tthu ni’ taantum’ stl’i’tl’qulh | The Abandoned Boy
told by Sti’tum’at, Ruby Peter
The story comes from Abel Joe; it was translated into English by Margaret Roome, and her book of stories was at School District 79. Joan Brown and Thomas Jones worked with Ruby Peter to get the story back into Hul’q’umi’num’ (funding was from FPCC through CSETS), and then Donna Gerdts and Ruby Peter transcribed and got it back into English. This version here was last edited in February 2026.
- ni’ tthu swiw’lus ’u tthu tsa’luqw nem’ ’i’mush sew’q’ ’ukw’ shkw’am’kw’um’s.
There was a young man going up in the mountain; he was looking for his power. - ts’al’thut nilh kws sew’q’s ’u tthu shkw’am’kw’ums tun’ni’ ’u tthu tsa’luqw.
He was supposed to be fasting while he was seeking his power up in the mountains. - ’i’ ’iihw ts’u hwi’ yu skwukwul’ta’num’ ’u tthu yu kwun’etus t’emukw’.
And he must have been concealing some salmon eggs. - ni’ ’uw’kw’nuhwus tthey’ t’emukw’ ’i’ q’eptus tthu sthxelum.
After he finished having the dried salmon eggs, he gathered some sword ferns. - qu.u.ux sthxelum ni’ nilh tthu kwumluhws ni’ yu q’eptus sus hwi’ nilh ni’ hwi’ lhuyxtus
There were a lot of sword ferns, and he gathered their roots to eat. - ni’ wulh tus ’u kwthu ’apun skweyul ’i’ ’uwu te’ shtatul’stuhw kwus xi’xlhem’utum’ ’u kwthu shhwum’nikws.
After ten days was up, he didn’t know that his uncle was watching him. - t’eyuq’ tthu ts’lhhwulmuhws shhwuw’welis kwus wulh tul’num tthu ni’ s’ul’uthut-s.
His family and friends got angry at him when they found out what he was doing. - suw’ xtsuthut tthuwne’ullh kws nem’s taantum ’ikw’utum.
And they all decided to abandon him. - ’uwu ’ul’ niis yuthustum tthuw’nilh swiw’lus niw’ q’puthut ’ul’ q’putus tthu ’ewkw’s tthu shhwuw’welis siiye’yus sus ’uw’ taantum.
They all didn’t tell him, they just gathered their belongings, and his family and friends and left him behind. - saay’ kws huye’s, nuts’a’ netulh, kwus tl’e’ wulh nem’ tsam suw’ luts’utus tthuw’ne’ullh, shhwuw’welis siiye’yus, luts’utus tthu sunihwulhs kws wulh nem’ taantum.
When they were ready to leave early in the morning, and the young man had gone up the mountain again, they just filled up their canoes and left. - ’i’ hay thu sisule’, hay ni’ xelhst-hwus tthu ’imuths.
And the grandmother was feeling bad for her grandson. - la’us kwus ’uw’ yu sq’uq’a’ ’u tthu ni’ huliye’ ’i’ nuw’ ni’ tthu shqwaluwuns ’u tthu ’imuths.
Even though she had to go with the others, she was thinking of her grandson. - suw’ sht’eewun’s, “tsustuhw tsun ‘ul’ tstamut yuhw tsun ’a’lu ’u kwthunu ’imuth kwunus ts’ewut?”
And she was thinking, “What can I do to help my grandson?” - nem’ suwq’ ’u tthu… kwunutus tthu hay ’ul’ thi s’axwa’ q’uye’mun.
She went to the beach and looked for the largest clamshell. - xatsthut ’uw’ ni’ tse’ tstamut sus ’uw’ luts’utus ’u tthu p’uts’t sus ’uw’ punutus, ni’ stutes ’u tthu shni’s thu huy’qw.
She was figuring out what to do and she filled it up with coals and buried it near where the fire was. - ni’ yu sul’its’ tthey’ q’uye’mun ’u tthu p’uts’t sus ’uw’ hwqp’equtus ’i’ ni’ punutus stutes ’u thu huy’qw.
She had filled up that shell with coals and put a cover on it and she buried it near where the fire was. - sus temutus ’aatus thu sqwiqwmi’s.
And she called out to her little dog. - qwulst-hwus thu sqwiqwmi’s suw’ thut-st-hwus, “nilh sm’is ’uw’ tetsul kwthun’ shqwumey’ ’i’ lumstuhw ch ’u tthu ni’ shni’s tthu q’uye’mun ni’ huy’qw ni’ le’sh=een’.”
She spoke to the little dog and told him, “When your master gets here, show him the place where I stored the shell in the fire.” - ni’ kwu’elh hay kwus xut’e ’u tthey’ ’i’ yelh sus nem’ taantus, nem’ q’a’thut ’u tthu ni’ wulh yu huy’u.
When she was finished doing that, she left him, and then she went to join those that were leaving. - hun’umut tthu swiw’lus ’i’ ni’ wulh [t-hw]’uwu te’ ’u tthu ts’lhhwumulhs—shhwuw’welis, siiye’yu, mukw’ nuw’ huliye’.
When the young man got home, there was no one there of his tribe— his parents and relatives had all left. - mukw’ tthu huy’qw nuw’ tl’ukw’un’tum ’i’ ’uwu te’ s’ulhtun.
All the fires were extinguished and there was no food. - nem’ ’u tthu lelum’s sis ’uw’ xeem.
He went to his house and he cried. - wulh nem’ thu sqwiqwmi’ sus ’uw’ thxutum tthu t’eluw’s.
And the little dog went and nudged his arm. - nilh tthu muqsuns nilh ni’ shthexts tthu sqwiqwmi’s.
It was his nose that the little dog was pushing him with. - nuw’ xwchenum nem’ ’u tthu shni’sulh thu huy’qw.
And he would run to where the fire used to be. - ’i’ nilh kwus nan ’uw’ xeem’ ’uwu kwus hwnu’iwunmutus tthu sqwiqwmi’s.
But the young man was just crying so much that he wouldn’t bother with his dog. - ’i’ ’uwu thu sqwiqwmi’s (yath) tl’e’ wulh qul’et nem’ ’u tthu shqwumey’s, thxutus ’i’ xwchenum ’i’ nem’ shni’s thu huy’qw.
But the dog was very persistent, it would go back to his master and push his arm and then run to where the fire used to be. - hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ni’ wulh xtsutus tthuw’nilh swiw’lus, “’iihw ’a’lu q’u tstamut tthunu sqwumey’?
Finally he was wondering, “What is the matter with my dog? - nutsim’ yuhw ’a’lu shus hwu’ul’um’?”
Why is he running back and forth?” - hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ni’ wulh lemutus wulh nem’ ’u tthu shni’s tthu huy’qw.
Finally he looked at the place the fire used to be. - sus ’uw’ hwthuyqwtus [tthu] ni’ shni’s ni’ shhwunum’s thu sqwiqwmi’.
And he started to dig where his little dog kept going to. - ’i’ wulh kwunnuhwus tthu q’uye’mun sun’iw’ ’u tthu huy’qw.
And he finally found the clam shell inside the fire. - kwus wulh qul’et netulh ’i’ ni’ tl’e’ wulh qul’et huye’ nem’ ’u tthu tsa’luqw.
The next morning, he went up the mountain again. - sus ’uw’ yu tetul’ ’u tthu shni’nuw’ute’wut shakw’um ’u tthu… ni’ ’u tthu stul’atluw’, ’i’ nilh tse’ sus ’uw’ hwu shne’um.
He followed the instructions about bathing in the creeks in order to become a shne’um. - mukw’ ’untsu ni’ shnem’s ’i’ ’uw’ tsukwul’ul’qum’ thu sqwiqwmi’s.
Everywhere he went his little dog followed him. - sis ’uw’ yu huy’kwul’ushtus thu sqw’ulesh ’i’ nilh ni’ yu s’i’lhtun’s.
He was shooting all kinds of birds and that was his food. - nilh tthu stl’qeens nilh ni’ thuytus nilh ni’ hwu s’i’tth’um’s.
And he used the feathers for his clothing. - kwus wulh qul’et kweyul ’i’ hwi’ nilh tthu xpey’tsus ni’ huye’st-hwus sis ’uw’ nem’ ’u thu statluw’.
Then the next day, he got a cedar branch and he went to creek. - kwus wulh hay kwus kw’akw’i’uthut, sis ’uw’ kwunutus tthu xpey’tsus ’i’ ni’ qwsutus ’u tthu statluw’ suw’ hwisutus.
After he finished bathing in the creek, he took the cedar branch and dipped it into the creek and he shook it. - xuthunelh kwus xut’e ’u tthey’ matqwtus sis ’uw’ suse’tus ’i’ ni’ hwihwusutus.
He did that four times, dipping the branch into the creek, lifting it out, and shaking it. - sis ’uw’ wil’ tthu stsul’etsullhutun’ ni’ ’u tthu qa’.
And the little fish appeared in the water. - hay ’ul’ qux slhewut’ ni’ wil’ ni’ ’u tthu qa’.
A lot of herrings appeared in the water. - sis ’uw’ ’aluxutus tthu ni’ ni’ tse’ s’ulhtuns.
So he gathered what he was going to eat. - ni’ nilh kwus hwisutus tthu xpey’tsus ’i’ ni’ wi’wul’ tthey’ stsul’etslulhtun’ ’i’ ni’ ’aluxutus s’ultuns tse’.
That’s when he dipped the cedar bough and shook it and the little fish appeared and that’s what he gathered for his food. - hay ’ul’ qux tthey’ stsul’etslulhtun’ ’i’ tsakw qux skw’ey kws lhuyxts.
He got a lot of the little fish and it was much more than he could eat. - nuts’a’ skweyul kwus ni’ ’u thu lelum’s ’i’ ’uw’ hiina’nuts’a’ ’ul’ xatsthut.
One day he was at his house, by himself thinking. - ni’st-hwus tthu tselush ’u tthu sxuy’usth kwus xatsthut.
He had his hands behind his head thinking. - ’i’ hay ’ul’ qux s’ulhtun ni’ ’u tthu shni’s.
And he had a lot of food around him at his place. - suw’ t’i’wi’ulhtus kwthu ts’lhhwuluhws, shhwuw’welis ni’ taant.
He prayed for his tribesmen and relatives who had left him. - “nem’s lhu ’ul’ lhakw’ tthun’ kw’ul’u kwunus ’i sum’iq’ ’i’ nem’ tus ’u lhunu si’lu ni’ huye’, kwus ’uwu ’iis hwu’alum’.”
“If only my full stomach would fly to wherever they are, and get to my grandmother who left and hasn’t come back.” - kwuyxthut sis ’uw’ ’aatus thu q’uleeq’e’, tssetus thu q’uleeq’e’ ’uw’ muq’utus tthu s’ulhtun ’i’ nilh tse’ snem’s ’uw’ suwq’tus lhu si’lus.
He finally called for the crow, telling him to eat all the food that he could take, and then go and look for his grandmother. - sis ’uw’ st’e thu q’uleeq’e’ ni’ muq’uthut ’u tthu s’ulhtun stseelhtun.
And the crow followed his instructions, she filled herself up with a lot of food . - sis nem’ ’uw’ suw’q’ ’i’ tus ’u thu si’lus tthuw’nilh stl’i’tl’qulh.
And he went to look for the child’s grandmother. - hwts’e’nutsum ni’ ’u s’ulnuts, ’i’ ’i ts’u xeem’ ..thu xeem’ thuw’nilh susule’ stutes ’u tthu sta’luw’.
And the crow sat on the tree stump and the grandmother was crying, sitting near the river. - ’i ts’u wulh qwal thu q’uleeq’e’, “qw’ulaam, qw’ulaam nu shqw’ulqw’ulqw’ulii.
And the crow spoke out, “Barbeque, barbeque is what I have a lot of cooked food of. - qw’ulaam, qw’ulaam nu shqw’ulqw’ulqw’ulii.”
Barbeque, barbeque is what I have a lot of cooked food of.” - hay kwus xut’e ’u tthey’ ’i’ wulh ye’ut tthuw’nilh ye’utum ’u tthu s’ulhtun.
After the crow finished giving the message, he coughed up all the food he was carrying, delivering the food. - ye’utum ’u tthu stsulitseelhtun’, qux sus ’uw’ (suw’ulh) q’putus wulh q’putus suw’ nilh s’eluhw nem’ tth’xwatus nem’ust-hwus ’u tthu lelum’s.
The grandmother gathered all what was delivered and she washed them and brought them to her house. - ’i’ ’i ts’u tuw’ hun’ts’uli they’ lelum’s thu susule’.
The grandmother’s house was off on its own. - wulh qw’ulum thuw’nilh s’eluhw ’u tthu ni’ kwunnuhwus ni’ ’u thu huy’qw, ’i’ nuw’ yit’um ’ul’ ’u tthu ’anuw’s.
She started bbqing what she had received, she was bbqing at the fire and the fat was dripping into the fire. - ’i ts’u wulh hwenuts tthu tthey’ ’uwu’ mukw’ siiye’yus.
And all the relatives were starving. - ’uwu te’ s’ulhtuns.
They had no food. - ’i’ ’iihw ts’u yu’i’mush tthu na’nuts’a’ ’i’ wulh huqwnuhwus tthu ni’ sqw’uqw’ulum’s thu s’eluhw.
And one of them was walking by and he smelt the food, what the old lady was barbecuing. - sis nem’ ’uw’ nemnusus tthuw’nilh swuy’qe’ sis ’uw’ se’tus tthu shelhs lemutus ’uw’ ’iis tsukwsta’mut, ’uw’ stemus kw’u ’i qw’uqw’ul’utus ni’ ’u tthey’ sil’ew’t-hws.
And the man came and opened the door to see what was going on, trying to find out what she was bbqing. - [wulh] lumnuhwus tthu ni’ qw’uqw’ul’utus thu s’eluhw.
And he saw what the old lady was cooking. - sis ’uw’ ’ulh huye’ ti’ya’xw nem’ yuthustus tthu ts’lhhwulmuhws.
And he rushed off to tell the others. - sis mukw’ ’uw’ nem’’ tthu mustimuhw, putum’utum’ ’u’ niis tun’untsust-hwus tthey’ stseelhtun.
And all the people went to her, asking where she got all these things from.” - “q’uleeq’e’ lhu ’i’ m’i ’ewustuhw, ’i’ nuputs kwthunu ’imuth ni’ ’ikw’utulup.”
“It was delivered by the crow. And that was sent by my grandson that you abandoned.” - suw’ qwul’qwul’tul’ tthuw’ne’ullh ts’lhhwulmuhws thu s’eluhw. qwul’qwul’tul’ ’u tthu ni’ sht’es ’eelhtun.
So they all had a discussion about how they are and what’s happening to them. - thut tthuw’ne’ullh, “niihw hwu qux s’ulhtuns kwthu ’i taantut ’uw’ kws tl’qw’uthut tst ’i’ nem’ tst hwu’alum’.”
And they said, “The one that we deserted must have a lot of food. We’d better gather our belongs and return.” - suw’ ti’ya’xw tthuw’ne’ullh tl’qw’uthut ’aalhst-hwus tthu ’ew’kw’s sus nem’ ’uw’ hwu’alum’ t’akw’.
And they all rushed around gathering their things and went back home. - kwus wulh tus ’u tthey’ lelum’sulh ’i’ wulh lumnuhwus tthu hay ’ul’ qux s’ulhtun ni’ ’u tthu tsetsuw’.
When they were arriving at the village, they saw a lot of food that was there at the beach. - ’uwu’ niis yu qw’ulhnuhwus tthuw’nilh stl’i’tl’qulh.
The boy didn’t say anything to them. - ni’ wulh hwu si’em’ hwu si’em’ ’u tthu s’itth’ums ’i’ tthu s’ulhtun.
He was rich with his clothes and his food. - ni’ ’uw’ ’uy’ ’ul’ shqwaluwuns.
He was happy to see them. - nilh thu si’lus ni’ shnu’a’ths tthu shqwaluwuns tthuw’nilh swiw’lus.
The young man was happy to see his grandmother who had advised him. - ’ehwe’tus thu si’lus ’u tthu s’ulhtun, stseelhtun ’i’ tthu s’itth’um; qux ni’ s’ehwe’t-s thu si’lus.
He gave his grandmother all the fish that she needed and the different kinds of food that she needed, and the clothes. - nilh ni’ sht’es ’ul’ tthu sxwi’em’.
That’s as far as the story goes.