Tlingit Myths and Texts · Tlingit storytellers of Sitka and Wrangell, recorded by John R. Swanton

Chapter 12: Moldy-end (Wrangell version)

YūˊCīˊtǃka a Kîksᴀˊdî āˊỵê hᴀs qoˊsatᴀntcyê ye dowasāˊkᵘ Dᴀx̣ēˊt. Akǃᵘtatsīˊn īc akōˊ wudzitāˊn. Yuỵadᴀˊkǃu qosūˊkǃu īqqǃ. Adᴀˊxayu Ākǃᵘtatsīˊn yukēˊʟ̣adî ᴀsǃnūˊtǃa. Adᴀˊx duīˊt yān uwahaˊ. Nēłeˊ wugūˊt. ᴀt yāntc wudzîgāˊx. ᴀtqēˊcî āwaxōˊx. Doqǃwēˊx wuduwatiˊ yuᴀtqēˊcî, ᴀcuwuˊ wudîʟᴀˊx. Ye ỵawaqaˊ, “Tsǃᴀs ᴀcuwuˊ wudîʟᴀˊxe a kᵘcēˊgî?” Qaqǃēˊx ỵīˊti yūˊde ke awułîdjuˊqǃ. Tsǃu wugūˊt yukēˊʟ̣ᴀdi ᴀsnūˊtaỵe de. Adᴀˊx yukēˊʟ̣ᴀdî dudjînᴀˊq dāk nᴀkwᴀˊn tcǃuʟeˊ hūtc tsǃu dāk acuyêˊnᴀskwᴀn. Tcǃuʟeˊ qâkx wukwāˊn dukanᴀˊx qōˊcᴀkᴀn duwakoˊ. Tsǃu ʟēł dekīˊ awustīˊn.

Adᴀˊx duīˊctc wusīhaˊ ye ỵawaqaˊ, “Gusūˊ ᴀxỵīˊtkǃ.” Ducᴀˊt ye ᴀdaỵaqaˊ. Adᴀˊx tcǃuʟeˊ hᴀs wudînāˊq. Gᴀˊndî hᴀs qotīˊs. Adᴀˊx hᴀs aīˊqǃ “Ākǃᵘtatsīˊn gusūˊ we ê?” Hᴀs qocīˊ āg̣aˊ. Tcᴀwaỵîˊqǃ hᴀs aīˊqǃ Adᴀˊx ᴀqǃᵘ ᴀsnūˊtǃaỵê ᴀt hᴀs uwaᴀˊt aqǃoˊs-ītiˊ hᴀs aosîtīˊn tcǃuʟeˊ hīnx hᴀs akāˊwusîke. Hᴀs g̣ᴀˊxsatê ye hᴀs qǃaỵaqaˊ “Wāˊsᴀ īˊwani ᴀxỵīˊtǃ?” Adᴀˊkdage nakwᴀˊn g̣āx tīn duỵīˊtg̣a qutīˊsǃ yuqāˊ. Adᴀˊx tcūł hᴀs uxêˊqǃᵘ xō hᴀs qucīˊ hᴀsduỵīˊtg̣a. Djᴀłdakᴀˊt ỵēt hᴀs qocīˊ āx tsǃutāˊt yūhīˊn tāq qā yên tcukaˊ. ʟēł hᴀs ᴀt uxwaˊ tcǃu hᴀsduỵīˊt łqōˊwustīỵî dᴀx. Adᴀˊx djᴀłdakᴀˊt yukutāˊn hᴀs qocīˊ hᴀsduỵīˊtg̣a. Adᴀˊx dîs cūwax̣īˊx̣ ag̣āˊ hᴀs qociỵîˊ ā hᴀs aołîx̣āˊtc.

Adᴀˊxayu Akǃᵘtatsīˊn qoˊa xāt qoaˊnitc ᴀsgīˊyu wusînēˊx. Duīˊn yā ỵᴀnᴀkwᴀˊn tcǃayeˊ łīngîˊt yêx duwag̣eˊ ỵᴀtiˊ. Adᴀˊx duīˊn xāt qoaˊnî ānîˊt ỵāwagūˊ. Adᴀˊx ʟēł tucqēˊnutc tcᴀʟᴀˊkᵘ duīˊt yān uhaˊîtc. Adᴀˊx yūˊxāt qoaˊnî ye ỵaˊwaqa, “Duīˊn ỵᴀkᵘnᴀˊg̣ahā Kātᴀˊxwᴀxsᴀkᴀ-hīˊnî de.” Adᴀˊx duīˊn ỵᴀkuwuhāˊ yuhīˊndê. Adᴀˊx asēˊnᴀx djīˊỵᴀnduwatiˊ yuhīˊn wᴀt dūˊłî.

Adᴀˊxawe duīˊt yān uhāˊîtc. Ādᴀˊx yuāˊnig̣ayā qᴀhāˊkᵘ cīỵᴀdihēˊn qa ỵᴀtǃēˊnᴀx ᴀkaodicāˊt. Ketǃāˊn duwaîˊqǃ “Cᴀnyāˊkǃᵘʟāx ān îg̣ayaˊ qᴀhāˊgu aỵaxāˊ.” Adᴀˊx dutūˊwu yên ēkᵘ.

Atǃūˊk dukîdaˊ kadeˊ ỵᴀg̣asēˊtc ᴀʟǃēˊx. Anᴀˊx nēł aoʟ̣îg̣êˊn yuˊa ᴀduʟǃēˊxe. Tcǃuʟeˊ duyakîˊk āˊneł awutiỵîˊ djᴀłdakᴀˊt duyakîˊk g̣āqǃᵘ wusîˊti. Hᴀdju yao qoaˊnî aˊyu ᴀʟᴀˊkᵘ ᴀʟǃēˊx hᴀsdutūwuˊ sîguˊ. He adᴀˊx ʟēˊnᴀx cāwᴀˊttc wuxōˊx ye ᴀcdaỵaqaˊ “Îsîkūˊ gî xāt qoaˊnîx qǃᴀˊnaqeʟ̣îg̣ᴀˊt ᴀ aˊya iˊusînēx.” Adᴀˊx ye ᴀciaˊosîqa, “Isîkūˊ ge hēx kāˊwadaỵî hīn. Ayîˊk dᴀx xāt nᴀdᴀˊx gᴀnēłtsîˊkx tcǃᴀgūˊqǃsa îīˊx yānhaˊ. Adᴀˊx yên îxaỵîˊ îˊqǃaite djᴀłdakᴀˊt hīˊndê yē yunᴀsnīˊk, îtsīˊgî-dāˊa tsǃu ᴀdāˊdᴀx yūˊnawusǃk.” Tcǃuʟeˊ duīˊt yān wuhaỵîˊ tcǃᴀ wāˊsᴀ cūˊkᴀn duwᴀdjāˊ tcǃᴀ ayᴀˊx qōwanūˊkᵘ. Adᴀˊx tsǃu aʟēˊn duīˊt yān uwahaˊ tsǃu wugūˊt ag̣ᴀˊtag̣êt. Ādᴀˊx awaxaˊ duqǃwaīˊtê. Ādeˊ cukduˊ djēsîỵêˊ tcǃᴀ ayêˊx duqǃaīˊtê hīˊndê ye aosîˊnê dutsīˊgî tsǃu ᴀdaˊ wuūˊsǃ. Adᴀˊx x̣āˊna xāt qoaˊnî anqāˊwo dūˊwaq yanīˊkᵘ. ᴀdjiỵīˊt cdaˊỵᴀduqᴀ. ʟēł wutēˊx. Adᴀˊxayu cāˊwᴀt ye ᴀcaˊosîqa, “Isîkūˊ gî yūˊa ᴀt gaỵîsīˊỵiỵê? Gwᴀł a kao-ux̣īˊx̣ yuqāˊwag̣ê.” Adᴀˊx qoˊa ye awūˊsniỵî ît yūˊanqawo tcǃuʟeˊ wunēˊx duwāˊq.

Adᴀˊx yūˊcāwᴀt ye ᴀciaˊosîqa, “De îānêˊde îīˊn ke ᴀt g̣ᴀx dux̣ūˊn.” Adᴀˊx djîłdakᴀˊt yūˊxāt qoaˊnî duīˊn ᴀt wux̣ūˊn duānîˊde. He-adᴀˊx ye ỵânakwᴀˊn yūˊxāt qoaˊnî kᴀdunīˊk sîīˊt hᴀs ᴀkᵘʟ̣îxēˊʟ yūˊxāt qoaˊnî. Wananīˊsayu wududzîtīˊn yusîīˊt. Wuˊctê yukudînūˊkᵘ. Anᴀˊxayu yêˊnaā yūˊxāt. Adᴀˊxayu ᴀˊxoa yūˊxāt kāxdūˊtc. Adᴀˊxayu anᴀˊq hᴀs wūˊha. Hᴀs aˊosîtēn hᴀsdug̣ēˊdî ỵânaguˊ wēˊyākᵘ. “Ỵīˊcukᴀt qōˊya kᴀntuˊłî ʟēł ỵīdᴀˊdî gwedjîˊtc.” “Ỵīˊwᴀctu qǃoˊxōtc qog̣āˊxsînēx dēˊdjᴀᴀxaˊ.” “Awᴀctuˊ qǃoˊxo ayuˊ hag̣āˊqǃu.”

Adᴀˊxayu wucxᴀˊnt hᴀs ỵaˊodîgu yūˊxāt. Ye hᴀs qǃāˊỵaqa, “Gudēˊsa ỵīˊỵᴀkᵘgwaha.” ᴀxōˊa ye ỵawaqaˊ, “Ohāˊn qōˊa Stîqǃhīˊndê,” ᴀxōˊa, “Qōˊa Djîłqāˊtdê,” ᴀxōˊa, “Tǃaqoˊdê,” ᴀxōˊa, “Nāˊsdê,” ᴀxōˊa, “Ałsēˊxdê.” Djîłdakᴀˊt yahīˊn hᴀs awasāˊkᵘ. Adᴀˊxawe hīn wᴀtt wusǃîx̣īˊx̣ wēˊxāt. Ye qoỵāˊwaqa, “Yākᵘ nᴀx āˊgūx dᴀhāˊnî.” Adᴀˊxayu qᴀduˊ ke wutāˊnî ᴀsgēˊyu yākᵘ nᴀx wudîhāˊn. Adᴀˊxayu yūˊxāt ye hᴀs ỵânaqēˊtc, “Yūˊnū ᴀgîˊ ʟēł yên unīˊtc.” Tcǃuʟeˊ ʟēˊnᴀx ᴀkīkᴀˊndî akᴀˊnduqēˊtc. Hᴀdjuˊ yucāˊł ᴀˊsgîyu yunūˊwu ye hᴀs aỵasāˊkᵘ. Tcǃuʟeˊ qox wudaqǃāˊktc ye ỵânaqēˊtc “Deyêˊndê ỵanᴀnīˊn.” Wananīˊsayu yên uwanīˊ ye ỵawaqaˊ. Xāt qoaˊnî de yên uwanīˊ. Tcǃuʟeˊ hīn uwaqǃᴀˊq yūˊxāt. ʟᴀx hᴀsdutuwuˊ yukǃeˊ. He adᴀˊx yux̣āˊna ᴀdadeˊ āˊwaāt yūnūˊ. Adᴀˊx djîłdakᴀˊt yūˊxāt dēxnayêˊx hīnt ỵāˊwaa. Adᴀˊx aîˊt aosîtīˊn duʟāˊ īg̣edᴀx̣ᴀˊc Akǃᵘtatsīˊn. Adᴀˊx duʟāˊ xᴀˊndî ỵānaguˊt dutuwuˊtc. Tcǃuʟeˊ duʟāˊtc tǃaˊỵawaqā duīˊctc g̣ᴀtag̣êˊt qᴀˊdju ᴀxᴀˊnt ᴀˊskî ūwaqǃᴀˊq. Adᴀˊx tsǃu aîˊt tsǃu ᴀt aỵawaqāˊ, “Akǃêˊ xāt hēx uwaqǃᴀˊq.” Adᴀˊx qōˊa duīˊctc uwatᴀˊq. Tcǃuʟeˊ ʟēł ctāx aodanuˊkᵘ wudutāˊg̣ê. Adᴀˊx qōˊa ducᴀˊt ye aỵaˊosîqa, “Tūdj sᴀkᵘ nᴀx̣ᴀˊc.” Adᴀˊx qōˊa kāx yᴀx āsaỵaˊʟîqǃ, yêtīˊqǃ dułîˊtaỵî ᴀt yuỵᴀcîˊqǃēłk dāˊsayu. Aosîtīˊn duỵīˊt sî ēq kᴀtîˊqǃî. Tcǃuʟeˊ ke ctǃaỵaˊodîqa, “ᴀxỵīˊtkǃ ᴀsgēˊya xāt qoaˊnitc ᴀˊskǃî wusnexêˊn. Dusēˊt kᴀłīˊnî ēq kᴀtîˊqǃ aˊya ỵāˊtî.” Tcǃuʟeˊ g̣ātc īˊqg̣e awacᴀˊt qǃoaʟǃᴀtūˊ. Ye aỵaūˊ yug̣ātc. Tcǃuʟeˊ yūxāˊt daỵêˊ awaūˊ yuqǃoaˊʟǃ. Adᴀˊx yuhîˊt ka yên aosîtaˊ yug̣āˊtc. Nēł qoˊa tcᴀʟᴀˊkᵘ îxtǃ cīˊỵê ducîˊ dudāˊqǃ.

Adᴀˊx qoˊa adeˊ kaodinêˊt yūˊtāt ỵīn yuhîˊt kādêˊ. Adᴀˊx qoˊa yuqāˊ duỵīˊt aoʟ̣îg̣êˊn aosîtēˊn ducāˊnᴀx qoˊa tcǃuʟeˊ łīngîˊtx sîtiˊ. Adᴀˊx tsǃu a-îˊt ᴀt aoʟ̣îg̣êˊn dāsayuˊ dukᴀtūˊt dᴀx dukîˊndî łīngîˊtx sîtiˊ. Adᴀˊx a-îˊt tsǃu ᴀt aoʟ̣îg̣êˊn. Djîłdakᴀˊt łīngîˊtx sîtiˊ. Adᴀˊx a-îˊt adeˊ yēk dutuˊ yuqǃayatᴀˊnk. Adᴀˊx qoˊa yē qǃaỵaqᴀˊ, “Xᴀtaˊỵa Cᴀnyakǃᵘʟāˊx, ᴀxāt,ˊ” yūqǃỵaqᴀ yuyēˊk dutūˊqǃ. “Xᴀtaˊỵa,” yuqǃaỵaqaˊ dutūˊqǃ yuyēˊk, “Qatukwᴀˊx-sᴀka-hīˊnî-wᴀtkᴀ-dūˊłî, aˊỵa xᴀt.” Tsǃu ye ỵawaqaˊ yuyēˊk dutūˊqǃ, “Xᴀˊtaỵa Sîīt-koyēˊga xᴀt.” Adᴀˊx yūˊcāwᴀt ᴀcukawudjāˊỵî tsǃu duyēˊgîx osîteˊ, “Xᴀtaˊỵa, Cāwᴀˊt-qoyēˊk ᴀˊxᴀt.” Adᴀˊx tsǃu dutūˊqǃ ye aỵāˊwaqa, “Xᴀtaˊỵa, yao-qoyēˊk ᴀˊxᴀt.” Adᴀˊx tsǃu a-îˊt tsǃu dutūˊqǃ āqǃaodîtaˊ, “Xᴀˊtaỵe Kēˊʟ̣adî-qoyēˊk axᴀˊt.” Adᴀˊx tsǃu a-îˊt ye ỵawaqaˊ dutūˊqǃ, “Xᴀtaˊỵa, Xāt-qoaˊnî-yāˊgu-qoyēˊk, ᴀxᴀˊt.”

Adᴀˊx duīˊc duxᴀˊnt uwaguˊt. Yē qǃaỵaqaˊ yuîˊxtǃ, “Wēˊnēłỵi łdakᴀˊt tcēqǃ āxgᴀˊndî naiūˊsǃ.” Adᴀˊx tsǃu ye qǃaỵaqᴀˊ, “Yīs acaˊ łîł wēˊnełqǃ ye tcᴀg̣ōˊt āhîˊt ỵīqǃ ye hᴀs nᴀgᴀtiˊ.” Adᴀˊx tsǃu ye ỵawaqaˊ, “Wēˊnēłye gᴀˊnda kǃêdēˊn naiʟǃēˊwu.” Adᴀˊx tsǃu ye ỵawaqaˊ, “Łîł cāwᴀˊt xāx ułg̣enêˊq.” ᴀt cî yūˊyēk dutuˊ. Adᴀˊx yūˊg̣ātc tūqǃ kaołîtǃîˊk. Adᴀˊx nēł wuduwacᴀˊt. Nēłqǃ qǃoaʟǃ duqǃweˊ ye duwauˊ. Adᴀˊx ᴀt cîˊ nēłqǃ. Tcǃuʟeˊ gᴀˊnda ỵᴀgūˊt. Adᴀˊx duyēˊgî qǃa yᴀx cecuˊx wuduʟ̣îyᴀˊx dudjiỵîˊs. Tsǃu dukǃêdēˊdî sᴀkᵘ āˊkadjî kāˊwaqa. Adᴀˊx ducecūˊxu qoˊa sǃūsǃ yêx wuduʟ̣îyêˊx dukǃîdeˊdî qoˊa sîīˊt yêx kᴀndūˊdjîxît. Dugāˊwu dūˊłi yêx kᴀndudjîxîˊt. Adᴀˊx dusǃᴀqseˊdî wuduʟ̣îyêˊx xāt yêx qa yao yêx yên duʟ̣îyêˊx. Adᴀˊx aʟǃēˊx yēk dutūˊqǃ. Adᴀˊx yuxāˊt ʟᴀx wāˊsᴀ aỵatīˊn uwaỵaˊ tcᴀ duyêˊx łīngîˊt yêx. Adᴀˊx yuxāˊt qoaˊnî tîn yuqǃoˊłaᴀtgînutc. ʟᴀx wâˊsa qayaˊ qot wuneỵîˊ îxtǃîˊx sitîˊ. Yudoxōˊnqǃî ʟᴀx wâˊsa doqǃwaˊ yêx qodzitiˊ. Tcǃᴀ dāˊsa ᴀkᴀnīˊk tcǃuʟeˊ ayêˊx yuỵatīˊk. Qokᵘgwanāˊwu tcǃuʟeˊ qōn yuᴀkānîˊk. Qayeˊ qōˊkᵘgwanēxe tcǃuʟeˊ yuᴀkanîˊkk ayêˊx yūˊỵᴀtīk. Yên cūˊdê naqoˊx yuyukoỵasîqēˊk dāˊsᴀ g̣ᴀx dudjāˊq qōn yuᴀkāˊỵanîkk.

Qa ye qǃaỵaqᴀˊ, “Łîł tcǃa yūk ānx ᴀxīˊn ỵīułg̣āˊsǃî ʟᴀx tāˊguỵīnqǃ tsa.” Ayêˊx wutiˊ. ʟēł duīˊn naheˊułgᴀstc. ʟᴀx tāˊkᵘỵīn tsa duīˊn ān aołîgāˊsǃ. Adᴀˊx qoˊa ʟᴀx yūk dūˊwadjīk yūˊāntqenitc. Adᴀˊx ye qǃaỵaqaˊ ʟēˊnᴀx yᴀkǃēˊỵî qa kēkᵘg̣wᴀnīˊkᵘ. ʟᴀx dokǃēˊ ᴀduwahīˊn. Ayᴀˊx wutīˊ ʟēˊnᴀx yukǃēˊỵî qa wunīˊkǃᵘ. ᴀkᴀˊqǃ wuduwahiˊ āwasêˊn. Tcǃuʟeˊ ānqāˊwo wusîtiˊ. Duāntqenîˊ ye aỵaˊosîqa, “Qǃᴀg̣axeỵîˊ adōˊsᴀ ᴀt g̣ox łatīˊn.” Tcᴀłdakᴀˊt yuāntqenîˊ qǃexēˊtc wāˊsa yūk dūˊwadjīk. He-adᴀˊx yūˊxāt qa yūˊyao qa yudūˊł qa yusîīˊt tcᴀ wāˊsa kunūguˊn djîłdakᴀˊt wutiˊ. ʟᴀx qaỵaˊ qot wunêˊ djᴀtdakᴀˊt wuctīˊn kᴀdunīˊk. Yuyīˊs ca qoˊa ʟēł ᴀc ūłtīˊn. Kayūˊ ᴀt gugwaxāˊỵî ʟēł tcǃᴀ kugēˊỵî tsǃᴀs duyēˊgitc kǃêdēˊn wūsniỵîˊ tsǃa ᴀt uxwaˊîtc. Qa hīn ᴀguˊx dᴀnaîˊ tsǃu yuyēˊktc kǃêdēˊn yusînīˊk. Dāˊsᴀỵ duyēˊgîtc ye ỵaosîqaˊ, “Yūtǃᴀˊt gᴀg̣eˊxa, ᴀxsǃāˊtî.” ᴀg̣aˊ tsᴀ ᴀxēˊx. Djᴀłdakᴀˊt-ᴀt tsǃᴀs duyēˊgî qǃᴀqāˊk tsǃᴀˊtsᴀ ᴀqǃayêˊx tsa ye yuᴀsînēˊq. Qa ʟēł ʟ̣îtūˊdjî ᴀt uxuaˊ. Qa ʟēł awucᴀˊ. Tcîłdakᴀˊt yēktc adeˊ daỵaqaỵîˊ ayêˊx qodzîteˊ. Ỵiwuyāˊtǃ ag̣aˊ kodzitiỵîˊ. Qa ducᴀxāˊwu ʟēł ʟ̣etîˊx wunîˊ tca āx wudicîˊn.

Hūˊtcǃaya.