ts’um’ts’uyii ’i’ ha’putiil’ – Ant and Grasshopper
Hul’q’umi’num’ sxwi’em’: ts’um’ts’uyii ’i’ ha’putiil’ (Ant and Grasshopper) from Hakwush on Vimeo.
Download a pdf of the story here (line by line version)
Hul’q’umi’num’ version by Ruby Peter and Donna Gerdts
Voice by Ruby Peter
The Ant and the Grasshopper
(English Translation)
This is a story about Ant and Grasshopper.
It was summertime and it was a very beautiful day.
Grasshopper was sitting on a mushroom,
playing his fiddle and singing.
Then along came Ant walking down the path.
So Grasshopper asked, “What are you doing?”
And Ant answers, “I am working. I am carrying wheat to my house.”
“O-o-o Ma’am! Goodbye.” “Goodbye.”
So grasshopper thought, “Look at that silly ant.
All day long she works hard
She never enjoys the sunshine.”
He was laughing at Ant, and then he went back to singing.
The days changed and it was getting colder.
Ant continued to gather food and store it in her house.
Grasshopper continued to sing.
He enjoyed the sunshine.
Then winter came.
The wind blew hard.
Snow covered the meadow like a thick white blanket.
The grasshopper tried to find food, but there was none.
It didn’t take long for the grasshopper to knock on the ant’s door.
Grasshopper said, “Please help me! I have nothing to eat! What should I do now? I’m hungry.”
Ant said, “My dear Mr. Grasshopper, all summer long I worked hard carrying food to my home.
I can’t share with you when you are so lazy?”
Grasshopper said: “I was busy singing a very beautiful song.”
The ant thought for a moment and then said…
“Dance then and I will share a little food with you.
But next time you have to work first before you play.”
So the Grasshopper agreed. And that’s the end of the story.
The End. Thank you.
Credits:
Hul’q’umi’num’ version by:
Sti’tum’at (Ruby Peter) – Translator, Editor
Sp’aqw’um’ultunaat (Donna Gerdts) – Editor
Quwqumalwut (Joan Brown) — Project Coordinator
Funding provided by Canada Heritage, Coast Salish Employment & Training Society, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Thank you to Strong Nations for story-line and producing the picture book version. (www.stongnations.com)