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

Chapter 4: Mountain Dweller

Qōwaūˊayu yuānqāˊwo yūˊān qołayêˊtqǃa duỵêˊtqǃî qoˊdzîtî. Dᴀxᴀnᴀˊx ỵᴀtîˊ duỵêˊtqǃî. Doxᴀˊnde nahāˊỵe tcǃaʟᴀˊk usᴀˊttc. G̣onaˊn qoaˊne qǃēs ᴀt yīˊakutcāˊkᵘtc yutūˊ. Wananīˊsayu doxᴀˊnt uwaqoˊx yūˊyākᵘ ʟēn. Dᴀˊqde wuduˊʟ̣îāt. Yudułīˊłkǃdji ye ỵatîˊ yutūˊ. ᴀt ỵiˊyeᴀnetc g̣oˊnān qoaˊnî qǃes. ʟayuˊ dodᴀtcxᴀˊnqǃ qǃēx atēˊxnutc. ʟe ye ỵānaqeˊtc yucānᴀˊkǃ, “Hesawâˊk haqǃîˊtstc ᴀxdjīˊtx huyēˊq.”

Adᴀˊxayu dāq aosîᴀˊt yūˊg̣onan qoaˊnî. Aˊg̣ᴀ q̣āˊdjî kāˊwaqa yuyênēˊsǃî dakᴀłᴀˊqdê. ʟēkǃ gwâˊỵa łīỵîˊkda ᴀt yūˊyênēˊsǃî. Yuˊg̣onan qoaˊnî g̣âˊayu qēn. Dudjīˊ wudūˊwadjî duyêˊtqǃitc ye wusîˊne. Aỵîˊx ỵaoduˊdzîxa hᴀˊsdoqǃwa-itēˊ sayuˊ dāq kaˊodudziāt. ᴀtcayuˊ tcǃūˊỵedᴀt ye qǃaỵaˊdoqāˊnutc, “Ỵîqǃaỵitīˊ ỵîs dāq qox duˊdzîāt.” Adᴀˊxayu ʟēł gwâˊyu łīîˊkdaᴀt. Āˊʟēn kadēˊqǃayu āˊwetǃê yuānqāˊwo. Adᴀˊx aqǃewawūˊsǃ duỵêˊtqǃî. Hᴀsdusǃīˊqǃe ayuˊ yᴀx caodudzîxaˊo. Djᴀsduyᴀˊx dēx ỵatîˊ. ʟākᵘ hᴀˊsduxᴀˊnî yên ułāˊttc. Hᴀsduʟaˊ hᴀsduxᴀˊnᴀx dāq uwaguˊt. “Ỵīhâˊntc ᴀgîˊ, ye ỵīˊsînî.” ʟeyēˊdîayuˊ hᴀs g̣ᴀˊxsatî ayuˊ ʟēyᴀˊtx aỵāˊwacat cᴀtxēˊa. Dusīˊ awᴀctu akᴀ’t ʟ̣ākᵘ tsǃu kîˊkǃia. Tcǃu dᴀˊxᴀnᴀx aˊyu awᴀctuˊ akāˊwaʟ̣ākᵘ yūˊtū yᴀx hᴀs aỵaˊowusixaỵēˊtcayu aỵîˊs daq ōsîᴀˊtî aˊayu. Tcǃuʟeˊ hᴀs wuxēˊqǃ tāˊdayu tcǃuʟeˊ tǃāˊtayīs akāˊwaha. Adᴀˊx qoˊa tcǃuʟeˊ yūˊcaodudzîxawu-sǃîˊqǃ cītīˊyên hᴀs aˊoʟ̣iᴀt. Tcǃuʟeˊ yuᴀtǃāˊk as-tūwułīˊ nēł hᴀs uwaᴀˊt.

Adᴀˊxayu ye aỵaˊosîqa, “Ādeˊ hᴀs naadeˊ ỵa-ūˊckî.” Ye hᴀs daỵaˊosîqa, “Ca-idaqêˊde.” Tcǃu kuwâˊtǃayu nᴀcxêˊntc. Yūˊsǃîqǃ ᴀsiyuˊ ciyîtīˊyes ᴀˊti u. Hᴀs qo tǃākeˊ hᴀs ᴀcukaˊosîha. Adᴀˊxayu ᴀnᴀˊx dāq uwaguˊt hᴀsduʟāˊ. ʟe gwâᴀˊłdaᴀt ʟēł hᴀs kaˊoste. Adᴀˊxayu ʟe dᴀˊqdatcūn g̣onēˊ hᴀs uwaᴀˊt. ʟe g̣onayēˊ hᴀs wuadīˊawe hᴀˊsduīg̣āˊ qociỵîˊ anᴀˊx dāq ỵaˊodîg̣îtc. ʟe hᴀs aˊoʟ̣isîn. Cᴀtxēˊa ye yên dosqēˊtc ke’kǃîatc, “Duīˊhaxt duāˊx dê ᴀxʟāˊ.” “Yē qoỵênaqētc hawâˊsᴀs īˊỵênuk īwactuˊ?” Yē yênᴀsqēˊtc dukīˊk, “Ayēˊtxā haỵāˊwa woqǃ. Cākᴀnāˊītc qǃwᴀn yᴀx ỵiỵᴀˊx łacaˊ yuxahādāˊỵaqa. Xosîkūˊxoa aˊda hadāˊỵaqaỵa.”

ᴀtcaweˊ ʟe dᴀˊqdatcūn g̣onaỵeˊ hᴀs uwaᴀˊt. Tcakugeˊawe ỵāˊsnaᴀ, hᴀs gᴀx-satīˊnutc. Qoˊxde ᴀt kudᴀnaˊ ducᴀˊtx tcu-ēˊqdᴀx dukīˊkǃ. Tuˊwuqǃ ho ʟēł uckuˊ duʟāˊ aỵawutīˊnî. Wāˊyuskoāˊt-saweˊ hᴀs aˊosîtēn xao kᴀnᴀˊx ke îcîktc kᴀg̣āˊq ỵêtkǃᵒ. Gūtc tūˊdê nēł ūwaguˊt yukᴀg̣āˊq. Āx dukīˊkǃdjē aosîqaˊ, “Kᴀgāˊq kocaˊnᴀkǃ łīngîˊt kotīˊnî îdaỵēỵatîˊ.” Yūˊỵawaqa dukīˊkǃ “Hałīngîˊtxa xao kᴀnᴀˊx ke xᴀt djīˊwatᴀn,” yūˊqoỵaqa yukᴀg̣āˊq, “Nēłdēˊ hᴀs g̣axoˊx ᴀxłīˊłkǃuỵe īdaˊyaqᴀ.” ᴀtxaˊwe āˊyux wudjîx̣īˊx ᴀtxāˊyu hēˊde cudjixēˊn yūˊqǃoahāt. Hᴀs wuqeˊ. “Dasᴀˊkᵘcī ỵītucūnaˊ,” ye hasdudāˊỵaqa. Tcǃākᵘ hᴀs qēˊni dᴀˊxawe duˊux qǃāˊde ᴀt wułîtsāˊk. Adᴀˊx dāq akaˊołîhît. ᴀtqǃēˊcî kᴀqǃēˊłtî. Akāˊwayuk. Gᴀn awateˊ tǃakîˊkî duˊux qǃāˊdᴀx ᴀdayuˊ. ᴀqǃᴀseỵīˊ aỵaosiîˊn tsǃu hᴀs akǃīˊtǃa. Kax̣wēˊx duˊux qǃātx dāq akaˊołihît. Tsǃu hᴀs āwaxāˊ. Yên hᴀs ᴀt xāˊawe tsǃu ye aỵaˊosîqa, “Dasaˊ ỵītucūˊna ᴀxdᴀtcxᴀˊnqǃî sāˊnî.” Yūˊaỵaosîqa, “HᴀCakᴀnāˊîxa yītǃhaỵaoduwawuˊq ᴀxʟāˊtc.” “Łnīˊỵaỵîucîg̣ᴀnî-xᴀtî-ᴀˊdawe, naiᴀˊt de, ᴀxdaᴀtcxᴀˊnqǃî sāˊnî.” ᴀtxāˊwe ᴀcukāˊwadja. “Wūtckǃîˊtagᴀt-ca aỵînahoˊ tcxᴀnkǃ qa wūˊdjx djîtaᴀt-cᴀkǃᵘ tsǃu aỵîˊ a tcxᴀnkǃ,” yudāˊỵaqa. “Wudjx cᴀˊtdutît-gīc tsǃu aỵînaˊ. Ỵīˊłîtaỵi qǃwᴀn tsǃu ỵītcīˊqǃ qa yaỵīˊna,” ye adaˊỵaqa. ᴀtxaweˊ yên acukāˊwadja. G̣onayēˊ hᴀs ūwaᴀˊt. Tcǃākᵘ yā hᴀs naᴀˊti aweˊ hᴀs aositēˊn yu-wūˊtēx-djitaᴀˊt-cᴀkǃᵘ. Aqǃēˊt aosîg̣îˊqǃ sǃāq. Wuct akᴀˊtîn yūˊdînî. Tsǃu g̣onayēˊ hᴀs ūwaᴀˊt. Łkǃᴀt hᴀs wuᴀˊtdjiayuˊ hᴀs aosîtēˊn wūdjx-cᴀtag̣ᴀt-gīc. Sǃîˊqǃga qǃāt hᴀs awagîˊqǃ. ʟe ᴀqǃāˊnᴀx hᴀs ỵāˊwaᴀt. ᴀtxayuˊ hᴀs aosîtēˊn wūtcxkǃîˊtagᴀt-ca. (Detcaˊ dêk dułînikiỵa-ayaˊ ayᴀˊx ỵīīˊn qokᴀłanīˊk ʟāˊgu ᴀxdakᴀnūˊqǃᵘ.) Yaỵīˊna ᴀqǃāˊt hᴀs aosîgîˊqǃ. Anᴀˊx hᴀs ỵāˊwaᴀt. Hᴀs aˊosîtēn yuqoˊu. Ahîˊtyêt hᴀs uwaᴀˊt.

Duʟāˊ gwâˊỵa nēł. Aỵiˊ ʟēł dutīˊn tāˊîtc. Cākᴀnāˊỵî-hîˊtî aỵīˊt hᴀs ỵaˊoduwawōˊq. ᴀtcayuˊ hᴀs aỵāˊwaʟ̣aq. Tcǃāk hᴀs qēˊni aweˊ doqǃwēˊ xᴀt dutēˊx. Yāndayāˊn weˊᴀt-sǃāˊte. Tcǃuʟeˊ awawūˊsǃ duʟāˊqǃaỵîx, “Waˊsa qōwanūˊkᵘ qoˊuawe îxᴀˊnt hᴀs uwaᴀˊt.” “Īỵīˊt hᴀs ỵaˊoduwawōˊq yᴀx hᴀs ỵag̣ēˊłacāˊdahe.” ʟe yᴀx aỵaˊołîca Cākᴀnāˊîtc.

Tcǃākᵘ nᴀstēˊawe ᴀt wux̣ūˊn. Yē aỵaˊosîqa ducᴀˊtqǃîyên “ʟēł ūłtsāˊkᵘ yu-ax-ᴀˊnî-yēˊnatītc-qā yuᴀxʟāˊtc.” Ayᴀˊxawe qās hᴀsdudji yē wūtîˊ hᴀˊsdunᴀq nᴀgūˊt. Tcǃuʟeˊ yāỵīˊna ỵᴀˊtî aweˊ gᴀłkāˊdāq awatîˊ yūˊᴀtkagēˊdî. Yêˊnᴀx āˊwᴀtsāq. ᴀt ᴀkāˊwagᴀn. Deˊtcaᴀtc qosa-īn-ᴀdayuˊ duỵīˊt cᴀˊtqǃîỵên. ᴀtxaweˊ tcˊǃuʟeˊ hᴀs ᴀdjīîˊn. ᴀdakāˊwagan. Duỵīˊt cᴀˊtqǃîỵên kādēˊawe ke acakaˊołîtᴀq. ʟa yuqāˊsǃtc aỵināˊde kē hᴀs akaˊołix̣ît. Hᴀs āˊwadjᴀq hasdutcāˊn. Gāˊniyu hᴀs āˊwaxotǃ. Akᴀˊt hᴀs kuˊca-kāˊwaxa. Tcǃa yēgug̣ēˊkawe koʟǃgutūˊnᴀx wułicuˊ.

Wuyᴀˊx duỵīˊt. Hāt gūˊdawe aʟēˊn ayuˊ ỵāˊnayan yudjêˊnwu. Awawūˊsǃ duʟāˊ. “Hᴀtcaˊdê kīˊnîk yᴀxaˊ hāˊwasînî. Dokāˊdî āˊyᴀx kaˊotułîtᴀq. Eˊg̣eyux wutūˊwaxotǃ.” “Ỵakǃeˊ adēˊ ỵīsîˊniỵiỵᴀ,” ʟeyuˊ aỵaˊosîqa. “ᴀxʟaˊ detcǃāˊgawe ᴀxᴀˊnî yēˊtīx łīngîˊt ʟēł ūłtsāˊkᵘ.” ᴀtxaweˊ wuckāˊdê ye aosîˊnî yuᴀtkagēˊdî qa yuˊᴀtỵîkᴀˊtî qa yūˊtū sᴀkᵘ.

Cākᴀnāˊỵî qǃūn dukāˊỵên qołaˊātsawe ye aỵaˊosîqa ducᴀ tqǃîỵên, “ʟēˊgîł nēł yᴀx ỵītāˊwuāstc?” “Āˊa,” ʟayūˊ hᴀs aỵaˊosîqa. Ān hᴀs ᴀkāˊwᴀnik, “Aỵīˊt haỵāˊwawōq ᴀxʟāˊtc. ᴀtcayaˊ îkāˊyade wutūˊwaāt.” “Hakᴀˊkᵘ ỵīᴀˊk.” Ayᴀˊxawe hᴀs aāˊk. “Tcǃā ỵiˊyᴀx dēx qǃwᴀn ỵīgucnāˊqǃ ỵiᴀˊk.” Wananīˊsawe aỵīˊde hᴀs āˊwaha yuhᴀsduʟǃēˊq nāqǃ hᴀs-āwaᴀˊgî-ᴀt. G̣onayēˊ hᴀs gugwᴀāˊt. Qǃūn ca saˊyu ᴀniỵaˊ. Ayēˊ yên kudagāˊawe yukᴀˊkᵘ qǃūn yākᵘ yîk ᴀˊtî sayuˊ tcǃudēˊxa aweˊ duʟǃēˊq nāx dāq aỵaˊołiᴀt. Tcǃudēˊx ān g̣onēˊ hᴀs uwaᴀˊt. Tcǃa kǃūn sāˊyu hᴀs uwaxeˊ.

Ān yā hᴀs naᴀˊtî tcǃᴀ qonaỵēˊdê ayuˊ yukax̣ᴀˊt. Yucākᴀnāˊyî tūˊnᴀx ᴀx digᴀˊn. Wananīˊsawe ỵêtx kaodiỵaˊ duī’c āneˊ. Ān kułayêˊtǃ. X̣āˊnaawe ahîˊt ỵêt hᴀs ūwaᴀˊt. Dugūˊc nāˊxawe dāq aỵaˊołiᴀt yukᴀˊkᵘqǃᵘ sāˊnî. Detcǃayeˊ ᴀt hᴀs tūdîtᴀˊn hᴀˊsduīkǃᴀˊtskǃᵘ hᴀˊsduxᴀni yux nᴀq g̣acīˊx. Hᴀs āˊwaxōx. Dê hᴀsdu-iteˊ yên yūˊᴀt kāˊwati. Dekᴀˊt qotī’n. ᴀtcayuˊ ʟe nełdēˊ wudjix̣īˊx̣. ʟa duʟaˊ ye aỵaˊosîqa, “ᴀxʟ̣āˊkǃ gānt hᴀs ūˊwaᴀt.” ʟeˊawe kǃāndēˊnᴀdana duỵīˊt kǃᴀˊtskǃᵒ deaˊ aołix̣āˊdjî duʟ̣āˊkǃ. “Ckǃaoʟ̣iyêˊł,” yuadaˊỵaqa. Tcǃᴀ g̣āx-kîˊknᴀxawe adeˊ wuguˊt. Tsǃu nēł gūˊdawe tsǃu akᴀnīˊk duʟāˊ tîn. “Āˊwu hᴀs. Kǃe āˊyux nᴀˊgu.” “Hᴀˊsdukǃūˊx̣-ʟǃīdêˊ hāt ałakǃuˊts.” Akᴀnīˊk. (Deˊtcǃa adeˊ ʟāˊgu kᴀduˊłînîkỵa ayᴀˊxaỵa ỵīīˊn kᴀxanīˊk.) Nēł aołicᴀˊt. Tcaˊtca ag̣āˊawe tsa adeˊ wudiguˊt duʟāˊ. Āˊyux aˊoʟ̣îg̣ên. Qǃēˊg̣a duỵêˊtqǃî gwâˊỵa. “Nēˊłỵīa,” yūˊaỵaosîqa. Duxᴀˊnîneł uwaᴀˊt. ᴀtxaweˊ duʟāˊ tîn akāˊwanik yukᴀˊkᵘqǃᵘ. Yūˊcakᴀnāˊỵītc ᴀcakāˊwayūˊgawe yukᴀˊkᵘqǃᵘ, “Aʟᴀˊnqǃayu gāˊno kᴀkᵘ, nēˊłg̣a duładeˊ,” yūˊỵawaqa. Dᴀˊxanᴀxayu āˊyux āˊwaāt. Tsǃᴀs yên qōˊwᴀxêtc. Tsǃū āˊyux āwaguˊt. Łdakᴀˊt qāˊdjayu nēłdēˊ hᴀs aỵahêˊ. Yên qoxēˊdjayu qādᴀsēˊqǃᴀn wudihāˊn yukᴀˊkᵘqǃᵘdê. Yên yuqoxēˊdjayu duˊwᴀn-kᴀʟǃēˊq nāx dāq aỵaˊołiᴀt yukᴀˊkᵘqǃᵘ Cākᴀnāˊỵītc. Ayūˊgu ᴀ yutāˊî djᴀˊnwu ỵîˊkî. Awᴀctūˊ ᴀkaˊ wuʟ̣agūˊdjawe duʟāˊtc dusīˊ-hᴀs, ᴀtcaweˊ tsǃᴀs atāˊỵia yūˊāntqenî aỵîˊs wuct ayāˊwaîqǃ. Yuˊkᴀkᵘqǃᵘ ka ᴀˊtî łdakᴀˊt qa kᴀˊnᴀx aˊyu wutîˊ, yuˊkᴀkᵘqǃᵘ ka ᴀˊtî. Ha-łīngît āˊnî kᴀˊkᵘqǃwayu.