Henry L. Masta
1932
Source: Masta, Henry L. 1932. Abenaki Indian legends, grammar, and place names, pp. 32–34. Victoriaville, P. La Voix des Boisfrancs.
1. a. <Lol8:‑‑ N’ndadanis Sakso k’kiziba kia hlin awanina mdawleno?>
“Lol8:‑‑ Uncle Sakso can you tell me what is a wizard?”
b. Lolą: Nətatanis Sakso, kəkisi-=pa kia -hlin awani=na mətawələno?
‘Lolą: Uncle [father’s brother] Sakso, would you be able to tell me what a shaman is?’
2. a. <Sakso:‑‑ Kwinata kzaagi nadodmawi Lol8, kanwa kdilhenga, nia alidah8zia. Mdawlenogana t8na ali kwaguialzit, whaga ta mjejako li madah8ndok waji llalokad t8ni alchow‑aldam8-/ god ni 8zidaiwi wmilgon mliksanw8gan waji kizi 8zhagi wawizwinoid ta waji kizi 8zhagalokad.>
“Sakso:‑‑ Your question is quite difficult for me to answer but I’ll give you my opinion. A wizard is a person who has given up himself body and soul to the devil to do his (devil’s) will, and in return receives from him certain power ena‑/ bling him to know and do wonderful things.”
b. Sakso: Kwina=tta kəsaaki-natotəmawi, Lolą, kanəwa kətihlələn=əka nia alitahąsia. Mətawələno=ka=na tąna ali-kwakwialəsit whaka tta məcəcahko li matahąnətok waci-əlalohkat tąni alcowalətamąkot, ni ąsitaiwi wəmiləkon məliksanəwąkan waci-kisi-ąshaki-wawisəwinoit tta waci-kisi-ąshakalohkat.
‘Sakso: You have really asked me a difficult question, Lolą, but I will tell you what I think. A shaman is someone who has given himself over body and soul to the devil so as to do what he desires of him, and in return he is given the power to be able to know wondrous things and to be able to accomplish wondrous things.’
3. a. <Ni k8dak agua pazgueda Maguak yo Alsig8ntekwok ali n8zkozidid ni ma8‑/ wi wibiwitta wdain8zsa kchaiak, phanemok ta aw8zsizak, t8ninawaba nigatta alwa mziwi matta8n8. Ni kanwa achak‑/ wiwik san8bak pedgi pay8did nitta wbodwazin8 mdaw‑/ leno idak niji allalokadid.>
“For instance the Iroquois once came down to the St‑Francis River to fall upon the Abenakis just at a time when there were present only old men, women and children, and these were nearly all killed in a short time. But on the next day when men came back they at once held a council as to what they should do. It was decided to submit their case to a wizard and to do whatever he would say.”
b. Ni kątak=akwa pasəkwəta Makwak yo Alsikąntəkok ali-nąshkosiitit ni maąwi wipiwi=tta wətainąssa kcayak, phanəmok, tta awąssisak, tąni=nawa=pa ni=ka=tta aləwa məsiwi mattaąną. Ni=kanəwa acahkwiwik sanąpak pətəki-payąątit, ni=tta wəpotəwasiną mədawələno itak ni=ci alalohkaatit.
‘So they say, for example, that one time the Mohawks attacked here on the Saint-François River just when only old men, women, and children were present, so that almost everyone was killed. But the next morning when the men returned, they held a council meeting with the shaman to see what he would say that they should do.’
4. a. <Ni mdawleno kizi azinakwa‑/ blem8d wdidamen n’namiy8k kadonalgowaguik pmi wanih‑/ lak, manozsak ta kizi nawji kwskwald8mwak. 8nda kizi m8wossowiak.>
“The wizard after many abjurations in his tiny bark tent came out and said: “I see our secret enemies. They have lost their way and are suffering and dying of hunger. They cannot stick together and those who went astry [sic] are all dead.”
b. Ni mətawələno kisi-asinahkwapələmąt wətitamən, “Nənamiąk katonaləkoakwik pəmi-wanihlak, manohsak, tta kisi- nawəci -kwskwaląməwak. Ąta kisi-mąwohsawiak.
‘Then the shaman emerged from his closely tied bark tent and said, “I see those who have attacked us wandering lost and hungry, and some have starved to death. They could not stick together.”’
5. a. <N’nami8 pab8miwi yawinska aijik mnaani‑/ zek, kizi nabaljilwak ta mliki mitsoldowak. 8ndoba ni nitta oji m8joldiwn8. Niga nitta kn8zkaw8nana, 8ndaba kiona knihl8pena kchaiak, phanemok ta aw8zsizak kanwaji yogik 8nda amochka pazgo oji polwawen. Nigaki nigik pami wa‑/ nihl8jik kizi mziwi machinak.>
“I see ano‑/ ther group about forty
in number who seem to be more fortunate than the others. They are on a small
island and are enjoying eating the flesh of an animal they have just killed. But
their fate is no better than that of the others because we are going for them
right away. We will not kill old men, woman and children, but I declare that no
one of these on the island will escape.”
b. Nənamią papąmiwi yawinska aicik mənaanisək. Kisi-nap[ac]iləwak tta məlihki-mitsolətowak. Ąta=pa ni ni=tta oci-mącolətiwəną. Ni=ka ni=tta kənąshkawąnana, ąta=pa kiona kənihląpəna kcayak, phanəmok, tta awąssisa, kanəwa=ci yokik ąta amocka pasəko oci-poləwawən. Ni=ka=hki nikik pami-wanihlącik kisi- məsiwi -machinak.
‘“I see about forty of them on a small island. They have killed some game and are eating a big meal. But it is not to be that they will leave there. For we will attack them right there. We will not kill old men, women, or children; but of these (men) not even one will escape from here. As for those who have been wandering lost, they have all died.”’
6. a. <Wdali pay8n8ni wl8gwiwi tadbog8 mnaanizek aoldidid Maguak. Ni agua nizwak W8ba‑/ nakiak [sic makiak ]: Tmakwa ta Moskwas wbikag8 kamguinn8 ni sno‑/ jiwi mnaanizek wz8kwassinn8, ma8wi 8mpchi mitsoldowak Maguak, Ni s8gm8 adoji idak “T’cha nguilotah8n Wobanaki.” ni adoji mamhlawakad kchi wskan li snojiwi. Nigaki na wawlitah8n Moskwassa wdepek. Nitta Tmakwa wgedoban8n wid8ba waji 8nda waolwakw.>
“It was night when they reached the place opposite the Island temporarily occupied by the Iroquois. Two Abena‑/ kis, Tmakwa (Beaver) and Moskwas (Muskrat) dived to the Island and there just their head were out of water. The Iroquois were eating and the Chief said “Tcha I am going to hit an Abenaki with this” and he threw aimless‑/ ly but with all his might a big bone hitting Moskwa on the head and Tmakwa to prevent an alarm immediately held his friend under water.”
b. Wətali-payąną ni wəląkwiwi tatəpoką mənaahisək aolətiitit Makwak. Ni=akwa nisəwak Wąpanahkiak, Təmahkwa tta Moskwahs, wəpihkaką-kaməkwiną, ni sənociwi mənaanisək wəsąkwahsinną, maąwi ąpci-mitsolətowak Makwak. Ni sąkəmą atoci-itak, “Ca, nəkwilohtahąn Wąpanahki.” Ni atoci-mamhlawahkat kci-wskan li-sənociwi. Ni=ka=hki=na wawəlihtahąn Moskwahsa wətəpək. Ni=tta Təmahkwa wəkətopanąn witąpa waci- ąta -waoləwahkw.
‘They arrived as night fell opposite the island where the Mohawks were camping. Then, they say, two Abenakis, Beaver and Muskrat, swam under the water to the shore of the island, where just their heads emerged from the water, right when the Mohawks were eating. At that point the chief said, “Well! I’ll discover an Abenaki with a blow from this!” With that, he heaved a great bone down toward the shore. And indeed he struck young Muskrat squarely on the head. Then Beaver held his friend’s head under the water so that he would not raise alarm.’
7. a. <Ni kizi mziwi Maguak kaol‑/ didid ni agma adoji tedozek mziwi wiguaolal ni sibiwi pedgi kamguid li wid8baikok. Nitta mziwi W8banakiak wgiz8joldin8 ni kanwa m8manni wbikag8n8 nanni achak‑/ wak. Ni kizi wli wiwnikaw8did Magua nitta wm8ja miga‑/ k8m8n8 sibiwi mamhlawi kwakwah8midid ta mziwi wmat‑/ taw8w8. Ni oji wnimakwhamn8 mziwi Magua’8depal kw‑/ nakwam’ikok ni ulil wiwnig8badon8 mnaanizek. Ni 8nka enni mnaanis waji liwit8zik “Wdepsek.”>
“When
the Iroquois were all asleep he cut open all their canoes and then dived back
to his friends. The Abenakis got ready at once but they slowly got over at dawn
and as soon as they had closely sur‑/ rounded them they began the slaughter,
yelling loudly and every one of the Iroquois group was killed and the head of
each one of them was stuck at the end of a pole and all the poles planted
around the Island, and that is the reason why the Island was called ‘Wdepsek’
Head’s Island.”
b. Ni kisi məsiwi Makwak kaolətiitit, ni akəma atoci-=tta -tawəsək wikwaolal, ni sipiwi pətəki-kaməkwit li witąpaihkok. Ni=tta məsiwi Wąpanahkiak wəkisącolətiną, ni=kanəwa mąmanni wəpihkakąnąną ni acahkwahk. Ni kisi-wəli-wiwənihkawąątit Makwa, ni=tta wəmąca-mikahkąmąną, sipiwi mamhlawi-kwahkwahąmiitit tta məsiwi wəmattawąwą. Ni wəci wənimahkwhaməną məsiwi Makwa wətəpal kwənahkwamihkok, ni yulil wiwənikąpaton mənaanisək. Ni ąnka ənni mənaanis waci-liwihtąsik ‘Wətəpsək’.
‘Once all the Mohawks had fallen asleep, he at that point cut open their canoes, and then he swam back underwater to his companions. Then all of the Abenakis made their preparations, but they only slowly made their way across, when dawn came. Once they had fully surrounded the Mohawks, then they began attacking them; moreover they yelled fiercely and slaughtered them all. After that they impaled all of the Mohawks’ heads on sharp stakes, and these they stood up around the little island. And that is why that little island is called ‘At the Ugly Head.”’
8. a. <Ni nikwobi [sic] knadod‑/ mollen Lol8 t8ni wa mdawleno wd8lli kizi lli pazobin ta lli nodamen llategua kasta mail chaga 8nda wdaguiwi ma‑/ dah8ndwi alokaw8ganek?>
“And now, Lol8, I ask you how was it possible to the wizard to see and hear hundreds of miles away if not through the power and subtlety of the devil.”
b. Ni nihkwąpi, Lolą, kənatotəmolən tąni wa mətawələno wətəli-kisi-li-pasąpin tta li-notamən lahtəkwa kasta mail caka ąta wətakwiwi matahąnətowi-alohkawąkanək?
‘So now, Lolą, I ask you how it was possible
for the shaman to see and hear things hundreds of miles away if not through the
work of the devil?’
9. a. [No Abenaki text.]
“Lol8:‑‑ Uncle, I believe all what you say.”
b. ‘Lolą: “Uncle, I believe everything that you have told me.”’