1. ’u kw’un’a wulh hith ’i’ niilh ni’ kwthu swuy’qe’ yath ’uw’ ts’ets’uw’ut tthu mustimuhw, ’uy’ swuy’qe’, stsi’elh.
   Long ago, there was a man, a good, high status man, who was always helping the people.
   
   
2. ha’ ni’ kwthu ni’ sq’uq’ith ’u tthuw’ stem ’ul’ ’i’ ni’ ts’ewutus.
   If anyone was short of something he would help them.
   
   
3. ha’ ’uwu te’ lelum’s ’i’ ni’ wulh thuyuw’t-hwtus.
   If they had no dwelling, he would build them.
   
   
4. ha’ ’uwu te’ s’itth’ums ’i’ ni’ wulh ’ahwustus.
   If they had no clothing, he would give it to them.
   
   
5. yath ’uw’ ts’ets’uw’utus tthu ts’lhhwulmuhws.
   He was always helping his fellow-tribesmen.
   
   
6. hwun’ xut’u ’i’ ni’ wulh s’aluhwthut tthuw’nilh swuy’qe’.
   Eventually, the man grew old.
   
   
7. ’i’ wulh lumnum ’utl’ xeel’s kws yaths ’uw’ ts’ets’uw’ulhtun’.
   And Xeel’s saw that he was alway helping.
   
   
8. suw’ thut tthu xeel’s, “ha’ tse’ q’ay’ tthey’ stsi’elh swuy’qe’ ’i’ ni’ tse’ punutum.
   And Xeel’s said, “When this respectful man dies, he will be buried.
   
   
9. ’i’ ts’isum tse’ kw’ thqet, xpey’ulhp.
   And a tree will grow, a red cedar tree.
   
   
10. ’i’ nilh tse’ tthey’ xpey’ulhp ni’ hakwushum ’u tthuw’ mukw’ stem.
    This cedar tree will be used for many things.
    
    
11. xpey’ qwlhey’ nilh ni’ hakwushum ’u tthu sunihwulh.
    Cedar logs will be used for canoes.
    
    
12. xpey’ luplash nilh ni’ hakwushum ’u tthu hulelum’.
    Cedar boards will be used for houses.
    
    
13. sluwi’s nilh ni’ hakwushum ’u tthu s’eeltth’ums.
    Inner cedar bark will be used for their clothing.
    
    
14. kwumluhws nilh ni’ hakwushum ’u tthu se’ultun.
    Its roots will be used for baskets.
    
    
15. ni’ tse’ hakwushum tthey’ xpey’ulhp ’u tthuw’ mukw’ stem.”
    This cedar will be used for many things.”
    
    
16. nilh kwu’elh ni’ sht’es tthu xpey’ulhp kwus tetsul ’u tun’a tumuhw.
    In this way, the red cedar came into the world.
    
    
17. ni’ hay. hay ch q’a’.
    The end. Thank you.

This is originally a Snuneymuxw legend. Thank you to Ruby Peter for translating the story into Hul’q’umi’num’, Donna Gerdts for transcribing it and doing the English translation.

In her MA thesis, Joan Brown says that this legend relates to the origin of the Cedar tree. It helps us understand why the Ancestors placed a high level of importance on the Great Cedar Tree from which canoes are carved.

Joan Brown, 2016. Culture is lived; language gives it life. MA thesis, University of Victoria.