MJJ-Pitch
sis ’uw’ ’imush thuw’nilh ’imush, sis ’uw’ ni’ wulh yew’tus tu’i qwlhey’.
A woman was walking along, and she saw a log she admired.
’u.u.uy’ tthuw’nilh chumux.
It was very nice and had pitch on it.
tskwim qwlhey’, tskwim.
It was red, the log was red.
suw’ thut-s thuw’nilh, “mustimuhw ’ulh ’ul’ ’i’ nu sta’lus ch.”
So, she said, “If you were human, you would be my husband.”
[[yee hey’]]
[[Response from audience, continue]]
sis ’uw’ ne.e.em’, suwq’tus tthu hwu shnuni’s kws lhaq’uthut-s.
They looked around for a place where they could lie down to sleep.
suw’ tth’asut-s tthu se’uq, suw’ ’ulhtuns ’eelhtun.
First, they mashed up some root of the bracken fern, and ate it.
sis ’uw’ ’itut ’i’ wulh tetsul tu’i.
And then they went to sleep, and someone arrived.
suw’ hwun’ yu kwun’atul tthuw’ne’ullh.
And they were still together.
wulh nilh yuhw ts’a’lu thulh tthu chumux.
It must have been the pitch.
ummm suw’ hwu[s]tatul’us kweyul.
He became the husband of the two sisters that day.
’uw’ thu’it tsphwa.a.as tthuw’nilh, tsphwas.
He was really blonde, blonde.
sis ’uw’ thuyuw’t-hwum tthuw’ne’ullh ’u tthu saqw’um.
They built their house of cedar bark.
hwu saay’.
It was ready.
suw’ kwunutewut tthu swakwun, yu ’i’mush tthu swakwun, suw’ hwu kwun’et-s tthuw’nilh tthu swakwun.
And then they captured a loon, that was walking by, and they captured it.
ni’ wulh hwu saay’ tthu lelum’s, sqp’eew’t-hw.
Then their house was ready, a lean-to.
ni’ hwu hwisuleeltuhw tthuw’nilh, ’u tu’i ’uqw’i’tul slhunlheni’.
And there were two wives, the related women, living together in that house.
[[yee hey’]]
mmmm, suw’ qwals, hwu s-hun’hwilh, “nem’ tsun tse’ tutaal’ yuwus ’ukw’ stsa’tx, nem’ tsun tse’.
And he said, [he had a canoe,] “I will go way out on the water to catch halibut, I will go.
’i’ ’umut tseep ’ukws netulhs ’usuw’ tutaam’.
And you will get up in the morning, and you call out.
nilh ’uw’ ’uween’ m’iin’ hwun’ hun’lhultnamut.”
In case I can’t make it to shore.”
sli.i.iqwul tthu skweyul yath ’uw’ ’uy’.
The day was very calm, always good.
suw’ (hw)’umut thu sa’suqwt suw’ kw’i’s ’u tthu thqet suw’ teems: “lhee.ee.eel qwul’i.i.ilh lhee.ee.eel
So, when the younger sister got up first, she climbed up to the top of a tree and started calling out: “Come ashore, Qwul’ilh, come ashore.
’e.e.e’ut wulh hwu tsi.i.itsulh tthu sya.a.aqwum ee.
The sun is high now.
lhee.ee.eel lhee.ee.eel qwul’i.i.ilh lhee.ee.eel.
Come ashore, come ashore, Qwul’ilh, come ashore.
’e.e.e’ut wulh hwu tsi.i.itsulh tthu sya.a.aqwum ee..”
The sun is high now.”
wulh hun’lheelt.
Finally, he made it ashore.
nilh ts’u suw’ qwasthut-s tthuw’nilh kw’ulhusum.
He submerged and splashed himself.
nilh suw’ yu ts’ey’hwtums thu sq’i’li.i.i.
They dried the dried fish.
’uw’ mukw’ skweyul [kwsuw’] tutaal’s.
Every day he went out on the water.
’uw’ yath ’uw’ tutaam’ tthuw’ne’ullh.
And they always hollered to him.
wulh hwu sum’um’ne’ — mukw’ suw’wuy’qe’.
And now they had children—all boys.
sis ’uw’ ts’e’yhwe.e.em’ ts’e’yhwe.e.em’ ’u tthu stsa’tx.
They kept on drying and drying the halibut.
hwi’ nilh thu sun’tl’e’ teem ’ukws netulhs.
Next, it was the eldest that called out to him in the morning.
“lheel qwul’ilh, ’e’ut wulh hwu tsitsulh tthu syaqwum.”
“Come ashore, Qwul’ilh; the sun is high now.”
m’i ts’u hun’lheelt.
He came ashore.
ni’ wulh hwu s’ul’eluhw, ni’ wulh hwu s’ul’eluhw tthu me’mun’us.
Their children got older and older.
suw’ ’umut-s [ni’] wulh hwu tsitsulh tthu sum’shathut.
And she got up, and the sun was already high in the sky.
“lhee.ee.eel lhee.eel qwul’i.i.ilh lhee.eel.
“Come ashore, come ashore, Qwul’ilh, come ashore.
’eet wulh hwu tsitsulh tthu syaqwum m’i.
The sun is high now.
lheel lheel qwul’ilh lheel.
Come ashore, come ashore, Qwul’ilh, come ashore.
’eet wulh hwu tsitsulh tthu syaqwum m’i.”
The sun is high now.”
hwuw’e niis hun’lhultnamut ’i’ ni’ wulh yaxw.
He had not yet managed to make it to shore, and he began to melt.
suw’ xwtschenums tun’a thqe.e.et, nuw’ sht’es tun’a thqet.
Then all the trees, all the kinds of tree, ran towards him.
kwunutum tthu kw’i’hw sus ’uw’ t’ulqthut tthuw’ne’ullh.
They took the pitch and splattered themselves with it.
nilh tthu t’a’hw ’uw’ hay ’ul’ hwuhwiw, ’ush quxs kwu’elh tthu swe’s kw’i’hws.
Balsam was the first to get there, and that is the reason they have a lot of pitch.
hay tthu qaanlhp nuw’ thi’thxun’e’tum ’ul’, ’uwu niis kwunnuhwus.
Arbutus was pushed back, so therefore he did not receive any pitch.
qethulhp ’uwu niis kwunnuhwus.
Ocean spray did not receive any either.
suw’ q’ay, q’ay.
So, he died, he died.
suw’ xuxee.ee.eem’ tthuw’ne’ullh.
And everyone cried for him.
wulh hum’i yu p’alhthut tthu me’mun’us ’uw’ yath, xwum yu ts’its’usum’.
The children were maturing, always growing too fast.
nilh thu lhqe’lts’s ni’ sil’anums, nilh ni’ sil’anums.
Their months were their years; they were years to them.
suw’ m’i.i.i ts’isum tthuw’ne’ullh.
And they grew older.
suw’ ’i tthu swakwun — tl’uw’ ’i tthu swakwun.
And Loon was there—there was also the loon there.
suw’ kw’uy’ut-s tthuw’ne’ullh tthu swakwun, “‘uwu ch huy’thustuhw tthunu me’mun’u ’uw’ ni’ ’us tstamut kwthu mens.
And they warned the loon, “Don’t tell my children about what happened to their dad.
’uwu ch huy’thustuhw.”
Do not tell them!”
’uw’ st’e kwu’elh tthu swakwun wulh tsset.
And Loon followed this advice.
[[yee]]
nilh tssetum tthu swakwun thuyt kw’ qu.u.ux tuxwa’ts tth’um’een.
Loon was ordered to make a lot of bows and arrows.
suw’ thuyt-s he’kwulusht-s tthu ma’uqw t’ut’e’tus.
And he made them, and he tried hunting ducks.
suw’ kw’e.e.e’lus tun’a sum’shathut.
The sun was so hot.
’uw’ lheq’ut ch ’ul’ kwthun’ s’ulhtun ’u tthu smeent ’i’ qw’ul, kw’e’lus.
When you just laid the food down on the rock, it cooked, it was so hot.
[[yee]]
suw’ ptem’s tthu sun’tl’e’, “tstamut ’a’lu kw’un’a nu shhwuw’weli shyaths ’uw’ xeem’, ’u swakwun?
The eldest asked, “Why are my relatives always crying, Loon?
yuthustal’hw.”
Tell us.”
“aa, kw’uy’uthus.”
[Loon said,] “Oh, I was told not to.”
“ni’ kwu’elh tstamut?”
“What ever happened?”
“ni’ p’e’ q’ay.
“He died.
nilh tu’i sum’shathut ni’ shq’ays sis yaxw.
It was the sun that killed him by melting him.
sis ’uw’ xwtshe.e.enum tun’a thqet ’i’ ni’ kwunutum, kwunutum kwthun’ menulh sis ’uw’ t’ulqthut tun’a thuthiqut.
And all the trees ran to your father and got him, and those trees grabbed pieces of him and splattered themselves.
nilh ni’ shq’ays, nilh tun’a sum’shathut.”
That is how he died, on account of the sun.”
suw’ thut-s, “‘uy’. ’uy’ yuhw ’a’lu kws st’es.”
And he said, “Good! I guess we will leave it at that.”
suw’ kwulushs tthu sa’si.i.iqwt kwulushtum tun’a skweyul.
Now the younger brother started shooting into the air.
sis ’uw’ yu ’a’thtulstum tthu tth’um’een.
While they were shooting, they formed a rope from the arrows.
’uw’kw’ tthu sa’suqwt ’i’ hwi’ nilh tthu sun’tl’e.e.e’.
When the youngest brother was done, next it was the eldest brother’s turn.
sis ’uw’ tl’am.
They shot enough.
[[yee]]
suw’ hwisut they’ kwu’elh nem’ (kwi’) kw’i’ ni’ hwu xwi’lum’.
And then they shook what had become their climbing rope.
sis ’uw’ kw’i’.
And he climbed and climbed.
“kwun’et ch kwu’elh.”
“You hold it then.”
sis ’uw’ kw’i’ tthuw’nilh tthu sun’tl’e’.
And then the eldest climbed.
suw’ qwulmutewut tthu swakwun, “nem’ ch kwu’elh.
Now they told Loon, “Go then.
nem’ ch t’akw’, yuthust ch kwthunu shhwuw’weli, m’i tst tse’ ’uw’ hwu’alum’, nem’ut q’aayt tthu sum’shathut.”
Go home and tell my relatives we will return after we go and kill the sun.”
sus ’uw’ t’akw’ tthu swakwun suw’ yuthustust.
Loon went home and told them.
suw’ qw’a’luqwustum ’u tthu shhwuw’welis.
And their relatives whacked him.
’ush ’uwus kwu’elh kwlh lhakw’ tthu swakwun ’uw’ t’it’utsum’ ’ul’.
This is the reason loons do not fly, only swim.
[[yee]]
sisuw’ tus tthuw’ne’ullh ’u kw’u’i tsitsulh.
They made it to their destination up above.
sis ’uw’ ’i.i.imush.
They walked and walked.
suw’ yu putum’s, “nii tst hwun’ tsakw?”
They asked, “Are we still far away?”
“’i ch hwun’ tsakw.
“Yes, you are still far away.
ni’ ch hwun’ tsakw.”
You are still far away.”
wulh tus ’u thu sliim, “aaa, skw’ey kwun’s tusnamutulup; ’uw’ ’uwulup yukwun’etuhw thun’a lhew’qum’ ’i’ thu se’uq, yuqwtalum.
They met up with Sandhill Crane, and he said to them, “Oh, you cannot make it in there; if you do not have mussels and bracken fern roots, you will be burned.
’uy’ ’um’imuth kw’us kwunutulup thun’a se’uq ’i’ thu lhew’qum’, nulup tse’ hwuni’.”
Okay, my grandchildren, you had better take mussels and bracken fern roots if you are going to go there.”
thuyulhtstewut ’u tthu lhew’qum’ ’i’ tthu se’uq.
They then prepared mussels and bracken fern roots.
suw’ kwunutewut ’i’ q’putum tthu tth’amuls ’u thu slhulnutss tthuw’ne’ullh ’i’ thu shxathusth tthu sxun’us.
Then they took the juice and rubbed it on their bottoms and on the soles of their feet.
nilh kwu’elh sh’uwus kwlh tth’ux.
That's why they never wear out.
’uwu kws tth’uxs tthun’ sxun’u.
Your feet never wear out.
’i’ kwthun’ slhulnuts ’uwu kws tth’uxs.
And your bottom never wears.
nilh kwthey’ ’i’ tu’i ’un’ tselush ni’ tl’uw’ thuytum.
It’s that way, and your hands also are fixed.
[[yee]]
aaa, sis ’uw’ huye.e.e tthuw’ne’ullh.
After this, they continued on their journey.
wulh hum’i tthu sum’shathut.
Then, daylight came, and the sun came up.
sis ’uw’ kwulushtus.
And they shot at it.
si.i.is ’uw’ nem’ puylhthut sus ’uw’ yu he’kwulushtus tthuw’ne’ullh.
They took turns shooting at the sun.
nuw’ wulh ’aatum ’uw’ nem’us nem’ ’u tthu ni’ siiye’yus, nuw’ ’umut-stewut ’u tthu huyiinus tthu shelh.
After this, they were called by their relatives and told to sit on a jagged, sharp road.
’i’ ni’ thulh wulh saay’stum ’utl’ sliim [[yee] thu slhulnuts.
But they were alright because Sandhill Crane had prepared them for this.
ni’ wulh hwu tl’uxw thu slhulnuts ni’ ’uw’ ’umut ’ul’ ’i’ ’uwu niis tstamut.
They sat down, and their bums could withstand the sharp barbs, and nothing happened to them.
sis kwu’elh ’uw’ hwu sum’e’kwlh tthu sum’shathut.
That is the reason why the sun has been harmed.
sis m’uw’ hwu’alum’ tthuw’ne’ullh.
Their mission was completed, and they returned.
hay tthu lhqe’lts’ ’uwu niis tsust-hwus tthuw’ne’ullh ’uwu niis kwulushtus ’uw’ hay tthu sum’shathut.
They did not shoot at the moon, only the sun.
sis m’uw’ hwu’alum’.
And then they returned.
mukw’ ste.e.em mustimuhw ni’ ’u kw’i tsitsulh — tthu tsq’ix, tthu p’uq’
There were all sorts of people up in the sky—blacks, white
wulh nilh yuhw ts’ ’a’lu thulh tun’a hwunitum’ kw’uni’ ’u kw’i tsitsulh — mukw’ ste.e.em — [tthu] p’uq’, tthu tsq’ix, kwthuw’ mukw’ stem.
There must have been various nationalities up in the sky—all kinds—whites, blacks, etc.
’i’ yelh sus m’i tl’e’ wulh hwu’i ’u tthu ni’ ’ulh ’uw’ shtusth, (126) ni’ tl’e’ wulh kwulushtus tthuw’ne’ullh.
They made it back to where they had started from, and they once again shot an arrow.
sus ’uw’ tl’pil, tus ’u tthu shhwuw’welis.
And they descended, arriving to their relatives.
’ush ’i’s kwu’elh hwu st’e ’u tthey’ tun’a sum’shathut.
This is the reason why the sun is the way it is today.
’uw’ ts’e’t ’ulh ch ’ul’ tthun’ s’ulhtun ’u tthu smeent ’i’ qw’ul — thu ’e’yx ts’e’t ch ’i’ nilh kwthey’.
Before this, you would set your food on rocks and it would cook—crab or anything else.
nilh kwu’elh shus wulh hwu ’uwu hwu kw’am’kw’um’us tthu sum’shathut.
This is the reason the sun is no longer strong.
nilh kwthey’ ’uqw’i’tul’ ni’ kwulusht ’u shus kwu’elh hwu stu’e.
It is because these brothers shot the sun for revenge.
nilh sht’es thu sxwi’em’.
This is the way this story is.
ni’ hay.
The end.