The Flood
  Told by Edward Sampson, Sr., c̕acmacút
June 1992
Ed and Hazel Sampson
Translated by Beatrice Charles, Adeline Smith, and Timothy Montler
        Recorded and transcribed by Timothy Montler
 

Many of the late Klallam elders such as Ed Sampson, Martha John, and Anna Bennett have told this story. They all have expressed its great importance as part of the foundation of the Klallam nation. It is the first and one of the longest stories recorded by Ed Sampson. The various versions differ only very little in detail. In some versions it is mím̕xʷtən, the sleeping lady mountain that the people tie their canoe up to. In this version the cedar rope is tied to what is called today Mt. Olympus. Many of the surrounding tribes have similar stories. The Saanich, for example, tied up to ɬéwəlŋəxʷ, Mt. Newton, on Vancouver Island.

There are many ways that this story can be used in learning the Klallam language. One good way to begin is simply to listen   and relisten to the sound recording following along reading the Klallam column. This will help you train your ear in hearing the rhythms and sounds of the language, and at the same time you will be getting used to seeing the way the words are written. After listening and reading the story in Klallam a number of times, you can begin looking back and forth between the columns finding the meanings to particular Klallam words. You can click on particular Klallam words to confirm your guesses. You can use the red numbers at the beginnings of paragraphs to find a particular place in the story. The numbers indicate the length of time into the recording. The entire story is 21 minutes and 41 seconds long.

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        I want to try to tell it right from the beginning in Noah's days too. That's the same time this thing happened.

 

  ʔaʔ   kʷi   st̕áyəŋt̕əŋs   yaʔ   tiʔə   sčaʔitə́ŋxʷən   ƛ̕áy   əw̕   níɬ   ʔaʔ   kʷi   st̕áyəŋt̕əŋs   yaʔ   kʷi   yíy̕   sčtə́ŋxʷən.   naʔc̕áʔuŋxʷ   sčtə́ŋxʷən.           When the flood went all over these lands here, that flood also went over that far-away land. Foreign land.
        qʷin̕ə́kʷitəŋ   ʔaʔ   či   cícɬ   siʔám̕   kʷiyi   čnáʔatəŋ   ʔaʔ   či   snə́wəs.   ʔə́y̕   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ  ; ʔə́y̕   xʷanítəm.   nəxʷst̕éʔwiʔəɬ.           The one that was called Noah was spoken to by God. He was a good person; he was a good white man. He was religious.
0:51          ʔiʔ   x̣ənátəŋ   kʷi   nə́wə,   "yéʔkʷsəŋ!   čáy   ʔaʔ   či   čə́q   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.''   x̣ənátəŋ   kʷi   nə́wə,   "yéʔkʷsəŋ!   t̕áyəŋt̕əŋ   caʔ   tiʔə   sčaytə́ŋxʷən   ʔiʔ   ʔə́wə   náʔc̕əʔ   hiyí   w̕   húy   čə   ʔən̕skʷáʔ   ʔən̕ʔəcɬtáyŋəxʷ   húy   caʔ   w̕   hiyinúŋət   ʔaʔ   kʷə   ʔánəɬ   ʔaʔ   či   nəsqʷáqʷi   ʔi   w̕   ʔánəɬ   cə   ŋə́nŋənəʔ   ʔaʔ   nə́wə.           Noah was told, "Get ready! Build a large ship.'' Noah was told, "Get ready! These lands will be flooded. No one is going to live. Only your own people will be the ones who will live if you obey what I say.'' And so the children of Noah obeyed.
1:43          suʔ   x̣ənátəŋ   ʔaʔ   nə́wə,   "čáy   ʔaʔ   či   čə́q   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.   čáy   ʔaʔ   či   čə́q   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.''   suʔ   ʔánəɬ   ʔaʔ   nə́wə.   ččáts   cánu   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs.           Noah told them, "Build a big ship, an ark.'' They obeyed Noah. They built their ark.
2:11          čáy   kʷi   nə́wə   ʔaʔ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs   ʔiʔ   qʷiŋíts   w̕   x̣ə́n̕   xʷanítəm   kʷə   ʔánəɬs   ʔaʔ   či   sqʷáqʷis   ʔaʔ   či   cícɬ   siʔám̕   hiʔ   níɬ   caʔ   suʔ   hiyinúŋət   či   ʔánəɬ   "ʔiʔ   húʔ   cxʷ   ʔáwə   cxʷ   ʔánəɬ   ʔiʔ   kʷán   caʔ   cxʷ,''   w̕   qʷiŋ̕íts   cə   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   xʷiyanítəm.           Noah worked on the ark, and he talked to all the white people telling them to obey the word of God so that they will live if they obey. "And if you do not obey, you will be lost,'' he told the white people.
2:55          ʔiʔ   húy   ti   suʔ   sqaʔx̣qíŋ̕s.   snaʔniʔtiʔúʔəŋ.   húy   ti   suʔ   sqaʔx̣qíŋ̕s   kʷi   nə́wə   ʔaʔ   ti   snaʔniʔtiʔúʔəŋ   ʔi   w̕   ʔáwə   c   stáŋənə   nə́wə   cə   sqaʔx̣qíŋ̕.   w̕   sə́ɬəŋ   w̕   čaʔčáʔts   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs.           They just made fun of him. They were laughing at him. They just made fun of Noah by laughing at him. But Noah paid no attention to the ones who were mocking him. He kept on building his boat.
3:35          níɬ   suʔ   húynəxʷs   čáʔčts.   níɬ   suʔ   q̕pə́ts   suʔ   x̣ə́ˑˑˑn̕əs   stáŋ   či   čə́səʔ   swə́y̕qəʔ   ʔiʔ   ti   sɬániʔ.   w̕   x̣ən̕íŋkʷ   taʔtáʔciŋəxʷ   ʔiʔ   ʔənʔá   ʔiʔ   ʔúyɬ   ʔaʔ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.           He finally finished working on it. So then he gathered together everything in twos, male and female. All of the creatures came aboard the ark.
4:15          nəxʷtqə́təŋ.   nəxʷtqə́ts   cə   súɬ,   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs   ʔaʔ   kʷi   skʷɬ   ʔúyɬs   čə   w̕   x̣ən̕íŋkʷ   taʔtáʔciŋəxʷ   ʔiʔ   či   ŋə́nŋənəʔs   ʔiʔ   či   ɬənɬániʔs   ʔiʔ   či   ʔəŋʔíŋcs.   ʔúyɬ   ʔaʔ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.           It was closed. He shut the door, his ark, when he had boarded all the animals and his children and their wives and his grandchildren. They got aboard the ark.
4:42          ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   ŋaʔk̕ʷaʔcúts   w̕   ʔiʔáʔiɬ.   ʔáwənə   nəsx̣čít   kʷə   k̕ʷín   skʷáči   cə   ŋaʔk̕ʷaʔcúts.   ʔiʔ   ŋaʔk̕ʷaʔcút   čə   ŋə́nŋənəʔs.           And then they waited aboard the ark. I don't know how many days they waited. He waited with his children.
5:05          ʔiʔáʔiɬ   ʔaʔ   čə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ   níɬ   suʔ   ɬə́məxʷs.   ʔənʔáˑˑˑ   ɬə́məxʷ.   c̕úʔkʷs   skʷáči   čə   sɬə́m̕xʷs.   níɬ   w̕   tə́s   kʷi   c̕úʔkʷs   skʷáči.   níɬ   suʔ   ʔənʔás   cə   qʷúʔ.   ʔənʔá   t̕áyəŋ̕t̕əŋ̕   tə   sčtə́ŋxʷən.           They were aboard the ark, then it rained. The rains came. It rained for seven days. Then it got to the seventh day. Then the water came. The earth was flooded.
5:35          ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   ʔənʔá   sc̕áyəc̕əŋi.   ʔənʔá   cə   sqaʔx̣qíŋ̕   yaʔ   cə   snaʔniʔtiʔúʔəŋ.   ʔənʔá   kʷaʔkʷə́čəŋ   "ʔúyɬtuŋɬ!   ʔúyɬtuŋɬ!  ... ʔúyɬtuŋɬ!''   ʔiʔ   ʔáwə   kʷə.   ʔáwə   c   ʔánəɬ   kʷi   nə́wə.           Then some came up near the ark. The ones who mocked and laughed at him came. They came hollering, "Put us aboard! Let us get on! Let us get on!'' but he did didn't. Noah did not comply with their demands.
6:05          ʔənʔáˑˑ   kʷaʔčəɬ   cə   qʷúʔ.   níɬ   suʔ   ʔənʔás   ʔiʔ   p̕ákʷəŋ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs.   p̕ákʷəŋ   ʔiʔ   kʷi   st̕áyəŋt̕əŋs   cə   sčaytə́ŋxʷən   w̕.  .. cə   sʔáwə   c   q̕ʷáq̕ʷi,   sx̣əyáʔəs   xʷiyanítəm   q̕ʷúy   kʷə.   x̣ʷáˑˑy   suʔ   x̣ə́n̕   stáŋ   ʔi   či   taʔtáʔciŋəxʷ   ʔi   či   w̕   x̣ən̕íŋkʷ   ʔaʔ   tə   sčtə́ŋxʷən.   x̣ʷáy   kʷə   w̕   x̣ə́n̕yə   xʷiyanítəm.           The water came up. It came and the ark floated. It floated, and when all lands flooded those that did not believe, the evil white people,died. Everything and all the animals perished. And every living creature on the land. All the white people perished.
7:00          níˑˑɬ   w̕   p̕ákʷəŋ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.   ʔənʔáˑˑ   kʷə   kʷi   qʷúʔ.   ʔiʔ   tə́s   sx̣aʔeʔkʷuyéʔč   sŋiyánt.   c̕ɬp̕iyéʔqʷ.   c̕ɬp̕iyéʔqʷ   w̕   ɬə́ŋ.   w̕   ʔáwənə   ʔəx̣ín   ʔaʔ   kʷi   sxʷʔíyə   ʔaʔ   nə́wə   či   sčtə́ŋxʷən   ʔəsʔéʔnəŋ.   ʔiʔ   níˑˑɬ   suʔ   x̣ʷə́y̕q̕ʷs   kʷsə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs   ʔiʔáʔiɬ   kʷi   nə́wə.           So the ark floated. That water came. It came to the craggy mountains. They got covered. Completely. There was no land showing where Noah came from. The ark that Noah was aboard drifted.
8:00          ŋə́n̕   skʷáči   či   sx̣ʷə́y̕q̕ʷs.   ŋəsɬšáʔ.   ŋəsɬšáʔ   čə   sx̣ʷə́y̕q̕ʷs   ʔiʔ   čə   ƛ̕áy   həwéyŋ   cə   qʷúʔ.   t̕áqʷi.   t̕áqʷi.   níɬ   suʔ.  .. níɬ   suʔ   hiyáˑˑʔs   kʷi   qʷúʔ   t̕áqʷi   ƛ̕áy.   st̕ə́ŋ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ   ʔaʔ   tə   sčtə́ŋxʷən.   x̣ʷáˑˑy   kʷi   sq̕ʷayáʔšəns   cə   ʔaycɬtáyŋxʷs.           They drifted many days. Forty. They drifted forty days and the water started going back. The water receded. It receded. So... So the water went back again. The ark settled on the earth. All the people's companions perished.
9:00   Now that's what happened where Noah built his ark. Now I come to over here. And that were the same flood that were flood over there. There's Indians that used to live along this coast here. I don't know, I forget how many days. How many days the people start noticing their drinking water was changing--getting salty.

 

9:55           kʷiʔa   ʔaycɬtáyŋxʷ   nəxʷsƛ̕áy̕əm̕.   w̕   x̣ən̕íŋkʷ   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ.   níɬ   suʔ   náʔc̕uʔ.   náʔc̕uʔ   kʷɬčə́q.   čx̣čŋín   ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   qʷáyŋs   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ,   "yéʔkʷsəŋ!   yéʔkʷsəŋ!   q̕pə́t   či   sʔíɬən.   yəc̕ə́t   či   ʔən̕sxʷqəyəčáy   ʔaʔ   či   qʷúʔ!''   níɬ   suʔ.  .. kʷɬčə́q   iʔ.  .. x̣ən̕áts   tə   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   kʷə   yéʔkʷsəŋs.   "q̕pə́t   čə   ʔən̕sʔíɬən   čə   ʔən̕qʷúʔ.   ʔúyɬ   ʔaʔ   čə   ʔən̕sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.   ʔiʔ   ʔúyɬ   čə   ʔən̕skʷáʔ   ʔən̕ŋə́nŋənəʔ   ʔiʔ   čə   ʔən̕ʔəŋʔíŋc.   ʔúyɬ   ʔaʔ   či   ʔən̕sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ.''           This was Klallam people. All the Indians. There was one person. One old person. He was wise, and he was the one who told the Indians, "Get ready! Get ready! Gather food! Fill your jugs with water!'' So... old and... He told the people to get ready. Gather your food, your water. Board your boat. Board your children and your grandchildren. Board your boat.''
11:22          níɬ   kʷə   k̕ʷíns   yaʔ   čtə   skʷáči   ʔiʔ   ʔənʔá   cə   qʷúʔ.   ʔənʔáˑˑ   ʔiʔ   cə   sqaʔx̣qíŋ̕   ʔaʔ   cə   kʷɬčə́q   ʔaʔ   kʷi   sk̕ʷə́snəqs   qʷiŋíts   či   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   kʷə   yéʔkʷsəŋs,   ʔúyɬ   ʔaʔ   čə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs   ʔiʔ   ʔáwənə   sʔíɬəns.   ʔáwənə   qʷúʔs.   ʔáwə   c   ʔánəɬ   ʔaʔ   kʷi   saʔátəŋs   ʔaʔ   cə   kʷɬčə́q   kʷə   yéʔkʷsəŋs.           It was so many days and the water came. It came and the ones that mocked the old man's preaching telling the people to get ready, boarded their boats but had no food. They had no water. They did not obey the orders of the old man to get ready.
12:05          ʔənʔáˑˑˑ   kʷaʔčəɬ   cə   qʷúʔ.   w̕   x̣áˑˑn   čə   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   w̕   ʔúyɬ   ʔaʔ   či   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs   ʔuʔútx̣s.   níɬ   suʔ   hiyáˑˑʔs.   tə́s   ʔaʔ   cə   sx̣aʔeʔkʷuyéʔč   ʔiʔ   t̕ə́ŋ̕.   cə́xʷ   kʷɬə   kʷi   cə   sx̣aʔeʔkʷuyéʔč   sŋiyánt.   t̕áyəŋt̕əŋ.           The water came! All the Indians boarded their canoes. So they went. It got to the mountains and flooded them. The craggy mountains disappeared. They were flooded.
12:45          níɬ   suʔ   čə́səʔ   čə   ʔiyáˑˑ   ʔaʔ   tə   sq̕tayéʔqʷs   cə   sŋiyánt.   čə́səʔ.   x̣ʷnáŋ̕   w̕   kʷɬə́.   níɬ   suʔ   tə́ss   ʔiʔ   t̕áyəŋt̕əŋ   čə   sŋiyánt   ʔiʔ   šə́wi   cə   čə́səʔ!   ʔənʔá   šə́wi!   ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   hiyáʔ   cə   qʷúʔ   ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   šə́wis   kʷə   sčə́səʔs.   sq̕tayéʔqʷs   cə   sŋiyánt.           There are two peaks there in the mountains. Two. Just like that. It was there they arrived when the mountains were flooded. And the two grew! They grew up! And so the water went and the two peaks kept growing. They are the peaks of the mountains.
13:30           When the water reached the mountains it covered them up, those two peaks right up here up above the Elwha River. I don't know what you call that mountain. There are two peaks like that. When the flood reached, covered the mountain and the higher goes them two peaks grow tall.

 

14:06          ʔi   níɬ   suʔ   tə́ss   ʔaʔ   tə   sx̣aʔeʔkʷuyéʔč   ʔiʔ   čáy   cə   ʔaycɬtáyŋxʷ   ʔaʔ   cə   x̣ʷéʔləms.   ʔi   w̕   q̕tawyéˑˑʔ   cánə   čə́səʔ.   níɬ   suʔ   t̕áyəŋt̕əŋ   cə   sxʷʔiyás   cə   sčáys   x̣ʷéʔləm.   ʔiʔ   ɬaʔníct   cə   xʷaʔxʷáʔiɬ   x̣ʷéʔləm.   ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   ʔiyáˑˑs.   ʔiʔ   c̕ɬə́p̕i   kʷə   cə   čə́səʔ.   níɬ   suʔ   ʔiyás   čɬanícts   cənə   ʔaycɬtáyŋxʷ.  
15:10          ʔiyáˑˑ   kʷaʔčəɬ   ʔiʔáʔiɬ   ʔaʔ   čə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬ   ʔuʔútx̣s   ʔiʔ   ŋaʔk̕ʷaʔcút   ʔaʔ   cə   ƛ̕áyuc̕i   cə   st̕áyəŋt̕əŋs.   		        And so they reached the mountains and the Indians worked with their rope. They wrapped it around those two. It was where they were working on the rope. They tied up the thin rope. And the two were su湮bmerged. So that's where the Indians tied it up.
        So they were there aboard their canoe waiting for the rising of the water to stop.
15:30           And I forget how many days they tied up there on those two peaks. The one peak, anyway had the rope. The Indians when they reached up there the water was coming up and they reached up there and they made a big rope out of roots made enough to go around that peak. And that's what they tied on when that flood covered those two peaks. And they stayed up there for many days.

 

16:15          ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   t̕áqʷis.   t̕áqʷi   cə   qʷúʔ.   həwíyŋ.   níɬ   suʔ   ƛ̕áys   ʔínəŋ   cə   sŋiyánt   sx̣aʔeʔkʷuyéʔč.   níɬ   suʔ   yəx̣ʷás   cə   x̣ʷéʔləms   suʔ   sɬéʔɬəŋs   yaʔ   cə   sčaʔkʷaʔyúɬs   ʔiʔ   ʔənʔá   həwéyŋ   ʔiʔ   néʔts   ʔiʔ   kʷinu   čx̣čŋín   kʷɬčə́q   ʔiʔ   cə   ʔánəɬs.           And then it dried up. The water receded. It went back. Then the mountain peaks appeared again. So they untied the rope that had tied up the canoe.
17:10          ʔənʔáˑˑ   ʔiʔwə́wə   ʔaʔ   cə   qʷúʔ   ʔaʔ   kʷi   st̕áʔqʷis.   néʔ   kʷi   ʔáwə   c.  .. kʷi   ʔáwə   c   ʔánəɬ   ʔaʔ   kʷi   sx̣ən̕átəŋs   ʔaʔ   cə   kʷɬčə́q   kʷə   q̕pə́t   či   sʔíɬəns   ʔiʔ   či   qʷúʔs   kʷi   sŋaʔk̕ʷaʔcúts   ʔaʔ   sʔéʔɬən   ʔaʔ   cə   nu.  .. tə   skʷáʔs   ŋə́nŋənəʔs   ʔiʔ   tiʔə   ʔəŋʔíŋcs.   w̕   ʔáwənə   sʔéʔɬəns.   ʔáwə   c   ʔánəɬ   ʔaʔ   kʷi   saʔátəŋs   ʔaʔ   q̕pə́t   či   sʔíɬəns   ʔiʔ   či   qʷúʔ.   čɬqə́nəxʷ.   šáʔš.           It came back and they were there, that wise old one and those that obeyed him. They came along with the water as it receded. There were those that didn't... that didn't obey what they were told by the old man to do, to gather their food, their water when waiting tied up to that... with his own children and grandchildren. They had no food, those that didn't obey his orders to gather food and water. They starved. They were thirsty.
18:10          níɬ   suʔ.  .. níɬ   suʔ   ʔa.  .. čɬqə́nxʷs   ʔiʔ   níɬ   suʔ   ʔəčšítis   ʔaʔ   cə   q̕áyaʔŋis   ŋə́nŋənəʔs.   ʔəčšíti   ʔaʔ   či   sʔíɬən.           Then... So then... They were starving, so they exchanged their daughters. They exchanged for food.
18:33          níɬ   suʔ   ʔənʔáˑˑs   ʔiʔ   t̕áʔqʷi   cə   qʷúʔ.   ʔənʔá   kʷaʔčəɬ   wáʔ   cə   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   ʔiʔáʔiɬ   ʔaʔ   tə   snə́xʷɬs.   níɬ   suʔ   ʔənʔáˑˑs   ʔiʔ   t̕áqʷi   cə   qʷúʔ.   ʔənʔá   cíq   ʔaʔ   ti   sq̕tayéʔqʷs   cə   sqiyáyŋxʷ   ʔiʔ   kʷə́y̕kʷi   ʔiʔ   x̣ʷáy.           So the water came receding. The people aboard their canoes came along. So the water came receding. They were poked by the tops of the trees, capsized, and perished.
19:05           Just like what happened with Noah, they, just those that didn't obey, they all died. They were coming down; some of them the trees hit the bottom of their canoes, they tipped over, and they all died, the unbelievers.

 

19:34          níɬ   suʔ   ʔənʔáˑˑs   t̕áqʷi   ʔiʔ   ŋə́n̕   néʔ   kʷi   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   x̣ʷə́yəq̕ʷ   ʔiʔ   txʷnáč̕   sčtə́ŋxʷən.   níɬ   kʷaʔčəɬ   sxʷnéʔs   či   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   kʷə   yéy̕   hiyáʔ   hiyáʔ   či   naʔc̕áʔuŋxʷ   sčtə́ŋxʷən   nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm̕úcən.   níɬ   kʷaʔčəɬ   sxʷnéʔ   či   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   ʔiyá   či   naʔc̕áʔuŋxʷ   sčtə́ŋxʷən.   nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm̕úcən   ʔəɬ   qʷáqʷis.           Then it came receding and there were many Indians that drifted away to different lands. That is why there are Indians in far away foreign lands speaking the Klallam language. That's why there are Indians in foreign lands. Their language is Klallam.
20:24          či   xʷanítəm   ʔaʔ   tiʔə   ʔáynəkʷ,   ʔáx̣əŋ   ʔaʔ   či   ʔáwɬ   tiʔə   ɬníŋɬ   ʔəcɬtáyŋxʷ   čəʔáɬə   čaʔyéy̕   c   ʔənʔá   x̣ʷə́yəq̕ʷ.           The white people of today,they say that we Indians did not come from here but drifted from far away.
20:45           Some of the white people of today, they claim that there were no Indians here before the flood. They said that we drifted from other countries, foreign countries. I guess they're trying to cover up what they're doing now taking our lands away.

 

21:16          qaʔyáx̣ct   či   xʷanítəm.   qáyəx̣.   cút   kʷə   ʔáwə   c   qʷaʔnítəŋ   ʔaʔ   či   sč̕áʔi.   č̕aʔyáʔnəq   ʔaʔ   tiʔə   sčtə́ŋxʷən.

  

        The whiteman is lying to us. He's lying. They said that they weren't talking about taking. They are taking away this land.