COMPARISONS of LANGUAGES INVOLVED
in the translation of the MAALAN AARUM

INTRODUCTION
3.1 Mound Land
3.1
When the waves were calm
in the land they left,
the decent people
lived together there
in strong hollow houses
with thick roofs
3.2 Freezing
3:2

They lived where it snowed.
They lived where it stormed.
They lived where it was always winter.

3.3 Dream
3:3

While still in their cold land
They remembered longingly
the mild weather,
the many deer,
and also foxes

HUNTERS GO EVERYWHERE
3.4 Split
3:4

The poor, lonely, but tough men
became hunters and
left those living
in strong houses.

3.5 Mighty Hunters
3:5

Separated from home
like breasts on the same body
the hunters became tougher
extremely good and
they reached for the sky.

3.6 Explored All
3:6

The hunters camped
in the north, east,
south and west.

CHRIST TRUMPS ODIN
3.7 Mound Man
3.7

The man, who ruled
in that old, northern land
that they all left,
was baptized to be pure.

3.8 Soccers
3.8
The discouraged people
were worried about
worn out land
they had to abandon.
The priest said,
"We decent people
should go somewhere else."

3.9 Akomen
3.9
The common people
in the east stole away
the brothers
abandoned all
with great discouragement
and again discouragement
Maalan Aarum Algonquin Old Norse

Akhokink
wapaneu
wemoltin
palliaal
kitelendam
aptelendam

Akoores kime sik
wapanneu
wematin
paladoo
kitchi lawelendam
apt lawe len dam

Uugaurvs geyma sik
verpandi
vedr madin
bila thaa
geysi lawe lyndi(doom)
ap lawe lyndi(doom)

Arrow   Arrow
To the snake land
in the east
they went forth
going away
earnestly
grieving
left pointing arrow
original English
translation
right pointing arrow
translation
of Old Norse
Gentle (people) hide themselves
turning pale
plighted brother(s)
abandon it
Great low disposition imposed
Again low dispositions imposed

WORD (PHRASE) BY WORD (PHRASE) DECIPHERMENT
(All references are to Sherwin’s eight volumes of the Viking and the Red Man)

Original English To the snake land  
Recorded sounds Akho    kin     k  
Algonquin words Akoores    kime   sik    v. 1 p. 9 & v. 2 p. 59
Old Norse Uugaurvs geyma sik  
Norse/English Gentle (people) hid themselves  
     
Original English in the east  
Recorded sounds wapaneu  
Algonquin words wapanneu v. 5 p. 154 (easterly)
Old Norse verpandi  
Norse/English turning pale  
     
Original English they went forth  
Recorded sounds we moltin  
Algonquin words we matin v. 1, p. 233
Old Norse vedr madin  
Norse/English plighted brother(s)  
     
Original English going away  
Recorded sounds palli aal  
Algonquin words pala doo v. 5 p. 100 1*
Old Norse bila thaa  
Norse/English abandon it  
     
Original English earnestly  
Recorded sounds kit e len dam  
Algonquin words kitchi lawe len dam v. 1 p.76, & v. 8 p. 45
Old Norse geysi lawe lyndi(doom)  
Norse/English great low disposition (imposed)  
     
Original English grieving  
Recorded sounds apt e len dam  
Algonquin words apt lawe len dam v. 1, p. 17 & v. 8 p. 45
Old Norse ap lawe lyndi(doom)  
Norse/English Again low dispositions (imposed)  
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Notes
1* Sherwin does not offer “Pala aal” as an Algonquin word, but the Old Norse words “bila al” would make sense as “abandon all.”
General Comments:

There is a similarity between the paraphrase of the Old Norse words and the original English. Both English versions have people going away with low spirits. But in the Old Norse version the “snakes” are the “common” people, who have little chance to possess land. The brothers, who might eventually possess some land, abandon their rights to the homestead, The “grieving”(as for the dead) is better described as “discouragement” (as in overwhelmed by adverse circumstances.)

The Old Norse words appear to describe people leaving a land unable to support the population. The common people slip away first. Than the younger brothers give up any claim they may have on the family property.

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3.10 Driven

3.10
In a short while
the weeping, weak, dirty.
needy (people from)
the burnt land
saved themselves and
rested on the other side
3.11 Free Men
3.11
After moving down
from the snowy land
and discreetly leaving
the cousins separated
through out all the land
3.12 Open Water
3.12

Where there was little
pack ice in heaped ice
with a lot of snow drifts,
the white geese ruled
and the white bear ruled

3.13 Rich Father
3.13
Floating up the streams
in their canoes,
our fathers were rich.
They were in the light
when they were at these Islands.
THE DECISION
3.14Agreement
3.14

"Head Beaver and Big Bird
said 'Let us go to Akomen'"

3.15 All Will Go
3.15

All say they will go along,
All who are free to go.

3.16North East
3.16

Those of the north agreed.
Those of the east agreed.
Over the waters
Over the frozen sea
They went to enjoy it

THE MIGRATION
3.17 Stone hard
3.17

On the wonderful slippery water,
On the stone hard water, all went
On the great tidal sea,
Over the [puckered pack ice]

3.18 Big Mob
3.18

[I tell you it was a big mob]
In the darkness,
all in one darkness
To Akomen, to the [west],
In the darkness
They walk and walk,
all of them

3.19 men
3.19

The men from the north,
the east, the south,
The eagle clan, the beaver clan
the wolf clan,
The best men, the rich men,
the head men
Those with wives,
Those with daughters,
Those with dogs

3.20 They All Come
3.20

They all come.
They tarry at the land
Of the spruce pines,
Those from the east
Some with hesitation.
Esteeming highly their
Old home at the mound land