Qunsha Queneh Nuqulneqen

By Albert Wassillie
Transcribed by James Kari

shanteh ghu łiq'a hdzelghax
in the summer time, the people put up all their fish for the winter time

łiq'a tl'egh qeva qełax vava zggeni t'anch'q'u nih niqeyełdeł
after fishing, they store all their fish

q'uyehdi tuhtedeł, en'ushna ye'uh nugheł'eshi k'iqu qel'ih ch'q-u deghk'isna qunsha iqu duk'qenlax ch'u giga qineyah heyi nułtu ghiliq' qenq'eya daghelt'en sht'a niqenax
then they would prepare to go to the mountains (for the men to go hunting for big game animals, and the women to snare for squirrels and pick berries for the winter)

naqeli daghiset hnułu, qunsha qeneh hdi qeł qetnih
they made a camp for the fall in thick alders

ts'ił'an qut'an ve'u vech'naqa eł t'anch'q'u qel tutazyu
this they called "squirrel camp"

nutihna kiłqa denłkughna vey'a qilan
one time a man and his wife, and their two big sons went to the mountains and made a camp

yina guna shtunqeyu ch'u chik'hdełt'ix
the boys liked to hunt

q'uyehdi niłch'duqidghaghedle'
one day, the older brother said, 'I will take a day off today" eng these brothers always teased one another
so one took his day off

ki q'ut'un eła k'kela gun shtuniyu
the younger brother went out hunting and did not return home in the evening

vingha gunhdi jan tazet ex vekela gun Vajan hdulen ha tets htazit

vedesnaqa guna chiqeyizdlet
the parents became worried

vingha gun, "yagheli hq'u nt'an yin," qełni
the older brother said to them, "it is very dark so probably he sprained his ankle and he is trying to hobble back home. so don't worry, I will look for him. If I find him, I will carry him back"

"nughiłghatl' cheh gu" ex nuqak'denghalqet' ha yeh nih shi nuk'ułtes yeghuda shughu t'ent'ada," qełni

"yaghelin yin viqu tgheshyuł ha nutghesh dghałen yin"

q'uyehdi nughiłghatl' hq'u dghilich' hch'aniyu
it was almost midnight when the older brother started up the mountain in his search

ts'ił tinitun yan dghiliq' hutiztun
there was only one trail going up the mountain

nishqugh sht'a niniyu eł q'u qadak'daznex, hdnuk'udghał
it was very dark

hnuyu ugha sht'a ch'vala daghiłkughi zhex sht'a nastsut ch'u yaqaghildatl'
half way up the mountain, he heard his younger brother packing something down the trail

htsast'a nuk'ehtedghax ghu dehtets'a ghini deqidulyish
quickly, he sat by the trail by a big tree (he put his big foot against the tree) (in the old days, when they went home carrying something, they tied their hunting spear to their belt)

vekela gun yeh ch'anak'idghan
the younger brother came out

detets'a vesdghulkeł
he was dragging his spear

vezhex nuk'idasdghan hnuyu yetets'a ghini yighetneq
when he went by his older brother carrying his load, the older brother took hold of his spear

vekela gun isa' ch'q'u detets'a ghini yadanichet
this made the younger brother stop and he pulled on his spear

ki q'u qich'a yadanichet
the second time he pulled harder

q'uyehdi vekela gun t'etni, "shtets'a gini ki ełnen ghu dghiłkugh ch'u yighetneggi q'ent'a," niłu
then the younger brother said out loud, "it seems like the whole world took hold of my spear"

q'uyehdi ghu daghiłey gheli ch'u ya'iltlet

hnuyu vingha gun tinitun hq'aghelchen
after saying this, he jerked his spear with all his might

"eya, eya, shtidnighiłduh," yełni
this caused the older brother to fall into the trail as he exclaimed, "watch out! watch out! you are going to hurt me!"

"shtets'a gini negh tidighełgexi yugu t'enł'ani," yełni łu
the youngest brother told him,"I should just thrust my spear right through you"

vekela gun chench' yeh hch'anak'idghan
then he continued to carry his load down the trail