[1] Ngom zneget wigwaskek. Gi zhoshkwamget wigwas bnewi. Neshnabek bnewi gi-wenpenzek gi-wigwaskewat. Gi-mnozhoshkwamgek ga-wzhitowat gégo. Cho wgi-pitendansinawa.
[2] Abdek Nanabozho wgi-wabman jésh wigwasmtegon, dagnat nechis zhi mtegon.
[3] “Wenet apje. zaam gishgen,” kedo Nanabozho. “Da-wenpenze neshnabe je-wigwasket. nge-nena’ibdon. nwi-zneg’a nwech neshnabe je bnegwakwat. wi-kche-mikchewi. da-kche-nendan.”
[4] Nanabozho ga-je-kenonat gagjeganayan. Gi boni pnéshi. Nanabozho ga-je-debnat wkaden abje’at, ga-je-wawépodwat wigwas-mtegon gkebyégenet wnengwigenen o pnéshi zhi zhoshkwanek wigwas.
[5] Ga-je-majit mine Nanabozho megwémtekwakik gi-o-bokbnat gagindebé mtegosen, ga-je-wépodwat wiigwas-mtegon nekmek. Iw je gi-negapzet. Nekshe! Netem gi-mishkwya wigwaas. Mi sa gi-ne-wépodwegwat. Gi-nenagwet gé bij igwan wigwas zhi mtegon.
[6] Ekedot Nanabozho, “Neshnabe nomek da-dzhita je-ndowabdek zhoshkwanek wigwas. Nwech ogajiikendan mkek wigwas. Mii iwe wje-zhenagwek wigwas ngom ojiishigid wigwasi-mtek; Nanabozho gi-abjetot gwiigwanensan mine gii-pabashanzhe’waad gi-abjetot gagindebé mtegosen.
HOW THE BIRCH TREE GOT ITS MARKS
[1] Today it is difficult to harvest birchbark. Long ago the birchbark was smooth. The Indians long ago had an easy time when they harvested birchbark. It was perfectly smooth when they made things. They didn’t appreciate it.
[2] One time Nenabozho saw a grove of birch trees, and touched the trees with his bare finger.
[3] “It’s so very nice. It grows so plentiful,” said Nenabozho. “The Indian will have such an easy time when he picks the bark. I’ll fix it. I will make it harder for the Indian to to peel off the trunk. He’ll work hard. He’ll appreciate it.”
[4] Nenabozho spoke to the chickadee. The bird landed. Nenabozho grasped its legs, using [the bird] as he struck it against the birch trees repeatedly, leaving numerous small indentations with the bird’s wings on the smooth bark.
[5] And then Nenabozho went into the woods again, breaking balsam branches, whipping the birch trees all over. So it became brittle. See! The birchbark had been tough. And so he whipped them. And the marks even showed on the inside of the trees’ bark there.
[6] Nenabozho said, “Now the Indian will have to spend a long time searching for smooth birchbark. He’ll appreciate it more when he finds [good] birchbark. That’s why the birchbark looks the way it does now, as the birch tree bears the marks of the bird wings used by Nenabozho and the balsam boughs he used to whip them.
GAA-ONDINANG OJIISHIGID WIIGWAASI-MITIG
[1] Noongom zanagad wiigwaasiwikeng. Giizhooshkwaamagad wiigwaas mewinzha. Anishinaabeg mewinzha gii-wenipaniziwag gii-wiigwaasiwikewaad. Gii-minozhooshkwaamagak gaa-ozhitoowaad gegoo. Gaawiin ogiiapiitendanziinaawaa. [2] Aabiding Nenabozho ogii-waabamaan niibowa wiigwaasimitigoon, daanginaad binaakwaaninj imaa mitigoon. [3] “Onizhishin aapiji. Onzaam ginibigin,” ikido Nenabozho. “Da-wenipanizi anishinaabe izhi-wiigwaasiwiked. Nigananaa’ibidoon. Niwii-sanagi’aa nawaj anishinaabe izhibikwaakobinaad. Da-gichi-anokii. Odaa-gichi-inendaan.” [4] Nenabozho gaa-izhi-ganoonaad gijigaaneshiinyan. Giipagamised bineshiinh. Nenabozho gaa-izhi-debinaad okaading aabaji’aad, gaa-izhi-babakite’waad wiigwaasi-mitigoon nameshininid ogwiigwaniman awe bineshiinh imaa zhooshkwaanig wiigwaas. [5] Gaa-izhi-maajaad miinawaa Nenabozho megwaayaakwaang gii-o-bookobinaad zhingobiin mitigoonsan, gaa-izhi-bashanzhe’waad wiigwaasi-mitigoon gabe-ayi’ii.
Ko Ko Ko
Page 2
Kokoko égi shenkanawat o gi Neshnabék ngodek anaké énodagzet. Égi mendokaset o égi wdebwétagsewat ma shna égi mya schegét o kokoko.
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Ngodet o shkenwé épamsét i mtegwakik. Kokoko éjibdebet i owimtego. Gi mig zhechké o égi shedé’at o shkenwé.
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Wégwén weji’igwan gwékabitot i wdebé o Kokoko. Béba gwékabitot o! Haw, mig zhechké ode égi pij wabdet o shkenwé.
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Hau, égi wabdet i wégwéndek ézhechkéyan i éshedé’at. I yé i ga shketot i. Abte she égi shketot …. cho mamda égi shketoset égishikadét.
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Ahau, égi bmeptot ibe édat gi widmot o w’osen ga je wabmat o Kokoko ézhechkét. Ni je ézhechkét o Kokoko égi najdot o w’osen? Mendokaze ne o?
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Égi jibdebet o w’os ga je denat ode atsokan.
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O Nenebush gi kche yawe ngodek i ma éndashit éyéyak égi wdenat. Wawika gi mya schegét, égi yayéngét gi bemadsejek mine gi méjbyéyek. Ma shna gi shewenma’at jayék gi bemadsejek gé wi.
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Ngodek gi pamset i mtegwakik o Nenebush. Wawika gi zhechké i. Gi medagwéndet i, gi mno gishget…ma shna gi nensé mine gi msegekwé i mtegwak.
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Mégwa she épamset ibe, weye éwepodwat shkwaj ji’gwan. Pené gi wepodwat weye i, i yé o Kokoko gi yawe…gi pij shiwendezot, ma shna gi manenit o Nenebush émigadit.
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Nwésh gi migadwat nizhok. Édaso gi shketowat épkenagéwat, ma she kew gi dasgenénat o kokoko égi bimiskonat i wdebénen jak gizhinat.
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A pené iw pi, o Kokoko ma shna anwe gwékabitat i wdebé. Éwabdet i gwe’at éshyat. Iw pi shkwéyak éwabdet ga je wdojbyat.
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Gode Bodéwadmi penojék ga je widmowat gi wgetsimek cho wika ézhechkéwat ézhechkét o Kokoko, ma shna nasap ézhewébsewat gé wi…anasap se ode gishek!
Neaseno 