kw'i'kw'ushnuts 'i' tu s'eluhw thi sxt'ekw'
(Hul'q'umi'num' Translation)
Hul'q'umi'num' Translation by Ruby Peter (Sti'tum'at), Narration by Thomas Jones (Siwut)
Written by Veselin Jungic and Mark MacLean
Illustrated by Bethani L'Heureux
Small Number and the Old Totem Pole
My name is Small Number. This is a story that I鈥檝e heard from my grandmother and that she heard from her grandmother. It is about an old totem pole built by my ancestors on a beach close to our village.
Translations
Links
Story Transcript: English and Hul'q'umi'num'
***Also see the Hul鈥檘鈥檜mi鈥檔um鈥 Sxwi鈥檈m鈥 (stories) . ***
kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts 鈥檌鈥 tu s鈥檈luhw thi sxt鈥檈kw鈥
Small Number and the Old Totem Pole
kw鈥檌鈥檏w鈥檜shnuts tunu skwish.
My name is Small Number.
鈥檌鈥 yath tsun 鈥檜w鈥 ni鈥 鈥檜 tu tiya鈥檋ween.
And I am a young boy who gets into a lot of mischief.
tu sht鈥檜n鈥檃alhtuns 鈥檌鈥 nilh tu sxt鈥檈kw鈥 qwiil鈥檘wul鈥 鈥檜 tu ni鈥 鈥檜 tu sqwul鈥檘wul鈥.
For my people, making totems poles is our way of telling and remembering stories.
tun鈥檃 sqwul鈥檘wul鈥 鈥檌鈥 nilh kwu鈥檈lh tun鈥檔i鈥 鈥檜 kwthey鈥 s鈥檈luhw sxt鈥檈kw鈥.
This is the story of the old totem pole.
鈥檌鈥 nilh tu syuw鈥檈n鈥檛stulh nilh ni鈥 thuyt tun鈥檃 sxt鈥檈kw鈥, stutes 鈥檜 tu hulelum鈥檚.
Built by my ancestors on a beach close to my village.
鈥檌鈥 nan 鈥檜w鈥 wulh hith kwus tun鈥檔i鈥 鈥檜 kwthu syuw鈥檈n鈥檛st.
that has been shared for many generations now.
nuts鈥檃鈥 skweyul 鈥檌鈥 wulh sew鈥檘鈥 tu yuxwule鈥 鈥檜 kw鈥 s鈥檜lhtuns.
One day the eagle was looking for food.
hwun鈥 xut鈥檜 鈥檌鈥 wulh lumnuhwus tu hay 鈥檜l鈥 thi stseelhtun 鈥檜w鈥 tuw鈥 yu tsitsulh ni鈥 鈥檜 tu qa鈥.
He spotted a huge salmon, just below the surface of the water.
sus nem鈥 鈥檜w鈥 lhakw鈥 tuw鈥檔ilh yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 nilh tu sxun鈥檜s ni鈥 shkwunut-s tu stseelhtun.
He plummeted to the river and caught the salmon with his mighty talons.
鈥檌鈥 nilh kwus nan 鈥檜w鈥 thi tu stseelhtun, ha鈥 se鈥檛us 鈥檌鈥 鈥檜w鈥 鈥檜hwiin鈥 鈥檜l鈥 kwus m鈥檌 sen鈥檋wus.
But, the salmon was so big that even eagle鈥檚 strong wings could only lift the salmon just a bit above the surface of the water.
wulh teem tuw鈥檔ilh yuxwule鈥, 鈥渢s鈥檈wuth! ts鈥檈wuth! 鈥檌 tsun shtsul鈥檈w鈥!鈥
The eagle called out, 鈥淗elp me! Help me! I鈥檓 struggling, being flipped!鈥
wulh ts鈥檈lhum鈥檜tum 鈥檜tl鈥 spaal鈥 tu yuxwule鈥 kwus tuteem鈥, ts鈥檈鈥檛s鈥檜w鈥檛e鈥檔um鈥.
The raven heard eagle鈥檚 cry for help.
sus nem鈥 鈥檜w鈥 lhakw鈥 nem鈥 spaal鈥 sus 鈥檜w鈥 lhkwatus tu stseelhtun ts鈥檈wulhtun se鈥檛us.
So he flew down and pierced his beak into the salmon鈥檚 body.
susuw鈥 hwu kwun鈥檃tul鈥 tu yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 spaal鈥 t鈥檜t鈥檃鈥檛hut kwus suse鈥檛us tu thi-i-i stseelhtun.
The eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon together.
鈥檌鈥 nan 鈥檜w鈥 thi tu stseelhtun 鈥檌鈥 ni鈥 鈥檜w鈥 鈥檜hwiin鈥 鈥檜l鈥 kwus nem鈥 sen鈥檋wus nem鈥 se鈥檛us 鈥檜 tu tsuw鈥檓un.
But the salmon was so big that they only moved the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.
tl鈥檈鈥 wulh qul鈥檈t tu yuxwule鈥, 鈥渢s鈥檈wuth! ts鈥檈wuth! 鈥檌 tst shtsul鈥檈w鈥.鈥
Again the eagle shouted, 鈥淗elp me! Help me! We are being flipped!鈥
wulh ts鈥檈lhum鈥 tu spe鈥檜th 鈥檜 tu ni鈥 tuteem鈥.
The bear heard the eagle鈥檚 calling.
xwchenum tuw鈥檔ilh spe鈥檜th nem鈥 ts鈥檈wutus tu yuxwule鈥.
The bear ran out of forest and grabbed the eagle.
m鈥檌 hwukw鈥檜stum鈥 鈥檜tl鈥 spe鈥檜th tu yuxwule鈥, ts鈥檈ts鈥檜w鈥檜tus.
The bear was pulling the eagle, helping him.
yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 spaal鈥 kwun鈥檈t tu stseelhtun kwus ts鈥檌鈥檛s鈥檜w鈥檃tul鈥.
The eagle and the raven were helping each other hold the salmon.
鈥檌鈥 nilh kwus nan 鈥檜w鈥 thi tu stseelhtun kwus m鈥檌 hwu stutes 鈥檜 tu tsuw鈥檓un.
But the salmon was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.
hwi鈥 nilh tu spe鈥檜th teem, 鈥渢s鈥檈-e-ewuth! ts鈥檈-e-ewuth! 鈥檌 ch shtsul鈥檈w鈥!鈥
Then the bear shouted, 鈥淗elp me! Help me! We are being flipped!鈥
wulh ts鈥檈lhum鈥 tu stqeeye鈥 kwus tuteem鈥 tu spe鈥檜th.
The wolf heard the bear鈥檚 call.
m鈥檌 xwchenum wuplhuqw 鈥檜 tu hwthuthiqut.
He came running out of the forest.
lhxilush sis 鈥檜w鈥 nilh tu yuw鈥檃鈥檔us sxun鈥檜s ni鈥 shkwunut-s tu spe鈥檜th.
He stood up and grabbed the bear with his front legs.
m鈥檌 yu hwukw鈥檜stus tu spe鈥檜th tu stqeeye鈥, 鈥檌鈥 hay tu spe鈥檈th nilh tu yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 m鈥檌 yu hwukw鈥檜stus.
The wolf was pulling the bear, and the bear was pulling the eagle.
鈥檌鈥 hay tu yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 tu spaal鈥 nilh tu stseelhtun ni鈥 m鈥檌 hwukw鈥檜stus.
The eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon.
鈥檌鈥 nilh kwus nan 鈥檜w鈥 thi tu stseelhtun kwus m鈥檌 hwu stutes 鈥檜 tu tsuw鈥檓un.
But the salmon was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.
hwi鈥 nilh tu stqeeye鈥 ni鈥 teem鈥, 鈥渢s鈥檈wuth! ts鈥檈wuth! 鈥檌 tst shtsheluw!鈥
Then the wolf hollered, 鈥淗elp me! Help me! We are being flipped!鈥
wulh ts鈥檈lhum鈥 tu sqel鈥檜w鈥 ts鈥檈lhum鈥檜tus tu stqeeye鈥, sus m鈥檜w鈥 hwiwul m鈥檌 ts鈥檜wlhtun.
The beaver heard wolf and he came forward to help.
sus 鈥檜w鈥 kwoon鈥檚 鈥檜 tu ni鈥 tuteem鈥.
And he took hold of the one calling out.
yu hwukw鈥檜stus tu squl鈥檈w鈥 tu stqeeye鈥, 鈥檌鈥 hay tu stqeeye鈥 nilh tu spe鈥檜th ni鈥 yu shkwun鈥檈l鈥檚th.
The beaver was pulling the wolf, and the wolf was pulling the bear.
鈥檌鈥 tu spe鈥檜th nilh tu yuxwule鈥 ni鈥 shkwun鈥檈l鈥檚th, 鈥檌鈥 hay tu yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 tu spaal鈥 nilh tu stseelhtun m鈥檌 hwukw鈥檜stus.
And the bear was pulling the eagle, and the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon.
鈥檌鈥 nilh kwus nan 鈥檜w鈥 thi tu stseelhtun kwus m鈥檌 hwu stutes 鈥檜 tu tsuw鈥檓un.
But the salmon was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.
tl鈥檈鈥 wulh teem hwi鈥 nilh tu squl鈥檈w鈥 teem, 鈥渢s鈥檈wutal鈥檋w! ts鈥檈wutal鈥檋w!鈥
And then next it was the beaver who cried, 鈥淗elp us! Help us!鈥
鈥檌鈥 nilh tu shtl鈥檜p鈥檌鈥檔uts-s hwi鈥 ni鈥 lhalhuqw鈥檜tus tu qa鈥.
And he slapped the water with his tail.
wulh ts鈥檈lhum鈥 tu wuxus sus m鈥檜w鈥 hwiwul, sus m鈥檜w鈥 鈥檈wu 鈥檜 tun鈥檔i鈥 shni鈥檚 tu tuteem鈥.
The frog heard and came forward to the where the shouting came from.
suw鈥 kwoon鈥檚 鈥檜 tu squl鈥檈w鈥 tu wuxus.
And the frog took hold of the beaver.
nilh tu wuxus 鈥檌鈥 kwun鈥檈l鈥檚 hwukw鈥檜st tu squl鈥檈w鈥.
The frog was pulling the beaver.
nilh tu squl鈥檈w鈥 ni鈥 hwukw鈥檜st tu stqeeye鈥,
The beaver was pulling the wolf.
hay tu stqeeye鈥 nilh tu spe鈥檜th ni鈥 hwukw鈥檜stus tu spe鈥檜th ni鈥 hwukw鈥檜st tu yuxwule鈥,
As for the wolf, the bear was who he was pulling, the bear who was pulling the eagle.
鈥檌 nilh tu yuxwule鈥 鈥檌鈥 tu spaal鈥 nilh ni鈥 hwukw鈥檜st tu stseelhtun.
And the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon.
hwun鈥 xut鈥檜 鈥檌鈥 ni鈥 wulh m鈥檌 se鈥檛us tu stseelhtun m鈥檌 鈥檈wust-hwus 鈥檜 tu tsuw鈥檓un.
Finally, they heaved the salmon on to the shore.
nilh ni鈥 shni鈥檚 鈥檌鈥 ni鈥 hay.
And that is where the story ends.
ptem鈥: | Question:
鈥 nutsim鈥 鈥檃鈥檒u 鈥檜 shus tsts鈥檈ts鈥檜w鈥檛e鈥檔um鈥 tu yuxwule鈥, 鈥檌鈥 spaal鈥, 鈥檌鈥 tu spe鈥檜th, 鈥檌鈥 tu stqeeye鈥 鈥檌鈥 tu squl鈥檈w鈥?
Why did the eagle, the raven, the bear, the wolf, and the beaver need help?
鈥 nutsim鈥 鈥檃鈥檒u 鈥檜 shus tsts鈥檈ts鈥檜w鈥檛e鈥檔um鈥 鈥檜 tu wuxus kws m鈥檌s hwkw鈥檃stum tu stseelhtun 鈥檈wustum 鈥檜 tu tsuw鈥檓un?
Whey did they need help from the frog to pull the salmon on to the shore?
Credits and Acknowledgements
Written by Veselin Jungic, 大象传媒, and Mark MacLean, UBC; Illustrator: Bethani L'Heureux from the 'Namgis First Nation; Voice: Bethani L'Heureux from the 'Namgis First Nation (English); Thomas Jones (Siwut) Hul鈥檘鈥檜mi鈥檔um鈥 Version: Translated by Ruby Peter (Sti'tum'at); Narration by Thomas Jones (Siwut); Language Editing by Donna Gerdts, 大象传媒; Sound: David Brigden, 大象传媒 (English); Donna Gerdts, 大象传媒 (Hul鈥檘鈥檜mi鈥檔um鈥) Music: Cameron Tatham, Vancouver, BC, and Barry Cardinal from the Bigstone Cree Nation; Producer: Veselin Jungic, 大象传媒; Director: Andy Gavel, Ryerson University; Special Thanks To: Tom Archibald, 大象传媒; Pam Borghardt, 大象传媒; Ozren Jungic, University of Oxford; Department of Mathematics, 大象传媒; Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia; The IRMACS Centre, 大象传媒; Faculty of Science, 大象传媒; Department of Linguistics, 大象传媒; Office for Aboriginal Peoples, 大象传媒; Pacific Institute For Mathematical Sciences; **** This story is an adaptation of the Russian fairy tale "The Giant Turnip" inspired by west coast First Nation's traditions and art.