THE LOST CHILD AND THE MOOSE.

Original Odzibwe-Texts

Gaa-aanjibi’ang Zac Earley

Anishinaabeg sa giiwehn ayindaawag. Anooj igo ayizhaawag iw gaa-giiyosewaad.

Ayaapi go onisaawaan anooj igo awiiya awesiiyan.

As the story goes these Anishinaabeg have been living here and there around a certain place. They went to different places in all directions to hunt for food, from time to time they would kill different kinds of animals.

Aaniish mii sa imaa waawiisiniwaad ningoding dash igo mii iw inendamowaad iw wii-goziwaad eni-ziigwaninig. Ningoding jibwaa waabanining giizhendamoog wii-goziwaad. Bezhig idash a’aw animosh gaa-izhi ozhitawind i’iw naasawaagodaabaan. Miidash imaa gaa-izhi agwapinind a’aw animosh. Gaa giizhapinind mii miinawaa gaa-izhi agwapinind a’aw abinoojii ji-odaabaanaad a’aw animosh.

Well then they ate all the time. Then one time they they determined to move in the spring. Then one time before dawn they decided to move. There was this one dog that was prepared to be hitched up to a travois. Then the dog was hitched up. After he was hitched up, then also there was a baby tied up to the travois to be pulled along by the dog.

Miidash zhigwa gaa-izhi goziwaad bwaa waabaninig. Megwaa ani-bimigoziwaad ezhi-waabaninig miidash gaa-izhi nagishkawaawaad bizhikiwan. Igiw animoshag gaa-izhi mogitawaawaad mii sa gaa-izhi maajiibatood a’aw abinoojiiyan wedaabaanaad. Mii sa gaa-izhi wani’ind abinoojii. Mii eta a’aw animosh gaa-pagamibatood.

Then so they moved before it was dawn. While they were going along moving in the morning they met some buffalo. Those dogs ran upon them so then the dog with the baby that was being carted along also started running. Then the baby was lost. Only the dog arrived running.

Mii sa gaa-izhi gabeshiwaad. Miidash gaa-izhi maajaawaad gii-nandone’igewaad. Mii sa gaa-izhi gwiinone’igewaad mii sa gaa-izhi baabaanaadendamowaad.

So then they camped. Then they left to go searching. So then they looked but eventually gave up hope.

Ningoding dash igo gaa-izhi mikawaawaad moozoog. Miidash gaa-izhi gagwezhagozondiwaad mishtayaabe a’aw bezhig aw dash bezhig gibwaanaakoosh gaye wiin dash a’aw mishtayaabe ikido wii-pimaadizid. Miidash gaa-izhi ikidod gibwaanaakoosh wigagwejigaanaad.

Then after some time these moose found the baby. Then they were disputing, one was a big bull moose and the other was a young one. The younger moose said he wanted to kill the baby, but the older moose intended to save the baby. So the young moose wanted to race the bull moose.

Giishpin naganaad iw wii-nissaad iniw abinoojiiyan aaniish giishpin nagazheyan niwii-pimaaji’aa. Aaniish gidinendam gaye giin wii-pimaaji’aad. Gaawiin dash inendaziin ji- gagwejigazhiwed a’aw mishtayaabe. Mii sa booch gaa-izhi zhaagoozomind.Mii sa gaa-izhi maajaawaad. Iwidi ozhaawashkwaadinaag giga-bi onji-batoomin. Mii sa gaa-izhi onaabandang a’aw mishtayaabe. Miidash geget iwidi gaa-bi-onji-maajiibatoowaad. Iwapii dash besho baa-ayaawaad ini abijoojiiyan mii iw bi-naganind a’aw mishtayaabe.

If the young moose beat the older moose he would kill the child. If you beat me he said I am willing to spare the child. Well and you are thinking to save the child. But the bull moose didnt want to race. So then eventually he was persuaded. Then they set out to the starting place. Then certainly from there were they starting to run. Over there where that mountain looks green is where we will start to run.Then the old moose selected a place. Then they started running from there. When they came near the baby the old moose was left behind.

Gegaa sa go ji-debibinaad a’aw gibwaanaakoosh mii iw gaa-izhi inenimaad a’aw mishtayaabe ji-biindaakamiginaminid. Miidash geget gaa-izhi biindakamiginawaad giboonaakoosh. Mii sa imaa ginigabigawaad. Mii sa gaa-izhi debibinaad iniw abinoojiiyan a’aw mishtayaabe. Miisa gaa-izhi bimaadizid a’aw abinoojii. Miidash iw apane gaa-izhi wiijindiwaad.

The young one was close to taking the baby when the old one used his power of thought to make the young one step in a hole as he was running. Then the young one really did step in a hole. So then the old one took up the child. Then the child was saved. From that time on the child and the bull moose were always together.