SM-Crane Steals the Rivers
nilh kwthu smuqw’a’ nu sxwi’em’.
My story is about Crane.
’i.i.i ts’u yu t’et’utth’ kw’ smuqw’a’ ’u kw’uw’ mukw’ ’untsu tutimuhw shni’s tthu sta’luw’.
Crane was going all over the place, going to wherever there were rivers.
yu ’ew’kw’tus tthu qa’.
He was drinking up all the water.
stl’i’s kws tl’hwut-s.
He wanted to finish up all the water.
’i’ ’uw’kw’nuhwus tthu qa’ ’u tthu stulta’luw’, kwthuw’ mukw’ ’untsu shni’s kw’ stulta’luw’.
He drank up all the water from the rivers all over the place, wherever there were rivers.
’i ts’u ’uw’ yu t’et’utth’ ’u tthuw’ mukw’ ’untsu tutimuhw.
He was going to all different places in the fields.
suw’ tuqnamut-s yuhw kwthu ni’ ’u tthu shnuwwiilh,
The people over at Shnuwwilh about Crane,
hun’utum’ ts’ul’q’emun hwulmuhw.
the ones called the Ts’ul’q’emun people.
tuqnamut ’u kw’i ts’u yu ’ew’kw’t qa’, stulta’luw’ qa’.
They heard about the one that was drinking up all the water all over the place.
suw’ thut-s tthuw’ne’ullh kws ’uy’s kws statul’stuhws ’uw’ nem’us tse’ tus.
They agreed with one another that it was good information that they received, so that they would know what to do when they got there.
ni’ wulh saay’ tthuw’ne’ullh ’ukws stsla’thut-s kws q’aytewut kwthey’ kw’ smuqw’a’.
And they prepared themselves for how they would kill him.
suw’ kwuyxthut tu ’uw’ smuqw’a’ ’u hwi’ _ _ _ _
And so Crane moved…
ni’ wulh ’uw’kw’nuhwus tthu sta’luw’ ’i ’u tun’a shnuwwiilh.
And Crane had already finished all the rivers that he went through over here at shnuwwiilh.
suw’ hwi’ huye’s nem’ taal sus ’uw’ tus ’u tthu Shnuwwiilh,
Then he went out to the open water, and when he reached Shnuwwilh,
’i’ ’iihw wulh sqw’aqw’ulhstum’ ’u tthu ts’ul’q’emun.
and the Ts’ul’q’emun were waiting for him.
suw’ q’aaytewut ’uw’ smuqw’a’ ’uw’ hwuhwe’ niis qa’qa’tus tthu sta’luw’.
They were going to kill him before he drank their rivers and ponds.
suw’ q’aynewut kw’ smuqw’a’.
And they managed to kill Crane.
suw’ kwayxthut-s tthu ts’ul’q’emun ’i’ ni’ me’shum tthu sxuy’us ’utl’ smuqw’a’.
The Ts’ul’q’emun people went and they cut Crane’s head off.
suw’ kwun’et-s tthuw’ne’ullh, saay’stum tthu sxuy’us ’utl’ smuqw’a’.
They were holding Crane’s head.
suw’ wulh tuwuqun tthu smulqw’a’allh ’u kw’u’i mens ni’ wulh thuhwthuhw.
And then all the children of Crane started mourning for their father that had disappeared.
suw’ huye’s tsnuhwulh tthuw’ne’ullh ’ushul, hwq’uq’wilum, huye’s ’ushul.
Then they all got canoes, got together on the canoes and started paddling off.
hwun’ yu ’i’shul’ tthuw’ne’ullh, ni’ ’u tthu tsuw’tsuw’ ’u kw’u ’uy’ skweyul, ’uy’ sliqwul.
And as they were paddling on this beautiful day.
’uw’ hwun’ yu ’i’shul’ tthuw’ne’ullh kws nem’s yu hun’um’ ’u kwuw’ shnem’s tse’ kws yu sew’q’t-s tthu mens.
They were going all over the place, looking for their father.
’i’ wulh ts’elhum’ ’u kwsu ’i t’it’ulum’, t’it’ulum’ ts’u kwsu ’i ts’elhum’nuhwus.
They heard someone singing, they managed to hear singing.
suw’ hwiyunem’s tthuw’ne’ullh.
and they stopped to listen.
suw’ qwals tthu na’nuts’a’, “tuw’nilh wuwa’ kwthun’ men ’i shhwuhunum’s thu ’i t’it’ulum’.”
And one of them said, “It sounds like she’s singing about your father.”
t’it’ulum’ ts’um’ts’uyii thu t’it’ulum’.
It was an Ant that was singing, and she was singing really loudly.
st’e ’u tu’i thu st’ilums:
Here is the song that she was singing:
“nilh p’elh ’ulh ’ewes, nilh p’elh ’ewes, nilh p’elh ’ewes tthu shhw’ethuten,
“As the clouds come towards us, as the clouds are around,
’i’ wulh hw’exuxitum’ ts’u tthu sxuy’usth kwthun’ menulupulh ’u tthu sii’em’ ts’ul’uq’emun iii.
The Ts’ul’uq’emun are beating your father’s head iii.
yo! kw’u qul ts’u skweyul tsulel ts’u ’i lhenukwum’ iii..”
Oh! The beautiful bad day is going to burst into flames iii.”
nilh st’it’ulum’ ’utl’ ts’um’ts’uyii.
And this was the song that Ant was singing.
nilh kwu’elh ts’elhum’nuhwus tthuw’ne’ullh smuqw’a’allh.
and this was what the children heard.
suw’ qwals, “’uw’ nilh q’u kwthun’ men ’i shhwuhunum’s lhu t’it’ulum’.”
And one of them said, “The one that is singing is singing about our father.”
suw’ lee.e.elhs tthuw’ne’ullh numnusus kwsu ’i shni’s kwthu ’i t’it’ulum’.
So they went to see her again, the one that was singing.
hwunin’sewut thu t’it’ulum’ suw’ pte’mutewut, “hw’i.i.i.’unt ch ’a’lu?”
And when they reached her, they asked her “What are you singing about?”
“’a ’uw’ t’ut’i’t’ulum’ tsun ’ul’ ’uw’ t’it’ulum’ tsun ’ul’.”
“Oh, I’m just singing a little song.”
“’o.”
“’o.”
huliye’ tl’e’ kw’ smuqw’a’allh, tl’e’ wulh ’aalh ’u tthu snuhwulh, ’i’ tl’e’ wulh ’ushul taal.
And then all the cranes left again, they got on their canoes and they started paddling again.
ni’ tl’e’ wulh hwu tsuw’tsuw’, ni’ tl’e’ wulh ts’elhum’ ’u thu t’it’ulum’ ’u kwthey’ kwu’elh st’ilum ni’ hunum’usthween’.
When they were way out in the middle of the water, they could hear that person singing again, that song that I have already sung.
“nilh p’elh ’ulh ’ewes, nilh p’elh ’ewes, nilh p’elh ’ewes tthu shhw’ethuten,
“As the clouds come towards us, as the clouds are around,
’i’ wulh hw’exuxitum’ ts’u tthu sxuy’usth kwthun’ menulupulh ’u tthu sii’em’ ts’ul’uq’emun iii.
The Ts’ul’uq’emun are beating your father’s head iii.
yo kw’u qul ts’u skweyul tsulel ts’u ’i lhenukwem’.”
The beautiful stormy day is going to burst into flames.”
tl’e’ wulh hwi hwiiyunem’ kw’ smuqw’a’allh.
The cranes listened again.
“nilh q’a’ kwthun’ men ’uw’ shhwuhunum’s kwsun’a xut’e ’u tthey’.”
“Oh, that one that is singing IS singing about our father.”
tl’e’ ts’u wulh nem’ lheel tthuw’ne’ullh,
And they went back to shore again,
suw’ hwi’ tl’itsutewut thuw’nilh ’uw’ hwun’ t’it’ulum’.
and they started sneaking up to that person, and she was still singing.
’i’ ni’ wulh nem’ tthuw’ne’ullh, suw’ pte’mutewut “hw’i’unt ch ’a’lu?”
And they went toward her and they said “What are you singing?”
“’a ’uw’ t’ut’i’t’ulum’ tsun ’ul’.”
“I’m just singing a little bit.”
suw’ kwuyxthut-s tthuw’ne’ullh suw’
And they went and…
shye’yum’ yuhw p’e’ kwsu ’i ts’um’ts’uyii,
Ant had a belt around her waist,
suw’ tqwutewut thu shyum’tuns, tqwutum.
and they started tightening that belt around her waist really tightly.
“qwul’qwul’ ch ’uw’ nihw nutsiim’ ’un’sh ni’ t’it’ulum’.
“Tell us why you are singing this song.”
’i’ ’uwu kws hwun’ qwals ts’um’ts’uyii,
AndAnt wouldn’t say anything,
’i’ ’uw’ ’ey’ taqwtum’ tthu shyum’tuns.
and they kept on tightening that belt, tighter and tighter.
wulh hith ’i’ yelhs qwals, “kwe’tham’sh lhu. yuthustalu tsun.
After quite a while she started saying “Let me go. I will tell you all.
ni’ ni’ ’utl’ ts’ul’q’emun kwthu sxuy’usth kwthun’ menulup.
It is over at Ts’ul’q’emun, your father’s head.
nilh kwthu ts’ul’q’emun hwulmuhw ni’ q’aayt.
It was the Ts’ul’q’emun natives that killed him.
ni’ ha’kwushum kwthu sxuy’usth shts’ey’ ’i’lum’s tthuw’ne’ullh.
They are using his head to change the weather.
nilh kwu’elh nush ni’ hunum’ustuhw kwthu st’ilum.”
And this is the reason why I was singing this song.”
suw’ kwuyxthut ’uw’ smulqw’a’allh ’i’ huye’ ’ushul tey,
Then all the cranes got on their canoes again and started paddling again,
nem’ nem’ ’utl’ ts’ul’q’emun.
going to Ts’ul’q’emun.
suw’q’tus kwthu sxuy’usth kwthu mensulh.
and they started looking for their father’s head.
wa’lu kwu’elh ’uw’ niis ’uw’ kwunnuhwus kwthuw’ne’ullh kwsus
nem’ tus.
And I guess they did find it when they got there.
nilh kwu’elh shxut’ute’wut shus hwu shtth’itth’uw’utsun kw’ ts’um’ts’uyii.
And this is the reason why the Ant has a really thin waist.
nilh kwsus tqwutum tthu shyum’tun kwthuw’nilh ts’um’ts’uyii kwisulh t’it’ulum’.
Her belt was tightened around her waist.
ni’ kwu’elh hay nilh nuw’ sht’es ’u tthu sxwi’em’ ’utl’ smuqw’a’.
This is the story of Crane.
nilh kwu’elh sh’uwus nilh ts’uy’hw tthu shnuwwilha’llh sta’luw’,
This is the reason why Shnuwwilh river is never dry,
nilh kws ’uwus niis yu qa’qa’num ’utl’ smuqw’a’ ’i’ ni’ q’aaytum.
because Crane didn’t get to drink it up before he was killed.
sha’as ’uw’ tum’kwe’lus ’i’ ’uw’ thi sta’luw’.
So even when it’s really hot, that river never dries up.
tthu ni’ ’u tthu mukw’ stulta’luw’ ni’ ’utl’ shnuwwiilh.
None of the rivers in Shnuwwilh ever dry up.
nilh kwsus q’aynum tthu smuqw’a’, ’uwu ni’us yu qa’qa’nuhwus kwthu qa’ sta’luw’.
Crane didn’t manage to drink up all the rivers.
Crane didn’t manage to drink up all the rivers.
yelh sus ’uw’ hay ’usup’.
Now the story is really finished.