snxʷmeneʔ nqʷlqʷeltn
6190 Agency Loop Road
PO Box 100
Wellpinit, WA 99040
Spokane Tribe Language and Culture
509-258-4222
ƛ̓uxʷ šey̓ lʔe n šiyulexʷ We have always walked this land
Albert Sam
hiʔe hu ax̣istm łu hamałtn hu xʷlxʷiłu ntx̣ʷetkʷ hu mʕʷop
How the Fly Saved the River
Narrated by Orten Ford
Illustrated by Orten Ford
q̓sipi. q̓sipi, c̓iyu hepł sqelixʷ łuʔ n st̓ulixʷ, čmiš t xʷixʷeyuł; łuʔ puti sic łuʔ st̓ulixʷ, kʷet kʷepł hec moʕʷop t qʷamqʷmt.
Many, many moons ago, when the world was new, there was a beautiful river. Fish in great numbers.
łuʔ sw̓ew̓ł nx̣aqsm łuʔ łiʔe n hec moʕʷop, kʷet nexʷ łuʔ sewłkʷ hi xʷuk̓ʷ hu nx̣setkʷ; kʷet hec ya łuʔ xʷixʷeyuł lše hec xʷuʔy qs suʔsti.
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. č̓e ƛ̓mey u hec moʕʷop.
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.
kʷet č̓łtaqpeʔls uł sqlew̓, łu sck̓ʷul̓ł ciʔtxʷs łuʔ sewłkʷ kʷet hac c̓spmi, ta qs q̓sip łuʔ čiʔtxʷs n̓em m̓uʔm̓awt.
kʷet nexʷ č̓łtaqpeʔels uł č̓č̓lexʷ, n̓em esčeʔnm łuʔ n̓e hoy s moʕʷop, lčen̓ łu qł sxʷlxʷiʔlts?
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 č̓łtaqpeʔls uł swewł, łu k̓ʷiƛ̓t xʷixʷeyʔuł łuʔ n st̓ulixʷ n̓em xʷlxʷiʔlt n̓e nsoʕʷop, pn̓ ta łuʔ cniʔłc.
the fish were worried too, the other animals could live on land if the water dried up, but they could not.
hoy kʷet hecyaʕ̓ uł xʷixʷeyuł čłpax̣nteʔs qs ƛ̓eʔqʷšmš łuʔ sx̣aslqs tn̓ ntxʷetkʷs hu pn̓ łuʔ s kʷtunt, kʷet nx̣eʔlmis, nexʷ łuʔ nłamqe. kʷet nexʷ, nx̣elmis łuʔ 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, n̓em cniłc m qixʷis łuʔ sx̣aslqs hoy xʷaxʷaʔey uł xʷixʷey̓uł. lčen m łiʔe hamałtn nx̣lx̣elis liʔe teʔčen 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 šey̓ hu ax̣lwis hamałtn. n sč̓maqstšists sx̣aslqs hu t̓uxʷt hu k̓ʷeʔntes, łt̓mstem̓ sx̣aslqs. kʷet tr̓qem kʷet łu heł łt̓ip kʷet łuʔ st̓ulixʷ nt̓iʔpp kʷet xʷéʔtwilš łuʔ sewłkʷ.
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 hec łet̓łt̓mncuti łuʔ n sx̣aslqs, k̓ʷeʔk̓ʷeʔn̓ten 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 łuʔ n 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 ta qs č̓łč̓ewḿist tn̓ hec mečtm̓ hamałtn. hoy ƛ̓ekʷš sx̣aslqs tn̓ ntxʷetkʷ, ta piʔstem 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 xʷixʷey̓uł. nexʷ šey̓ łu k̓ʷk̓ʷiyum̓eʔ n̓em tiyaqʷtmis łuʔ swet yoyot łu n̓e k̓ʷul̓mis łuʔ sc̓m̓qeys!
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!