True stories:
dead girl talking, life with grandmother

Told to Nellie Wharton, Jim Kari and someone else (English speaker). Recorded by Jim Kari. Text recording on
Belle DVD. Two stories (5:20, 16:10), + mixed English and Deg Xinag
commmentary in between (6:53).
Translation by Edna Deacon, Elizabeth Workman, Lucy Hamilton and Jim
Dementi.

Dead girl talking

JK:

1. Agide duqu.Tth'eghoxunik.
   okaytruenonfiction
   'Okay, a true story.'

2. BD: Yeah.

3. "Tth'eghoxunikghoxinehayh,"sixi'ne.
   truenonfictiontalk aboutthey tell me
   'Tell me a true story, they say.'

4. Engithidongxixi---, xix---xuxinig.Xidhoyhela'hiyn-gon.
   long agononfictionlegendit isn'titthis
   'It's a story from long ago. This isn't a legend.'

5. Tth'eghoxinikn-gon.
   truenonfictionthis
   'This is a true story.'

6. Q'odesraqayitlanhdong,itsa'asinoghɬndaghdedoyhdong.
   youngchildI amin the pastgrandmato meshe told storyin the past
   'When I was a young child my grandmother used to tell me stories.'

7. She said

8. Tixididhikts'i,xinikditaldhiyh,shesay.
   it's break-upbeingnewsit comes
   'When it's springtime news came.'

9. Yiggiynixinedhitda',ngidiggXiyeghelinghdinontr'idididaɬ.
   thatit comeswhenupHolikachuklet's go again
   'When the time comes, we'll go up to Holikachuk again.'

10. "Gocheyiggitr'a-nuq'oɬonh yozrdidiyogginhnuxitodaɬ,"ne.
    hereagaingirlperson who diedshe will talk againthey said
    "'The girl who died is going to talk again," they said.'

11. Yitots'iediyitnixidhiktux,xiɬdihiyyuxudzedidhe-ngidiggXiyeghelinghdixits'anxitididiɬ.
    thenall overthereit's timewhenthenitallall overupHolikachukthey will go back
    'When it was time (for her to talk), everybody went back to Holikachuk.'

12. And uh

13. Giɬigginhxiɬdi,yuxudzngi'eghyuxudziyyuxudzxigithitluxxiq'idixet'anguqoxidina'yegetiylonghin.
    one personthenalloutsideallitallit's spilledit looks likepeopleverymany people
    'Crowds of people were gathered outside.' (one person was going to interpret)

14. e'--- yi--- e'---Yitxits'idondineyh,nginiggEniggxiyiɬ,Edixixiyiɬ,ngido'Deloy Che xit'anyiɬ,Gitr'iniɬchaggxit'anyiɬ.
    therethey used to gather thereupInnoko R.andShagelukanddownriverHoly Cross peopleandAnvikpeopleand.
    'Innoko R., Shageluk, Holy Cross and Anvik people gathered there.'

15. Yuxudzyitxits'idonxidineyh.
    alltherethey used to gather there
    'They all used to gather there.'

16. Lhdi---gotr'ixineganhnixitodaɬcheengithi xodhil ts'i.
    thischildshe will talk againagainfuture
    'The child is going to talk again about the future.'

17. Dixitot'eɬts'ixoghxinayhgotr'ixineganh.
    it will happenabout itshe is talkingthischild
    'This child is talking about what's going to happen.'

18. Q'idongdidiyoqxiyozrine'xiɬdik,giɬigginhcheyoxoxinayh.
    alreadyshe diedlittle whilebutthenone personagainfor heris talking
    'Even though she died a little while ago, someone is talking for her.'

19. Yi'egh xits'iyuxudzxigithitluxxiq'inontr'ididiɬ.
    right thereallthey're crowdedit looks likewe go there
    'We go to where they're all crowded.'

20. "Xiyiɬgilndadz a xoghnguqoxidina'onidene ts'i.
    thengo aheadwhypeoplecomeyou tell him/her
    "'Tell the people why they're being called here.'

21. Gilyuxudzxoghxinehayh,"yiɬnego.
    noweverythingabout ityou talkshe said to himthis
    'Now talk about everything," she told him.'

22. Chelgotyoxoxinayh.
    boyherefor herhe's talking
    'A boy is talking for her.'

23. Uxuxiyiɬeyggidichinongilyexits'in',ginodzetsxiq'iydalnedhq'idixi'ne.
    suddenlytherecasketinfrombeelikebuzzingit sounds like
    'Then all of a sudden from within the casket there came a sound like a buzzing bee.'

24. "Gil ots'in',"yiɬne.
    that's allshe said to him
    "'That's all," she told him.'

25. Uxitogh xiɬdixididiniyh.
    meanwhileit stopped
    'In the meantime it stopped.'

26. Gogidetxughun'ndaghyit"on"yixiɬnedi.
    hereforwheretherecomeshe's telling you pl.
    'This is why she's telling you people to come there.'

27. "Engithi xodhil ts'in'tiginlayhinyegetiylonghinxiq'iditodix,"ne.
    in the futurepriestsverymany peoplewill come over hereshe says
    "'In the future many priests will come," he says.'

28. Ts'an-goxoghyuxnoghɬ di'ne,"xiɬnedi.
    that's whyabout itshe's telling you pl.he told them
    'That's why she's telling you guys about it," he told them.'

29. xi---"Niɬk'ots'idzgil-giluxdong'yegits'in'.
    all kinds ofsome of themwrong
    "'(There will be) all kinds (of priests), (and) some of them (are) wrong.'

30. Tth'eghongidiggiganavughodnguqoxidina'tr'elanhdinaxito'xughoxixitithalts'in'.
    trueupwhatfrom thatpeoplewe areGodabout itthey won't talk
    'They won't talk about the true God from whom we are human beings.'

31. Git---giluxdong'yegetiytiginlayhinditozreɬnets'an'a,xoghxinayh."
    some of themverypriestsit'll be goodshe saysabout itshe's talking
    'Some of the priests will be good, she says.'

32. Nets'an'axo'inyuxnoghɬdi'ne,'xiɬne.
    saysthenthat's whybefore you pl.she's sayinghe told them
    "'That's why she's saying so in front of you pl.," he's telling them.'

33. "Axaxiɬdidegindadzsre'nixitodhiɬ.
    thensome other timeI wondertime will pass
    "'It's not known when they will come.'

34. Nguqoxidina'yevantr'uxuxneginchegongan'q'idzxiq'iditodix,nets'ixiyiɬts'an'at,"xiɬneyiggiy,yitts'ixit'an.
    peopleones you pl. don't knowagainhereearthonwill travelhe saysthenis telling themthattheretopeople
    'People you don't know will come," he told them, the people there.'

35. Yitots'ixiydhiɬ(tth'eyh),xididiniyhtuxxiɬdi,yoxoxinayh.
    thenthey're listening to hershe quitwhenthenfor herhe's talking
    'As they were all listening, she quit talking, and then he talked about what she had said.'

36. Yuxudzxoghgoyuxudztixididhiktux,ngidiggXiyeghelinghdixits'ixidonxidineyhnguqoxidina'ye.
    allaround ithereit's break-upwhenupHolikachukthey gather therepeople
    'Around break-up people would gather in Holikachuk again.'

37. Axaxiɬdikdixitot'aɬts'ixoghxinayhxotl'oghxididiniyhtuxxiɬdi.
    thenit will happenabout ithe's talkingafterwardsshe stoppedwhenthen
    'After she stopped (talking), he talked about what was going to happen.'

38. "Agide,edixoghxitasaɬts'in'.
    that's allentireabout itI'm going to talk
    "'That's all I'm going to talk about.'

39. Tr'alchechesoghnon'uxdidaɬda'chegits'idzchexoghxitasaɬ,"neɬogogotr'ixineganh.
    meanwhileagainto meyou pl. come backwhenagaindifferentagainabout itI'll talksaystrulythischild
    'Meanwhile, when you come back again to me, I'll talk about something else," the child said.'

40. And uh

41. Yitotl'oghdixiɬdikqayxits'idonxidineyh.
    Afterwardsthenvillagethey gathered in
    'Then afterwards they gathered in the village.'

42. Iiy!Yaɬdzoghdlditit'eyh.
    geeballstart to play
    'They would start playing ball.'

43. Vavniɬk'odo'iy.
    foodall kinds ofit
    'There was all kinds of food.'

44. GgaggdhiggingiyyiɬnginiggEniggxits'in'getiyvavdezreniyenuxsinin xidilu'oyh.
    driedmeatandupInnoko R.fromreallyfoodgoodupriverthey freighted
    'They freighted down dried meat and lots of good food from up the Innoko R.'

45. Iyxiɬdiiyyuxudzvaxa noghdinik,negoitsa'a,gocheitsa'aidedigyixi.
    itthenitallthey would pass it aroundsaysthismy grandmathisagainmy grandmashe herselfthere
    'My grandma, who was there herself, said they would pass it around.'

Every

46. Edi nixidodhil ts'iyiɬyuxudzdixi'netuxyi-gidixitldhedits'i.
    year after yeartooallshe's telling themasshe doesn't skip
    'Whenever it was time for her to talk to them, she wouldn't miss it.'

47. Yitnonxididiɬuxodedig.
    thenthey would go back homethey themselves
    'Then they would go home.'

48. Agidet.
    that's all
    'that's all'

Commentary on `Dead girl talking'

49. BD: And uh,

50. Gashighxiq'ichexitasaɬ?
    EnglishinagainI'll talk
    'I'll talk again in English?'

JK:

51. E
    yes
    'yes'

52. BD: After break-up somebody come. If you want to come to that little girl who's gonna tell about what is going to happen long, long time, he's going to tell you about it.

53. Nets'anat,
    she saysthus
    'that's what she said'

54. They say. This, they say it's what he's telling you about. So they all want to listen to it and they going to come. They going to have all kinds of preacher, but few preacher wouldn't be right.

55. Nets'anat,
    she saysthus
    'that's what she said'

56. he say. But

57. ngidiggidinaxito'tth'eghoxatithalts'in',
    heavenlyfatherrightthey won't talk about him
    'They won't talk about God the right way.'

58. she say. You know, and so they, they believe her. And

59. noy,
    war
    'war'

60. you know sometimes that she talk to, she said it's gonna be big war in the world after while.

61. JK: mhm

62. BD: And pretty soon she said it's going to be

63. noyditot'eɬts'ixiyiɬxoghxinayh.
    warthere will bethenabout itshe's talking
    'She was talking about how there's going to be a war.'

64. And it happened, she say. It happened right away. Little while after she talk about it and they, it comes on, she say. Well all that thing she talk about it, it come true she say.

65. Dixinaɬt'adisre'?Giɬixsnaldiyittr'inihiɬ,
    how manyI wonderfive timestherewe camped
    'How long was it? Five nights we stayed there.'

66. she said. Five days. While they go to that grave all the whole thing she talk about. And uh, it's gonna be big earthquake.

67. Ngan' ditot'eɬ,nets'ixiyiɬxoghxinayh.
    there will be an earthquakeshe saysthenabout itshe's talking
    'She says there's going to be an earthquake.'

68. JK: mhm

Now

69. Yitots'igodixitoneɬts'i,yuxudzxizroantr'uxisnekxiq'iine'xiɬdi,tthangan'xogh'entlniqda'nguqoggxaxa tidixitodhiɬdighene'ɬogoche.
    thenherewhat will happenallI don't knowit looks likebutthencliffgroundit gets tiredwhenworldit will break upshe saidtrulyalso
    'I don't know all of it what's going to happen here, but after a while when the earth gets tired, the world will end, she said.'

70. He said after the earth it got so tired, the earth is gonna be just broken up.

71. Yitots'inguqoggxatoq'oɬdighene'ɬogochenh.
    thenworldit will burnhe saidtrulyalso
    'Then the world will burn, she also said.'

72. It's gonna be burned up look like, the earth.

73. Nets'an'atthattr'ixineganh they say.
    she saidthuschild
    'So the child said, they say.'

74. JK: hmm

BD:

75. Axaxiɬdikvavxiyolalgodichinhyozrts'iy'in-gixitilayh.
    thenfoodwhich they bring herherecoffinlittlethey make sign on food
    'Then they make sign with the food that they bring to the little coffin.'1

76. Xiytl'oxiyditrigyidiɬgho,yidiɬghoxinoghɬ di'nehiy.
    the food they give herin exchange for itin exchange for itshe talks to themit
    'The baby talks for them in exchange for the food they give her.'

77. Cause that's interpreter, talk for the, tell everybody what that little girl is talking about. Most beautiful little girl just pass away. I don't know how.

78. JK: Was this just one interpreter or did they pass on the interpreter?

79. BD: Just only one interpreter.

80. JK: So then it ended after that.

81. BD: Yeah. After that man is gone then it's no more.

82. JK: How long ago did that interpreter die would you guess?

83. BD: Well, I don't know. I know my grandmother said twenty, he start to live with them, a man that was going on before my mother even was born.

84. JK: mhm. The interpreter was from old Holikachuk?

85. BD: Yes. It's from Holikachuk.

86. JK: mhm

87. BD: She think it's a medicine man.

88. JK: Your grandmother saw him then.

89. BD: Yeah, he saw him.

90. JK: Mhm, so you could probably guess when he died, before Chap--- Did he die after Chapman came?

91. BD: No.

92. JK: He died before

93. BD: Before Chapman

94. JK: So this was finished before Chapman, and that was 1886.

95. BD: Yeah. They didn't know nothing about preachers then, those days.

96. JK: Right.

97. BD: And all at once Chapman and the Catholic priest came.

98. JK: hmm

99. BD: They stay in that cut-off all winter.

100. JK: yeah

101. BD: And the medicine(?) choose the Chapman for Anvik, and they choose Catholic church for Holy Cross.

102. JK: Right. But I mean this interpreter was doing this some years before Chapman and not after that. So

103. BD: Yeah. That's not after.

104. JK: Yeah

105. BD: It's before Chapman come.

106. JK: Yeah so maybe in the 1870s? 1860s?

107. BD: Maybe. It's long time.

108. JK: Very interesting.

109. BD: Because my grandmother was old when she passed away. She couldn't even stand up, she just bent over walking. They get so old those old people.

110. JK: mhm

111. BD: They just walk around with stick like this, you know. They couldn't straighten out. Now everybody dies quickly. Long time ago those old people just old. Some of them got no hair too. Their hair just slip off.

112. Xivitthe'nixa'iliqik.
     their hairslipped off
     'Their hair slipped off.'

JK: (laughs)

(loud buzz)

(fading in)

113. that'sgidhagnixitodaɬdi
     corpsewhen she's going to talk again
     'the dead one is going to talk'

114. if they go up to Holikachuk

115. JK: Did the ...

BD:

116. nixitodaɬdi
     when she's going to talk again
     'when she's going to talk again'

117. that he's going to talk to the people

118. JK: That's the name of, you can think of the name of the

119. BD: yeah

120. JK: gidhag is the name of a place or ...

121. BD: gidhag means dead person

122. JK: oh they...

123. BD: dead person is going to talk, yeah

124. JK: ... wow. okay, this is really a top-notch story

125. BD: I know lots of that. Like, my grandmother used to tell me all kinds of story

126. JK: hmm. Need any more tea Belle?

127. BD: I got some tea but I'm talking.

128. JK: Yeah, this is off still right so.

129. BD: I don't want to talk.

130. -nigin iy

131. ??: well, say it again

Life with grandmother

BD:

132. Detsan'dit'anhdongxixinign'iy.
     hungeris doingwhen (past)nonfictionit
     'This is a story about when there was starvation.'

133. Tth'eghoxinikn'iy.
     truenonfictionit
     'It's a true story.'

(pause)

134. JK: go ahead

135. BD: And uh

136. Yuxudzxiɬdixughoidogh q'uyenxiɬdax ts'i.
     thusthenabout itthey'll think about themselves
     'This is the way they would think about things.'

137. Vavdotithxiy---xititht'adhts'in',yidong,evenq'odet.
     foodoverthey don't stepin the pastnow
     'They would never step over (i.e. ignore) food (that has fallen on the floor), in the past, even now.'

138. Ngiyixivavtsan'(ni)'idaɬtuxvoqotr'ixint'an'ts'in'.
     floorfoodcrumbit fallswhenwe clean it up
     'When a crumb of food falls on the floor, we clean it up.'

139. Dinatingxogh gidintr'ilayhtth'inhyiɬ.
     our trailwe move them asideboneand
     'We even move bones off our trail.'

140. because

141. itsa'a
     grandmother
     'grandmother'

142. say it's tough to be starvation. You can't eat anything, she said.

(pause)

143. Yitots'iq'a'ididhitgovito'ɬogot.
     thenhe grew upthisher dadtruly
     '(Grandma's) father grew up.'

144. and uh

145. Uxuxiyiɬxileggixiyiɬvitoyxinedatl,Eniggxits'in'.
     suddenlyspringthenhis unclethey arrivedInnokofrom
     'Suddenly it was spring, and his uncle and some people arrived from the Innoko.'

146. And uh, oh, how in the world you save that our little nephew, he tell her.

147. "Ndadzsre'xit'oghdinazraggiqat.
     howI wonderby itour spitby
     "'I don't know how (we raised him)---by our spit.'

148. Teq'itr'ighedaqts'idzhiyyuxudzxughodn-godinayetrtr'elanh,"shesaid.
     waterwe survivedfromitjustby thatthisour lifewe are
     'Spring came and that's how/why we're still alive," she said.'2

149. We just reached the water. I don't know how in the world it happened, she said. So they were happy that she didn't kill that little boy into the woods. She told them that my brothers tell me to put him in the woods but I wouldn't do it because I know you fellows, if you come down to find out.

150. JK: Deg xiq'i

151. BD: Oh!

152. "Enuxsinnuxdatlda'sitidhuxɬghats'ixiyan',yuxudzxanxusniyhdixo'inxiɬdi.
     from upyou pl. arriveifyou pl. will kill meonlythusI know itbecausethen
     "'Because I know if you guys came down you would just kill me.'

153. Yuxudztidhasnelts'in',"hesay
     thusI won't do
     'I'd never do that," she said.'

(pause)

154. Axaxiɬdikgoq'a'ididhitɬogogochel.
     thenherehe grew uptrulythisboy
     'And so the boy grew up.'

155. Tidhu'onlayyiɬdititl-'an'.
     fish trapmaterialtoohe started to gather
     'And he started to gather fish trap material.'3

156. Ngi'eghyitots'iqusqayegittha'qayoxo"on"xiyatadhine'ine'xiydidindiniy'.
     outthenrich people(men's) daughtersforcomethey started to tell himbutthey failed with him
     'Then rich people out there (in the village) told him to come for their girls, but they couldn't get him to.'

157. Nuq'oɬdaɬinq'adi'et'its'iɬogot.
     womenhe didn't wanttruly
     'He didn't want any women.'

158. Getiyidiyonhts'in',"gitr'oditlt'ats'inasyonh,"ts'in'ne.
     toohe's shyI'm poorI grew uphe says
     'Being very shy, he said, "I was raised poor."'

159. "Doyonhyevittha'tidhatlchilts'in',inedhinhɬogot.
     rich peoplehis daughterI won't marryhe thinkstruly
     "'I won't marry a rich man's daughter," he thinks.'

160. Ine'xiɬdigogiɬigginh,medicine manyuxudzxiyiɬchetxidittha'oxo.
     butthenthisanother personjustthey took himtheir daughterfor
     'Even so another person, a medicine man and his wife, took him for his daughter.'

161. Ts'an'atxogh tathdo'uxuxiyiɬvogh sraqay.
     thenhe started to stay with themsuddenlyshe's pregnant
     'He stayed with her and she got pregnant.'

162. Uxuxiyiɬɬogotnixititltanhxiyiɬ.
     suddenlytrulyshe went into laborthen
     'Suddenly she went into labor.'

163. Xunhxiyiɬyuxudzyosr diyeloq.
     suddenlyjustshe died in childbirth
     'Then she died in childbirth.'

164. That mean that she just died at the birth, that woman. And uh, my, he

165. just cried and cried for that woman. And he don't want to get married.

166. Oh! (laughs)

167. Deggashighxiq'ixinisayhxiyiɬ.
     thisEnglishI'm talking inthen
     'I'm talking English only.'

168. and uh

169. Ts'anyitots'iyixi nixidoɬdhiɬxizrochenhiɬt'et"on"xaɬnexidittha'oxo,xidigi---xidiyotr'a'oxo.
     sothentime goes byapparentlycontinuouslycomethey saytheir (men's) daughterfortheir (women's) daughterfor
     'Then they were living by themselves again and again they begged him to come for their daughters.'

170. "On"xaɬneine'yuxudzxiq'adi'et'its'in'.
     comethey saybutthushe doesn't want to
     'They invited him but he didn't want to.'

171. Ne"getiynuq'oɬonhviq'ixitatldhidinh.
     he saysreallywomanthe one that I miss
     'He says, "I really miss that woman.'

172. Nuq'oɬonhchenixitidhatlchilts'in',"inedhinhts'ixiyan'ɬogot.
     womanagainI won't remarryhe thinksjusttruly
     'I won't remarry," he's thinking.'

173. Ts'an,degyuxudzdingit'axiyiɬcheche.
     soaround herethushe isthenagain
     'And so he was like that again.'

174. Chediyinchuxvittha'chediyinchexiɬ(di)nixiyiɬchet.
     againmedicine manbighis daughteragainmedicine managainthenthey took him
     'And again a medicine man and his wife again took him for their daughter.'

175. (X)iɬdiitsa'avitselayanh.
     thengrandmaher grandmothermakingher
     'That's grandmother's grandmother.'4

176. Yitots'in',yitxits'in'a---itsa'asraqaylonghinxiyiɬxizronchenontitl'iyak.
     thentherefromgrandmachildrenmany peoplethenapparentlyshe started to have
     'Then after that, great-grandma started to have lots of kids.'

But

177. Yuxudzxivi(yiɬ)niɬanxididix.
     allon themthey died off
     'They all died.'

178. Dadzxiyozrdixighaɬchoxiyyuxudznixivigiɬyitlq'idixit'anhɬogot.
     this waya littlebiglikesomething grabbed themit's liketruly
     'As soon as they were starting to get a bit big it was as if something grabbed them.'

179. Then you know---

180. Ndadzgodixitoneɬts'in'.
     howhereit'll happen
     'They didn't know what to do.'

181. Xiyiɬitsa'achechexunhq'ihanhvixethdlat.
     thengrandmaagainlast onehershe was born
     'Finally grandma was the last one born.'

182. Uxuxiyiɬngi'innuq'oɬonhdiyinvonhdiyozrk'idzigiɬt'ik.
     thenout therewomanmedicine manhis motherher babylittleshe nurses
     'Then a woman there, the medicine man's mother, was nursing her own little baby.'

183. Anhghoyi'inxiyniɬtanhɬo.
     hertooverthey bring her to hertruly
     'They brought her over to that medicine woman.'

184. Yitots'igo'idaghɬts'in'dimama'axayigititlt'etgodaɬts'inchethatchelyozr.
     thennowher breastwithshe started to nurse herherethis sidealsoboylittle
     'Then she started to nurse her, and also with a little boy on the other side.'

185. Cheyigititlt'et.
     tooshe started to nurse her
     'She started to nurse her too.'

186. Axaxaɬdixiyghoxeqat.
     thenthey paid her
     'Then they paid her.'

187. that his parents

188. Ts'idyiyiɬrabbit skin parkaxiyiɬxiynondiɬchith.
     blanketwith herthenthey put on her
     'They put a blanket and a rabbit skin blanket on her.'

189. Yidiɬghoyiggitr'ixineganhigiɬt'ik.
     its pricethatbabyshe nursed
     'In exchange, she nursed the baby.'

190. That's how she said she raised up. That she used to be a powerful woman. It's uh, I don't know, she's not a person look like. She was too powerful. Four mans attacked her she just fling them up in the air, just throw them.

(glitch on recording)

191. ...her hand was awfully big. And she used to do

192. Getiygaghɬding'ts'ixiyiɬ.
     reallyshe was expert at thingsthen
     'She was expert at everything.'

193. She do lots of good work,itsa'a.
     grandma
     'Grandma did lots of good work.'

194. Viye xiditl'idhiyts'ixiyiɬ.
     she doesn't get mad fastthen
     'And she never got mad fast.'

195. Iɬt'exeɬedzxinegxiyan'xinayh.
     alwaysverynicelyonlyshe talks
     'She always talked kindly.'

196. "Ivanhtegh ɬona'digidoghɬtrax,"dina'iɬnets'ixiyan'.
     neveryou pl. swearshe told usjust
     "'Don't ever swear," she told us.'

197. "Ngongidiggdinaxito'tl'oghxiyen-goditr'et'a,he say.
     wellheavenlyour fatherpalmin itherewe are
     "'We are here in the palm of the hand of our heavenly father,' she said.

(noise of plane flying by in background)

198. Digidoghɬtrixda'tr'ixet'ixts'iyixtl'oxatoldhikditidhuxne'da',"he say,dina'iɬnets'ixiyan'.
     you pl. swearifit's badit'll be on you (pl.)you pl. start to diewhenshe said to usonly then
     'If you guys swear, something bad will happen to you when you start to die," she told us.'

199. Iɬt'exiyiɬyuxudz xiyan'.Getiysoxoyuxudzyan'ɬoxelanh.
     continuouslythenalways like thatreallyfor meallonlytrueit is
     '(We're) always like that. I really believe (what she says is) all true.'

200. That's why I-

201. Gogidenaghisdhiɬts'in'.
     hereI'm getting old
     'Now I'm getting old. '

202. I d---

203. Giyenyeyiɬtthidixididhis'oyts'ixiyiɬ.
     otherswithI haven't quarreledthen
     'I never fought with anybody.'

204. "Soghluq,"di'nenets'ixiyiɬ,yuxudzxisridigi'an ts'in'.
     poor thingit is saidthey saythenallI don't pay attention
     'Even though people laugh at me, I don't pay attention to it.'

205. I'll let them.

206. Inaghdisixidaghne'.
     okaythey talk about me
     'It's okay if they talk about me.'

207. it's true anyway in a sense

208. ts'ixiyan'
     only
     'only'

cause

209. Itsa'ayuxudzdisdighene'.
     grandmathusshe told me
     'My grandmother told me thus.'

210. Yuxudzdengit'a'da',tr'ansoghluqitelaxxidigaɬhe say.
     thusyou areifold ladydearyou'll befinally
     'If you stay like that, you'll live to an old age.'

211. Xotl'oghxiɬdikngiyetroqonigitonikhe say.
     afterwardsthenyour lifeforhe'll take it back
     '(The lord) will get you back.'

that

212. Xigidiniyhxotl'oghtux,edo'Ttha chinh qayxits'iedo'ntr'itididiɬts'iyitr'ididltth'eniɬggudz ts'i.
     fishingafterwhiledownriverLower villagetodownriverwe wentwe all staylittle while
     'After the fish stopped running we went down to Lower village and stayed there a little while.'

213. Xotl'oghxiɬdixitoq'uthdixits'in',ngidiggsrixno'ntr'itididiɬ.
     afterwardsthenit will get coldtowardsupriverwe went
     'And then before freeze-up we went up the river (Anvik R.).'

214. Valggatschuxtr'it'anh.
     boatbigwe have
     'We had a big boat.'

215. Łekyiɬ,dinalegyiɬxiɬdiyuxudz,engithihiy,ɬekengithitxiyedidltth'ehingovavdidaɬdzaqhiy.
     dogtooour dogtoothenallbowitdogin frontthey sat inwhilefoodit's piled upit
     'And our dogs sat in the front while the food was just piled up.'

216. and uh

217. Srixno'getiyxilingh(ts')an'at.
     creekverycurrentthen
     'There was lots of current in the river.'

218. Yitots'in'ndaghyitxoghxeniɬnixdixiɬdigitr'itlt'uggits'ixiyiɬ.
     thenwhentherewe'll get tiredthenwe're not rowing then
     'Then when we get tired we don't row.'

219. Dasrtiddhyan'axanasrididiɬ.
     poleonlywithwe're going
     'We're only moving along with poles.'

220. Axaxiɬdixaɬts'in'xits'ixodhiɬtuxnuggitr'idiɬts'iyuxudz.
     theneveningto ittime is passingwhenwe're paddling to shoreeverything
     'Then in the evening we stopped at the shore.'

221. Yixidhithxinxidilayhts'iviyexididhuq'unyiɬvit'oxyidhu'onhts'i.
     tentthey put them upstovealsounder itit is
     'They put up tents with a stove in it.'

222. Axaxiɬdiktr'inihiɬ.
     thenwe camp
     'Then we spent the night.'

223. Venhdituxchechenasrididiɬ.
     next daythenagainwe go again
     'The next day we started off again.'

224. Xidigaɬgiɬixsnaldixiq'aytr'inihiɬts'igiɬixsnaldidran.
     finallyfive timeshalfwaywe campandfivedays
     'Finally when we were halfway there we camped five days and five nights.'

225. Xiyiɬxiɬdingiduggidinaqay,Tr'oght'ox nux dochagg,ntr'ididiɬ.
     thenthenupour village(name of camp)we reached
     'We reached our camp.'5

226. Axaxiɬdikngidugginasrididiɬtux,ɬekiydinanuggighidiɬ.
     thenupwe're goingwhendogitback with usthey're walking
     'As we're going up, the dogs are walking up with us.'6

227. Nuggitr'otl'eɬxiyiɬditr'itl-'ants'idasrtiddhyan'axa.
     pulling the boatandwe don't dopoleonlywith
     'We didn't pull the boat, only used poles.'

228. And uh

229. Sichidlyiɬdasrtiddhk'idzaxavigitr'itiɬtthiyhxunhdedig.
     my younger brotherandpolelittlewithwe're pushing itwe ourselves
     'My younger brother and I only pushed with little poles.'

230. Cause my, only my fatherdasrtiddhchuxaxayigitiɬtthiyh.
     polebigwithhe's pushing it
     'Only my father pushed with a big pole.'

231. So swift we don't even use

(glitch on recording)

232. (fading in)dasrtiddhyan'
     poleonly
     'only poles'

233. Causengiyixidadzxiq'i,ngiyixiyuxudzrocksyan'xelanh.
     down therethat muchit looks likedown therejustonlythere are
     'Because it looked like there were so many rocks down there.'

All,

234. Yuxudzediyuxudzɬeggniɬk'odo'iyq'i'ididaɬ.
     allall overallfishall kinds ofthey're moving around
     'There were all kinds of fish moving all around.'

235. Teiyyuxudzyotigq'idingit'a.
     wateritjustglassit looks like
     'The water looked just like glass.'

236. Getiyvi-dina'andiɬyonhthosesrixno' legg,giluqoy,and uh,tthik'olivay,tritr doggizr.
     reallywe were fascinated bygraylingpikerainbow troutDolly Varden
     'We were fascinated by those grayling, pike, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden.'

237. And uh, they, it's all kinds of fish.

238. Ngidiggsrixno'xelanhYeqinvixighela'hiy.
     upcreekthey areYukonthere wereit
     'The fish that are in the creeks are (not) in the Yukon.'

239. Ts'anyitntr'ididiɬts'ixiɬdiaxaxiɬdikdasrq'idzxiyiɬq'itr'ididaɬ.
     and sotherewe're goingthenthensandbaronandwe walked around
     'Then when we were ready in that camp, we walked around on the sandbar.'

240. Xathdloyditr'itiɬ'anh.
     Indian potatowe start to gather
     'We dug potatoes.'7

241. Those, they call sweet potatoes.

242. Iyxiɬdiiyyuxudzxiyanet xinxixide'oyhxichux.
     itthenitthey dug a hole in the ground for itbig
     'They made a big hole in the ground for them.'

243. Yitxiɬdixiyetr'ilayh.
     therethenwe put them in
     'Then we put them in.'

244. Xiyduggo xidiɬtse.
     they cover them
     'They covered them.'

245. In the wintertime if they

246. Xiyiɬts'igiɬvatr,yigishaxilq'idingit'a.
     thenthey're cookedits sugarit's like
     'When they're cooked, they're just like sugar.'

247. Ganniygide.
     suchtastyvery
     'They taste so good.'

248. Vanhgiqxiyiɬxiye ni(gi)ntth'ix.
     ice creamalsothey mix in it
     'They mixed it into the ice cream too.'8

about

249. Hingoxidigaɬxuq'uthvigane'oghyiɬ ditr'iɬ'anh.
     meanwhilefinallycoldhookwe're using
     'Meanwhile it's finally getting to be winter we're using hooks.'

250. Iiy,ɬegggetiylonghxitr'iɬdiɬ.
     geefishreallylotswe're bringing up
     'We hooked lots of fish.'

251. Ditl'uqonaxavigane'oghyixeghoyh.
     needlewithhookthey make them
     'They made hooks out of needles.'

252. Xitthixiyditeyhxotl'oghxiɬdi,it just bent,vigane'ogh.
     they put it in the fireafterwardsthenhook
     'They bend after they put them in the fire.'

253. Iyaxaxigitr'iɬdiɬ.
     itwithwe bring them up
     'We brought them (fish) up with hooks.'

254. Tetth'og,tetth'ogchuxyixeghoyh.
     basketbigthey make them
     'They made big birch baskets.'

255. Iyxiɬdiyetyux-yixiyeya'ts'in',nixiyilayh.
     ittheninthey scale themandthey put it in
     'They scaled them and then put them in.'

256. Yi'iditeyhright away.
     they freeze
     'They freeze them right away.'

257. Iyaxaxiɬdiyitr'ineyax,ggaggiyiɬ.
     itwiththenwe grew upbeartoo
     'We grew up with that, bear and everything too.'

But

258. Sito'getiyxanedighet'a'.
     my fatherveryhe was a good hunter
     'My father was a good hunter.'

259. Tigiɬochevadidixinaɬt'adisre'xinihiɬiy,ni'idoyh.
     alwayswithout himhow longI wondertheir campinghe comes back
     'I don't know how many nights would go by without him (and then) he always came back.'

260. Guq'uxchuxni'idighayh.
     fatbighe's carrying home
     'He's packing fat home.'

261. Aɬonachebrown bear du'otxiyedhidoxon'iɬtayhtux.
     beholdits wifeit was in its holehe brought it upwhen
     'Look, he had brought out a female brown bear from its hole.'

262. And he has only 30-30. By himself he dig out that big brown bear.

263. Iyxiɬdiiyyuxudzcanchuxdadzdingit'ahiy.
     itthenitjustbiglike thisit isit
     'It was a can this big.'

264. They render it, and that we have lots of lard

265. viyiɬ git'ath iy
     grease
     'grease'9

266. and everything,

267. guq'uxq'uliy
     fatwhiteit
     'white fat'

(glitch on recording)

268. ---diɬ'anhts'ixutiyyiɬyitr'eheyh.
     toowithwe eat things
     '...'

269. And uh my

270. Sichidlxiɬdisometimes thoughqayxiq'aditr'et'a.
     my younger brotherthenvillagewe want
     'My younger brother and I sometimes wanted (to go to) the village (Anvik).'

271. We knew

272. Yuxudzxiyiɬditr'idithne'ts'in'.
     thusthenwe don't say
     'We didn't say a word about it.'

273. "Ndadzuxt'ats'i'axidhuxagits'in',"dinaxi'ne.
     howyou pl. might beyou pl. don't talkthey tell us
     "'What's the matter with you guys? You're not talking," they were telling us.'

Well

274. "Ndada'qayxits'anditr'ididiɬ?
     when in the futurevillagewe're going back to
     "'When are we going to go back to the village?'

275. Yuxudzn-goxoditr'inedaqts'i gotr'ixithagits'in',"we say to them.
     allabout somethingwe're thinkingsowe don't talk
     'That's what we're thinking about that so that's why we don't talk," we said to them.'

276. "Why,Q'inodle chuxxoghdixiyan'aqayxits'antr'itididiɬ,"they tell us.
     Christmasaround itonly(focus)villagewe go back
     "'We only go back to the village around Christmas time," they told us.'

277. Uxituxcheyuxudzdinayexoneɬ.
     at the timeagainjustwe're happy
     'Then we were just happy.'

278. And uh

279. xiɬdik,xuq'uthts'ixiɬdi,dangan haɬk'idzitoyadangan xaɬk'idzdinatl'o'ilayh.
     Thencoldtowardsthentraplittleuncletraplittlehe gave us
     'Then as it was getting cold, our uncle gave us some little traps.'

280. Iyxiɬdiiytsodligqan'ghon'tr'u'oyh.
     itthenitsquirreldenbywe're setting trap
     'We set traps by squirrel dens.'

281. Sidetthatxizroncheyiggiygitsighiyidhitlanhdi.
     me firstactuallythatmartenI caught
     'I was the first to catch a marten.'

282. Vilo'degxiq'iyuxudz
     its handaround hereon itjust
     '(It got caught) on its hand around here.'

(glitch on recording)

(fading in)

283. Yiggisichidlyozrtathtrax.
     thatmy younger brotherlittlehe started to cry
     'My little brother started to cry.'

284. "Ndadz axa xo'inngidenaghngidetthatgidhelanhts'i?"siɬne.
     whyyou insteadyou firstyou caughthe told me
     "'Why were you the first to catch something?" he asked me.'

Well

285. Ndadz axa?Ngoyuxudzxantr'itr'uxineg.
     howwellthusone doesn't know
     'How (is it known)? They don't know those things.'

Maybe

286. "Yitxiyetadhiyoxiyiɬhe trapk'idzyetgiyitltr'isrts'an'at,"xaɬne.
     thereit went inthenlittleinit snapped on somethingthenthey said
     "'Maybe it snapped on something when it went in," they said.'

287. Axaxaɬdixidiniyh.
     thenhe stopped
     'Then he quit (crying).'

288. Hingooditxiɬditsodligyan'ailayh.
     meanwhilehethensquirrelonly(focus)he gets
     'Meanwhile, he's only catching squirrels.'

289. Vigidangan halyetsodligk'idzyan'didltth'e.
     his trapinsquirrellittleonlythey sit
     'Only little squirrels were sitting in his traps.'

290. Chexizronchevits'antitr'ithidatlchexizronchegitsiyviy---gitsighiyviyedhidodi.
     againactuallywe went back to themagainapparentlymartenit's sitting in it
     'Then we went back (to check our traps) again and there was another marten in (one of her traps).'

291. Yuxudzsidigits'eyh.
     completelyI'm happy
     'I was really happy.'

292. AxaxiɬdiQ'inodle chuxetthingxiq'antr'ididatldi,vidiɬghoyngichoxdixizronchegoteqagitsighiy.
     thenChristmasdownwhen we went backits pricewhen it's highapparentlythistwomarten
     'Then at Christmas time when we went back down, the price for two marten was high.'

293. Axaxiɬdigidiqadixitl'oxiydigheloxiyiɬ,dinalo'axahiymachinevidiɬghoaghsqatsingonhoxo.
     thenstorethey took them tothenour handswithitits priceI bought itmy motherfor
     'Then they brought them to the store, and I bought a hand-cranking (sewing) machine for my mother in exchange.'10

294. That hand machine. Gee my

295. Singonhgetiysidaɬts'eyh.
     my motherveryshe's happy
     'My mother was very happy.'

296. Xotl'oghxiɬdikQ'inodle chuxdit'anhxotl'oghtuxcheediggantr'idididiɬ.
     afterwardsthenChristmasserviceafterwhenagainwe went back up
     'After Christmas was over, we went back up.'

297. Xileggdixiyan'chetr'antr'ididiɬ.
     springonlyagainwe go back out
     'We only came back again when it was spring.'

298. Yuxudzn'axo'ingetiynaghsyaɬhingotnguqoxidina'yexivinaghisiyo'.
     thus(focus)forveryI'm growing upwhilepeopleI was shy of them
     'That's why I was so shy of people when I was growing up.'

299. Xidhisagits'ixiyiɬ.
     I didn't talkthen
     'And I never talked.'

300. Yuxudzxaxaxiyiɬnguqoxidina'yenaghtl-'an'ts'ixadinh.
     justunablethenpeopleI looked atunable
     'I couldn't even stand to look at people.'

301. Iɬt'eyuxudzngiyixixiyan'xintl-'ants'iq'i'isdoyh.
     constantlyentirelydownonlyI lookasI'm walking around
     'I would only look down while walking around.'

302. Sits'itr'ixixayhtuxxiɬdik,"ade'"sixi'netuxxiɬdik,"ade'"disnetr'ixizrots'ixivoghyixiisoyh.
     they talk to mewhenthenhithey tell mewhenthenhiI sayonlyandpast themthereI walk
     'When they talked to me or greeted me, I'd just say hi and walk past them.'

303. Xivintl-'ants'ixiyiɬ.
     I didn't look at themthen
     'I never even looked at them.'

304. Eyggiivi'a'yexiɬdian,"Iiy!nuq'oɬonhyozrxit'achexeɬedztadhit."
     thosegrandfathersthentheygeegirldearverywellwell-behaved
     'Those elders (said), "what a smart girl she is.'

305. Ndadzxinegdingit'a.
     howniceshe is
     'How nice she is.'

306. Xiday---nuq'oɬdaɬinyedegdinaghodluqxidilughusrts'ixiyiɬ.
     womenaround hereabout usthey laughalso
     'The girls around here just laugh about us."'

307. "Axan'ayuxudzxiyiɬdidithne'anhnuq'oɬonhxelanh"sixi'ne.
     thenjustthenshe doesn't sayherwomanthere isthey tell me
     'They told me, "(we didn't know) there were any girls like that".'

308. Uxitux xiɬdikeyggisitsegetiysidaɬts'eyh.
     meanwhilethatmy grandmotherveryshe's happy
     'My grandma was so happy about that.'

309. "Agidet,"neyiggiitsa'a.
     that's rightsaysthatgrandma
     "'That's right," said my grandma.'

310. "Soghgits'idingit'ada',vughoviɬdenagitingts'ixiyiɬ.
     for meshe's wrongifabout herI couldn't sleepeven
     "'If she weren't the right kind (of girl), I couldn't even sleep.'

311. Viyan'vitth'antidhitlnekdixiyan'xiɬdiviɬ'enagitingh.
     noI won't straighten her outonly (then)thenI'll sleep
     'I could only sleep when I had straightened her out.'

312. Ine'xiɬdiyiggitngiyen-ghisdhiɬts'iyuxudz,ngidzaxntr'aghnonikq'idingit'an'asitthey.
     butthatthereI'm thinking of youjust likeyour gumit foldsit's like(focus)my grandchild
     'Right there I'm thinking of you, the way you fold your gum.'11

313. Xaxavoghxoghsaɬts'ixiyiɬxadi,"siɬne.
     unableabout herI talkthenunableshe says to me
     'I couldn't talk about her (because of it) (her grandma is saying).'

314. Xiygho xisrigidithddhet.
     they were thankful to her
     'They were thankful to her.'

315. "Yenuq'oɬonh yozrndadzxineg tadhidinhanh,"sixi'nets'in'.
     (amazement)girlhowwell-behaved personherthey're saying to me
     "'Gee, what a well-behaved girl", they said to me.'

316. Agidet.
     that's all
     'That's all.'

Notes

1. 'make sign (on food)': pretend to flick off a piece of food for the deceased with thumb and forefinger pinched
2. The water came up again and with it the fish(?).
3. spruce sticks
4. Lit., "the one who is the makings of her grandmother." But Belle must mean 'her grandmother's mother,' from what she says in the text.
5. 3 or 4 houses; their spring or winter camp; possibly she meant to say Ttha t'ox dochagg
6. takes a load off the boat
7. Belle says diditr'iɬ'anh, a speech error.
8. when there's no berries, sweet potatoes are substituted
9. lit., 'that with which things cook'
10. machine = dili'an
11. the way she wants Belle to be