Ningoding bezhig anishinaabe gii-pi onjibaagoban owidi Baawating; bangi bookwaawigane.
Mii dash omaa gii-na’aangabigobanen; ikwewan o’omaa gaa-wiidigemaad megwaa anooj gii-izhichigewaad anishinaabeg, gii-manidookaazowaad.
Moozhag gii-kichi-wiikoondiwag wenizhishing miijim; gaa-wiikaa sa
ogii-ashamaasiwaawaan iniw anishinaaben, gaa-wiikaa gaa-ganage ogii-nandomaasiwaawaan gegoo waa-izhichigewaadin.
One time there was a man that must have came from over here at the rapids; he was slightly hunch backed. And so here he must have been living with his wife’s family; here he married a woman at a time when the people were doing different things, having ceremonies.Often times they had great feasts with the best food; they never fed the man, they never at all did invite him when they were going to do things..
Ningoding idash beboong gii-amanisoowag gichi-shingwenig aki, gii-mamaazikaa aki. Mii dash gii-segiziwaad. “ Mii sa awe wiindigoo,” gii-ikidowag. Eshkam igo besho gii-pi ayaawan. Mii dash iwe bi-atoowaad anookaajigan; aano-gii gagwejindiwaad; gaawiin dash awiiya ogii-kashkitoosiin ji-miigaanaad wiindigoon. Gegapi-igo aapichi gii-mamaazikaa aki. Gaawiin gaye ogashkitoosiinaawaa ishkode ji-biskaneg; aanind gaye anishinaabeg gaawiin mamikawisiiwag.
Then one winter they felt a presence when the earth rumbled; the earth shook and then they were scared. “Its a wiindigoo,” they said. Gradually the wiindigoo was coming nearer. And so they came and put down a gift; they tried asking each other but nobody was able to fight the wiindigoo. Then finally the earth really rumbled and shook. And also they were not able to light a fire; some of the people were scared out of their senses.
Gegapi idash onandomaawaan ini anishinaaben bwaakwaawiganenid. Ogii-pagidinamawaawaan i’iw obagijiganiwaa, ogii-igowaan idash: “ Mii na iw bijiinag mikwenimiyeg noongom zegiziyeg?” Gaawiin ogii-odaapinanziinan iniw aana-miinind. Gii-ani saaga’am, endaad gii-izhaad. Ogii anoonaan wiiwan wewiib omakizinan ji-ozhitoonid. “ A’aw idash ikwe wewiib gii-makizinike. Zhigwa aapichi besho bi-ayaa wiindigoo. Bebezhigweg bashkweginoon.
So finally they summoned the hunch-back. They presented him with offerings they had made. And they were told: “Is it just now when you guys are scared that you think of me? He didn't accept the gifts that were given to him to no avail. He went outdoors, then he went to his home. He asked his wife to quickly make some moccasins. The woman then hurried up and made moccasins. The Wiindigoo was already getting close. There was one dressed hide for each foot.
Miidash gii-maajaad a’aw bwaakwaawigang. Aazha aanind anishinaabeg gaawiin ganage
maajiisiiwag. “Ayaangwaamizin!” odinaan wiiwan. Zaaga’igan i’imaa gii-ayaani, Wekwaagaming zhingwaakwag gii-ayaawaad. “Waabang gigizheb bi-inaabikan i’imaa zhingwaakwag gii-ayaawaad. Ninga waabamaa. Apii idash miigaadiyaang, maano wiinikam/wiinitam da noondaagozi. Baanimaa niin ishkwaaji ninga noondaagoz,” gii-ikido.
Then Bwaakwaawigang left. Already some of the people didn't even move one bit.” Be careful!” he tells his wife. There was a lake, at the far end were some pines. “ Tomorrow, in the morning, come and look where the pines are. I am going to see him. When we fight let him cry out first. Not until afterwards will I be heard,” he said.
Wa
yaabang idash gegizheb gii-awi inaabi a’aw ikwe. Mii dash ezhi-gii waabamaad zaagi’kweninid, miidash miinawaa gii-shagaski’taanid. Mii dash imaa gii-pii’aad ji bi-odisigod a’aw waa-miigaanaad. Biiwaabik saka’on obi-takonaan a’aw wiindigoo. Miidash gii-pazigwiid a’aw bwaakwaawigang. Aanakwad epiitaasing gii-akooziwag. Nitam ogii-makamaan i’iw zaka’on, ogii-apagidoon imaa zaaga’iganing iw zaka’on; gakina gii-dwaase i’iw zaaga’igan. Mii dash gii-noondaagozid wiindigoo, gakina gii-wanimikawiwag anishinaabeg. Ishkwaaj wiin gii noondaagozi a’aw bwaakwaawigang, nawaj wiin gii-gizhiiwe, dibishkoo giizhig biigoshkaag mii’iw gaa inweg. Mii dash gii-miigaadiwaad eniwek igo ginwenzh. Odayan owiijiiwaabaniin a’aw wiindigoo. Gii ozhimo a’a animosh. Apii dash bakite’ond a’aw wiindigoo, “YOOooo, nisaye, ninisigoo!” Mii gii-nisind a’aw wiindigoo. Ikwe a’aw! Moozhag idash gii naniizaanendamoog anishinaabeg ji-bi dagwishininid osayeyan. Miziwe omaa gii-tebwewidam gii-noondaagozid apii nesind a’aw wiindigoo. Mii sa ekoozid.
Then the next morning the woman went and looked. Then she saw his head sticking out, then she saw his head bob down again. And so then he waited for the one he was going to fight. A metal cane the Wiindigoo came holding. And then the hunchback stood up. Up as far as the clouds was how high they stood. First he took the cane/staff from the Wiindigoo, he threw the staff into the lake there; all the ice of the lake was crushed. And so when the cry of the Wiindigoo was heard, all the people fainted away. And afterwards was heard the cry of the hunchback, louder still was the sound of his voice; as if the sky was torn, that was the sound of it. Then they fought with each other for some time. The Wiindigoo’s dog was with her. The dog fled. When the Wiindigoo was hit, “ YOOOooo, big brother, im being killed!” Then the Wiindigoo was killed. It was a woman! Often times the people were afraid that her older brother would come. Her voice was heard all over this place when she was killed. Thats as far as the story goes.
Jon Pinesi Fort William
Illustrations and Retranscription into double vowel by Zac Earley