Nya’kurlly ke’nap-pu lly’aaw mat kuwaaylly nyewaayk tewa. Chepat cha’saw shemay waam. Nyawaam nyatuuyawm a’wit weyiw nyewa-pelly wexap. “Peyally ta’wa lly’aaw-pu shuuyaw ta’wa akway nyapaakm nyaat saawx.”

Once upon a time, there was a rabbit who lived in a burrow in the ground. One day he went off looking for food. While he was away, a rattlesnake came along and went into his house. “I’ll wait here for the rabbit, and when he gets back I’ll eat him,” the rattlesnake said to himself.

Nya’kurlly ke’nap-pu lly’aaw mat kuwaaylly nyewaayk tewa. Chepat cha’saw shemay waam. Nyawaam nyatuuyawm a’wit weyiw nyewa-pelly wexap. “Peyally ta’wa lly’aaw-pu shuuyaw ta’wa akway nyapaakm nyaat saawx.”

Kuur wichm llye’aaw-pet nyewa-pu akway paa. Pes yay-pet xantukAfter a long time, the rabbit came back home, but he felt uneasy. Something was not right. “I think there might be something bad inside,” he thought. “First I will knock at the door. If it is quite, then I’ll go in.”

Kuur wichm llye’aaw-pet nyewa-pu akway paa. Pes yay-pet xantuk xemaaw; melaayk. “Paychach-pu chiilliich nyewa-pu llyewa kexa,” paycha tuuyaw. “Nyewa-pu shkux xiipuk. Skayp nyawikm xapx.”

Penya’wit nyewa-pu shkux. Ku’aaylly aaman “Aawka” we’i. Llye’aaw-pet penySo he knocked at the door. From deep inside came a “Hello!” The rabbit thought, “My house never talks to me. There must be something bad inside, alright.” And he took off.

A’wi-pet skayp wi tewa nyapuum llye’aaw-pu wesaawx tuuyaw-pes naynaat ch’am.

A’wiThe snake had waited, intending to eat the rabbit, but he messed it up himself.

Nyaam aawatt.

The end.

– Story translation to English: Gloria Pinto and Amy Miller

Kumeyaay Story contributed by

Daleane Adams / Kumeyaay  Jamul Indian Village Tribe