tu sum’e’kwulh squmkwala’ | The injured tadpole

Story by Brandon Sampson, Brydon Sampson, and Ruby Peter

01.     ’een’thu Brandon, ts’saq’unthut tunu sne, ’een’thu sun’tl’e’. ’een’thu Brydon, ts’saq’unthut tunu sne. ’een’thu sa’suqwt.

I’m Brandon. ts’saq’unthut is my name, the elder. I’m Brydon, ts’saq’unthut is my name, the younger.

02.     tun’ni’ tst ’utl’ shts’um’inus, nilh tthu squmkwala’ nilh sqwul’qwul’ tst.

We are from Stz’uminus and this is our story about a tadpole.

03.     nuts’a’ skweyul ’i’ nem’ wulh huye’ t’itsum tthu squmkwala’.

One day a tadpole was swimming away from home.

04.     ni’ hwi’ hilum tthu smeent sus ’uw’ tth’as tthu shtl’up’isnutss.

A pebble fell on his tail.

05.     t’a’thut teem’ kws ts’ewutewut, teem’ ’i’ ’uwu te’ lhwet.

He tried calling for help, but no one was around.

06.     wulh lumnuhwus tthu squl’wey’ ts’its’usum’ ni’ ’u tthu qa’ stutes.

He saw some seaweed growing nearby in the water.

07.     suw’ wulh lhey’xtus—lhey’xtus, lhey’xtus.

So he started eating and eating.

08.     hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ni’ wulh ts’isum tthu t’ult’eluw’s, wulh hwu thithu.

His arms got bigger all of a sudden.

09.     hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ni’ wulh thuxnehwus tthu smeent, nem’ ’uy’qtus.

He managed to push aside the pebble, moving it.

10.     ’i’ skw’ey kws t’itsumnamut-s, ’u nilh kwsus huw sume’kwulh tthu shtl’up’isnutss.

But he couldn’t swim because his tail was too hurt.

11.     wulh kwetsum’ squmkwala’, kwetsum’ teem’, “ts’ewutham’sh! ts’ewutham’sh!”

The tadpole was screaming for help, “Help me! Help me!”

12.     wulh m’i tetsul tthu ’ey’x, suw’ putum’s, “’i ch ’a’lu tstamut?”

A bunch of crabs came along, asking, “What’s wrong?”

13.     suw’ thut-s squmkwalus, “ni’ tsun me’kwulh ’u tthunu shtl’up’isnuts. na’ut hwu sum’e’kwulh.”

The tadpole said, “My tail got crushed! It’s injured.”

14.     sus ’uw’ se’tum ’utl’ ’e’yx, nem’ huya’stum.

So the crabs picked him up and took him.

15.     ni’ t’ukw’st-hwus tthuw’ne’ullh, nemust-hwus ’u tthu lelum’s.

They brought him to their home.

16.     nem’ se’tum sus ’uw’ nemust-hwus ’u tuw’ swe’s shhw’a’mut-s ’eelhtun.

They placed him on their bed.

17.     ni’ skw’in skweyul kwus sqe’quw’ tthu squmkwala’, ’un’nehw ’ul’.

The tadpole rested for a few days, just being still.

18.     huye’ tthu ’ey’x nem’ q’putum tthu s’ulhtuns, nilh ni’ shxulhuste’wut tthuw’nilh squmkwala’.

The crabs gathered up seaweed and fed it to the tadpole.

19.     nuw’ hith ni’us kw’in skweyul, kwus ’un’nehw ’i’ yelh sus ’uw’ thuynamut tthu squmkwala’.

It wasn’t very many days before the tadpole felt a lot better.

20.     kwus wulh thuynamut sis ’uw’ huye’, t’ul’q’ustus sus nem’ ’uw’ t’akw’.

He waved goodbye and returned home.

21.     nilh kwu’elh ’i tst qwul’qwul’tst tun’a, nilh mukw’ ’uw’ tul’nuhwus ’eelhtun.

This is our story that we created for everyone to hear.

22.     tun’a ’i squl’qwul’tst ’i’ nilh sht’ees ha’ ch ’uy’eet kwthu ni’ lumnuhwuhw, ’i’ tl’uw’ ’i’yethaam’.

The moral of our story is to always treat other people with respect and they will show you respect in return.

23.     ’i’ kwus tthu nilhs tthu ’uy’ s’ulhtun nilhs lhey’tuhw, ’i’ yath ch ’uw’ kw’am’kw’um’ ’i’ sthuthi’ tthun’ smustimuhw.

Also eat the proper foods and you will be strong and healthy.

24.     nilh kwu’elh sqwul’qwul’ tst tun’a ts’its’uwa’tul’.

And that’s our story about helping one another.

25.     hay tseep q’u.

Thank you.

Story and art – Brandon & Brydon Sampson

Hul’q’umi’num’ translation – Ruby Peter

Hul’q’umi’num’ voice – Ruby Peter

Hul’q’umi’num’ transcription and editing – Donna Gerdts

Video editing – 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