skw’qeqe’ ’i’ thu tsulqama’ – Robin and Raspberry

 

This is a little story in Hul’q’umi’num’, a Salish language spoken on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

The story skw’qeqe’ ’i’ thu tsulqama’ (Robin and Raspberry) is by Ruby Peter.

skw’qeqe’ ’i’ thu tsulqama’

Robin and Raspberry

thut tthu skw’qeqe’, “’i’ tsun kw’ekw’i’.”
Robin: I’m hungry.

thut tsulqama’, “nan ’uw’ ’uy’ nu shqwaluwun ’u thu hay ’ul’ ’uw’ ’eli’ nu tsulqama’.”
Raspberry: I’m happy about my beautiful raspberries.

thut skw’qeqe’, “’i tsun lumnuhw thu tsulqama’.”
Robin: I see some raspberries.

thut tsulqama’, “ha-a-ay ’ul’ hith kwunus ’i ts’uts’um’t ’i’ yelh sus qw’ul thunu tsulqama’.”
Raspberry: They were growing a long time before they ripened.

thut skw’qeqe’, “nu stl’i’ thu tsulqama’.”
Robin: I want raspberries.

thut tsulqama’, “’eetsune! ’e’uth wulh yu’e’wu thu skw’qeqe’.”
Raspberry: Gosh, here comes robin.

thut skw’qe’qe’, “nan ’uw’ ’uy’ thunu tsulqama’.”
Robin: These raspberries of mine are really good.

thut tsulqama’, “aaa, nan tsun’uw’ t-sas! ”
Raspberry: Oh, I am so pitiful!

ni’ hay
The End.