Stuts’un ’i’ thu smayuqw’a’ kwsus lhq’i’lusum
Stuts’un and the ladybug’s promise

Hul’q’umi’num’ translation by Ruby Peter

1. nilh kws hwuw’es ’iis lhul’lhul’q tun’a tumuhw.
This is before the flood of this land.

2. ’i’ ni’ nem’ hwle’lum’she’num’ ’u tthu Quw’utsun’ tumuhw tthu Stuts’un.
And Stuts’un used to take walks around the Quw’utsun’ territory.

3. ni’ st’e’ ’uw’ niis ni’ ’u kwthey’ ’i’ ni’ hwlumlamulus kwsus yath ’ul’ ’uw’ lhum’uhw.
It was about that time when he came to realize that it was always raining.

4. ni’ ni’ ’u kwthey’ kwsus yath ’uw’ lhum’uhw ’i’ ’i wulh wil’ thu ’e’uhwiin’ yu lhalhukw’ sus ’uw’ numnusum Stuts’ un.
It was at that time that it was always raining, and a small little creature showed up and was flying around, going toward Stuts’un.

5. suw’ thut stum, “’een’thu p’e’ Smayuqw’a’.”
And she said, “I am Ladybug.”

6. tskwimuws ts’u thuw’nilh, ’i’ tsq’ix tthu st’ult’ulqs.
Her body was red with black spots.

7. ’i’ hay ts’u kwsus hwun’a hwunin’sus tthu smustimuhw ’utl’ Stuts’un ’i’ ni’ ts’u hwts’e’nutsum ’u tthu sqw’umusth.
And when she first got to Stuts’un’s body and she sat on his forehead.

8. susuw’ ne-e-em’ ’uw’ ’imush xwte’ ’u tthu muqsuns.
And she went walking toward his nose.

9. st’e ’uw’ shhwuytewut tthu Stuts’un kwsus ’i’tut.
It was like she doing this to wake up Stuts’un from his sleep.

10. suw’ sht’eewun’ Stuts’un, “’iihw ’a’lu nutsim’ ’ushus st’ee ’uw’ ’iis hiiw’a’lum’stam’shus stl’i’s kwunus tul’nuhw kwus ’i.”
So Stuts’un was thinking, “I wonder why this thing is playing with me, like it is wanting me to know that it’s here.”

11. hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ni’ tl’e’ wulh lhakw’ Smayuqw’a’.
Eventually, Smayuqw’a’ started flying again.

12. ’i’ sht’es kwus hay ’ul’ ’e’uhwiin’, ’i’ ni’ wulh hay ’ul’ hwthiqun kwsus temutus tthu ’i’tutum’ Stuts’un, “’een’thu Smayuqw’a’.
And as small as she was, she was so loud when she was calling out to the sleeping Stuts’un, “I am Ladybug.

13. hay tsun ’ul’ ’e’uhwiin’ ’i’ ’u tun’a tumuhw.
Here on this earth, I am the smallest one.

14. ’i’ ha’ ch qwal kwunus ts’ewuthamu ’i’ xwum tsun ’i’ ’unuhwstuhw thu slhumuhw.”
And if you ask me for help, then I can stop the rain.”

15. st’e ’uw’ niis mi’untum ’utl’ Stuts’un.
But Stuts’un thought there was no way for her to do this.

16. suw’ thut-s Stuts’un, “tsustuhw ch tthu slhumuhw kwun’s ’unuhwstuhw?
And Stuts’un said, “How are you going to stop the rain?

17. nan ch ’uw’ ’e’uhwiin’.”
You are too tiny.”

18. hwtulqun Smayuqw’a’ ’i’ yu slhq’il’ kws xwums ’i’ qa’qa’tus tthuw’ mukw’ qa’ ’i ’u tun’a tumuhw.
Ladybug answered and she confirmed that she could drink up all the water on earth.

19. suw’ suw’a’lum’tiin’ ’utl’ Stuts’un yunyuntus thu Smayuqw’a’.
So Stuts’un made fun of Ladybug, laughing at her.

20. suw’ xitth’ul Smayuqw’a’ ’i’ ni’ yuthyuthustum tthu Stuts’un, “’uwu ch ts-hiiw’a’lum’uhw ’utl’ ’een’thu.
And Ladybug got insulted and told Stuts’un, “Don’t make fun of me.

21. ni’ ch mi’mun’utham’sh.
You not believing believing me.

22. ’uw’ thu’it nan tsun ’uw’ ’uhwiin’.
It’s true that I’m very tiny.

23. ’i’ ni’ ch sht’eewun’ kws ’uwu te’s stem nu sla’thut,” thut stum Stuts’un.
And you think that I can do anything,” she told Stuts’un.

24. ’uwu kws q’el’s Stuts’un ’u tthu ni’ sqwulmutewut ’u tthu hay ’ul’ ’e’uhwiin’ kws xwums ’i’ qa’qa’tus kw’ hay ’ul’ qux qa’.
Stuts’un didn’t believe what this tiny thing was told him that she could drink up a whole lot of water.

25. ’i’ ni’ thulh ’uw’ hukw’me’tus tthu niilh sqwaqwul’mute’wut ’u tthu shuyulhs.
But he remembered what his older brother used to say to him.

26. “’uw’’ey’i’tus le’lum’utus tthuw’ mukw’stem ts’its’usum’ ’i’ ’u tun’a tumuhw.”
“Make sure that you look after all of the things growing on this earth.”

27. suw’ hwthtiwun, “’uy’ q’u kwunus tl’lim’ ’uw’ st’estuhw.
And he thought, “I should indeed follow that advice.

28. skw’ey p’e’.
That can’t be.

29. ’uwu niis tl’ul’im’ kws ’een’thus nem’ xetst kw’ lhwet, la’us kws sht’es kwsus this ’uw’ ’uhwiin’us.”
It’s not right for me to be the one to decide about who does things, even when they are big or little.”

30. sus ’uw’ thu’it ni’ qwal ’utl’ Smayuqw’a’ kws ts’ewutewut ’uw’ niis tse’ ’uw’ thu’it lhumlhumuhw.
So he in fact did speak to Ladybug and she could help him if there is really a lot of rain.

31. nilh kwu’elh kwus wulh hwtulqun Smayuqw’a’ sus ’uw’ hw’uw’tsustus tthu Stuts’un ’u thu st’ilum ’utl’ Smayuqw’a’.
So when Ladybug agreed and then Ladybug taught Stust’un her song.

32. ’i’ nilh tse’ they’ st’ilum ni’ ts’elhum’utus ’uw’ niis wulh tsts’uwtenum’ulmun.
And this is the song that she will hear whenever he needs help.

33. suw’ ’ulh nemust-hwus ’ul’ thu st’ilums thu Smayuqw’a’.
So Ladybug started singing that song.

34. “qa’qa’t, qa’qa’t, Smayuqw’a’! qa’qa’t!
Drink up, drink up, Laybug! Drink up!

35. ni’ wulh lhul’lhul’q kwthun’ me’mun’u.
Your children are getting flooded.

36. qa’qa’t, qa’qa’t tthu qul skweyul! qa’qa’t!
Drink up, drink up the bad day! Drink up!

37. ni’ ch wulh yulhiil’lul’q.
You are getting flooded.

38. qa’qa’t, qa’qa’t, Smayuqw’a’!
Drink up, drink up, Ladybug!

39. qa’qa’t kws ’uwus lhiil’lhul’qus tthun’ me’mun’u.”
Drink up so your children won’t be flooded.”

40. ni’ hay. hay tseep q’a’.
The end. Thank you.

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Hul’q’umi’num’ translation and transcription by Ruby Peter.

Editing and translation back into English by Donna Gerdts.

Sound recording and editing by Thomas Jones.