NO. 3
��PENOBSCOT TRANSFORMER TALES
��193
��so-'bek' w ga'di- met'ka'mi-ge masr'tc the ocean, going to be end of the world, and all
ki-'lawa Iranak'a'neba nani-"kwup'
you will die. So now
ngi'zi-'tun we'dji'tc pmazo'ldrek' w
I have made so that you will all live,
masi tan noda'wi't name's - inag w zit all that hear me of the fish kind
bi't'hi'Iatc nazr'bomuk masr'tc kabmau- enter in my river, and all you will*
zo'ldi'ba wzam medjr'mrtc a'yu live, because always will exist
��mazr all
��tan that
��nazi-'bum nr"kwup' my river. Now
noda'wit bi't'hr'tatc hear me will enter."
na-'lau name'Vak ekrki-'gi'dji'k
Then coming the fish all kinds
ma'lam psa'n'te yir kse'na^gan at last it was full this fish- weir;
nogu'p'haman te'dalrmedji-'mi azu'ldi'dit then he closed it, then there always they were* enclosed.
ne'noma'djin awr'gwomwak nodr'lan Then he went away to his wigwam. Then he said to
o"k3mas - al'
��an-r
��no"kamr
��his grandmother, "'
��ada'tc
��grandma, never
ni-"kwup ksa-'gi-ameu' rbi-'tdetc
now you fish so hard only will
kana'djip'hak na'me's-ak tan edu'dji you go and get fishes as much as
tcwe'lmat namoni'mkwes-u nodji-'-
you want." Then Woodchuck then went to*
dabana'uzin tan owa' ugi-'zrala'lo'kan examine what he he had worked at.
��nama'be'djo's-et When she arrived
��yuda"k kse'na;gan here, the fish-weir
��wuli-psa'n'te ekrki-'gi'hi-dit na'me's-ak brimful all kinds fish,
e'bagwa'tc kaba'ka'wadi'hadowak ma'djelan on account of it they crowded each other out. She left
��moni'mkwes-u bedji-'lat wr'gwomwak Woodchuck and came to the wigwam.
udi-'lan kwe'nas a"tama kola'lo'keu She said, "Grandson, not you have done well,
mazi-'ne'k-a"tahat na'me's-ak tandj all annihilating the fish. How will
wudlauzo'ldi-na go'sa'snawak ni-'ka'n-i they finally all do our descendants in the future,
wzam gi-u'na gwa'skwai-ge'sit na'me's-a' should you and I have plenty as many fish
tan ge"si-tcuwe'lmak' w ni'"kwup'te
as many as wish? Now at once
na'dji no'dahale gehe'la o'na'gin i-'dak go turn them loose." Accordingly he got up, said,
ko'Iame no"kami na'dji pkwu'daha'laTjk' "You are right, grandma, I will go open it up
ni - "kwup' now."
TRANSLATION
Then he went wandering about. When he returned to his wigwam, he saw his grand- mother there fishing. He at last became im- patient, as he saw that his grandmother was having a hard time fishing. Then he thought, "I had better help my grandmother, so that she will not have such a hard time." Then he made a weir across the mouth of the river, and left an opening half way in the middle, so that the fish could enter. Then he started out upon the ocean, and called everywhere to all the fish, saying to them, "The ocean is going to dry up, the world is coming to an end, and you will all die; but I have arranged it so that you will all live if you will listen to me. All who hear me, enter into my river, and you will live, because my river will survive! Enter all ye who hear me!" All kinds of fish came, until the fish-weir was full; and then he closed it up and held them there. Then he went to his wigwam, and said to his grand- mother, "Now, grandma, you will not have to fish so hard, you will only have to go and gather as many fish as you want." Then Woodchuck went to examine what he had
�� �
