Shkodedaabanens gii Shkitood (The Little Engine That Could)
Story by Watty Piper. Translation by Francis Fox-ba and Howard Kimewon. Transcription by Margaret Noodin.
| Nakweshkawig | ishkodedaabaanens | e-gaa gashkitood. |
| Meet | the little engine | that could. |
| Maampii | bijibizo | miskowishkodedaabaanens. |
| Here | comes | the red little engine. |
| Maampii | bijibizowag | odaminowaganag. |
| Here | come | dolls. |
| Maampii | bijibidewan | odaminowaganensan. |
| Here | come | toys. |
| Kchi-bizo, | kchi-bizo, | kchi-bizo . . . |
| Chug along, | chug along, | chug along . . . |
| Bindigewag. |
| They go in. |
| Zagapswaa, | zagapswaa, | zagapswaa. . . |
| Puffing smoke, | puffing smoke, | puffing smoke. . . |
| Maampii | zaagijiwebizowag. |
| Here | they come from behind the hill. |
| Gidaki | e-bizowag. |
| They | go up the hill |
| Aashiish-maajii! | Shtaa ta haa! | |
| Oh no! (the girls would say) | Oh no! (the boys would say) |
| Ishkodedaabaanens | baataashin | noongom. |
| The train | is stuck | now. |
| Maampii | bijibizo | gichishkodedaabaan. |
| Here | comes | a big train. |
| Daa | naadamaage ina? |
| Will | he help? |
| Gaawiin! | Wenji | damtaa. |
| No! | Because | he’s busy. |
| Maampii | bijibizo | gete-ishkodedaabaan. |
| Here | comes | an old train. |
| Daa | naadamaage ina? |
| Will | he help? |
| Gaawiin! | Gaawiin gashkitoosiin. | Wenji | gikaa. | |
| No! | He can’t. | Because | he’s too old. |
| Maampii | bijibizo | giizowaanzo | miinawaa | giizhigowaanzo | ishkodedaabaanens. |
| Here | comes | a maize (yellow) | and | blue | little train. |
| Daa | naadamaage ina? |
| Will | she help? |
| Enh! | Egaachiiwi, | daa | gwejitoon igo. | |
| Yes! | Small | will | try | |
| She’s small but she’ll try. | ||||
| Nindaa | gashkitoon igo | enendamoyaan. | Nindaa | gashkitoon igo | enendamoyaan. | |
| I | can | I think. | I | can | I think. |
| Kchi-bizo, | kchi-bizo, | kchi-bizo… |
| Chug along, | chug along, | chug along… |
| Nindaa | gashkitoon igo | enendamyaan. | Nindaa | gashkitoon igo | enendamyaan. | |
| I | can | I think. | I | can | I think. |
| Zagapswaa, | zagapswaa, | zagapswaa… |
| Puffing smoke, | puffing smoke, | puffing smoke… |
| Ishpeming | ayaa! |
| The top | she’s at! |
| Hoowah! | Onizhishin! | Giizowaanzo | miinawaa | giizhigowaanzo | ishkodedaabaanens! |
| Hurray! | Good! | The maize (yellow) | and | blue | little train! |
| Hurray for the little blue engine! | |||||