Bear and Raven

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spe’uth ’i’ tthu spaal’ [Bear and Raven]

by Robert Rice (quyupleynuhw)
read by Ruby Peter

Play the entire story:

(1) ’uy’stuhwus tthu spe’uth tthu sq’i’lu – sts’uy’hw kw’a’luhw.
Bear loved dried, smoked fish – dog salmon.
(2) suw’ qwal’stus suw’ hay suw’ nemustuhwus ’u tthu la’thuns
So he was cooking and he got the plate
(3) ’i’ ’uwute’ snas.
but he didn’t have any fat.
(4) ’i’ hwun’ huy’qw thu huy’qw.
He had the fire going already.
(5) suw’ thut-s thu spe’uth, “nem’ tsun tse’ kwunnum ’u kw’ snas.”
So Bear said, “I will go for some fat.”
(6) suw’ kwunutus tthu la’thuns, suw’ nemustuhwus ’u thu huy’qw.
He got his bowl ready and went to the fire.
(7) suw’ t-sutus tthu tsultselushs ’u thu huy’qw.
Then he raised both his hands towards the fire.
(8) suw’ kw’asthut-s tthu tselushs susuw’ tth’q’um’ tthu snas, hunum’ ’u tthu la’thuns.
His hands became very hot and the lard started to drip into the platter.
(9) lemutus … “’ah! ni’ tl’am, ni’ tl’am.”
He looked…. “Ah, that’s enough, that’s enough.”
(10) suw’ kw’lhastus tthu s’ulhtuns ’u tthu snas.
He poured the fat into his food.
(11) xi’xlhem’ tthu spaal’.
All the while Raven was watching.
(12) “’ah! xwum tsun tl’uw’ xte’ ’u tthey’. ’ah! xte’ tsun tse’.”
[Raven thought to himself,] “I can do that too! I will do it!”
(13) suwq’ tthu spaal’ ’u tthu la’thun.
He started to look for a plate.
(14) sus nem’ tl’uw’ t-suthut ’u thu huy’qw, kw’i’stuhwus tthu sxuxi’nus.
He went close to the fire and he lifted his feet towards the fire.
(15) t-suthut ’i’ ’uwute’ … t-suthut ’i’ ’uwute’.
He went closer but nothing..closer, but nothing happened.
(16) tl’lim’ ’uw’ wulh hwu tsq’ix tthu sxuxi’nu ’utl’ spaal’
Raven’s feet were very black
(17) ’i’ ’uw’ hwun’ ni’ st’e.
yet he still persisted.
(18) ’uwute’ snas.
But no fat came!
(19) tl’lim’ ’uw’ xulh … suw’ hay.
He was really suffering by the time he stopped.
(20) nilh kwu’elh tun’a kweyul shus st’e ’u tthey’ tthu sxuxi’nu ’utl’ spaal’, hwu tsq’ix.
Now this is why his feet are like that today, blackened.
(21) suw’ yuqwyuqw ’ul’, ’uwute’ snas.
They just burnt, but no fat came.
(22) ’uw’ hay ’ul’ nu sqwul’qwul’.
This is the end of my story.