snxʷmeneʔ nqʷlqʷeltn
Spokane Tribe Language and Culture
6190 Agency Loop Road
PO Box 100
Wellpinit, WA 99040
509-258-4222
hiʔe hu ax̣istm łu hamałtn hu xʷlxʷilt
łu ntx̣ʷetkʷ hu mʕʷop
How the Fly Saved the River
Narrated by Orten Ford
Illustrated by Orten Ford
q̓sipi, c̓iyu hepł sqelixʷ łuʔ n st̓ulixʷ, čmiš t xʷixʷeyuł; łuʔ puti sic łuʔ st̓ulixʷ, kʷet kʷepł hec moʕʷop t qʷamqʷmt.
łuʔ sw̓ew̓ł nx̣̓aqsm łuʔ łiʔe n hec moʕʷop, kʷet nexʷ łuʔ sewłkʷ hi xʷuk̓ʷ hu nx̣setkʷ; kʷet hec ya łuʔ xʷixʷeyuł lše hec xʷuʔuy qs suʔusti.
Many, many moons ago, when the world was new, there was a beautiful river. Fish in great numbers.
Fish in great numbers lived in this river, and its water was so pure and sweet; that all the animals came there to drink.
hu łiʔe teʔčen̓ sx̣aslqs č̓łmipn̓un̓t kʷet nexʷ xʷuy qs susti, hu pn̓ mił kʷtunt, kʷet łuʔ sust, kʷet šey qs nsoʕʷpmi.
kʷet č̓łtaqpeʔels uł sqlew, łu sck̓ʷulł ciʔtxʷs łuʔ sewłkʷ kʷet hac c̓spmi, taqs q̓sip łuʔ čiʔtxʷs nem m̓uʔm̓awt.
kʷet nexʷ č̓łtaqpeʔels uł č̓č̓lexʷ, nem esčeʔnm łuʔ ne hoys moʕʷop, lčen̓ łuqł sxʷlxʷiʔlts?
A giant moose heard about the river, but he was so big, and he drank so much, the water began to sink lower and lower.
The beavers were worried the water around their lodges was disappearing. Soon their homes would be destroyed. The muskrats were worried too, what would they do if the water vanished, how could they live?
nexʷ č̓ł̓taqpeʔls uł swewł, łu k̓ʷiƛ̓t xʷixʷeyʔuł łuʔn st̓ulixʷ nem xʷlxʷilt ne nsoʕʷop, pn ta łu cniʔłc.
the fish were worried too, the other animals could live on land if the water dried up, but they could not.
hoy kʷet hec ya uł xʷixʷeyuł čłpax̣nteʔs qs ƛ̓eʔqʷšms łu sx̣aslqs tn ntxʷetkʷs hu pn łuʔs kʷtunt, kʷet nx̣eʔlmys, nexʷ łu nłamqe. l̓et mex̓ mx̣eʷ,us sx̣aslqs
then all of the animals tried to think of a way to keep away the moose from the river but he was so big, they were afraid, even the bear was also afraid of the moose
hoy łiʔe hamałtn cuti, nem cniłc m qixʷis łu sx̣aslqs hoy xʷaxʷaʔey uł xʷixʷeyuł. lčen m łiʔe teʔčen̓ sx̣aslqs? tas ec̓iʔnt hamałtn.
At last the fly said he would drive the moose away, all the animals laughed and jeered. How could a tiny fly frighten a giant moose? The fly said nothing.
kʷet łu sx̣asalqs čič kʷet šey hu ax̣lwis hamałtn. n scmaqstšists sx̣asqs hu t̓uxʷt hu k̓ʷeʔntes, łt̓mstem sx̣aslqs
But that day as soon as the moose arrived he went into action. He landed on the moose's foreleg and bit sharply, moose stamped his feet hard
ih! kʷet hamałtn hac łet̓łt̓mncuti łuʔn sx̣aslqs, k̓ʷeʔk̓ʷeʔk̓ʷʔen n hec milk̓ʷ, kʷet sx̣aslqs hec č̓łqixʷncuti.
Wow! Then the fly jumped all over the moose, biting and biting until the moose was in a frenzy.
heł xʷt̓pmncut łuʔn nustcin, ax̣ax̣lusm̓, kʷet hec łt̓łt̓mncuti, hec xʷahisti, hec p̓ic̓mm.
He dashed madly about the banks of the river, shaking his head, stamping his feet, snorting and blowing.
kʷet taqs č̓łč̓ewḿist tn hec mečtm̓ hamałtn. hoy ƛ̓ekʷš sx̣aslqs tn ntxʷetkʷ, tapistem heł cxʷuy!
I'm a but he couldn't get rid of the pesky fly. At last the moose fled from the river, and never did come back!
kʷet nkʷtlsmist hamałtn hu cuti łu č̓ kʷiƛ̓t xʷixʷeyuł. nexʷ še łu k̓ʷk̓ʷiyum̓e nem tiyaqʷtmis łu swet yoyot łu ne k̓ʷulmis łu sčmqeys!
The fly was very proud of his works and told the other animals. Even the small can fight the strong if they use their brains to think!