tthu swuy’qe’ ’i’ tthu q’ullhanumutsun | The Man and the Orca
by stitum’at | Ruby Peter
Franz Boas wrote down a version of this story in 1889 when he was travelling on Vancouver Island. Randy Bouchard and Dorothy Kennedy published an English version of this story in Indian Myths & Legends from the Pacific Coast of America (Talon Books, 2002, p. 153-155).
Thomas Jones worked with Ruby Peter to get the story back into Hul’q’umi’num’, and then Donna Gerdts and Ruby Peter transcribed it and re-translated it into English. This version here was last edited in February 2026.
- mukw’ skweyul ’i’ ’uw’ thuythut tthu swuy’qe’ kws nem’s tl’ulhnenum.
Every day, this man prepared himself to go out hunting on the water. - ’i’ nilh tthu thuye’mun nilh ha’kwushus.
And it was a harpoon that he used. - yath nem’ ’uw’ tl’elhnum’ sus m’uw t’at’ukw’st-hwus tthu ’es-hw.
He went out hunting sealife, and he returned home with seals. - ’i’ nilh tthey’ thuye’mun nilh ha’kwushus.
It was that one harpoon that he used. It was that one harpoon that I was talking about, that’s the one he used. - ’u kwsus hun’umut ’i’ ni’ tl’eshutus tthu siiye’yus, ’ulhtunust-hwus ’u tthu shun’tsus.
When he got home, he invited his friends for a meal of what he had caught. - kwus wulh hayqun ’i’ ni’ hwtth’uxwwiils thu slheni’ sta’lusth.
When they had finished eating, the woman, his wife, washed the dishes. - sus nem’ ’uw’ q’putus tthu ’ukw’muns nem’ ’ikw’utus nemust-hwus ’u tthu tsetsuw’.
And she collected the scraps and went and threw them onto the beach. - ni’ q’ep’utus thu napusth sus nem ’uw’ nem’ qwasthut nem’ qwsutus tthu haathunmuns tthu siiye’yus.
She tied on her cape and went into the water a few steps in order to wash the leftovers of their friends. - nuw’ hwun’ yu qwasthut, ’i’ wulh m’i wil’ thu q’ullhanumutsun.
She was still in the water and an orca appeared. - sis ’uw’ kwunutum lhu slheni’ ’u they’ q’ullhanumutsun nem’ huye’st-hwus.
That orca grabbed that woman and went off with her. - niw’ ts’elhum’ tthu sta’lusth kwus wulh tuteem’ tl’lim’ ’uw’ ts’ewutewut.
Her husband could hear her calling for help. - kwus wulh tus ’u tthu tsetsuw’ tthey’ sta’l’usth kwunutus tthu snuhwulh sus nem’ ’uw’ qwsutus
When he reached the beach, he grabbed his canoe and put it in the water. - ’i’ ni’ wulh tsulel ’i’ thuhw they’ q’ullhanumutsun kwus hwu tsakw.
The orca had almost disappeared out of sight. - temutus tthu siiye’yus sus nem’ ’uw’ tseelqum ’u kwthu q’ullhanumutsun.
He called for his friends and they chased the orca. - nuw’ hwun’ yu tsukwul’uqum ’i’ ni’ wulh lumnuhwus kwus wulh nuqum thu q’ullhanumutsun.
They were still chasing it and they saw the orca dive. - nem’ yu huy’ustum’ they’ slheni’, sta’lusth tthu swuyqe’.
He took that woman along, the man’s wife, down below to the bottom of the sea. - nem’ nuqum tl’pil nem’ ’u kwthu hay ’ul’ tl’up.
And the orca dived down really deep. - nem’ tus tthuw’ne’ullh sta’lus ’i’ tthu sq’uq’a’s, tus ’u tth’u shni’s kwus nem’ wulh nuqum kwthu q’ullhanumutsun.
The man and his companions reached the spot where the orca had dived. - sus ’uw’ q’eputus kwthu xwi’lum, q’eputus kwthu na’nuts’a’ swuy’qe’.
The one man tied a rope to himself. - suw’ thut-st-hwus tthu na’nuts’a, “’uw’ ’i ch ’ul’ ’u tun’a, kwun’et tthu xwi’lum.
And he told the other, “You stay here and hold the rope. - nem’ tsun tse’ nuqum’z nem’ ’u kwthu hay ’ul’ tl’itl’up
I am going to dive down deep. - nus m’uw’ hwu’alum’stuhw lhunu sta’lus.
And I am going to bring back my wife. - ’uwu ch m’iihw hwakw’t kw’ukw’i’stuhw tthu xwi’lum hay ’…uw’ niin’ wulh hwu saay’ kwuus m’i hwu’alum.”
Don’t pull the rope up until I am ready to return.” - sus ’uw’ tstl’um nuqum ’u tthu qa’.
And he dove down into the water. - kwus wulh tus ’u tthu hay ’ul ’uw’ tl’up ni’ ’u tthu tl’itl’up ’i’ wulh lumnuhwus thu she’shlh nem’ shtels.
When he reached the sea bottom, he found a trail and followed it. - nuw’ hwun’ yu xwte’ ’u they she’shlh ’i’ wulh lumnuhwus thu s’eluhw slheni’.
He was still going along that trail and he saw an old lady. - na’nuts’a’ ’u tthuw’ne’ullh s’ul’eluhw slhunlheni’ ni’ ’amust ’u tthu s’ulhtun niilh yuhw sqwalstum.
One of those old women distributed food which she had cooked in a kettle. - ni’ xutsnehwus tthuw’nilh swuy’qe’ kwsus ’uwu te’ shtsle’lum’s, st’kwas tthu slhunlheni’ tthey’ s’ul’eluhw,
The man noticed that they were blind, those old ladies were blind. - sht’eewun’ thuw’nilh slheni’ kwus mukw’ uw’ kwunnuhwus tthu hwstl’up la’thun, s’ulhtun.
She thought that all of her companions had received their bowls. - sus ’uw’ ptem’, “nii tseep ’uw’ ’ulh mukw’ kwunnuhw kwthu’ s’ulhtun,” pte’mutus tthu sq’uq’a’s.
And she asked, “Have you all got your food?” she asked her companions. - suw’ thut-s tthu na’nuts’a’, “’uwu, ’uwu tst niit kwunnuhw kw’ stem.”
And that one man said, “No, we didn’t get anything.” - niihw ts’uw’ xetstus kwus ni’ tthu nuts’uwmuhw thu ’uwu te’ shtslhe’lum’s.
The ones that were blind must have figured out that he was a stranger. - suw’ temutus, “m’i lhu wi’ulthut tthu nuwu nuts’uwmuhw. m’i ch wi’ulthut.”
And she called out, “Let yourself be seen, stranger. Show yourself.” - suw’ qwals tthey’ nuts’uwmuhw pte’mtum thu s’eluhw, “nii wulh ni’ kw’u ni’ yul’ew’ yu kwun’et lhu slheni’.
So he asked the old lady , “Did someone carry a woman past here?” - “ni’,” thut thu s’eluhw. “ni’ nem’ ’u thu lelum’s thu q’ullhanumutsun.”
“Yes,” the old lady said. “They went to Orca’s house.” - suw’ hwyuxwutus thu qulum’s ’i’ ni’ tslem st’ee ’uw’ nilhus ni’ rewards [shts’iitewut].
He opened their eyes so they could see as a kind of a reward for them. - “la’lumuthut ch ’u lhu Heron!”
[Then they said, ]“Beware of Heron!” - ’uw’ thut-s tthey’ sta’lusth thu slheni’, “uwu tsun p’e’ niin’ siisi’me’t.
But the husband of the lady said, “Oh, I’m not afraid of him.” - ’i tsun ’uw’ kwun’et tthu nu s’unum.”
“I have my fish spear.” - sus nem ’uw’ huye’ ’i’ wulh lumnuhwus tthu Heron, s’a’mut ni’ ’u tthu huy’qw, ’a’mut qi’quw’athut ’u tthu slhuq’we’lhs.
And he left and he saw Heron, who was sitting close to the fire, warming his back. - kwuyxthut tthu huy’wi’na’qw, sus ’uw’ lum’e’tum sus ’uw’ hwkw’uqenum ’i ni’ xwte’ ’u thu huy’qw.
The chief kicked him with his foot and Heron fell into the fire. - sus ’uw’ yuqw tthu slhuq’we’lhs.
And he burned his back. - suw’ kwetsum kwus wulh xlhiluws.
He cried out in pain. - suw’ thut tthu swuy’qe’, “yuthustham’sh.”
The man said, “Tell me”. - putum’ tthu swuy’qe’, “ni’ yul’ew’ kw’ lhwet, yu kwun’et lhunu sta’lus.”
The man was asking, “Did someone pass by here carrying my wife?” - “ni’. ’uw’ ni’ kwthu ni’ yul’ew’ ni’ nuw’ilum ’u thu lelum’ ’utl’ q’ullhanumutsun.”
“Yes. They went by here and went into Orca’s house.” - sis ’uw’ lhe’wutum’ ’u tthey’ swuy’qe’ kwthu ni’ yuqw slhuq’we’lhs.
And then the man healed Heron’s burned back. - ni’ st’ee ’uw’ shts’iitewut kwus ts’ewutum, sus ’uw’ lhew’ tthu slhuq’we’lhs.
And is was a reward for helping him, healing his back. - suw’ thut-s tthu… tthey’ Heron, thut-stum, “hwiilasmuthut ch ’u kwthu skw’uyuth.”
And then Heron told him, “Beware of the slave.” - suw’ huye’ tha’ithut tthuw’nilh swuy’qe’ ’i’ wulh tus ’u tthu lelum’s tthu q’ullhanumutsun.
The man continued on and arrived at Orca’s house. - ’i’ s’e’tl’q tthu skw’uyuth suq’ul’tsup ’u tthu syalh, swe’s tthu qul’lhanumutsun.
Outside the slave was splitting wood for his master Orca. - suw’ lhew tthuw’nilh skw’uyuth nem’ lhulhaalwe’lhthut ’u tthu log [qwlhey’], sus ’uw’ lukw tthu sqw’qwums, ’uhwiin’’ul’ tthu ni’ lukw.
He crawled underneath the log and his axe broke, a little piece (wedge) of it broke off. - kwus wulh tul’nuhwus kwus lukw, sus ’uw’ xeem, teem, tuteem’, “o.o.o! ’e’ut wulh yu lhalhutsthut ’i’ hwuw’e tsun niin’ hay ’u tthunu syaays.
When the slave saw this he began to cry and called out, “Oh, it’s getting dark and I haven’t finished my work - xlhuthelum tse’ ’u kwthunu shsi’em’, xuy’uthelum tse’.”
My master will hurt me, he will surely beat me.” - m’i ’utl’q tthu swuy’qe’ suw’ putum’s, “lhwet kw’un sne, si’em’? tun’untsu ch?”
Thereupon the man came out and the slave asked, “What is your name, sir? Where do you come from?” - “’i tsun sew’q’ ’u lhunu sta’lus.”
“I am searching for my wife.” - suw’ thut-s tthey’ skw’uyuth, “’i tsun suq’ul’tsup ’u kwthunu shsi’em’.
Then the slave said, “I am splitting wood for my master. - stl’i’s kws lhuyxt-s lhun’ sta’lus, stl’i’s kws qwul’st-s lhun sta’lus.”
He wants to cook and eat your wife. - “’a.a, tth’ihwum ch si’em’. tth’ihwum ch ’i’ ts’ewutham’sh ’i’ thuyt tthunu sqw’qwum.
“Oh, please, sir. Take pity on me and fix my axe. - ha’ tse ’uw’ st’e ’ul’ tthu ni’ shlukwuqsuns nilh tse’ suw’ q’aaytheelt ’u kwthunu shsi’em’.
If the tip is sort of broken, my master will beat me to death. - tth’ihwum ch kwu’elh ’i’ thuyt ch.”
Please fix it.” - sus ’uw’ thu’it ’uw’ thuytus tthuw’nilh swuy’qe’ tthu sqw’qwums ni’ hwu sthuthi’.
And so the man indeed fixed his axe, repaired it. - suw’ thut tthuw’ nilh skw’uyuth, “ts’ewuthamu tsun tse’ ’u lhun’ sta’lus kwun’s kwunnuhw.
And the slave said, “I want to help you get your wife back. - ’al’mutsun’ ch ’ul’.”
Just wait here.” - nilh tse’ kwus wulh m’i tssetham’shus ’uw’ m’iin’ qa’lum.
Wait until my master sends me out to fetch water. - nilh tse’ kwunus wulh nem’ yu hwu’a’lum’ ’i’ tl’um’uqsun tsun tse’ nilh suw’ kw’ulhs kwthu qa’ suw’ kw’lhass kwthu huy’qw, suw’ tl’ukw’uns.”
On my return I will pretend to stumble and will pour water on the fire, and it will go out.” - nilh sus ’uw tel ’u tthu ni’ sqwals tthu skw’uyuth.
The man followed the slave’s advice. - kwus wulh nem’ nuw’ilum, suw’ xwchenumutus thu sta’lusth ’i’ ni’ ’utl’qtus huye’st-hwus.
When he went in, he then fled with his wife, taking her away with him. - nilh ni’ sht’es kwus wulh kw’lhas thu huy’qw sus ’uw’ xwchenum ’ul’ huye’st-hwus thu sta’lusth.
He poured water on the fire before he fled with his wife. - kwus wulh tul’nuhwus tthuw’nilh q’ullhanumutsun kwus tl’uw’namut tthu swuy’qe’ ’i’ lhu slheni’, sus ’uw’ tssetus thu Heron ’uw’ q’aytewut ’eelhtun.
When Orca noticed that the man and the woman had managed to flee, he ordered Heron to kill them. - kwus wulh tssetum ’uw’ q’aaytus sus ’uw’ kwulushtus ’i’ ni’ ’uwu niis ts’uqw’ nuw’ slhaals kwus ’uwu niis ma’itus.
Though Heron was told to kill them, he missed them on purpose. - sus nem’ ’uw’ kw’i hwu’alum’ nem’ ’u kwthu tsitsulh, nem yu kwun’el’s ’u kwthu xwi’lum.
The man and his wife arrived safely at the top of the rope. - kwus wulh tus ’u kwthey xwi’lum’ ’i’ ni’ kwuyxtus sus ’uw’ hwkw’atum ’u kwthu siiye’yus nem’ kw’i’stum.
He shook it and his friends pulled them up. - nilh shni’s ’i’ ni’ nem’ t’akw’ ’eelhtun, xwum kwus nem’ yu t’at’ukw’.
Then they returned home as quickly as possible. - yu tsukwul’ul’qum’ tthu q’ullhanumutsun ’i’ nuw’ tsakw yuw’en’ sus ’uw’ namut ’eelhtun ’i’ nuw’ hun’umutnamut.
Orca pursued them but they had a long head-start and reached their home safely. - ni’ hay!
The end.