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Rabbit and the Grasshoppers

"Rabbit and the Grasshoppers" was adapted by Lance Foster from "The Rabbit and the Grasshopper: An Otoe Myth," by J. Owen Dorsey, The American Antiquarian and Oriental Journal 3 (1880).

Original Language

Interlinear Translation

Free Translation

1. Original Language

Mischíñe na Nánthaje

Áñe nánthaje chína iyán i'dánañe ke. Áñe Wakánda wánshige ráñi wok'ún áñe ke. Edá nánthaje bróge khchi ráñi wánshige wa'kíru'the gúnra.

Shigé Máyan éwana, "Hintagwá, nánthaje chína hinwíre to. *ijéga ráñi Wakánda wok'ún shge nánthaje bróge wanáshe ki. Aréchi hinwíre to."

"Húnje," e mishchíñe. Edá mischíñe ikún grátogre na iwarawi. Edá nánthaje chína idahíwi. Chína chechédahiwi.

Shigé, "Hintagwá tónto'un ishrúgran shge igú unre," e ináshiñe.

Edá mishchíñe hóton. Hóton shge máyan bróge rahúhuthe.

Edá nánthaje, "Wa! Wakánda píshkunyi tánra iyán jí ke. Shéna wawahi hñe ke," e. Edá nánthaje dótanha nahá ráñi to rú'the na mishchíñe ok'ún. Edá ikún ográk'un. Edá ináshiñe nahá wósha o'gráyu.

Edá shigé inúhan hóton. Shigé máyan éda rahúhu'the.

Shigé, "Hau! Pishkúñi, dáñi ke. Ráñi shigé ithgé okúnwire." Shigé nánthaje dótanha nahá ráñi to rú'the na mishchíñe ithge okún.

"Hau, hinkúñi, u'tán, je aré ke. Rú'there. Wómanke ñe hñe ke." Shigé 'shun hóton. Shigé hóton shge máyan éda hsji rahúhu'the.

Shigé, "Hau! Píshkuñi tanrá ñe ke. Ashgikhsji ajíñe ke. Hau! Ithgé wokúnwire," áñe. Shigé nánthaje ráñi to rú'the na mishchiñe okún.

Edá, "Hau! Hinkuñé, wómanké khsji ñe hñe ke," e. Shigé, "U'tá, je aré ke, ráñi."

"Hau, hin tagwá, gashún kchi ki," e. Edá rú'the ke ráñi.

Shigé inúhan hóton shge máyan bróge éda kchi rihúhu'the. Edá nánthaje énahá bróge gitán ñe mángri'da.

Nánthaje ráñi i 'un oyú ñe na gitán ñe.

Aréna ráñi rashgíke ithgé khsji. Edá i étawe *i shéwe thgé ksji axéwe ñe.

Ráñi rú'the na máyan idá u'éra be, hináshiñe. Edá thu bróge axéwe, edá máyan axéwe.

Gahétan.

2. Interlinear Word-for-Word Translation

Mischíñe na Nánthaje

Rabbit and Grasshopper

Áñe Nánthaje chína iyán i'dánañe ke. Áñe Wakánda wánshige Ráñi
And Grasshopper village one it was there they say. And God people Tobacco

wok'ún áñe ke. Edá Nánthaje bróge khchi Ráñi wánshige wa'kíru'the gúnra.
he gave them they say. Then Grasshopper all very Tobacco people take it from them wanted.

Shigé Máyan éwana, "Hintagwá, Nánthaje chína hinwíre to. *ijéga
Again Earth said, "Grandson, grasshopper village we two go let. Your uncle

Ráñi Wakánda wok'ún shge Nánthaje bróge wanáshe ki. Aréchi hinwíre to."
Tobacco God gave them when grasshopper all to deprive them. Therefore we two go let."

"Húnje," e Mishchíñe. Edá Mischíñe ikún grátogre na iwarawi.
"Yes," said Rabbit. Then Rabbit his grandmother go with his own and they went to

Edá Nánthaje chína idahíwi. Chína cheché dahiwi.
that place. Then Grasshopper village they arrived at it. Village edge they arrived.

Shigé, "Hintagwá tónto'un ishrúgran shge igú 'un re," e ináshiñe.
Again, "Grandson how to do you decide if so do (command)," said little old lady.

Edá Mishchíñe hóton. Hóton shge Máyan bróge rahúhuthe.
Then Rabbit cried out. Cry out when Earth all he shook many times with his mouth.

Edá Nánthaje, "Wa! Wakánda píshkunyi tánra iyán jí ke. Shéna
Then Grasshopper, "Oh my! God bad great one comes. Disappear

wawahi hñe ke," e. Edá Nánthaje dótanha nahá Ráñi to rú'the na Mishchíñe
cause us will," he said. Then Grasshopper war chief the Tobacco some take and Rabbit

ok'ún. Edá ikún ográk'un. Edá ináshiñe nahá wósha o'gráyu.
he gave to. Then his grandmother he gave to his own. Then little old lady the bag put it in her own.

Edá shigé inúhan hóton. Shigé Máyan éda rahúhu'the.
Then again second time cried out. Again Earth then he shook many times with his mouth.

Shigé, "Hau! Pishkúñi, dáñi ke. Ráñi shigé ithgé okúnwi re."
Again, "Ho! Bad, we will be. Tobacco again that way we give them (command)."

Shigé Nánthaje dótanha nahá Ráñi to rú'the na Mishchíñe ithge okún.
Again Grasshopper war chief the Tobacco some take and Rabbit that way he gave.

"Hau, hinkúñi, u'tán, je aré ke. Rú'the re. Wómanke ñe hñe ke." Shigé
"Ho, Grandmother, rest, this is it. Take it (command). Easy they will be." Again

'shun hóton. Shigé hóton shge Máyan éda hsji rahúhu'the.
indeed cried out. Again cried out if Earth then really he shook many times with his mouth.

Shigé, "Hau! Píshkuñi tanrá ñe ke. Ashgi khsji ajíñe ke. Hau! Ithgé
Again, "Ho! Bad great they are. Close very they come. Ho! that way

wokúnwi re," áñe. Shigé Nánthaje Ráñi to rú'the na Mishchiñe okún.
we give it to them (command)," they say. Again Grasshopper Tobacco some take and Rabbit give it.

Edá, "Hau! Hinkuñé, wómanké khsji ñe hñe ke," e. Shigé, "U'tá, je aré
Then, "Ho! Grandmother, easy really they will be," he said. Again, "Rest, this is it,

ke, ráñi."
Tobacco."

"Hau, hintagwá, gashún kchi ki," e. Edá rú'the ke Ráñi.
"Ho, Grandson, enough really," she said. Then she take Tobacco.

Shigé inúhan hóton shge Máyan bróge éda kchi rihúhu'the.
Again second time cried out when Earth all then really he shook many times with his mouth

Edá Nánthaje énahá bróge gitán ñe mángri'da. Nánthaje Ráñi i'u
Then Grasshopper the all fly they up above. Grasshopper Tobacco mouth-in

oyú ñe na gitán ñe.
put in they and fly they.

Aréna Ráñi rashgíke ithgé khsji. Edá i étawe *i shéwe thgé ksji
Therefore Tobacco chew thus really. Then mouth their yellow dark thus really

axéwe ñe.
appear they.

Ráñi rú'the na Máyan idá u'éra be, hináshiñe. Edá thu bróge axéwe,
Tobacco take and Earth there scatter release, little old lady. Then seed all appear,

edá Máyan axéwe.
then Earth appear.

Gahétan.
So far.

3. Free Translation

Rabbit and the Grasshoppers

Once there was a Grasshopper village. God had given people Tobacco. The Grasshoppers really wanted to take this Tobacco from the people, and did so.

The Earth said to Rabbit, "Grandson, let us go to the Grasshopper village. God gave Tobacco to your uncles and the Grasshoppers have taken it all from them. Therefore, let us go."

"Yes," said Rabbit. Then Rabbit went with his grandmother to that place, and soon they arrived at the edge of the Grasshopper village.

Again the Earth spoke: "Grandson, however you decide to do it, do so," said the little old lady.

And Rabbit cried out. He cried out so loudly that his cry shook the Earth many times.

The Grasshoppers said, "Oh my! A powerful bad god has come. It will rub us all out." Then the Grasshopper war chief took some Tobacco and gave it to Rabbit. He gave it to his grandmother. The little old lady put it in her bag.

A second time he cried out and again shook the Earth.

Again the Grasshoppers said, "Ho! We will be in a bad way. Give him Tobacco once more." Again the Grasshopper war chief took some Tobacco and gave it to Rabbit.

"Ho, Grandmother, rest, here it is. Take it. They will be easy," said Rabbit.

Rabbit cried out even louder and the Earth shook more than before.

The Grasshoppers said,"Ho! They are very bad and powerful. They are coming closer. Ho! Give more to them." The Grasshopper war chief took tobacco and offered it to Rabbit as before.

Rabbit said, "Ho, Grandmother. They will be really easy. Rest. Here is more of the Tobacco."

"Ho, Grandson, that will be quite enough," she said. She took the Tobacco.

Rabbit cried out one more time, shaking the land more than ever.

At this, the Grasshoppers all flew up above. They took the little Tobacco that was left, put it in their mouths, and flew away.

This is why they look like they are really chewing Tobacco, with the dark yellow juice coming out of their mouths.

The little old lady took the tobacco Rabbit had recovered from her bag, and scattered it out over the Earth. From all this seed, Tobacco grew, and came out all over the Earth.

This is what happened long ago.

©1999 by Lance M. Foster . All Rights Reserved.

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