Dëne Sųłıné
Hachoghe Fights Three Giant Beavers
Hachoghe taghe tsácho k’ąı̨́dhër
Ɂatthe yunı̨́zı̨ ttháá, taghe tsácho Athabasca Túé k’e náde. Dáts’ena sı́ bet’á hunı́la, bets’ı̨ tsákı̨́ cho dághą-ú tth’ı beché t’á tu dálxál t’á dëne tu dánı́ldel. Ɂedırı dëne nechá cho, Hachoghe húlye dëne ts’úsnı́ yı̨dhı̨ t’á ɂeyı tsácho benë́né nánı̨la.
T’atthe tsá ɂeyër Athabasca Túé k’e nas ts’ë́n xaɂa tsákı̨́ hełtsı̨, ɂeyı Old Fort húlye ghá nı́dhı́le. Hachoghe ɂeyı tsácho bets’ı̨ tsákı̨́ yérelnı́-ú ɂeyı tsá łeghąı̨́łdhër. Ɂeyı tsákı̨́ danızı̨́ Athabasca deze yé yıłchë́l, bets’ı̨ ɂë́ne nu T’anu húlye ɂųlı ɂája.
Ɂeyı ɂı̨lághe tsácho Hachoghe hı́łchú tthe yuyághe Athabasca deze ts’ë́n héhbı̨. Hachoghe ɂeyı tsácho k’ádhër ts’ı̨ ɂë́né, ɂeyı tsá harelyú dechëne yuwénıłɂëth t’á Chocheɂerelche hųlı ɂája. Tháá ɂełk’enáı́ddhër tł’ághe Hachoghe ɂeyı tsácho łegháı̨́dhër. Ɂeyı tthaye Chocheɂerelche ghá ɂałų́ tsá dële t’a delk’os.
Ɂeyı nade tsácho sı́ Hachoghe hegal ɂeyı̨ t’á yuyaghé Des Nedhé ts’ë́n tthę́cha. Hachoghe Tthebacha ts’ë́n néyenı́yú yek’ı́nı tsáɂél dedhe yę́yú. Ɂeyı ts’ı̨ ɂë́ne ɂeyëre Tthebatthı ts’ı̨ Ttthebacha ts’ë́n theba hųlı ɂája.
Hachoghe ɂeyı nade tsácho t’at’u yeneyule xat’éé yudaghé Des Nedhé ts’ı̨ yudaghé Descho ts’ë́n yenéyú. Ɂeyı Naghaye Tthe húlye Tulıt’a ts’ı̨ yudaghé ts’ë́n haɂa ɂeyëre t’a yeghá nı́ya. Ɂeyër t’a tsácho łegháı̨́łdhër-u kón délk’ą yełt’ëth xa. Tsácho tłezé kón k’e deltł’ul ts’ı̨ ɂë́né dék’a, ɂeyı kón dek’ën ɂałų́ dų́rıdzı̨ne ts’ë́n búret’ı̨ ɂat’e.
Vıctorıa Mercredı K’áı́tel Kų́é, Alberta k’éyaghe ts’ı̨ dënexél halnı ɂat’e.
Hachoghe Fights Three Giant Beavers
Long ago, three giant beavers lived on Lake Athabasca. They made life difficult by building huge dams and flapping their tails to drown people. A giant man named Hachoghe decided to help the people by getting rid of the giant beavers.
The first beaver made his den on the west side of the Lake Athabasca, near Old Fort. Hachoghe dug into the beaver’s den and killed it. He tossed half the den into the Athabasca River, creating an island called T’anu.
The second beaver swam to the south side of Lake Athabasca before Hachoghe caught up with him. Hachoghe fought with the beaver, and in their struggle, the beaver kicked away all the trees, creating the Athabasca Sand Dunes. After a long fight, Hachoghe killed the second beaver. The sand dunes are still red from the second beaver’s blood.
The third beaver saw Hachoghe coming for him, so he escaped down the Slave River. Hachoghe chased him all the way to Fort Smith and followed him over a beaver dam. This created the Slave River Rapids between Fort Fitzgerald and Fort Smith.
Hachoghe continued to chase the third beaver north up the Slave River to the Mackenzie River. He finally caught up with him at Wolverine Rock, north of Tulita. There he killed the beaver and made a fire to cook it. Fat from the giant beaver dripped into the fire, igniting a flame that is still smoking today.
Adapted from a story told by Victoria Mercredi of Fort Dënesųłıné, Alberta.
