Florence Shaughnessy

"The Toad and the Mouse" (1951)

Writing system: no hyphens | hyphens
Display style: paragraph | sentence | look-up

Text identifier: LA16-6
Speaker: Florence Shaughnessy
Primary documentation: R. H. Robins
Edition: R. H. Robins, The Yurok Language (1958), pp. 164-165

Yurok audio:  
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English translation:  
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  1. Heekon 'enuemee pe'l soo melee', kwesee kue keetee 'ue-merweryk' 'eekee too'm nue hlkeeegor.
    Once upon a time a very big brush dance was held, and when the final dance was about to take place everyone went to watch.
  2. Kwesee kue locho'm 'o ge's, Nek kem kue hlkyorkwek'.
    So the toad thought, I will go and watch too.
  3. Kue negeneech tue' kem wee' 'o gegok'w, kolo wee' neenee hak'ws 'w-esek', Kwelekw soo mermeryerwerk', Nek kem kue hlkyorkwek'.
    The mouse was walking around there too, she was laughing around a bit, thinking, Well, I am good looking, I will go and watch too.
  4. Kwesee keech 'ela skuykep' kue locho'm noohl 'o gee' kue negeneech, Ney, kues cho' soo newoyek'?
    The toad dressed herself and then said to the mouse, My dear, how do I look?
  5. Kwesee ye'm kue negeneech, 'Iyah, ke'l kwelekw kolokween toome'weye'm k'ee koosee swektkeloo'weye'm.
    Then the mouse said, Oh, your face is ever so broad and you are covered with warts all over.
  6. Kwesee 'o te'no'y kue locho'm, kwesee wok 'ee so chyuuek'we'n.
    The toad was annoyed at this, and sat down at one side.
  7. Kwesee wee' neenee noo's kue negeneech.
    The mouse went giggling around.
  8. Kwesee keech 'ela wey 'we-chuerp'ery kue negeneech, noohl weet 'ela myah noohl 'ap ha'm, Kues cho soo newoyek'? Ney, to's keech mermeryerwerk'?
    And when the mouse had finished combing her hair, she jumped up and said, How do I look? My dear, am I pretty now?
  9. Kwesee ye'm kue locho'm, Nek soo ke'l hese'm, Mermeryerwerk'.
    Then the toad said, I think that you think "I'm pretty".
  10. Kwelekw nek hesek' chpeewee 'ue-kwere'weyek' 'oohl 'o k'ee wek 'ue-'wes'onah.
    But I think you are the sharpest faced person under these heavens.