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. ˂yuwe´dji· mαdjα̨be´gəsit‘ Gluskα̨bε´˃
“Here begins Gluskabe.”
b. Yo weči-mąčąpekəsit Kəloskąpe.
‘This is where Kəloskąpe’s story begins.’
2. a. ˂nenawa´ debe´ldak wa‘wali·[h]α̨de ntami·senα̨bal‘ ni·nawayu´ ki· peyαnα´k gi·zi·hα̨´t yuli´l senα̨ba´l‘ ni·wudji·´ nitci·husi´n Gluskα̨bε´ yu· ki· peyαnα̨·zi´k ki·yu´ gi´zi·begi·hadα̨zu`˃
“When the Owner made the first man then when the first man was made Gluskabe created himself out of the left-over material, out of this earth left over, this earth sprinkled.”
b. Ni=nawa Tepelətak wahwaliphąte ntami-senąpal, ni=nawa=yo kki peyanək kisihąt yolil senąpal, ni wəči-ničihosin Kəloskąpe yo kki, peyanąsik kki yo kisi-pekihatąso.
‘When the Lord made the first man, at that time there was this earth left over when he made this man, and Kəloskąpe formed himself from this earth, earth that was left over here where it had been sprinkled.’
3. a. ˂ni·wet·e´k mliksαnα´o ni·waida´ Gluskα̨bε´ kizi·n’əgwi·tciwəli·hozu´˃
“That is why Gluskabe was so strong. Well, this Gluskabe was able to create himself.”
b. Ni wettek məliksano, ni=wa aita Kəloskąpe kisi-nəkwihči-wəlihoso
‘It is for that reason that he was strong, so that indeed Kəloskąpe was able to create himself on his own.’
4. a. ˂negani·´ ubα´bmα̨dabi`n˃
“Then he moved about in a sitting position.”
b. Ni=ka=ni wəpapąmątapin.
‘Then he moved about from place to place in a sitting position.’
5. a. ˂ni·debelda´k‘ umαlhi·nawα´·n ni·udi·łα´n “tαni·´ wəda´t·e yugədayi´n”˃
“Upon seeing this the Owner was astonished and he said, ‘How happened you to be here?’”
b. Ni Tepelətak wəmalhinawąn, ni wətihląn, “Tąni wətahte yo kətayin?”
‘And the Lord looked upon him in astonishment, and he asked him, “How did it come to be that you are here?”
6. a. ˂ni·udi·´łəgun “a´ida` ni·´wədji· nidji·hosi´n ki·´yu peyαnəmα´n nta´mi· se´nα̨bε gizi·h´at”˃
“and Gluskabe told him, “Well, because I formed myself from the waste pieces of earth out of which you made the first man.”
b. Ni wətihləkon, “Aita, ni wəči nəničihosin ki yo peyanəman ntami-senąpe kisihat.
‘And he told him, “Well, that’s because I formed myself with the earth that you had left over when you made the first man.”
7. a. ˂ni·udi·´łəgun debe´ldamli·dji`l‘ “gamα´dj´i· kəmαlhintato´‘”˃
“Then the Owner told him, ‘You are indeed a very wonderful man.’”
b. Ni wətihləkon Tepelətaməličil, “Kamąči kəmąlhi-ntahto.”
‘Then the Lord told him, “You are a very extraordinarily skilled craftsman.”’
8. a. ˂udi·´łəgul “nəmαlhi·´ntato` e´ligizi·begihalihα`n.”˃
“And Gluskabe answered, ‘I am a wonderful man, because you sprinkled me, and on account of being so near to you.’”
b. Wətihləkol, “Nəmąlhi-ntahto eli-kisi-begihalian.”
‘He told him, “I am an extraordinary craftsman because you sprinkled me.”’
9. a. ˂nega´ ni·udi·łα̨gu´n “nəgadji·´kiuse´nena` nikwα̨bi·´”˃
“Then Owner said to him, “So, then, you and I shall roam about from now on.”
b. Ni=ka ni wətihləkon, “Ni=ka=či kiwsenena nihkwąpi.”
‘Then he answered, ‘So, then, you and I shall walk about now.”’
10. a. ˂ni·we´dji· mαndji·hi·di´t˃
“Accordingly, they started out.”
b. Ni weči-mąčihətit.
‘At that point they started out.’
11. a. ˂ni·wəda´kwαŋk·i·`na wadjuwa´l‘ ni·gizi· uski·´dji·we` wadjo´k nebla´ tα̨ławe·´ ubma´tawᴐ̹·bina` tani·´lαnawage` owewi·wαniwi·´ ni·una´mi·tona` nəbəs·a´l‘ si·bua´l‘ si·biwi·´ abazi·a´l‘ məsi·´wi el‘ka´mige`k ki·˃
“They went up a hill, they went up a mountain, and when they got on top of the mountain, when they began to gaze all around with open eyes, so great a distance around could they see the lakes, the rivers, and the trees, and all the lay of the land of the country.
b. Ni wətahkwąhkiną wačowal, ni kisi wəskičiwi wačok, ni pəla tąhlawei wəpəmątawąpiną tąni linąkwahke wihwiwəniwi, ni wənamihtoną nəpəsal, sipowal, sipiwi apasial məsiwi elkamikek kki.
‘Then they climbed up a mountain, and as they came to the top of the mountain, they first began to climb about gazing to see how things might look all around, and they saw lakes and rivers, as well as trees everywhere where the land extended.’
12. a. ˂ni·dəbe´lda`k udi·´łαn “ki·nayu´ eli·mαlhi·´ntatowα̨‘ msi·´wi ngi·zi·dəhα̨´damən pe´mkamige`k sobe´k‘w si·bua´l‘ si·bui·nəbə´s·a`l‘”˃
“Then the Owner said, ‘Look at this; behold such is my wonderful work, all created by my wish of mine. The earth, the water, the ocean, the rivers, the basins, the lakes.’”
b. Ni Tepelətak wətihląn, “Kkina yo eli-mąlhi-ntatową, misiwi nəkisitəhątamən, pemkamikek, sopekw, sipowal, sipowi-nəpəsal.”
‘Then the Lord told him. “Look here at what I have so expertly crafted, all by my thought, the land, the sea, the rivers, the river lakes.”’
13. a. ˂ni·udi·´łαn Gluskα̨ba´l‘ “ki·aba´ nəgədli·´bəgwatu´n?”˃
“Then he said to Gluskabe, ‘What might you have brought into existence?’”
b. Ni wətihąn Kəloskąpal, “Kia=pa ni kətəli-pəkwahton?”
‘Then he said to Kəloskąpe, “How about you, have you achieved something?”’
14. a. ˂ni·udli·hα̨zi·teməgu´n yuli´l Gluska·ba´l‘ “nda´ba nindli·´bəgwa tawu`n ni·nawa´ ke´gwi·ba gizi·uli·´tawu`n”˃
“Then he answered him, this Gluskabe. “I can not bring a thing into existence, but, then, one thing maybe I can accomplish.”
b. Ni wətəli-ąsiteməkon yolil Kəloskąpal, “Ąta=pa ni nətəli-pəkwahtowən, ni=nawa kekwi=pa kisi-wəlihtawą.”
‘Then Kəloskąpe answered him, “I would not be able to achieve anything like that, but there might be something that I can make.”’
15. a. ˂ni·udi·´łan “a´ida ngizi·hα̨ba´ kə´səlαmsα`n.”˃
“Then he said, ‘Well, I could perhaps do one thing, make the wind.’”
b. Ni wətihląn, “Aita, nkisihą=pa kəsəląmsən.”
‘Then he told him, “Well, I could make the wind.”’
16. a. ˂ni·debelda´k udi·´łαn. “nega´ wuli·hya´ tanegədli·´bəgwatu`n si·biwi·´ ta´ni·gədotsani·`n.”˃
“Then said the Owner, ‘Well, then, make it; whatever you can do, according to how powerful you are.’”
b. Ni Tepelətak wətihląn, “Ni=ka wəliha tąni kətəli-pəkwahton sipiwi tąni kətotsanin.”
‘Then the Lord told him, “So make it however much you can as much as you have the strength for.”’
17. a. ˂negeła´ ni·uli·ha´n gəsəlαmsαnu´l‘˃
“Then, accordingly, he made the wind.”
b. Ni kehla, ni wəlihąn kəsəląmsənol.
‘Then indeed, then he made a wind.’
18. a. ˂madje´lαmsα´n˃
“It began to blow.”
b. Mąčeląmsən.
‘The wind began to blow.’
19. a. ˂ni·gwi·kwaskwaiwi·´ aləmi·gəslαmsα´n ni·askwa´ eləmi·gəslamsα´k ni·abazi·a´k aləmi·α̨bə´djəgelke` elαmso´genα̨`.˃
“Then it increased so strong, the rising wind, and then it blew harder until those trees were torn out by the roots and blown over.”
b. Ni kwihkwaskwaiwi aləmi-kəsəląmsən, ni askwa eləmi-kəsəląmsək, ni apasiak aləmi-ąpočəkelkeląmsokeną.
‘Then the wind just picked right up, and then it blew harder still, and trees were torn up by their root and blown over.’
20. a. ˂ni·debe´ldak udi·´łαn Gluskα̨ba´l‘ “teba´t‘ gizi·nami·tu´n elsani·a´n tet·a´tci· eli·bəgwatəwα̨´n.”˃
“Then said the Owner to Gluskabe, “That is enough; I have seen your power, even what you can do.”
b. Ni Tepelətak wətihląn Kəloskąpe, “Tepat. [Nə]kisi-namihton elsanian tte=ttahči eli-pəkwahtawan.”
‘Then the Lord said to Kəloskąpe, “That is enough. I have seen how strong you are as well as what you can achieve.”’
21. a. ˂ni·dəbe´ldak udi·damə´n “nega´ni·a α̨zi·daiwi·´ noli·ha´n kəzəlαmsα´n”˃
“Then said the Owner, ‘Now, I for my part. I will make a wind.’”
b. Ni Tepelətak wətitamən, “Ni=ka nia ąsitaiwi nolihąn kəsəląmsən.”’
‘Then the Lord said, “So, then, I in return will make a wind.”’
22. a. ˂negeła´ ni·mα´djegəslαmsα`n α̨zi·daiwi·´˃
“Then, accordingly, it commenced to blow in return.”
b. Ni kehla, ni mąče-kəsəląmsən ąsitaiwi.
‘And indeed, then the wind began to blow in reply.’
23. a. ˂ni·edudlαmsα´k alni·gelnα´ kwi·hi·di·`t‘ ni·ga ni·edudlαmsα´k ni·wədu´kskα̨dəbelαmsoge`n wa Gluskα̨bε´˃
“Then it blew so hard that they could not hold on where they were standing (?); and it blew so hard that the hair on the head of Gluskabe became all tangled up.”
b. Ni etotəląmsək ąlawi-kələnahkwihətit, ni=ka ni etotəląmsək ni wətąkəsątəpeląmsoken wa Kəloskąpe.
‘Then the wind blew so hard that they were unable to hold on to the trees (they had grasped), and then it blew so hard that Kəloskąpe’s hair became tangled up all around his head.’
24. a. ˂ni·gadawi·´ e´nawiptα`ŋk‘w wədəpkwana´l‘ nimzi·wi·´ me´tlαmsα`n ni·nda´tαmα wədəpkwana´l‘ nimsi·´wi· me´tlαmsα`n˃
“Then when he tried to smooth it out, the hair of his head, all of it blew off and the head of hair that he had was all blown off by the wind.”
b. Ni katawi enawiptąkw wətəpkwanal, ni məsiwi mehtəląmsən, ni ątatąmą wətəpkwanal, ni məsiwi mehtəląmsən.
‘Then when he wanted to smooth out his hair, it had all blown off, he had no more hair, for it had all blown off.’
25. a. ˂ni·t·a´tci· ume´tα̨begəzi´n notlo´kα̨ga`n.˃
‘That is the end of this story.’
b. Ni=ttahči wəmehtąpekəsin notlohkąkan.
‘There my story will end as well.’