Section 5.4 Gitxsan - TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI GANHL SAG̲YT DOX̲HL HON
Written by: Veselin Jungic and Mark MacLean Illustrated by: Simon Roy and Jess Pollard Gitxsan translation by: Jeanne Harris, Barbara Harris Sennott, and Catherine BlackstockG̲AN WILA HA’TAG̲UM T’IHLXW’S TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI. SIL JOG̲IS TS’UUMXW’M G̲ABI DIP NOX’T GANHL NIGWOOT’T GOOHL GAL TS’AP LAX̲ TS’EEHL AKS
Small Number is a young boy who gets into a lot of mischief. He lives in a small village by the water with his mother and father.
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SIM LUU AMHL G̲OOTS TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI AHL SI WILA WILT. II GAS DI LIGI WOK̲’T, II XSI WOK̲’T WIL X̲SA G̲OS GOOHL AKS ’WII HON II G̲UUSXW XSI GW’ADIXSXW’T.
Small Number is very excited about his new adventure and when he finally gets to sleep, he dreams about a big salmon jumping out of the water and falling back with a splash.
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GISA LAX̲ TS’EEHL AKS, TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI IIT GYAA’Y’S TS’UUSXW’M GABIHL WIL LITXW GYAT II GUN BAX̲’T GO’O DIIT. “SIM HUGWAX DIM WIL WITXW’N TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI,” DII YA’T NII YE’E’T LUU DA’MIXSWIT ’NIT. “YAGIT LOOHL G̲A ’MAL’T’M AAT GANHL ’NOO’O II HLA HUGWAX DIM WIL’M.”
Down on the beach, Small Number sees a group of men and starts running towards them as fast as he can. “Just on time, Small Number,” says his grandfather hugging him. “Our canoes are loaded with nets and baskets and we are ready to go.”
HLA BAKW DIIT GOOHL BAHLX̲A LAX TS’EEHL AKS, IIT SI GUUT TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI YE’E’T GANHL NIBIP XSI DAMG̲AN DIITHL ’MAL. ’NII WAN DIP TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI GANHL NIGWOOT’T LAX̲ ’MAL IIT GI NAM DIITHL HLA AAT AS YE’E’T.
When they arrive at Straight Line Beach, Small Number’s grandpa and uncle pull their canoe out of the water. Small Number and his father stay in their canoe and pass the ends of the net lines to Grandfather.
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YUWK’T XSIGUUS NIGWOOT’S ’MAL AKS, GIDA G̲AS TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI “HINDA GABIHL HON SA TUN? HINDA DIM DIP WILA BASAG̲ANTHL HON AHL WILNA TAAHL’M? DIM AMHL G̲ABI AHL LIP LIGI’T NA’YA? HINDA DIM DIP WILAYHL DIM WIL GOO BAKWHL HON?”
While his dad pulls the canoe out of water, Small Number asks, “How many salmon will we catch today? How are we going to divide the salmon among our families? Will there be enough for everybody? How do we know that the salmon will come back?”
“AP SKIHL WILA DIDILSIM,” lDI YEE’T NIGWOOT’S. “II DIM GIDI HETXW’N G̲OOSUN. DIM HLIMOO’N NIBIBI?N DIM DAMG̲ANSXW’N SIM AHL AAT. DIM HLIMOO’YNHL NII YE’E.”
“We have our ways,” answers his father. “Now, you stay here to help your uncle pull on the net lines. I’m going to help grandpa.”
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GIDAG̲ASXW: HINDA GAN WIHL HANII G̲OOT’S TS’UUSXW’M G̲ABI DIM HLIBUUHL HON AHL TS’UUXSW’M G̲OOP?
Question: Why did Small Number think that during a low tide the catch would be much smaller?
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