snxʷmeneʔ nqʷlqʷeltn
6190 Agency Loop Road
PO Box 100
Wellpinit, WA 99040
509-258-4222
Spokane Tribe Language and Culture
ƛ̓uxʷ šey̓ lʔe n šiyulexʷ We have always walked this land
Albert Sam
skʷkʷʔec sp̓q̓n̓iʔ
night sun
cq̓sipiʔ hu hec q̓iq̓eʔy , čxʷexʷʔit , hi y̓e n hec awstm , snč̌̓el̓xʷtin̓ .
a long time ago here there is a camp , there were many of them , here where it is called , the west end , where the sun goes down .
kʷen̓t t suxʷnč̓el̓xʷtiʔn hu hec čšt̓steʔs łuʔ skʷkʷʔec sp̓q̓n̓iʔ
so then it was these people who were guarding the night moon .
łi y̓e huł k̓ʷiƛ̓t sqelixʷ , hu heʔc x̣ʷuʔpmiʕys y̓e skʷkʷʔec sp̓q̓n̓iʔ,
here these other people , they were wishing for it this night moon ,
nteʔ qs naʔq̓ʷms m kʷen̓t qł čc̓q̓mnaʔsq̓tms
they thought they would steal it and would then throw it up into the sky .
n̓e qeʔł p̓eʔxʷmi , tm̓a hi č̓eyleʔxʷ;
so it will again become bright , you know it is a dark land ;
qs weʔkʷisti m qs naʔq̓ʷms
they're going to hide so they could steal
kʷen̓t hec miymiyscuʔt łi y̓e łuʔ hepł sp̓q̓n̓iʔ , n̓e qs čtqeʔms y̓e łu suxʷ - n̓an̓a q̓ʷʔum m qs puʔlstms
but then they aware of this , those who had the sun , they would give chase , chase these robbers and will kill them .
y̓e č̓sel staʔʕan łuʔ nteʔʔ łuʔ qs suxʷnaʔq̓ʷm , tm̓a huł ay̓ʔay̓puł, ta swet qs kʷnnuʔnm . ho·y , lšeʔ hu ax̣iʔlm -- hecyaʕ̓ swet huʔ ntu·n̓iʔčntm̓ , łu huł ay̓ʔay̓puł !
These two antelope who thought they should be the robbers , becasue they are so fast , no one would be able to catch them. So... that is how they decided everyone around could not over take them , they were so fast !
łuʔ huł stʕan heł iaʔap...hu y̓e n q̓ey̓muʔtyeʔs hu čłaʔqiʕs łi y̓e skʷkʷʔec- sp̓q̓n̓iʔ hu npiʔlš , x̣ʷa qs el̓iʔłni , x̣ʷa qs eščeʔni...
So when the antelopes arrived home...and here on their teepee they did lean it against this here night moon and they went in , maybe they were going to eat , who knows what they were going to do...
ih , exʷ p̓n spilye sewne , hu
oh , boy , who but coyote hears this , and
šey s k̓ʷʔis xʷt̓ip··· w̓ičis hec čłaʔqi...n y̓e skʷkʷʔec sp̓q̓n̓i hu kʷen̓t
that's when he went running . . . he saw it it is le...aning this night moon and then
kʷeys , šey̓ s xʷt̓pusis
he took it , proceeded to run away with it
sewneʔmntm t huł stʕan , kʷen̓t šey̓ s čtqeʔms spilye , hec taʔx̣ʷlus č̓ ntx̣ʷetkʷ .
they heard him did these antelope , so then they began to chase coyote , who is headed toward the river .
pu · · t qs kʷnnuʔnm
ju . . st as they were going to grab him ,
spilye yoyoscut hu kʷupis
coyote gave a mighty heave and pushed forward
y̓e skʷkʷʔec sp̓q̓n̓iʔ [ tm̓a hec qiccms - - ]
this night moon [ you know he is rolling it - -]
hu kʷen̓t ƛ̓ax̣t x̣ʷollq̓ʷ hu nt̓iypetkʷ
and then fast it rolled and fell with a splash
ye n ntx̣ʷetkʷ , pʔišeʔ hec awstm nqqʔeteʔkʷ .
here into the river , at that time it is called the narrow little river.
kʷen̓t putiʔ s lšeʔ hu y̓etłx̣ʷa.
so then yet it is there even unto this day.
šey̓ hu hoy.
that is all.