Section 10.4 Gitxsan - TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI G̲AN’THL TX̲ALPX̲A LUU NO’O WILPS G̲AX̲
Written by: Veselin Jungic and Mark MacLean
Illustrated by: Bethani L'Heureux
Gitxsan translation by: Jeanne Harris, Barbara Harris Sennott, and Catherine Blackstock
TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI HL ’WA’Y.
My name is Small Number.
LAX NII’Y HL ANT’IMAHLASXW TUN, MAHL DIS TS’IITS LO’Y IIT LAX’NI’HL HE’S TS’IITS’T.
This is a story that I heard from my grandmother and she heard from her grandmother.
ANT’IMAHLASXW TUN AHL WILA WIS DIP OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN, G̲AAK̲, G̲AX̲ G̲ANHL TX̲ALPX̲A LUU NO’NAAHL WILPS G̲AX̲.
It is (A STORY) about a coyote, a raven, a rabbit, and the four rabbit holes (HOUSES).
G̲ANWILA SAA YEE’S OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN, MAHLA KII’IHL SA.
Every day Coyote goes hunting.
HLOOK̲’T X̲HLA MAG̲AS 0S’M SBAG̲AYT G̲ANHL ANJOK’T,
Coyote leaves his den (HOME) in the early morning,
II LUUT KUU YEE’T TS’IM SBAG̲AYT G̲AN,
makes a big circle through the forest,
II GUUXWS ’WITXW’T AHL ANJOK’T HLA YUXWSA.
and (he) comes back to the den in the evening.
WANHL TX̲ALPX̲A HUWILPHL G̲AX̲ GO’OHL LAX TS’EEHL SBAG̲AYT G̲AN,
At the very edge of the forest there are four rabbit holes in a straight line,
II AM HLABUUHL G̲ABIHL G̲A̲NAGWIT.
a few steps apart from each other.
SIM XWDAX’T O’S’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN AHL HIIHLUUXW TUN,
(Since) Coyote is very hungry in the morning,
G̲ANWILA’T YEEXSIS OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲ANHL AM KI’I’HL G̲AX̲’M LUU NO’O
he (Coyote) always checks only one rabbit hole
II HLA G̲OOG̲ DIM TS’IMX̲SIS’M TS’IM SPAG̲AYT G̲AN.
before entering the forest.
"LUGWIL TS’AXWHL G̲AX̲ TUNSA,
"This rabbit is very smart,
II NIM AP GIDIIGUU’T JO ’KI’I’HL SA," DII YAHL O’S’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN.
but I will catch him one day," says Coyote.
HLA AP HELDA SA, II AP HLGUUXW’S ’TSIT GIDIIGUUHL G̲AX̲.
But many days have passed, and Coyote couldn’t catch the rabbit.
KI’I’HL HIIHLUUXW, II HETSIMO HLGUUXWS’JIT ’WAS OS’M SBAGAYT G̲ANHL G̲AX̲,
One morning, when once again Coyote couldn’t find the rabbit,
LAX̲NII’IT WIL TS’AHLXHL G̲AAK̲, LAX̲ UHL G̲AN, "CR-R-RUCK, CR-R-RUCK, OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN!
he heard Raven laughing (from the top of the tree), "Cr-r-ruck, Cr-r-ruck, Coyote!
G̲Y K’YAA WILAKILS’T G̲AX̲ LUN! CR-R-RUCK, CR-R-RUCK!"
The rabbit is smarter than you are! Cr-r-ruck, Cr-r-ruck!"
SIM G’YAA XWDAX?T O’S’M SBAAYT G̲AN̲ AHL HIIHLUUXW TUUST
Coyote was very hungry that morning
II’T SA A’LAX̲’S HLA ALG̲YAXS G̲AAK̲ ’NIT.
and Raven’s words made him angry.
“YUGIMAHL GY’G̲A WILAKILSTHL G̲AX̲ LO’Y!”
“Maybe the rabbit is smarter than I am, but I am much smarter than you are!”
“CR-R-RUCK, CR-R-RUCK,” TS’ALXW’S G̲AAK̲.
“Cr-r-ruck, Cr-r-ruck,” laughed Raven.
“SIM K̲YA LOOGIM WII GYAT ’NIIN, OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN̲, II SIM XWDAX̲’N, II A’LAX’N. NA ANT HLGUUXWS JIT GIDIGUUHL G̲AX̲.”
“You are an old, hungry, and angry Coyote who cannot catch the rabbit.”
“GUN GY’A’DIS WILAKILSTHL DIN.”
“Let me see how smart you are.”
"JI DAN MAHLAA’T LUN MAHLAA KI’I’HL YUKWSA, II WOK̲S G̲AX̲ GO’OHL TSIM NA’NO’O HINDA WIL KWO WOK̲’T DIM MAHLAA KI’I’HL YUKWSA
"If I tell you that every night, the rabbit sleeps in the hole that is next to the hole where he slept the previous night
II JI DIM G̲ANWILA YEEXSIHL AM KI’I’HL NO’O MAHLAA KI’I’HL HIIHLUUXW?"
and if you keep checking only one hole every morning, in how many days will you catch the rabbit?"
IIT GY’A’S OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN G̲AAK̲, IIT GY’A’HL NA’NO’O’M G̲AX̲ IIT HETSIMO ’MIIN GY’A’HL G̲AAK̲.
Coyote looked at Raven, then looked at the rabbit holes, and then looked up at Raven again.
"G̲AAK̲, HANII G̲OODIN MID DIM SI YELHL LIP LIGI’T’NAA.
"Raven, you think that you can trick everyone,
II MA MAHLAA’T LOO’Y HINDA NIM WILA GIDIIGUUHL G̲AX̲,"
but you just told me how to catch the rabbit," said Coyote and slowly entered to the forest.
GIDAG̲ASXW: HINDAHL GABIHL SA HLAG̲OK̲ DIM’T GIDIIGUUHL OS’M SBAG̲AYT G̲AN G̲AX̲ AA?
Question: In how many days will Coyote catch the rabbit?
SGI NA DIM AM GOOHL ALGAYGUM.
I SHOULD REMEMBER OUR LANGUAGE.