Section 12.4 Hul'q'umi'num' - NETS'UW'T-HWUM TTHU KWI'KWUSHNUTS 'U THU SI'LUS
Written by: Veselin Jungic and Donna Gerdts
Illustrated by: Bethani L'Heureux
Hul'q'umi'num' translation, transcription, and editing by: Sti'tum'at | Ruby Peter, Donna Gerdts, and Leona Peter
Funding for Hul'q'umi'mum' translation: First Peoples' Cultural Council
swuy'qe'allh tthu kwi'kwushnuts 'i' yath 'uw' ni' 'u tthu ti'ya'xween.
Small Number is a young boy who gets into a lot of mischief.
ni' 'uw' hwnuts'ulwum ni' 'u thu lelum's stutes 'u tthu sta'luw', 'i' hay thu si'lus ni' tslelum' shlhq'a'th 'u tthu st'aluw'.
He lives with his family in a house near the river and his grandmother lives in a house on the other side of the river.
wulh tum'kw'e'lus hay 'ul' kw'e'lus skweyul.
It is summertime and it is a hot day.
suw' thut-stum 'u thu tens, “tl'qwuthut, kwi'kwushnuts”
His mom tells him, “Small Number, get ready!”
“nem' ch tse' nets'uw't-hwum 'u lhun' si'lu 'u tun'a kweyul.”
“You are going to visit your grandmother today.”
“nilh tse' kwthu syalhs 'un'sh ts'ewut sq'ul'tsup 'un's 'uw' t'unule'tst.”
“You will help her by cutting up firewood and stacking it up.”
“'i' tl'e' ch 'uw' ts'ewut 'u kwthu spun'ums.”
“You will also help her with her garden.”
“qux ni' tse' 'un' syaays.”
“There is much work to do.”
thut-s kwi'kwushnuts, “'uy'. nem' tsun tse'. ni' 'u 'uw' sthuthi' 'uw' nem' 'un' yu huye'stuhw thu sqwiqwmi'?”
Small Number says, “Good, I will go. Can I take the little dog with me?”
“mun'u, nem' ch p'e' yu huye'stuhw thu sq'ul'q'ul'p'us.”
“Yes, son, you can take Curly Hair.”
“nem' ch thulh yu suse'stuhw, yu suse'stuhw kwun's nem' shqwilustuhw 'u tthu sta'luw', nilh kws qulstuhws kws hwu lhuqws.”
“But you will have to carry her across the river because she doesn't like to get wet.”
“'ilhe, sq'ul'q'ul'p'us! nan ch 'uw' 'uy' sqwiqwmi'.”
“Let's go, Curly Hair! You are such a good little dog.”
ha' nem' 'u thu lelum's thu si'lus 'i' nem' shaqwul 'u tthu sta'luw' tthu kwi'kwutsnuts.
To get to Grandma's house, Small Number has to cross the river.
tthu ni' shnem's 'i' nilh tthu ni' tuw' shpaythut-s 'u tthu sta'luw'.
They go to where there is a bend in the river.
nilh ni' shni's kws 'uwus nanus 'uw' xwoom thu qa'.
The water is a little slower there.
yu suse'stum' 'utl' kwi'kwushnuts thu sq'ul'q'ul'p'us kwus nem' yu tsetl'um' yu ts'e'shunum' 'u tthu smunmeent 'i' nuw' hun'shaqw 'ul'.
Small Number picks Curly Hair up in his arms and jumps from rock to rock to get to the other side.
suw' tus 'u thu lelum's thu si'lus.
He arrives at his grandma's house.
“aaa, kwi'kwushnuts! 'im, 'uy' nu shqwaluwun kwunus 'i lumnamu.”
“Ah, Small Number! Grandson, I am happy to see you.”
suw' qwumtsutus tthu kwi'kwushnuts.
She gives Small Number a big hug.
xi'xlhe'mutum' 'utl' sq'ul'q'ul'p'us, suw' 'uy' shqwaluwuns hwkwey'xul'nutsum'.
Curly Hair is watching them and happily wagging her tail.
sq'ul'tsup susuw' t'unule'tsels 'u tthu syalh sp'ilh'q' 'u tthu t'amuns thu lelum' 'u tthey' netulh.
Small Number spends the morning chopping wood and stacking it against the house.
'i' hay tthu yul'ew' tahw skweyul 'i' ni' 'u tthu spun'um kwus yaays.
In the afternoon, they work together in the garden.
lumstum 'u thu si'lus tthu sht'es kwus nuts'tul tthu spun'ums—sqewth, tl'ikw'un' 'i' tthu shewuq.
Grandma shows him all the different things she has planted - potatoes, peas, and carrots.
thut-s thu susule', “na'ut wulh tl'am tthu shewuq.”
Grandma says, “The carrots are ready.”
“'i' hw'uw'tsusthamu tsun kwun's m'i hwkw'at tun'ni' 'u tthu tumuhw 'un's 'uw' 'iput me'sh tthu tumuhw yelh 'un's nuw'ush 'u thu lisek.”
“And I will show you how to pull them out of the ground, clean them, and put them into sacks.”
qux shewuq 'i' m'i hwkwatum 'utl' kwi'kwushnut.
Small Number pulls up many carrots.
'i' ni' tl'uw' ts'uwnum 'utl' sq'ul'q'ul'p'us kwus yu hwthuyqwul's.
And Curly Hair digs around and helps dig too.
qwal thu susule', “kwi'kwushnuts, m'i nuw'ilum. 'i tsun xute'um 'u tthu tu'i tthu ch'ukwx suplil.”
Grandma says, “Small Number, come in. I have made tea and fry bread.”
kwus wulh hayuqun, suw' thut-stuhws, “hay ch q'a. nan 'uw' 'uy' 'un' syaays kwus 'i m'i ts'ewuth.”
When they are done eating, she tells him, “Thank you so much for your help.”
“ni' wa'lu stl'atl'um' kwun's nem' t'akw' st'e 'u tthey'.”
“You had better head home now.”
“nem' ch yu kwun'et tthu nuts'uqun lisek shewuq 'i' 'amust ch lhun' ten.”
“You are going to take one sack of carrots to give to your mother.”
“ni' ch p'uw' hwu kw'am'kw'um' swuy'qe'. nuw' sthuthi' kwun's nem' yu 'i't'ust kwun's huye'stuhw.”
“You are a strong boy now, so you will be able to carry it.”
“'i tsun kwun'et kwthunu s'amusthamu.”
“And I have something for you.”
hwkwa'qutus thu susule' tthu xi'xthum' 'i' wulh tstl'um thu sququweth 'utl'qul.
Grandma opens a little box and a rabbit jumps out.
“hay ch q'a, si'lu!” thut tthu kwi'kwushnuts.
“Thank you, Grandma!” says Small Number.
hwyunumus thu susule', suw' thut-s, “hwilasmuthut ch 'ul' 'uw' nem'uhw wulh shaqwul 'u tthu sta'luw'.”
Grandma smiles and says, “Just be careful when you cross the river.”
“yath ch 'uw' yu le'lum'ut thu sq'ul'q'ul'p'us 'i' thu sququweth. 'uwus ch 'uw' hali'us 'ul'.”
“Make sure that you do not leave Curly Hair and the rabbit alone.”
“'uy' sqwumey' thu sq'ul'q'ul'p'us 'i' nilh tthu ni' sht'es kwus le'lum'utus thu sququweth.”
“Curly Hair is a sweet dog but look how she is looking at the rabbit.”
“'i' tl'e' ch 'uwu ni'st-hwuhw 'ul' thun' sququweth, xwum 'i' lhuyxtus. 'uw'kw'tus , xwum 'i' 'ukw'tus tthu shewuq 'i' t-hw'uwu te' swe's lhun' ten.”
“Also, do not leave the rabbit alone with the carrots, otherwise you will not have any carrots left to bring to your mom.”
kwunutum 'utl' kwi'kwushnuts thu sququweth 'i' tl'uw' kwunutus tthu lisek, shewuq lisek.
Small Number picks up the rabbit and the sack of carrots.
temutus thu sq'ul'qul'p'us kws nem's yu huw'u.
He calls Curly Hair to follow.
kwus wulh tus 'u tthu sta'luw', lheq'utum 'utl' kwi'kwushnuts tthu sququweth 'i' tthu shewuq, 'i' 'uw' xi'xlem' thu sqwiqwmi'.
When they get to the river, Small Number lays the rabbit and the carrots down, and the little dog is watching.
sht'eewun' tthu kwi'kwutsnuts, “tstamut yuhw tsun 'a'lu?”
Small Number is puzzled, “Now what do I do?”
“nan 'uw' lixwum' tthu smunmeent, 'i' 'uw' nuts'a' 'ul' tthu nem' huye'stuhween'.”
“The rocks are very slippery, and I can only carry one at a time.”
ptem': 'i yu stsekwul' yuhw 'a'lu tthu kwi'kwushnuts kws nem's shqwilst-hwus tthuw' mukw' 'u tthu sta'luw'?
Question: How can Small Number safely get everything across the river?
