WS - The Young Man Who Turned into a Seal - Part1
nu sqwul’qwul’ ’uw’ syuth ’uw’ thu’it.
This narrative is a true history.
’uwu niis ’uw’ sxwuy’em’ ’ul’.
It’s not a fictional story.
tl’lim’ ’uw’ thu’it sqwul’qwul’ kwthu yuw’e’nulh s’ul’eluhw.
It’s a true legend told by our earliest ancestors.
kwu na’nuts’a’ swiw’lus ’a’luxut tthu s’ulhtuns.
There was a young man who hunted for food.
mukw’ stem s’ulhtun ’i’ ’uw’ ’a’luxutus tthuw’nilh swiw’lus kwun’atul ’u tthu shhw’aqw’a’s.
This young man got all kinds of food with his brother.
mukw’ stem ’es-hw [’uw’ stl’e’lhunum’s]
they got all kinds of food from the sea, even the seal
nuts’a’ skweyul suw’ qwulmut-s thu sta’lusth tthuw’nilh swiw’lus, “hey’ lhu naw’ nem’ ch hwq’uwiltham’sh.One day, he said to his wife, “Okay, listen my wife, you’re going to accompany me.
One day, he said to his wife, “Okay, listen my wife, you’re going to accompany me.
nem’ tst ’aluxut kw s’ulhtuns tthun’ s’ul’eluhw.”
We will go gather your Elders’ food.
“’o.o.o ’uy’us nem’ tst kwu’elh nem’ ’u kw’ netul niis hwtsukwtsukw ’i’ nem’ tst nem’ numnus kwu shqw’umtuns tthu ’eshw.”
O-o-oh, okay, we will go in the morning—when the tide is low, we’ll go—we’ll go to where the seals come out.”
’i.i.i’ st’e ’u tthuy’ kweyul hwun’ netulh ’i’ wulh ’umut tthuw’ne’lulh stl’ul’iqulh.
Then, very early the next day, these young people get up.
Kwun’atul ‘u thu sta’lush suw’ huye’ numnusum tthu shni’s tthu ‘es-hw kwus qw’iqw’um’s
With his wife, he left, going to the place where the seals get out of the water.
suw’ tus tthuw’nilh swiw’lus yu tth’etth’ukw’ul’ tthu skweyul kws ’a’luxut-s tthu ’es-hw.
t was the breaking of dawn when they got there to hunt the seal.
lumnuhwus tthu qux ’es-hw sqw’iqw’um’ ni’ ’u tthu skwthe’s
He saw a lot of seals out of the water on the island.
suw’ thut’stuhws thu sta’lusth, “’i ch ’ul’ ’u tun’a ’al’mutst tthu snuhwulh.
He said to his wife, “You wait here with the canoe.
nem’ tsun tse’ numnus kw’un’a ’i sqw’im’qw’um’ ’es-hw.”
I am going to sneak up on the seals that are out of the water.”
suw’ huye’ tthuw’nilh swiw’lus.
ne.e.em’ ’imush tl’its’utum tthu ’es-hw.
He walked and sneaked up on the seal.
’aluxutum tthu ’es-hw he.e.e’ ts’imul’nuhwus tthuw’nilh swiw’lus lumnuhwus tthu hay
’ul’ thi ’es-hw.
He picked out a seal; as the young man approached the seals, he saw the biggest one.
tuw’ p’uq’ ts’u tthuw’nilh ’es-hw.
This seal was all white.
suw’ kwulushtus.
He shot it.
huye’ tthuw’nilh ’es-hw nem’ qwsuthut tus ’u tthu qa’.
The seal left, going into the water.
ni’ ’uw’ hwu tsuw’tsuw’ ’i’ ni’ p’ukw.
It surfaced far out.
suw’ sht’eewun’ tthuw’nilh swiw’lus, “’a.a.a ni’ yuhw tsun ’uw’ ts’uqw’nehw ni’ yuhw ’uw’ q’ay.
So, the young man thought, “O-o-oh, I must have got it; it must be dead.
na’ut wulh p’ukw.
It has surfaced.
’a.a.ashu nilh tse’ kwu’elh nusuw’ tsustuhw nan ’uw’ tsakw kwthunu snuhwulh.
Oh my, now what am I going to do? My canoe is too far away.
ha’ tsun nem’ hwu’alum’ nem’ ’u kwthunu snuhwulh ’i’ xwum nem’ tl’pilustum
If I return to my canoe, the seal will go under.
’i’ ’uwu te’ nu shtatul’stuhw ’uw’ niis ’untsu
I will not know where it is.
suw’ hwthtiwuns tthuw’nilh swiw’lus, “’uy’ kwunus lhuw’tth’e’um
So, the young man thought, “I had better undress.
luw’tth’e’um tsun.
I’ll undress.
nem’ tsun t’itsum kwunut tthunu sun’tsu.”
I’ll swim and get my catch.”
suw’ lhuw’tth’e’ums tthuw’nilh swiw’lus sus ’uw’ qwsuthut.
So, the young man undressed and went into the water.
nem’ kwunutus tthu ni’ skwulushs ’es-hw.
He went for the seal he shot.
’i’ ni’ ’uw’ xi’xlhem’ thu slheni’ ni’ ’u tthu ni’ shni’s.
His wife was watching from where she was.
nuw’ tsakw tthu ni’ shni’s tthu snuhwulhs
The canoe was far from where he was.
xi’xlhe’mutus tthu sta’lusth kwus wulh qwsuthut.
She was watching when her husband went into the water.
ne.e.em’ t’itsum taal tthuw’nilh swiw’lus.
He went swimming far out in the waters.
tus ’ul’ ’u tthu ni’ shni’s tthu skwulushs kwus wulh wun’a.a.a’ m’i tuw’ kwunutus ’i’ m’i wulh p’kwuthut tthuw’nilh ’es-hw.
He just reached where his kill was, and as he first reached for it, the seal came out of the water.
tl’lim’ nuw’ pkw’um tthu qa’ kwus wulh kwunutum tthuw’nilh
The water splashed up when the young man was grabbed.
nem’ huya’stum tl’uyq’ustum sus ’uw’ thuhw.
He was taken away, pinned underwater, and he disappeared.
suw’ sht’eewun’ thu slheni’ “ni’ wa’lu q’ay kwunu sta’lusth.
So, the wife thought, “I guess my husband is dead
’ushul nem’ lemutus tthu ni’ shni’s kwus tl’pilustum kw; sta’lusth
o, she paddled to where her husband went under.
le’lum’utes ’uw’ niis ni’ kw’ stem ’i’ ’uwu te’.
She looked to see if there was anything, and there was nothing.
stu’e.e.e huw’qw’ thuw’nilh q’e’mi’ ’al’mutstus kwu sta’lusth ’uw’ ni’ xe’xtsitus ’uw’ ni’us tstamut ’uw’ niis ’uw’ q’ay.
Then, she drifted around waiting for her husband, trying to figure out what happened and if her husband was dead.
hith ’ul’ kwsus ’uw’ huw’qw’ thuw’nilh q’e’mi’ suw’ hwthtiwun, “ni’ wa’lu tl’pilustum kwunatul’ ’u kwu shun’tsus.”
he young woman drifted a long time, and she thought, “I guess he drowned with his catch.”
suw’ lheel thuw’nilh q’e’mi’ sta’lusth tthuw’nilh swiw’lus
o, the young man’s wife went to shore.
nem’ kwunutum tthu skwul’esh.
She went for the weapon.
kwunutus tthu skwuleshs kwu sta’lusthulh.
She got her husband’s weapon.
’a.a.alhstuhwus suw’ ’ushul t’akw’ thuw’nilh.
She put it onboard, and she paddled home.
ne.e.em’ t’akw’ ’u tthu lelum’s ni’ ’u tu’i skwthe’s ’uw’ qux hwulmuhw ni’.
She went to her home here on the island, where many Indian families are.
hun’umut thuw’nilh suw’ yu tutem’s qwiil’qwul, “ni’ ’ikw’ kwunu sta’lus.
When she got home, she hollered, “My husband is lost.
m’iilhe’ t’ahwe’.”
Come down here to the beach.”
suw’ t’ahw tthu ts’lhhwulmuhws swaaw’lus.
So, her Indian friends, young men, came to the beach.
qwil’qwul’ thuw’nilh xeem’ ts’u kws qwaqwul’s qwil’qwul’ kwsus ’ikw’ kwu sta’lusth.
She was telling while crying, talking, telling them that her husband was lost.
suw’ putum’ute’wut thuw’nilh “ni’ lu tstamut
Her people asked her, “What happened?”
suw’ xut’us thuw’nilh, “ni’ p’e’ kwulushtus kwu ’es-hw sis ’uw’ p’ukw kwu ’es-hw ni’ ’u kwu tsuw’tsuw’.
She said, “He killed/shot the seal, and it floated up above the waterway far away.
sis nem’ ’uw’ t’itsum taal.
He swam out to it.
nuw’ tus ’al’ ’u kwthu skwulushsulh ’i’ ni’ thuhw.
He just reached where his catch was, and he disappeared.
ni’ tl’lim’ ’uw’ pkw’um kwu qa’ kwsus wulh tus ’u kw; skwulushsulh st’e ’uw’ niis kwunutum ’i’ ’uw’ ’uwu ’ul’ ’iis m’i tl’e’ wil’.”
There were big splashes in the water at the place where his catch was as if he was captured, and he didn’t appear again.”
suw’ qwuyxthut-s tthu swaaw’lus mustimuhw.
So, the young men got together.
suw’ ’aalh ’u tu sunihwulhs.
They got on board their canoes.
sht’es kwu kw’alum’kw’um’ suw’wuy’qe’.
[It was] only the strongest men.
’aalh ’u tu sunihwulh nem’ suw’qw’tum kwey’ ni’ ’ikw.
They got into their canoes to go and look for their lost one.
tus ’u tthey’ skwthe’ suw’ qwil’qwul’s thuw’nilh, “’i ’i ’u tun’a kwsus tl’pilustum.”
Reaching the island, the young woman tells/says, “This is where he went under the water.”
tus tthuw’ne’lulh suw’ nem’ suw’q’tum ’i’ ’uwu te’ ste.e.em swi’wul’ ’u tu tl’itl’up.
When they reached the place, they went down to look and there was nothing to see on the sea bottom.
’uwu te’.
Nothing.
mukw’ ’untsu shnem’s tthuwne’ullh swaw’lus ’i’ [tthu]w’ulh s’ul’eluhw ’i’ tu mens tthuw’nilh swiw’lus.
They all looked everywhere—the young man’s father, the Elders, and all the young men.
suw’ xut’us tu tsi’tsut, “wa’lu ’uwees te’us ’un’ stsle’tulup, me’mun’u, kwun’ shhw’aqw’a’ulup.
The father said, “I guess there is nothing we can do, my children, for your brother.
wa’lu niis kwunutum.
I guess he was captured.
’uwu te’ p’e’ ni’ stem lumnuhwut ’i ’u tun’a.
We didn’t see anything here.
ni’ wa’lu kwunutum ’u kwu yath ’uw’ he’kwul’ushtus s’ulhtunstuhws tu s’ul’eluhws,” qwaqwul’ tthuw’nilh s’eluhw mens kwthey’ swiw’lus ni’ ’ikw’.
I guess he was captured by the one he usually kills for the elders’ food,” said the father of the young man that was lost.
suw’ qwals tthuw’ne’lulh, “m’i ts’ tse’ p’e’ tl’uw’ lemut.
The other men said, “We will come and see.
m’i tst tse’ suw’q’t qul’et.
We will come and look for him again.
’i’ wawa’ ’uwu ni’us q’ay; ’i’ wawa’ nuw’ huli.
Maybe he’s not dead; maybe he’s still alive.
ni’ p’e’ kwunutum ’u tthuy’ ni’ yathulh ’uw’ tl’e’lhunum’tus.
He must have been captured by the ones he always kills for food.
m’i tst tse’ kwu’elh ’uw’ qw’alhut tse’.”
We will come and wait.”
m’i.i.i t’akw’ tthuw’ne’lulh suw’ sha’lukw’um tu swaaw’lus kw’alum’kw’um’ swaaw’lus hwule’hwe’.
Then, they went home, and the strongest and fastest runners took cold-water baths.
hay ’ul’ xwaxwum ’u kws xwchenums tu kw’alum’kw’um’ suw’wuy’qe’.
These were the very fastest and the strongest men.
tl’uw’ ni’ tu sqe’eqs tthuw’nilh swiw’lus ni’ ’ikw’.
The younger brother of the lost man was there too.
ni.i.i’ xut’u ’u tthey’ tthuw’ne’lulh swaaw’lus xut’ust-hwus tthu s’ul’eluhwulh, “kw’aythut ch.
These young men did this repeatedly, day after day, for the Elders said, “You should bathe in preparation.
kw’aythut ch kwus[4] suw’q’t tse’ kwun’ shhw’aqw’a’ ’un’ stl’i’ kwus kwunnuhw.”
Bathe in preparation before you look for your brother if you want to find him.”
suw’ kw’aythut tthuw’ne’lulh swaaw’lus shakw’um.
So, the young men bathed in preparation, washinf themselves.
qux tthuw’ne’lulh, qux tu shhw’a’luqw’a’s tthuw’ swuwe’s shhw’a’luqw’a’s ’i’ tu siiye’yus.
There were very many of his own family, the young man’s closest cousins and other relatives.
’i’ na’nuts’a’ tu ’uw’ swe’s brothers.
He had only one brother.
nuts’a’ kwu’ulh skweyul hwun’ netulh ’i’ wulh’aalh tthuw’nilh brothers ’u tu snuhwulh.
Then, one day, very early, the younger brother got into a canoe.
hwun’a m’i yu saq’thut tu skweyul.
It was just first daybreak.
kwunutus tu huy’tuns tu shuyulhs sus’ ’uw’ huye’ nem’ lemutus kwthey’ ni’ shni’s kwu shuyulhs kwus ’ikw’.
He took his older brother’s weapon and left to go and look at the place where his brother had disappeared.
m’i yu saq’thut tu skweyul ’i’ ni’ wulh ni’ kwsus stl’itl’uts’st-hwus.
At the break of dawn, he sneaked up and camouflaged himself.
nem’ tsakw tu qa’ nem’ hwtsukwtsukw.
The tide was going out and was at its lowest point.
ni’ wulh ts’elhum’tus kwu qux ’es-hw ’uw’ qwalqwul’ kwu ’es-hw ’uw’ ’un’an’xwum’.
He then heard many seals barking and making noises.
ne.e.em’s ’uw’ ts’tem tthuw’nilh swiw’lus nem’ lemutus.
So, he crawled toward them to see.
lhuw’itth’e’.
He undressed.
’uw’ hay ’ul’ tu stl’atl’um’ ’ul’ tu ni’ ha’kwushus s’itth’ums kws xwchenums.
He had on only enough so that he could run freely.
’e’ ’uw’ ni’us tse’ lumnuhwus.
Then he saw them.
huye.e.e’s tthuw’nilh swiw’lus nem’ tl’its’utus.
So, the young man went on to sneak up to them.
’uw’ ’e.e.ey’ kw’un’a ’es-hw qwal’qwul’.
The seals could be heard barking.
[sis] nem’ ’uw’ ts’imul’ tthuw’nilh swiw’lus suw’ lemutus, lumnuhwus.
When the young man got close, he looked and saw them.
suw’ hwqwe.e.el’qwul’i’wun’ tthuw’nilh ’uw’ tstamutus.
He started wondering what he should do.
lumnuhwus tu shuyulhs.
He saw his older brother.
’a’mut ts’u tthuw’nilh ’i’ ’uw’ stutes tthey’ ’uw’ thi p’uq’ ’es-hw ni’ulh kwulushtus.
He was sitting, and the big white seal he tried to kill was close by him.
’a’mut tthuw’nilh sq’uq’a’ ’u tthey’ qa.a.ax ’es-hw.
He was sitting amongst many seals.
’uwu kwu’elh ni’us tsustuhwus tthuw’nilh sa’suqwt tu shuyulhsulh.
The younger brother didn’t do anything about his older brother.
nuw’ lumnuhwus kwsus ’uw’, [hwun’] mustimuhw.
He saw his older brother was still human.
’uw’ ’a’mut.
He was in a sitting position.
wa’lu ’uw’ siwul tthuw’ne’lulh sus ’uw’wulh qwusqwusthut.
The seals must have heard a noise, and they went into the water.
suw’ xwchenum [lhxilush tselqum] tthuw’nilh swiw’lus ni’ hwu sq’uq’a’ ’u tthey’ ’es-hw.
The young man who was with the seals stood up to follow.
ni’ ’uw’ lhxilush susuw’ tselqum qwusqwusthut yu sq’uq’a’ ’u tu ’es-hw ni’ kwunnum ’u tu ’es-hw.
He stood up and followed into the water along with the seals he was captured by.
xi’xlhem’ tthuw’nilh sqe’eqs.
The younger brother just watched.
suw’ hwu’alum’ ’u tu snuhwulhs sis ’uw’ ’ushul t’akw’ nem’ ’u tu siiye’yus.
He returned to his canoe and paddled home to his relatives.
hun’umut sus ’uw’ qwul’qwul’, “’a.a.a [si.i.i’em’] nusiiye’yu, niilh tsun nem’ lemut kwu ni’ shni’s kwthunu huyulh kwsus ’ikw’.
Reaching home he said, “O-oh, my respected relatives, I have been to see the place where my older brother got lost.
ni’ tsun kwu’elh lumnuhw.
I did see him.
ni’ tsun lumnuhw ’uwu ni’us q’ay.
He is not dead; I saw him.
’uw’ huli kw’un’ shhw’aqw’a’ulep.
Your brother is alive.
’uw’ huli.
He is alive.
’i’ nilh kwsus hwu kwun’etum’ ’u kwu ni’ulh kwulushtus ni’ kwunnum.
The ones he usually kills have got him; they have captured him.
ni.i.i’ qwsuthut kwu ni’ shsq’uq’a’s ’i’ ’uw’ yu tsukwul’ul’qum’ nuw’ yu sq’uq’a’ kwsus qwsuthut.”
The ones he is with went into the water, and he followed; he went into the water along with them.”
suw’ qwals tthuw’ne’lulh shhw’a’luqw’a’s siiye’yu ’u tthey’ sqe’uqs.
Then, the relatives, older siblings of that young man, spoke.
suw’ qwals tthuw’nilh sa’suqwt yuthustus tu shhw’a’luqw’a’s siiye’yus, “nem’ tsun tse’ tl’e’ wulh nem’ ’uw’ m’iis tse’ tl’e’ wulh yu saq’thut kwu skweyul.
The younger brother then told his cousins and relatives, “I am going to go again and see at the break of dawn.
’i’ nem’ tsun tse’ hwi’ yu sqwuqwis ’uw’ ne’mun’ tus ’u kwthey’ skwthe’s nusuw’ qwsuthut nusnem’ tl’lim’ ’uw’ hwu stutes ’u kwu ni’ shni’s.”
When I get to the island I will go into the water; I’ll go into the water so that I can get really close to the place where they are.”
ni’ kwu’elh kweyul ’i’ m’i.i.i yu tth’etth’ukw’ul’ tu skweyul [suw’] huye’ tthuw’nilh swiw’lus.
So, the next day at the breaking of dawn, the young man left.
lemutus kws shuyulhs stl’i’s kws kwunnuhws.
He left to see his older brother, who he wanted to find.
tus ’u tthey’skwthe’s suw’ lheelstuhws tu snuhwulhs.
When he got to the island, he beached his canoe.
sus ’uw’ q’ep’utus tu snuhwulhs.
He tied his canoe up.
ne.e.em’ ’uw’ nem’ ’u tu ni’ shtusth.
Then, he went to the place where he had been.
suw’ qwsuthut suw’ huye.e.e’ yu sqwuqwis.
He then went into the water and left.
ts’imul’ ’u tthey’ ni’ shni’s sis ’uw’ qw’im.
When he got close to that place, he came out of the water.
qw’im ’i’ wulh lumnuhwus tu shuyulhs ’a’mut.
As he got out of the water, he saw his brother sitting down.
[suw’] st’eewun’ tthuw’nilh swiw’lus, “kwunut tsun tse’.”
So, the young man thought, “I will grab him.”
qw’im tthuw’nilh swiw’lus sus ’uw’ xwchenum.
Coming out of the water, the young man ran for his older brother.
hwuw’e ni’us tus ’u tu shuyulhs ’i’ ni’ wulh xwchenum sus ’uw’ tstl’um qwsuthut.
Before he reached his older brother, he ran and jumped into the water.
’uwu ’ul’ niis yu kwunnuhwus hweluq ’i’ nuw’ kwunnuhwus.
He didn’t catch him, but he almost got him.
’i’ ni’ wulh tstl’um qwsuthut yu sq’uq’a’ ’u tu qux ’es-hw.
Then, he jumped into the water along with all the seals.
tl’uw’ hwu’alum’ ’ul’ tthuw’nilh sa’suqwt nem’ t’akw’.
So, the younger brother just went home again.
hun’umut suw’ qwul’qwul’s, “niilh tsun nem’ t’a’thut ’i’ nan ’uw’ xwaxwum’.
Getting home, he told them, “I went to try again, but they are too fast.
ni’ tsun ’uw’ ts’imul’.
I did get close.
hweluq tsun ’i’ nuw’ kwunnuhw ’i’ ni’ qwsuthut.
I almost caught him before he went into the water.
ni’ xwchenum tselqum ’u kwu ni’ shsq’uluq’a’s.”
He ran along following the ones he was with.”
Delores: ni’ ’u hwun’ mustimuhw?
Was he still human?
“ni’ ’uw’ hwun’ mustimuhw, hwun’ mustimuhw kwsus xwan’chunum’ sq’uq’a’ ’u kwthey’.”
“He is still human, still human when he runs along with them.”
'uw' hwun'... tus ’u kwey’ qwul’qwul’s tthuw’nilh sa’suqwut, “skw’ey kwunus kwunnuhw kwthun’ shhw’aqw’a’ulup.”
Then, he told the younger brother, “I cannot capture your brother.”
suw’ na.a.anum tthuw’ne’lulh swaw’lus.
The young men discussed the problem.
thuythut — xut’ustum’ kw’aythut — thuythut kwu hay tse’ ’ul’ xwum kws xwchenums.
Then, the fastest runners had the preparation baths.
nilh tse’ nem’ kwunut tse’ kwu shhw’aqw’a’s.
They were the ones that were going to catch their brother.
thuythut tthuw’ne’lulh swaw’lus stl’ul’iqulh.
These young men got ready.
suw’ suw’q’tum kwu hay tse’ ’ul’ xwum kws xwchenums.
Then, the fastest runners were picked out.
xut’ustum’ kw’aythut shahwukw’um’ ’u kws netulhs, kwukweyul ’i’ shahwukw’um’, ni’ kwu nem’ ’u kwu tsa’luqw.
Some of the ones that took preparation baths went up to the mountains to do it.
’i’ shakw’um ’u kwu xatsa’.
Some bathed in the lake.
mukw’ stem [ni’] shyatl’uthut’s kws ’uwus huqwnewut ’u tthey’ ni’ shhwhunum’.
They rubbed themselves down with all kinds of things so the seals they went to wouldn’t smell them.
kwunum tu na’nuts’a’ swiw’lus stl’itl’qulh nilh hay ’ul’ wulh xwum ’u tthuw’ne’lulh ni’ ’u tthey’ hwulmuhw.
They then found one young man that was the fastest runner among their Indian families.
suw’ thut’stum, “nilh tse’ p’e’ tun’a nilh tse’ nem’ t’a’thut.
They said about him, “He is going to be the one; he is going to try.
hay hwe’hwe’.”
He is the fastest.”
(suw’) thuythut tthuw’ne’lulh.
They then started getting ready.
tus ’u kwu skweyuls suw’ qwals tthey’ sa’suqwt qwulst-hwus tthey’ shhw’aqw’a’s, “’ilhe yu hwkwekwiyul’ tse’ ’uw’ netulhus ’i’ nem’ tst wulh t’a’thut n’umnus kwthun’ shhw’aqw’a’ ... t’a’thut ’uw’ ni’ut ’uw’ kwunnuhw(uhw).”
When the day came, the younger brother spoke, saying to his cousin, “Let’s go at the break of dawn in the morning; we will go and try to get to our brother and try and see if we can catch him.”
huye.e.e’ kweyul ’i’ wulh m’i tus ’u kwu shni’s kwey’ suw’ qw’elum tthuw’ne’lulh.
The next day, they travelled and reached that place where they (the seals) were, and they got off the canoes.
sus ’uw’ qwsuthut qul’et suw’ ne.e.em’ ts’imul ’u kwu ni’ shni’s suw’ qw’elum.
They got into the water again and went closer to that place and they got off the canoes.
thuythut tthuw’nilh swiw’lus kws xwchenums.
The young man got ready for the run.
qw’im sus ’uw’ wulh nem’ tl’its’utus.
Coming out of the water, he started sneaking up on them.
sht’eewun’s, “ni’ wulh tl’am.
He thought, “This is enough.”
sht’eewun’s kws kwunnuhws tse’.
He thought he was going to get him.
tl’lim ni’ ’uw’ wulh stutes.
He was really close.
hwun’a’ ts’u ’ul’ ni’ tuw’ lhxilush tthuw’nilh kwsus wulh xwchenum ’i’ ni’ wulh ta(:)ntum.
Just as he stood up to run, they started leaving.
suw’ kwunnuhwus tthuw’nilh kwunnuhwus tu t’eluw’s tthey’ shhw’aqw’a’s.
He managed to get a hold of his cousin’s arm.
ni’ ts’u ’uw’ xte ’ul’ ’u tu’i. hwisuthut ’i’ ni’ qwsuthut.
He just did this. He only shook him off and went into the water.
tl’lim’ ts’u ni’ st’e ’u kw’ stseelhtun kwsus wulh huye’ shtem.
Then, he was like a fish when he swam.
nem’ q’a’thut ’u tu ni’ hwu shsq’uq’a’s, (hwu) hwu ’es-hw.
He went to be with the seals he was with.
’i’ nuw’ mustimuhw — ni’ ’uw’ st’e ’u tu ni’ ’un’ shtu’e kwun’s ni’ mustimuhw.
But he was still human—still the way you are as a human being.
thut tthuw’ne’lulh, “’uy’ t’akw’ lhu. ’uwu te’ p’e’ ’un’ stsle’t kwun’ shhw’aqw’a’; ’uwu te’ shtatul’stuhw ’uw’ stsekwul’us tse’ kwun’s kwunnuhw.”
The young man said, “We’d better go home. We can’t do anything about our brother; we don’t know how we’re going to get him.”
suw’ qwals tu tsi’tsut, “’uwu nu stl’i’us kwun’s tsustuhwulup kwthun’ shhw’aqw’a’.
The father then said, “I don’t want you to hurt your brother.
’uwu nu stl’i’us kwun’s q’aytulup.
I don’t want you to kill him.
nu stl’i’ kws ’uw’ kwunnuhw ’uw’ st’e ’u kwthuw’ sht’es.”
I want you to catch him as he is.”
suw’ stu’e.e.e niis kw’in skweyul ’i’ tl’e’ wulh nem’ lemutum.
Then, many days later, they went to see again.
ni’ ’uw’ hwu kw’inusus ’ul’ lhqelts’ ’i’ tl’e’ wulh nem’ lemutum kwu ni’ shni’s.
Many months later, they went to see the place again.
t’ut’a’thut tu swaw’lus ni’ hwi’ qux kwsus qwsuthut nem’ sults’tum.
The young men had practiced, and this time many of them went into the water to encircle them.
ni’ ts’u ’uw’ qwusqwusthut ’ul’ tthuw’ne’lulh ’es-hw.
The seals just went into the water, though.
’i’ ni’ hwi’ tl’pil sis ’uw’ huye’.
They went underwater and left.
nilh shni’s ’i’ ni’ thuhw.
They weren’t ever seen again.
’uwu ni’us tl’e’ hwu’alum’ tthuw’ne’lulh ’es-hw ’u tthey’ shhwunum’sulh kws qw’iqw’um’s ’i ’u tu’i pun’e’luxutth’ skwthe’ ’u tu’i sun’wal’we’lh.
The seals never returned to that island near Kuper where they used to come out of the water.
nilh shtun’ni’s kwthey’ kwsus wulh nem’ huya’stum thuhw tthuw’nilh swiw’lus.
That was the place where he was captured and was taken away and was not seen again.
suw’ qwals tu tsi’tsut, “tsustuhwut tse’ kwu’elh kwthun’ shhw’aqw’a’ulup ’i’ kwunnuhw tst.”
The father said, “How are we going to catch your brother?”
suw’ sqwa.a.al’qwul’ tthuw’nilh ’u tu mustimuhw tthuw’ sht’es tun’a mustimuhw ’i ’u tun’a skwthe’s.
The young man was then the person most talked about by the people, those on Vancouver Island.
sqwul’qwul’ tthey’ swiw’lus ni’ ’ikw’ kwsus kwunutum ’u kwthey’ ’es-hw.
They talked about the one that was captured by the seals.
suw’ ya.a.atum tu mustimuhw, “ha’ tseep lumnuhw kwthey’ ’i’ m’i tseep yuthustal’hw ’uw’ ni’us ’untsu kw’u lhwet lumnuhw.”
Everybody was told, “If anyone sees him, you are to let us know where he is.”
si.i.is ’uw’ st’e sew’q’tum’ ’i’ ni’ wulh lumnum lumnum ’i’ ni’ ni’ ’u tu si’she’lh kwsus slhelhul’t.
So, everyone kept looking for him, and then he was seen at Sechelt, on the shore.
si’she’lh skwthe’ kwus lumnum.
It was at one of Sechelt’s islands that he was seen.
’i’ ’uw’ sq’uq’a’ ’u tthey’ p’uq’ ’es-hw nuw’ kwunut.
He was still with the white seal that captured him.
lumnum ’u tu swaw’lus tl’uw’ he’kwul’usht tu ’es-hw.
It was some young seal hunters that saw him.
suw’ qwul’qwul’ tu swaw’lus, “ni’ tst lumnuhw kwu swiw’lus kwu ’i yath ’uw’ sqwil’qwul’ ni’ ’ikw’.
The young men said, “We saw the young man, the young man that’s being talked about as being lost.
’i ’u kw’u’i tsuw’tsuw’ skwthe’ kwsus sqw’im’qw’um’.”
They are on the shore at an island way out at sea.”
suw’ thuythut tl’u tu swaw’lus.
The young men started getting ready.
thut-stum, “kwthu hay tse’ ’ul’ hwe’hwe’ nilh tse’ kwunnuhw kwey’ swiw’lus.”
They were told, “It is going to be the fastest one to catch that young man.”
sis tl’uw’ thuythut tthey’ ni’ ’u tnanulh si’she’lh mustimuhw.
The people at Sechelt also prepared.
sis ’uw’ stl’i’s kws kwunnuhws ’elhtun kwu sht’es kwun’ mun’u ’un’s ’uw’ yuthust, “kw’aythut ch.
Every young man was told by his parents to be the one to catch him, and was told, “Take the preparation bath.
nuwus ch swuy’qe’ ’i’ nem’ ch kwunut kwu swiw’lus ni’ ’ikw’.”
If you go and catch him, you’ll become a man.”
nilh ts’u sqwaqwul’s tu s’ul’eluhw kwus wulh nem’ lemutum ni’ ’u tthey’.
This is what the Elders said when they went to see.
thuythut kwu swuy’qe’ swiw’lus shakw’um’.
So, all the young men prepared.
tl’its’utus.
They went sneaking to them.
’uw’ ts’imul ’ul’ ’i’ ni’ tl’e’ wulh taantum.
However, every time they got close, they were left behind.
’i.i.i’ xut’e ’u tthey’ ’i’ ni’ tl’e’ ’uw’ thuhw ’al’.
As the young men kept after them, they disappeared.
ni’ tl’e’ wulh thuhw, ni’ ’ikw’.
They just lost them; they just disappeared.
’i.i.i hith kw’in lhqelts’ kwsus s’i’kw’ sew’q’tum’.
He was missing for many months, and they looked for him.
ni.i.i ’i’shul tu mustimuhw ni’ ’u tthey’ shna’a’th xwut’e’ ’u tnanulh skwukwuthe’s.
The people paddled across and around those islands over there.
hwun’xut’u ’i’ ni’ wulh lumnum qul’et lumnum ’i’ ni’ ’u tna.a.anulh ’unwulh ’u tu’i skwthe’ xut’ustum’ sxwa’iti’.
Then, he was sighted again, and the next time he was seen among the islands called “sxwa’iti’”.
Delores: ni’ ’utl’ pune’luxutth’?
Was this at Kuper?
ni.i.i’ ’u tnanulh tsuw’tsew’ wulh yu hunum’ ’u tu tuywut.
This is way out in the middle of the water; they were already heading north.
wulh nem’ huya’stum nem’ kwe’yutum ’u tunu lelum’s ’i shhwni’s kwus ’ikw’.
They were taking him away; they were taking him far away from his home where he first went missing.
lumnum ni’ ’u tthey’ tl’uw’ ’ush’i’shul’ ’ul’ kwu ni’ lumnuhw.
He was seen over there; the ones that saw him were just paddling through.
sis nem’ tl’uw’ hwu’alum’ kwey’ suw’ qwul’qwul’, “ni’ tst lumnuhw kwu mustimuhw ni’ s’i’kw’ ni’ ni’ ’u tnanulh kwsus sqw’im’qw’um’.”
Those paddlers returned to the shore and said, “We saw the person that’s been missing; the seals are way out there, and they are all on the shore.”
“’a.a.a! ni’ p’e’ huyaam’ kwu tswe’ tsme’mun’u ’uwu’es ts’u q’aq’i’uste’wut.
“Ah! the parents of that person are asking that he isn’t to be killed.
stl’i’s kwthuw’ne’ullh s’ul’eluhw kwsuw’ kwunnuhws kwu mun’us.”
The parents want to capture their son.”
’i’ ni’ wulh hith niis wulh kw’inus lhqel’ts’ kwsus ’ikw’ kwu mun’us kwsus sew’q’tum’.
By then, it had been a long time; it had been many months since he went missing, and the parents kept searching for him.
sew’q’tum’ ’i’ ni’ ’uw’ yu huy’u ’al’.
While the people searched for them, the seals were on their way.
ni’ lumnum ni’ ’u tthey’ ’un’wulh ’u tu xut’ustum’ sxwa’iti’ ts’its’um’.
They were seen over there at sxwa’iti’, between it and the one they call “ts’its’um’”.
wulh nem’ yu huy’u xwut’e ’u tnanulh tuywut.
They were on their way up north.
lumnum ’i’ ni’ ts’u wulh nem’ q’ixul tthuw’nilh.
When he (the young man) was seen, he was getting dark.
wulh ts’isum tu p’e’ sey’s nats’thut tu s’athusth.
His face was growing hair, and his features were changing.
ni’ wulh hwu st’e ’u kw’ ’es-hw tu s’athusth.
His face was starting to look like a seal’s face.
ni’ wulh hwu sheshi’utun’ tthuw’nilh ni’ hwu ste’ ’u tu’i tu ’es-hw.
His body grew hair and he looked like a seal.
ni’ wulh hwu sxal’ts’tul’ tu sxun’us ni’ hwu ste’ ’u tu’i tth; sxun’us.
His legs became joined or twisted around each other; his legs were like this (like seal’s legs).
ni’ hwu spulay’tul’ tu’i un’tsultselush.
His arms and hands joined to his body (became like a seal’s).
’uwu kws m’is tl’e se’tus tu t’eluw’s.
He was not able to lift his arms anymore.
nuw’ hwu st’e ’ul’ ’u tu’i.
They were joined like this.
nilh nuw’ shhw’i’shul’s wul’u.
He used them as his flippers.
lumnum ’i ’u tthey’ ’i’ ni’ wulh hwu st’e ’u tthey’ ni’ wulh nem’ nats’thut.
He was seen there, and he was already like that; he had already changed.
suw’ yuthustum tu shhwuw’welis kwus ’uw’ ’i ’u tu’inulh tsuw’tsuw’ tu’inulh pun’e’luxutth’.
The missing person’s parents were informed that the seals were way out in the open on the other side of Kuper Island.
yuthustum, “ni’ lumnum kwu un’mun’u ’i’ ni’ wulh hwu nuts’.
They said, “Your son was seen, and he has already changed (into a seal).
ni’ wulh hwu’i ’u kwu ni’ shni’s kwsus kwunnum. ni’ wulh nats’thut tu smustimuhws.”
He is over at the place where he was first captured. His human body has changed.”
“’a.a.a si’em’ ’a.a.a,” [thut-s tu tsuli’tsut].
“Oh, my dear one, oh,” the parents said.
“’uw’ tsustuhwut tse’ kwthun’ syey’e’ulup ’i’ kwunnuhw tst wa’lu ni’uhw ’uw’ hwun’ yu t’ut’a’thut.”
“We don’t know what we are going to do with your relative to recapture him; I guess we should keep trying.”
suw’ ’ikw’ qul’et ’ikw’.
Then, they lost him again.
ni.i.i hith wulh tsulel ’i’ xuytl’thut.
It was a long time after, when winter was almost there.
wulh yu ’e’wu kwu sxuytl’ ’i’ ni’ hwun’ s’i’kw’ kwu mun’us.
Winter was coming, and their son was still missing.
tun’ni’ kwsus hwun’a ’ul’ yu kw’akw’usthut ’i’ ni’ ’ikw’ kwu mun’us.
Their son went missing from the beginning of summer.
st’e ’u tthey’ suw’ huyye.e.e.
It was then (at the beginning of winter) that they started travelling.
hwun’ hut’u ’i’ wulh m’i sqwulqwul’.
Then, there was news given to them.
ni.i.i ni’ ’u tnanulh hun’utus tun’u hwulmuhw slhiyemun tnanulh slhiyemun mustimuhw.
It was said that he was sighted at a place the Indians call Sliammon, the place of the Sliammon people.
lumnum suw’ m’is qwul’qwul’, “ni’ tst lumnuhw kwthun’ mun’u.
When he was sighted, they said, “We saw your son.
’i.i.i ’i ’u tu’i tsuw’tsuw’ smunmeent ’u tu’inulh shqw’umtuns tu ’es-hw kwsutst lumnuhw.”
He is way out in the open waters, the rock-like islands where the seals come out of the water onto land, and that’s where we saw them.”
“’a.a.a si’em’ ’a.a.a,” [thut-s tu tsuli’tsut].
“Oh, my dear one, oh,” the parents said.
t’ut’a’thut’s tu swaw’lus stl’i’s kws kwunnuwut.
The young men were practicing how they wanted to capture him.
’uwu skw’ey ts’imul ’ul’ tu nem’ xwchenum ’i’ ni’ wulh qwsuthut.
Of course they couldn’t; the runner would just get close, and he was in the water again.
ni.i.i st’e ’u tthey’...
As time went on...