sąkhitəwolətihətit.
‘Then when they had taken it, they first set some aside, at which point Turtle called together the birds, as many kinds as there are in the world, so that they all came flying up there.’
6. a. ˂ne´bəgwatci´ nαn·e´mkami·gi·pode·` si·bi·wi·´ wəda´s·ot·ekawα̨wα`l‘ ki·sosa´l‘˃
“On account of their number the ground fairly shook and, moreover, they fairly covered up the sun by their numbers.”
b. Ni epəkwahči nanemkamikihpote sipiwi wətahsohtehkawąwąl kisohsal.
‘And on that account the land rose up and shook and the mass of them blotted out the sun.’
7. a. ˂ni·ubedji·´dəwuldenα̨ msi·wi·´ ni·umi·tsoldi´n taneba‘ wik‘whαbαlαŋk˃
“Then they all came flying together and ate because they were invited to the feast.”
b. ni wəpečitəwələtiną msiwi ni wəmitsolətin tąni=pa wikwhəpąląk.
‘Then they all came flying to eat together because they were invited to the feast.’
8. a. ˂ni·wa´ gəl·u´ sαŋgəma´ ni·yu´ wawi·wuni·wi·´ i·yu´ ebita´ida toləbε·´˃
“Then the Eagle was the chief of the birds, and close by here where he sat was the Turtle.”
b. Ni=wa Kəlo sąkəma, ni=yo wawiwəniwi iyo epita aita Toləpa.
‘And Golden Eagle was the chief, and close by here where he was sitting was Turtle.
9. a. ˂ni·´wa toləbε·´ wikwu´nəmən unəs·ekwa´k‘w ni·wətəmi·´ktci·es·α`n kəl·uwa´l‘ yu´lil sαŋgəma´l‘.˃
“Then that Turtle took out his knife and he cut the buttocks off from the Eagle, this chief.”
b. Ni wa Toləpa [wə]wihkwənəmən wənəssekwakw, ni wətəmikəčiyesąn Kəlowal, yolil sąkəmal.
‘Then Turtle took out his knife, and he cut off the rump of Golden Eagle, the chief.’
10. a. ˂ni·wa´ sαŋgəma´ ndawawαma´ls·wi·` gizi·təmi·´kətci·azamα`k˃
“Even then the chief did not feel that his buttocks had been cut off.”
b. Ni wa sąkəma ąta wawamalsiwi kisi-təmikəciyesąmək.
‘And the chief did not feel it when rump was cut off.’
11. a. ˂ni·yuli´l et·ak·αŋgotci·´l‘ kepti´n ni·udi·łα´n sαŋgəma´l‘ “ni·aweni´ eli·hogowα´n kəmaməs·ani´ pəna´lgebəna`”˃
“Then this man, the second chief, a captain, said to his chief, ‘Who then has done such a deed to you, belittling you? We are all insulted.’”
b. Ni yolil ehtahkąkočil keptin ni wətihląn sąkəmal, “Ni aweni elihokowan? Kəmamessani-pənąləkepena.
‘And a captain next in rank behind him said to the chief at that point, “Who has done this to you? We are brought low through mockery.’
12. a. ˂ni· umoskwe´ldamənα̨` ni·ugi´zəlomana` toləba´l‘ wedjinłαhα̨di·´t˃
“Then they all became angry and they laid a plan what to do to the Turtle so as to kill him.”
b. Ni wəmoskelətaməną, ni wəkisəlomąną Toləpal weči-nhląhətit.
‘Then they grew angry, and they planned out how they would kill Turtle.’
13. a. ˂ni·gistε·´ tα̨ławe·´ unaskasi·nα̨´˃
“Thereupon, immediately they (prepared to) attack him.”
b. Ni kis=tte tąhlawei wənaskahsiną.
‘At once they began an inquiry.’
14. a. ˂negawα´ toləbε·´ ni·wikwunα´n yuhi·´ awi·p‘hona´ ni·udα̨ba´sahozi´n ebəgwa´tc i·da´k “nαləgwa´ wədα̨´bas·ehwana`l‘, nαləgwa´ wədα̨´basehwa`nal‘” ni·yu´ nαləgwa wədα̨ba´s·ehwa´nak˃
“Then the Turtle took the feathers of the bird and fanned himself, for which he said, ‘Wing is his fan, wing is his fan,’ because he was using a wing as a fan.”
b. Ni=ka=wa Toləpe ni wəwihkwənąn yohi awiphona ni wətąpahsahosin, epəkwahči itak,
“Nələkwa wətąpahsehwanal, nələkwa wətąpahsehwanal,” ni=yo nələkwa wətąpahsehwanək.
‘Then Turtle took the bird’s (tail) feathers and fanned himself, saying on this account, “A wing is his fan, a wing is his fan,” as he was fanning himself with a wing.’ [Spoken in a monotonous singsong tone.]
15. a. ˂ni·wa´ Gluskα̨bε´ udi·łα´n wuza´si·zal‘ “kəba´lalokε·` eli·tα̨ławei·´ a´ida təmi´k·ətci·as·a´t sαŋgəma´ nide´bəne` kənαskα´ŋgen·enα̨`”˃
“Then Gluskabe said to his uncle, ‘By so doing you have done wrong, indeed, cutting the buttocks of the chief. For soon they will attack us.’”
b. Ni=wa Kəloskąpe wətihląn wəsahsisal, “Kəpalalohke eli- tąhlawei aita -təmikəčiasat sąkəma. Ni tepəne kənąskąkeneną.
‘Then Kəloskąpe said to his uncle, “You have done wrong, cutting the chief’s rump this way. And soon we shall be attacked.’
16. a. ˂ni·udi·´łαn “ni·dji·na´wa dani·` kədlada´kanena`?”˃
“Then he said, “On account of it, what shall we do?”
b. Ni wətihląn, “Ni=či=nawa tąni kətəlatahkąneną?”
‘And he answered, “So then what shall we do?”’
17. a. ˂ni·udi·´łαn pla wa´ses·enolitu`n yu abaz·i´k.”
“So he said, ‘In the meanwhile I will build a nest in this tree.’”
b. Ni wətihląn, “Pəla wasəsse nolihton yo apasik.”
‘The he said, “First off, I will make a nest in this tree.”’
18. a. ˂ni·geła´ uwəli·tu´n wazəs·e´ ni·udi·łα´n yuli´l wuza´si·zal‘
“tcespi·gwᴐ̹·dawε·´”
“Then Gluskabe built a nest and he said to his uncle, ‘You shin up the tree.’”
b. Ni kehla wəwəlihton wasəsse, ni wətihląn yolil wəsahsisal, “Če spikwątawe.”
‘Then indeed (Kəloskąbe) built a nest, and then he told his uncle, “All right, climb up!”’
19. a. ˂ni·geła´ toləbε·´ ogwa´gwedji·spi·gwᴐ̹dawε·` ni·ndate´gəne` ugizi·spi·gwᴐ̹´dawα`n ni·udi·´damən “madji·łε·´ gwagwα´nhekasi·α`n´.”˃
“Then the Turtle tried to shin up, but he was not able to do it; not able to shin up; so he said, ‘Dull are my heel claws.’”
b. Ni kehla Toləbe wəkwakweči-spikwątawe, ni ąta tekəne wəkisi-spikwątawąn, ni wətitamən, “Mačihlek wakwanhəkasiąn.”
‘Then indeed Turtle tried to climb up, but be couldn’t climb up at all, and he said, “It goes badly where my heel claws are.”’
20. a. ˂ni·wa´ Gluakα̨bε´ ni·wəni·malwenα´n toləba´l‘ ni·wədebake´n wa´zəs·ə´k ˃
“Then Gluskabe took hold of him, the Turtle, and he tossed him up into the nest.”
b. Ni=wa Kəloskąpe ni wənimąləwenąn Tolebal, ni wətepahken wasəssek.
‘Then Kəloskąpe took hold of Turtle by the tail, and he tossed him into the nest.’
21. a. ˂ni·gi·zi·waz·əs·e´k ebi·hi·di´t ni·ubedji·´dα̨ławe`i· bagi·damə´n nəbi·´˃
“And when they were in the nest they sat down to pass off water.”
b. Ni kisi wasəssek epihətit, ni wəpeči- tąhlawei -pakitamən nepi.
‘Then when they were seated in the nest, he came to need to pass water.’
22. a. ˂ni·do´ləbε udi·`damən “a´ida! eli·gadawi·´bagi·da`k nəbi·´?”˃
“Then the Turtle said, ‘How am I going to urinate up here?’”
b. Ni Toləbe wətitamən, “Aita! Eli-katawi-pakitak nəpi?’
‘Then Turtle said, “Hey! How is one going to pass water?”’
23. a. ˂ni·udi·´łəgul‘ Gluskα̨ba´l‘ “pα̨´·zi·djikətci·ewi·` waz·əs·e´k.”˃
“Then Gluskabe said to him, ‘Extend your buttocks over the edge of the nest.’”
b. Ni wətihləkol Kəloskąpal, “Pąsičikəčiewi wasəssek.”’
‘Then Kəloskąpe told him, “Hold your hind end over the edge of the nest.”’
24 a. ˂ni·geła´ ali·mi·tcəwα´n nəbi·´ amək·ai·wi.˃
“Then, accordingly, Turtle urinated water, which ran down below.”
b. Ni kehla aləmičəwan nəpi amehkaiwi.
‘Then indeed a stream of water flowed down from a height.’
25. a. ˂ni·we´wᴐ̹la`n yugi´k nope‘´sawe`n·owa`k ni· ke´ptin elα̨bi·´t spəmə´k ni·una´mi·hα`·n toləba´l‘ wazəs·e´k˃
“Now the warriors discovered it (where Gluskabe and his uncle were hiding) and their captain looked up and he saw Turtle in the nest.”
b. Ni wəwewoląn yokik nohpewsewinnowak, ni keptin eląpit spəmək ni wənamihąn Toləbal wasəssek.
‘Then the warriors discovered them, and the captain looked up above and saw Turtle in the nest.’
26. a. ˂ni·wedji·´ pi·´bmamα`·k ni·wəzα´·ŋkhelədji·ni·łα`n˃
“Thereupon, he shot an arrow at him and brought him down.”
b. Ni weči-pipəmąmək, ni wəsąkhelačinihląn.
‘Then he was shot with an arrow, and he came on down, falling over backwards.’
27. a. ˂ni·yu´ udi·damə´n “madji·djᴐ·´s wələ´·mk·i·`tc” madjidjᴐ̹´s wələ´mk·i·`tc” ˃
“Then he said, ‘Bad stooping coward, bad stooping coward.’”
b. Ni=yo wətitamən, “Mačihčohs wəląkič! Mačihčohs wəląkič!”
‘Then (the shooter) said, “The cowardly old dog will stoop like a wretch! The cowardly old dog will stoop like a wretch!’ [Pen. máčihtohs ‘a homely or ugly dog’ S244]
28. a. ˂ni·ye´nəma to´ləbε pa´gəs·i`k ki·k nit·e udeli·wα̨ni·ła´n ni·gwi´·lawasoldi`n ni·nda mskaᴐ̹wi·´˃
“But where the Turtle fell on the ground there he disappeared, and they made a search for him but could not find him.”
b. Ni=iye nəmą Toləbe pakəssik kkik, ni=tte wətəli-wanihląn, ni kwilawahsolətin, ni ąta mskawąwi.
‘But over yonder where Turtle struck the ground, he immediately disappeared, and then a search was carried out, but he was not found.’
29. a. ˂ni·wa´ gepti´n pabmi·gwi·lawαs·i´t˃
“And the captain hunted all about.”
b. Ni=wa keptin papąmi-kwilawahsit.
‘Then the captain hunted all about.’
30. a. ˂ni·una´mi·tun se´ski·dju´ we´lαmkat·e`k ni·uda´kskamən ni·uməskawαna´ toləba´l‘˃
“Soon he saw a bark vessel upside down. Then he kicked it over, and found the Turtle.”
b. Ni wənamihton seskičo weląmkahtek, ni wətakskamən, ni wəməskawąną Toləbal.
‘Then he spotted a birch bark vessel in a pile of sand, and he kicked it over, and they found Turtle.’
31. a. ˂ni·´ga təpəloma´n nit·a´tci· eləmi·gi·zloma´n wedji·´ metci·ne´t`.˃
“Thereupon they held a council over him and it was decided that he should die.”
b. Ni=ka təpəlomąn, ni=ttahči aləmi-kisəlomąn weči-mehčinet.
‘Then a council was held about him, and it was eventually decided that he should die.’
32. a. ˂ni·gepti´n udi·damə´n “tanedji·nawa´ kdli·hα̨´nenα̨`?”˃
“Then said the captain, ‘What, then, shall we do with you?’”
b. Ni keptin wətitamən, “Tąni=či=nawa kətəlihąneną?”
‘Then the captain said, “So what shall we do with him?”’
33. a. ˂ni·wa´ eta´k·ozi·t ni·udi·damə´n “kzəgu´sktahα̨`n·α̨dji·`”˃
“The second chief spoke and said, ‘We shall have to cut him up in pieces.’”
b. Ni=wa ehtahkosit ni wətitamən, “kəsəkwəsktahąną=či.”
‘Then the second chief said, “We shall chop him up in pieces.”’
34. a. ˂ni·wa toləbε·´ wədi·damə´n “nda´ ni·a ni·łəgowα´n.”˃
“Then said the Turtle, ‘Not me; that will not kill me.’”
b. Ni=wa Toląbe wətitamən, “Ąta nia nənihləkowən.”
‘Then Turtle said, “Not me will that kill.”’
35. a. ˂ni·udi·damənα´ “negatci·´ kəme´t‘kasesαn·enα̨`.”˃
“Then he said (the captain), ‘Then we shall burn him up.’”
b. Ni wətitamən, “Ni=ka=či kəmetkasesąneną.”
‘Then (the captain) said, “Then we shall burn him up.”’
36. a. ˂ni·udi·damə´n mi·´na toləbε·´ “nda ni·n ni·łəgowα´n”˃
“Then again said the Turtle, ‘Not me; that will not kill me.’”
b. Ni wətitamən mina Toləbe, “Ąta ni nənihləkowən.”
‘Then Turtle said again, “That will not kill me.”’
37. a. ˂ni·udi·daməna´ “nəgatci·´ ba´skədji·balα`n”˃
“Then they all said, ‘Then we shall drown him.’”
b. Ni wətitaməną, “Ni=ka=či kəpaskəčəpaląn.”’
‘Then they said, “They we shall drown him.”
38. a. ˂ni·wa´ toləbε·´ udi·damə´n mi·´na “ni·n ni·łəgu´n”˃
“Then that Turtle said again, ‘That will kill me.’”
b. Ni=wa Toləbe wətitamən mina, “Ni nənihləkon.”
‘Then Turtle spoke again: “That will kill me.”’
39. a. ˂nega´t·e we´dji·ni·mi`p‘hamα`k‘ ni·´l·αnasi´n‘ aida´ nəbə´s·i·zak˃
“Immediately they grabbed him to kill him.”
b. Ni=ka=tte weči-nimiphąmək, ni ələnahsin aita nəpəssisək.
‘Immediately he was grabbed, then hauled away, oh, to a little lake.’
40. a. ˂ni·wedji·´ α̨bodji·gelkε·´t·ek yuki·´ edudna´s·imα`k wa toləbε·´˃
“From the place where they dragged him the earth was torn up and furrowed, where they hauled him.”
b. Ni weči-ąpočəkelkehtek yo kki etotənahsimək wa Toləbe.
‘That is why the earth is dug up and turned over up to the point where Turtle was hauled.’
41. a. ˂malα´mit·e yu nəbəs·ə´k ni·wədjau´paken·α̨` ni·wədali·mi·´ ele·dji·ni·gədałα´n˃
“But at last, here in the lake, they threw him into the water, that Turtle; then he sank, his back down and belly up, like a dead animal.”
b. Mąlami=tte yo nəpəssək ni wəcawpahkeną, ni wətələmi-eləčini-kətahląn.
‘In the end, here at the lake, they threw him into the water, and he sank down with his back down and belly up.’
42. a. ˂ni·yu´ onəs·ε·bε·nəmə´n nəbi·´ ni·gizi·´ pα̨´gowi·az·əs·ko` ni·wədji·´ nodα̨´dəbewi`n nəbi´k·˃
“But he riled up the water with his paws, and then when it was all muddy he poked his head out of his shell from the water”
b. Ni=yo wənəssepenəmən nəpi, ni kisi-pąkwi-asəsko, ni oči-notątəpewin nəpik.
‘Then he riled up the water with his paws, and when it was completely muddy, he poked his head out of the water.’
43. a. ˂ni·ugα̨´galowe`n “oho< >u· ki·ləwᴐ̹,wα´n kəda´k·i·wα̨` kəni·łəgonα̨´ ni·´ni·a` ndak·i·´ ndαn·i·łəgowα´n”˃
“and then he cried out, ‘Oh ho! as for you all, your earth kills you, but as for me my land does not kill me.’”
b. Ni wəkąkąləwen, “Ohou! Kiləwąw ąn kətahkiwą kənihləkoną, ni nia nətahki ąta nənihləkowən.”
‘And then he cried out, “Oho! Well as for you all, your land kills you; but as for me, my land does not kill me.”’
44. a. ˂ni·si·´psak nnoda´wαnα̨` kedwi·tci·ba´gətces·i·`t toləbε´· nega´t·e ugwi·ldasoldi·nα̨´ yu´gik nope´usewi·`n·owak ni· məgəna´n owa´ aweni·´ netα̨wikα̨mogwi`t`˃
“Then the birds heard him, that Turtle, by the noise of his screeching, and they rushed upon him, these warriors, and they chose one that was an expert diver.”
b. Ni ssipsak wənotawąną ketawi-čipakəcesit Toləbe, ni=ka=tte wəkwilətahsolətiną yokik nohpewsewinnowak, ni məkənąn owa aweni nehtawi-kaməkwit.
‘And then the birds heard Turtle as he started to screech, and right away these warriors set about to attack him, and a certain one was chosen who was an expert diver.’
45. a. ˂nimskawa´n məde´wełê`˃
“They selected the loon.”
b. Nimskawąn mətewihle.
‘The loon was called in.’
46. a. ˂ni·uga´mkolitawα`n˃
“Then this one dove down for him.”
b. Ni wəkaməkolihtawąn.
‘Then he dove down for him’
47. a. ˂yulil‘ ni·´səda eli·gamogwi´t
“When he had done this the second…”
b. Yulil nisəta eli-kaməkwit.
‘He dove after him a second time.’
48. a. ˂nsəde´waiyε·´ ni·uməskawα´n toləba´l‘˃
“and the third time he found the Turtle.”
b. Nsəteweye, ni wəməskawąn Toləpal.
‘The third time, then he found Turtle.’
49. a. ˂ni·wədji·´kpana`sehi·di`t malami·´ ki·k nega´ wa´ səgwαsk‘taha´n toləbε´˃
“And thereupon they threw him ashore out upon the ground, and they knocked him dead, the Turtle,”
b. Ni weči-kpənahsihətit mąlami kkik, ni=ka wa səkwəsktəhąn Toləpe.
‘Then they hauled him up onto the shore, whereupon Turtle was chopped up into little pieces.’
50. a. ˂ni·ume´tα̨begəs·i`n ndatlo´kα̨ga`n.˃
“and that is the end of my story.”
b. Ni wəmehtąpekəsin nətatlohkąkan.
‘That is the end of my character’s story.’