tth’upsi’athun’ ’i’ tthu smuyuth | Squirrel and Deer
tth’upsi’athun’ ’i’ tthu smuyuth | Squirrel and Deer
Story by Liam Knott and Delores Louie
In this story we find out how the squirrel and the deer became friends.
Translated into Hul’q’umi’num’ and read by Delores Louie. Hul’q’umi’num’ is a Coast Salish language spoken in British Columbia, Canada.
(1) kwthu ’uhwiin’ nu sqwul’qwul’ nus yuthustalu ’u kwthu tth’upsi’athun’ ’i’ tthu smuyuth hwu hiiya’yutul’.
I’m going to tell you a short story about a squirrel and a deer and how they became friends.
(2) wulh yu xaytl’thut, wulh yu ’eeye’q tthu sts’alha’s tthu hwthuthiqut.
It was getting cold and the forest leaves were changing colour.
(3) q’ey’tl’ul’s tthu smuyuth stl’i’s kws nasthut ’i m’i tum’xuy’tl’, ’i’ ’a’luxut tthu tth’upsi’athun’ ’u tthu s’ulhtuns.
Deer was grazing, trying to get fat for winter, and Squirrel was gathering food.
(4) ’i’ wulh tul’nuhwus tthu tth’upsi’athun’ kws s’i’kw’s ’u kwthu lelum’s, ni’ yuhw hwi’ hwtsukwilum.
Then Squirrel realized he had lost his way home because he had wandered too far.
(5) xeem’ tth’upsi’athun’, xeem’. hay ’ul’ si’si’.
Squirrel was crying, crying. He was afraid.
(6) kw’a’usum smuyuth, ts’elhum’utus tthu xeem’, ’i’ nilh yuhw tth’upsi’athun’, ptem’utus, “’i ch ’a’lu tstamut, ’u tth’upsi’athun’?”
Deer looked up, hearing Squirrel crying, and asked, “What is the matter, Squirrel?”
(7) “aah sha! ni’ tsun hwtsukwilum ’i’ tsun kwu’elh s’i’kw’!”
“Shucks! I went too far and now I am lost!”
(8) suw’ thut-s tthu smuyuth, “ts’ewuthamu tsun tse’. ni’ kwu’elh tuw’ ’untsu kwthun’ hwthuthiqut ’un’ lelum’?”
Deer said, “I will help you. Where then is your home?”
(9) “nilh p’e’ kwthu hay ’ul’ tl’uqtemutth’ p’hwulhp ’i’ sqwuqwe ni’ ’u kwthu sya’yukw’ shts’ushtutsus. nilh nu lelum’.”
“It is a tall oak and there’s a hole near a broken branch. That’s my home.”
(10) “aah! ni’ tsuw’ spiputstuhw kwthey’ thqet,” thut tthu smuyuth. “ni’ yu qw’iqw’ulus ’i’ hunum’ tsun ’u kwthey’ q’ey’tl’uls ’u kwthu speenhw.
“Ooh, I know that tree,” said Deer. “In spring, I go there to graze on camas.
(11) nem’ tsun nemustamu ’u kwthun’ shni’.”
I will take you to your place.”
(12) hay ’ul’ hilukw tthu tth’upsi’athun’, suw’ tstl’um ’u tthu slhuq’we’lh ’utl’ smuyuth.
Squirrel was very happy and he jumped on Deer’s back.
(13) hay ’ul’ hwe’hwe’ smuyuth, tsetl’um’ ’u tthu hwthuthiqut, yu kwun’el’s tthu tth’upsi’athun’.
Deer ran fast, leaping through the forest, and Squirrel held on.
(14) hun’umutnamut ’u tthu lelum’s suw’ ts’uyulhs tthu tth’upsi’athun’.
They managed to reach his home, and Squirrel was grateful.
(15) “hay ’ul’ ’uy’ nu shqwaluwun kw’unus ’i’ hun’umut. hay ch q’u, smuyuth. ni’ ch ts’ewutham’sh. ’i’ hay ch q’u.”
“I’m very happy to be home. Thank you, Deer. You helped me. Thank you!”
(16) suw’ nuw’ilums ’u tthu shqwuqwe lelum’s p’hwulhp.
And he went inside his home in the hole of the oak.
(17) ni’ kwu’elh hith yu qw’iqw’ul’us ’i’ hunum’ tthu smuyuth ’u kwthey’ q’ey’tl’ul’s ’u kwthu speenhw, stutes ’u kwthu p’hwulhp.
Next spring, Deer was grazing on camas, at the place near the oak.
(18) hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ts’elhum’utus, “thhwathut ch! thhwathut ch! ’e’ut yu ’e’wu tthu swuy’qe’ yu kwun’etus thu skwul’esh! nem’ kweel! nem’ kweel’!”
Suddenly, he heard Squirrel shouting, “Run hide! Run hide! Here comes a man with a gun! Go hide! Go hide!”
(19) hulinum ’utl’ tth’upsi’athun’ tthu smuyuth, ni’ siwulst-hwus, nilh tthu smuyuth ni’ t’ukw’stuhw.
Squirrel warned him, saving Deer, who had taken him home.
(20) nilh kwu’elh shus hwu hiiya’yutul’ smuyuth ’i’ tth’upsi’athun’ kwus yath ’uw’ ts’i’ts’uw’atul’.
And that is how Deer and Squirrel became friends, by helping each other.
(21) ’uw’ nexun’ ’ul’ ’u tthey’. ’i’ hay ch q’u.
That’s the end. Thank you.
Story – Liam Knott
Hul’q’umi’num’ translation – Delores Louie
Hul’q’umi’num’ voice – Delores Louie
Art – Liam Knott, Sally Hart & CJ Rice
Video – Donna Gerdts & CJ Rice
Music – Thomas Jones
Funding – First Peoples’ Cultural Council, School District #68, Simon Fraser University, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
2015