snxʷmeneʔ nqʷlqʷeltn
6190 Agency Loop Road
PO Box 100
Wellpinit, WA 99040
509-258-4222
Spokane Tribe Language and Culture
x̣ʷl̓ šey̓ hu qʔepł łam̓ay̓eʔ
(Why We Have Frogs)
1.) hi y̓e n nk̓ʷul̓eʔxʷ, hi kʷtnu…l̓eʔxʷ sl̓ʕʷotm. eslelixʷ hu lʔe hec q̓iq̓e…ʔy; łi y̓e ʔuł sč̓ewileʔ hu łi ʔe uł łam̓ay̓eʔ. c̓x̣ił hec nq̓eʔeʔw̓sm̓ łi y̓e n hec mq̓ʷmoq̓ʷ. hi pel̓ łuʔ qs tiʔxʷ sʔiłn. kʷen̓t łi y̓e sql̓ql̓tmixʷ čmiš č̓e hec eliʔłn, hec et̓et̓iʔiťš, hec m̓ey̓štweʔxʷ, hu hec x̣cx̣ciʔm.
1.) In this one place, it was a huge place in the valley. Two tribes had their camp here, the water snakes and the frogs.This place was in the middle of the mountains, it was easy to get food. These Men would only eat, sleep, and visit each other and gamble.
2.) hu łuʔ ʔuł pełpłk̓ʷiʔ, łuʔ č̓e ta sl̓l̓kʷut hu hec q̓ʷleʔwm t st̓šałq, t łx̣ʷłox̣ʷ, t słaq, t stm̓tem̓. čmlk̓ʷma łuʔ suxʷsiʔxʷlc čmiš hec m̓em̓scuʔti. hecyaʕ̓ uł x̣spiy̓e…ʔw̓t! x̣ʷl̓ xʷeʔspentč, lʔe hu he c̓x̣iʔlli.
2.) The young women wouldn't have to go very far to pick hucklebrries, cherries, sarvis berries, and other things. All the day, the children would only play. Everyone was in good health for many years, and that's how it was.
3.) ho…y kʷen̓t kʷtntwiʔlš xʷeʔxʷʔel̓tm, nłiʔ ho…y p̓nmnwe…ʔxʷm! č̓e hi p̓in̓! p̓in̓! p̓in̓! nexʷ łuʔ sʔiʔłis hec č̓łc̓spmiʔn̓ms, n łiʔ mił č̓e čxʷeʔxʷeʔy̓iʔt!
3.) Man! then they began to grow, they became many. Boy, it got crowded! It's crowded, crowded, crowded. Also their food...(something). Because there was just to many of them.
4.) y̓e nk̓ʷa q̓mq̓miʔl̓š, mi y̓e łam̓ay̓eʔ hu sč̓ečwileʔ. čnaqs cuti, “hoy, ƛ̓e mił qeʔ uł pn̓in̓, ceʔkʷ tn̓ qʔenpleʔ m čnaqs tl̓ ʔe im̓š.”
4.) One day, they had a meeting the frogs and the snakes. One said "boy, we are already crowded, one of us will have to move from here.
5.) łam̓ayeʔ łu cuti, “łuʔ tn̓ cq̓sipiʔ hu łuʔ qeʔ uł lʔehi, kʷen̓t łuʔ nplehmp łuʔ x̣est pʔim̓š.”
5.) Frog said "long ago our people were already here, so it will be good for you guys to move.
6.) cuntm t sč̓ewileʔ… “x̣ʷa heł cnłeptmntxʷ łuʔ hin ner̓uye łuʔ šʔit cx̣litnc, hu p ct̓uk̓ʷk̓ʷelp. šey̓ łuʔ stox̣ʷ… x̣ʷl̓ šey̓ łuʔ nplehmp łuʔ p qs ʔimš!”
6.) Snake told him "maybe you forgot, my great, great grandparents was the first here (...) (you guys landed here....) that is correct ..... that why you guys are going to move.
7.) ho…y kʷen̓t x̣ʷc̓x̣ʷc̓neweʔxʷ hu sic nteʔʔ qs x̣ltsqeʔl̓ixʷi…
7.) So they argued with each other.
8.) n kʷekʷst hu łuʔ suxʷweʔem… “put čx̣ʷax̣ʷct n̓e n tox̣ʷx̣ʷqin m qs yaʕ̓ʕ̓mi łuʔ uł sqelixʷ, p qs q̓mq̓mil̓ši.”
8.) In the morning, the camp crier yelled " just when it is noon we're going to gather and have a meeting."
9.) hoy šey̓s q̓mq̓miʔlšm… exʷ tešlš łam̓ay̓eʔ… trtur̓miʔst. ih! neʔk̓ʷ taʔčan̓alaʔqʷ! šey̓s nlx̣ʷlx̣ʷm̓el̓sm̓… nƛ̓x̣cin! k̓ʷk̓ʷiy̓eʔt šƛ̓usm… čx̣c̓x̣c̓pnuntm, tm̓a łuʔ ckʷtkʷtnus hi čw̓l̓w̓al̓s kʷen̓t hec nkʷen̓meyeʔm…
9.) Boy it was there they had a meeting. Ol Frog stood up and stretched out and made himself very tall....loudly he spoke.
10.) “pi snsinsceʔ! pi snkʷsuxʷsixʷxʷ! pi sl̓x̣lax̣t! x̣ʷl̓ x̣ʷeʔspentč hu qes lʔehi, qes x̣spiy̓ewti. kʷen̓t hec miymiystep łuʔ t qʷuyʔe, łuʔ t hin nšišiʔtcin, hu cx̣liʔtis y̓e huł sč̓ewileʔ, hu ct̓uk̓ʷk̓ʷeʔl̓p.
10.) "My brothers, my relatives, my friends, for many years we have been here. We are doing well here....me, and my ancestors, they invited you snakes to come land here."
11.) cun y̓e sč̓ewileʔ cpiʔsc̓eʔ, x̣ʷl̓ šey̓ hu cniłc hu n snk̓ʷeʔliʔxʷs łuʔ x̣est iʔm̓š. tm̓a qeʔ hec p̓n̓mnwexʷi. kʷen̓t qʔenpleʔ, qaʔqs lʔehi, pentč. p susewn̓eʔmntp, stem̓ łuʔ ha scntelsʔ” hoy łaqlš.
11.) "Water Snake said yesterday, that is why him, and his family it will be good for them to move. Because we are crowding each other out. So we will stay here for good. Are you guys hearing me? What are your thoughts? " the he sat down.
12.) iʔh! pn̓ hi kʷen̓t hu łt̓t̓pnum̓t sč̓ewileʔ! hi kʷr̓i łuʔ sic̓ms, t p̓mp̓um hu hec łp̓łip̓, hec nłp̓łp̓ičn, čc̓anc̓ʔem! hi winxʷ hec čxʷttelsi… c̓x̣ił t sʔuw̓ečn̓t łuʔ čk̓ʷƛ̓k̓ʷƛ̓ustis…!!
12.) Oh my! So then he jumped up all of a sudden,Water Snake. His blanket was yellow with brown stripes, marks on the back it was plain to see that he was furious. It was like lightning came out of his eyes.
13.) “ƛ̓e sewn̓eʔmntp łam̓ay̓eʔ we tam hin x̣menč sxʷc̓nwexʷ, hu pn̓ hi qs tx̣ʷmim łuʔs cm̓em̓iʔs… tm̓a qʷuyʔe hin nšišiʔtcin łuʔ cšʔit ct̓uk̓ʷk̓ʷeʔl̓p n lʔe! kʷen̓t šey̓ qeʔ uł sč̓ewileʔ łuʔ qaʔqs lʔehi, k̓ʷen̓t łuʔ uł łam̓ay̓eʔ łuʔ qs iʔm̓šiʔ č̓ t̓uxʷlʔul̓eʔxʷ.” hoy, heł łaqšlš.
13.) "You guys heard frog, I don't like to argue, but I'm going to tell you the truth of our history. Because me, and my ancestors were the first to land here! So that is why us Water Snakes, we are going to stay, and then you frogs, you guys will move to a different land." Boy, He sat down again.
14.) čnaqs tešlš uwewlš, kʷen̓t heł łaq̌lš, kʷen̓t nexʷ t čnaqs tešlš… łuʔ uł sč̓ewileʔ łuʔ nteʔls cniʔłc łuʔ ceʔkʷ x̣est qs lʔehi… hu łuʔ uł łam̓ay̓eʔ cuʔti sʔelk̓ʷmnuʔl̓eʔxʷs, kʷen̓t ta qs iʔmš!
14.) One of them stood up and spoke, then the other sat down again. Then another person stood up from the Water Snake tribe. The frogs said, we are not moving!
15.) hoy, čnaqs tešlš łuʔ tn̓ uł sč̓ewileʔ… “piʔ sl̓x̣l̓ax̣t! tn̓ m̓us hu qeʔ ec x̣ʷc̓nwexʷi… ceʔkʷ qeʔ kʷul̓stm tn̓ uł sč̓ewileʔ čnaqs, hu łu tn̓ uł łam̓ay̓eʔ čnaqs, qs ƛ̓uʔƛ̓ʔuʔsiʔ t x̣x̣sul̓eʔxʷ, kʷen̓t šeʔ, n̓e swet nte qs im̓ši, kʷen̓t im̓š č̓ šeʔ, n̓e ta x̣menčs, kʷen̓t ta qs im̓š!” “hayo! kʷ px̣pax̣t!!” cuntm.
15.) One stood up from the Water Snake tribe... "you guys, my friends! For nothing we are arguing with each other. What if we send one person from the Water Snake tribe and another from the Frog tribe. One will go and will go and look for a good place so if someone wants to move, they can move there. If they don't like they don't have to move!""Oh my! You are wise!" He said.
16.) hoy cm̓ łuʔ tn̓ uł sč̓ewileʔ kʷul̓stm qs xʷuy č̓ snk̓ʷeƛ̓ptin hu łu n uł łam̓ay̓eʔ leč̓is n snč̓el̓xʷtin m qs xʷuy, n̓e x̣est ƛ̓uʔƛ̓ʔuʔsm, m heł ck̓ʷʔis m̓em̓eʔy̓eʔm.
16.) So they sent one from Water Snake tribe to go to the East, and one from the Frog tribe will go to the West. When they find a good place to live they can come back and tell us.
17.) ih! łuʔ tn̓ sč̓ewileʔ, hi pel̓sc, tye…š hu čqltičn̓, tešlš, šƛ̓usm… ta stem̓! čmiš hec mq̓ʷmoq̓ʷ, hu łiʔe ntukʷ łuʔ hec c̓lcil̓! lčen̓ m ax̣luʔtm! picxʷ! hoy, heł cp̓l̓č̓usm̓.
17.) Wow! It was easy for the one from the Water Snake Tribe. He crawled up to the other side of the mountain, he stood up and looked around. Nothing, only mountains and a thick forest.
18.) hu łuʔ tn̓ uł łam̓ay̓eʔ… hi ł..t̓up! ł..t̓up! ł..t̓up! hu čqltičn̓. tu̓r̓msc łuʔ sč̓mč̓mʔaqsčšis… “heʔ weʔc̓ščeʔ! hi t ʔec̓x̣ił łuʔ t qeʔ snlšeʔtn̓ łiʔe, qʷamqʷmt, hu pn̓ hi p̓in̓! p̓in̓! p̓in̓! łuʔ sqelixʷ.” cuti… “wičn kʷen̓t šey̓ hi qs nʔunnxʷen̓eʔm̓!” sʔa…c̓x̣, hu heł cwełkʷp.
18.) From the Frog Tribe he hopped, hopped, hopped up the mountain side. He stretched his legs. "What is this? It's just like our home here, It's beautiful and crowded, crowded, crowded with indians. He said "I have seen it that is why I'm going to believe in this place" and he went back down.
19.) hoy, m̓ey̓nteʔs łuʔ scwiʔčs. hecyaʕ̓ hi č̓uč̓uw…cn… pn̓ y̓e sč̓ewileʔ ilmixʷm čx̣ic̓smis y̓e sčk̓ʷƛ̓k̓ʷƛ̓ustis łam̓ay̓eʔ… hmm… “łam̓ay̓eʔ!!”
19.) They met again with the people and told everything they had seen. Everyone was quiet! But Water Snake was staring intently at Frog’s eyes… hmm… “Frog!!” he almost shouted.
20.) exʷ heł nłx̣ʷłx̣ʷm̓el̓sm̓, n̓e hecyaʕ̓ qs aʔc̓x̣ms… “humiʔ, kʷ ʔis sewm, łuʔ kʷ čqltičn, ha kʷ tešlš, ha taʔ…”
20.) Then he loudly cleared his throat, giving everyone the chance to focus their eyes on him, “Please, let me ask yo. When you got to the top of the mountain, did you stand up or not?”
21.) “une. čn tešlš, n̓e x̣est čʔiqs šƛ̓usi… hu nte, ‘x̣ʷa x̣ʷl̓ stem̓ hu qʷʔec susewns? ̓̓ “aʕ, ʔi kʷen̓t łuʔ kʷ tešlš, ha kʷ ax̣ʔax̣lmncut? ha lʔe hu kʷ ax̣ilm?” kʷen̓t ax̣lmncut sč̓ewileʔ. “ta, ta k̓ʷk̓ʷyum̓eʔ čis ax̣lmncut!” “šey̓ łuʔ ƛ̓e hi scntels…! šey̓ łuʔ qeʔ lʕʷotm y̓e lʔe, łuʔ ha scwič!” “heʔ, ƛ̓uxʷ leʔčen hu nʔax̣lʔelsmntxʷ?”
21.) “Yes I stood up, so I could look around below me better.” Frog thought to himself, I wonder why he’s asking me all of these questions?! “Ah, yes, but when you stood up did you actually do this?” Water Snake turned himself halfway around. “No, I didn’t move even a little bit!” “Just as I thought! What you did see was our very own valley, this very one!" "Hey,”how did you come up with that reasoning?”
22.) sč̓ewileʔ cuti… “łuʔ x̣ʷl̓ č̓ hec ʔec̓ec̓ewt łuʔ ha sčk̓ʷƛ̓k̓ʷƛ̓ustn… kʷen̓t łuʔ ta kʷ s ax̣lmncut, kʷen̓t łuʔ qeʔnple łuʔ ha s scwič!!”
22.) Water Snake said, “Because your eyes sit on the back of your head, then when you did not turn around, as you have admitted, you were looking right back to where you had come from. Right back at us!”
23.) hoy, sč̓ewileʔ heł ntax̣ʷlʔusm č̓ sqlqelixʷ hu cuti… “hayo! pi snk̓ʷelixʷ! kʷtunt sčmeʔ łuʔ s ck̓ʷul̓s łuʔ łam̓ay̓eʔ… ta nexʷ… ta s č̓łpaʔx̣em… kʷen̓t x̣ʷl̓ šey̓… m ʔuł łam̓ay̓eʔ łuʔ n̓e qs iʔm̓ši t lʔe!”
23.) After this little exchange, Water Snake faced the people and said, “Oh my people! A great wrong he has done to all.”Taking advantage of Frog’s over sight, Water Snake continued, “Furthermore, he did not use good sense or judgement. For this very reason, the Frog people will have to move from here!”
24.) hoy, šƛ̓iʔp łuʔ uł łam̓ay̓eʔ… tas ʔec̓iʔn̓n̓t… tas eʔycnm. łuʔ x̣lip hu px̣ʷmncu…ʔt. x̣ʷl̓ šey̓ hu qʔepł xʷeʔ łm̓łam̓ay̓eʔ… n̓e č̓ čen̓ kʷ xʷuy…. kʷen̓t ƛ̓e hepł xʷeʔł łm̓łam̓ay̓eʔ!
24.) The Frog people were beaten! They did not say a word, they did not retaliate in any way. The next morning the frogs all left. The fact is, they had lost faith in their leader. So they left in every direction. No matter where you go, there are frogs, all over the world.
25.) šey̓ hu hoy.
25.) The End