Sahtu
Yamǫ́rıa Marries a Beaver
Yamǫ́rıa
Yáhnǝ gúnı dene sure yádárı́yǝ Yamǫ́rıa hédadı, denenéné ɂareyǫ́né gok’e denehé gonezó gówoɂa gogha gota k’ı̨́nayeda. Nehk’e radeda ɂegúhyǝ ts’ékuwe wanı deshı̨ta rágw’e ts’ékáyı̨ya hagú t’áhsı̨ heht’ǝ hé Yamǫ́rıa shénetı̨ héhdı̨. Yamǫ́rıa shéyetı̨ ɂeyıtl’ą ɂeyı ts’ékuwe súdúle ɂelehghá ráhı́hdǝ yéhdı hagú Yamǫ́rıa hęɂę yédǝyı̨dı. Hagú gok’éyı̨xa ts’ékuwe hederı Yamǫ́rıa hudǝyı̨kǝ-déhyǝ́ deshı̨ta k’ı̨́naneda nı́dé judenı nılı̨né k’énehta nédewǫła nı́dé féré k’áı́ lı́yefı̨ tuta nǝ́nıɂá rı́nıshu gha yédǝyı̨dı̨. Yerı kexǫht’e ɂadı du Yamǫ́rıa konıhshǫ yı́le kólı́ hęɂę yédǝyı̨dı. Ɂeyı gots’ę nıwá gots’é gonezó ɂelehghá ɂakeyı̨t’e.
Haıyı̨lé láódet’é Yamǫ́rıa rázǝ k’ı̨nada ɂegúhyǝ́ɂede behé goderı́tl’e hé ɂáradúja gots’é forı yenı́wı hé judenı nılı̨né date nédúya yı̨́le ɂegúhyǝ́ ɂehdı̨né godatǝ k’áı́ duhfı́le yenı́wı hé dugáyédı.
Ɂáranıya haıyı̨lé bets’ékuwe húle. Deɂets’éné hé yı̨ka yek’é gáyeyıda haıyı̨lé sádéwé hı̨lı̨ kodéhsha hagú gózǝ sádéwé kota Whatı̨ goghá nıwále tudéwék’e gózǝ begot’ı̨néke w’ıla sádéwé kı̨lı̨ gháɂahet’e lǫ. Ɂeyı sádéwéke yá déhyǝ́ ɂegúhyǝ́ goghá dene radéde nı́dé dene xakǝdǝ́dǝ yá ɂakeyı̨t’e.
Yamǫ́rıa ɂeyı sádéwé bets’ékuwe hı̨lı̨ hé gózǝ sá hédéhfe. Ɂeyı Great Slave Lake gots’ę Dǝhogá ɂeyı Sahtú tuhok’é got’ánıya hagú ɂeyı tuho wına Tulıt’a gots’é goderéyu hagú ɂeyı nıyá Yamǫ́rıa sádéwé taı wehxı̨ hagú Kwetı̨nı̨ɂah ɂeyıyá sáwédéwé gok’erı́tonıhfe hagú hı̨dúh dzı̨ne gots’é k’ále keyagowę.
Délı̨ne gots’ę George Blondın begodé ts’ę godı.
Yamǫ́rıa Marries a Beaver
Long ago, a special man named Yamǫ́rıa travelled through the land, putting everything in its rightful place. During his travels, Yamǫ́rıa met a young woman who lived by herself in the bush. She was cooking and offered Yamǫ́rıa some food. After Yamǫ́rıa ate, the woman suggested that they live together as a couple and Yamǫ́rıa agreed. She asked Yamǫ́rıa for one thing – to cut a willow and place it over running water before crossing it when he was out on the land. Yamǫ́rıa didn’t understand why she wanted this but he agreed to her request. They lived together happily for a long time.
One day Yamǫ́rıa was out in the bush hunting. It was getting dark and he was in a hurry to get home. He came to a creek and decided not to place a willow across it.
When he arrived home he found his wife was gone. Using his magical powers, he followed her and discovered that his wife was really a giant beaver. She was living with a family of giant beavers at a big lake near Whatì. Her beaver family had been killing and eating Dene who travelled in the area.
Yamǫ́rıa began to chase his beaver wife and her family. He chased them all the way through Great Slave Lake and down the Mackenzie River. He caught up with them at Great Bear Lake and chased them around the lake to Tulita. Yamǫ́rıa killed three giant beavers at Tulita, skinned them and stretched their hides on Great Bear Rock. You can still see the oval outline of the beaver pelts there today.
Adapted from stories written by George Blondin, originally of Délı̨nę.
