Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Story Transcript: Gitxsan and English
 

My name is Small Number. This is a story that I’ve heard from my grandmother and that she heard from her grandmother.

WILA WIHL LOG̲AM GYAHL G̲AN JABIS DIP G̲AN’II’YE’ETXW’M LAX TS’AAHL AKS. GOOHL HLGU G̲AL TS’AP’M.

It is about an old totem pole built by my ancestors on a beach close to our village.

GII’YHL SA II YUKW’T GII’YHL X̲SGYAAKHL WINEEX. IIT GY’AHL WII HON TSIM AKS, II WA’G̲YT T’IP DA’WIHL’T TSIM AKS IIT ‘MUKWHL HON AHL WII TAAX HLAKS’T.

One day, the eagle was looking for food. He spotted a huge salmon just below the surface of the water, he plummeted to the river and caught the salmon with his mighty talons.

II AP G̲AL WII TISHL HON TS’AA WATS DAXGYATHL K’AAXHL X̲SGYAAK II AP AM TS’UUSXWHL WIL’T M’IIN BA’TS’IHL HON GOOHL TSIM AKS.

But, the salmon was so big that even eagle’s strong wings, he could only lift the fish up a little bit in the water.

HLIMOO’Y HLIMOO’Y – ‘WAA’ATXWHL X̲SGYAAK.

“Help! Help!” – screeched the eagle.

LAXNII’YHL G̲AAK̲ WIL ‘WAA’ATXWSHL X̲SGYAAK, II T’IP GIPAYKW’T IIT GAHLXW HLI SMAXHL HON.

The raven heard eagle’s cry, so he flew down and he pierced the body of the fish.

SAG̲AYT_DAMG̲ANHL X̲SGYAAK GANHL G̲AAK̲H̲L̲ HON GIX, AP G̲AL AP LUKWIL ‘WII TS’IHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TS’EEHL AKS WIL’T MAK̲ DIITHL HON.

The eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon together, but the fish was so big that they only moved the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore

HLIMOO’Y HLIMOO’Y – II HETSIMO ‘WAA’ATXWHL X̲SGYAAK.

“Help! Help!” – screeched the eagle again

LAX NII’YIHL SMAX WIL ‘WAA’ATXWHL X̲SGYAAK, II XSII BAX̲’T GOOHL SPAG̲YAT G̲AN, II ‘MIIN HETXWHL SMAX IIT G̲UUHL X̲SGYAAK AHL ‘WII DAX AN’ON’T.

The bear heard the eagle’s piercing shrill, ran out of forest, and the bear stood up and grabbed the eagle with his huge paws (hands).

DAMG̲ANHL SMAX X̲SGYAAK, GI IIT DAMG̲ANHL X̲SGYAAK GANHL G̲AAK̲ HON, G̲AL AP LUGWIL ‘WII TS’IHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TS’EEHL AKS WIL’T MAK̲ DIITHL HON.

The bear was pulling the eagle, and the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, but the fish was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.

HLIMOO’Y HLIMOO’Y – ‘WAA’ATXWHL SMAX.

“Help! Help!” – roared the bear.

LAX N’IHL GIBUU WIL AA AASXWHL SMAX, II XSII BAX̲’T AHL SPAG̲YAT G̲AN, IIT ‘GIIDII GUUHL SMAX HOYITHL XSG̲OOG̲AM HII N’IILUXW’M SI SEE’E.

The wolf heard the bear’s call, and ran out of forest, stood up and stopped the bear.

DAMG̲ANHL GIBUUHL SMAX, DAMG̲ANHL SMAXHL X̲SGYAAK, IIT DAMG̲ANHL X̲SGYAAK GANHL G̲AAK̲H̲L̲ HON, II AP LUGWIL ‘WII TS’IHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TS’EEHL AKS WIL’T MAK̲ DIITHL HON.

The wolf was pulling the bear, the bear was pulling the eagle, the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, but the fish was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore.

HLIMOO’Y HLIMOO’Y – ‘WAA’ATXWHL GIBUU.

“Help! Help!” – howled the wolf.

LAX NII’IHL TS’IMILX WIL ‘WAA’ATXWHL GIBUU, XSI BAX’T GOOHL TS’IM AKS, IIT GIIDII GUUHL GIBUU HOY’THL AHL AN’ON’T.

The beaver heard wolf’s cries, ran out of the river, and grabbed the wolf with her hands.

DAMG̲ANHL TS’IMILXHL GIBUU, DAMG̲ANHL GIBUUHL SMAX, DAMG̲ANHL SMAXHL X̲SGYAAK, II’T II DAMG̲ANHL X̲SGYAAK GANHL G̲AAK̲ HON GIX, II AP G̲AL ‘WII T’ISHL HON GANWIHL AM LAX TS’EEHL AKS WIL’T MAK̲ DIITHL HON GIX.

The beaver was pulling the wolf, the wolf was pulling the bear, the bear was pulling the eagle, the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, but the fish was so big that they could only move the salmon just a little bit closer to the shore

HLIMOO’Y HLIMOO’Y – ‘WAA’ATXWHL TS’IMILX YUKW’T YATS K’UUKW’T TSIM AKS.

“Help me! Help me!” – the beaver cried as she hit the water with her tail.

LAX NII’IHL G̲ANAA’W WIL WA’ATXWHL TS’IMILX, II XSI BAX’T TS’IM AKS, IIT GIIDII GUUHL TS’IMILX AHL SI’SEE’T.

The frog heard beaver’s call, ran out of the river, and grabbed the beaver with his legs.

DAMG̲ANHL G̲ANAA’W TS’IMILX GI, II’T DAMG̲ANHL TS’IMILX GIBUU GI, DAMG̲ANHL GIBUUHL SMAX GI, DAMG̲ANHL SMAX X̲SGYAAK, II’T DAMG̲ANHL X̲SGYAAK GANHL G̲AAK̲ HON GIX, II’T SAGAYT XSI DAMG̲AN DIITHL HON GO’OHL LAX XSIIP.

The frog was pulling the beaver, the beaver was pulling the wolf, the wolf was pulling the bear, the bear was pulling the eagle, the eagle and the raven were pulling the salmon, and together they heaved the salmon on to the shore.

GIDAG̲ASXW: GWI GAN WIHL STIP X̲SGYAAK, GANHL G̲AAK̲, GANHL SMAX, GANHL GIBUU GANHL TS’IMILX DIM HLIMOO DIITHL TS’UUSXW’M G̲ANAA’W DIM NII DAMG̲ANHL HON AHL LAX XSIIP

Question: Why did the eagle, the raven, the bear, the wolf, and the beaver need help from a little frog to pull the salmon on to the shore?