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Cherokee
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"How far do we have to go?"
"ᎲᎦ ᎢᏳᏓᏅᎯᏓ ᏫᎦᎶᎯᏍᏗ?"
"I'm almost ready," said his mom
“ᏃᏗ ᎠᏆᏛᏅᎢᏍᏔᏃᏂᏗ,” ᎤᏛᏁ ᎤᏥ
"We had better hurry along"
“ᎢᎩᏅᏅᎢᏍᏗ ᏃᏉ"
"I see the other birds leaving"
"ᎦᏳᎳ ᎠᎾᏂᎩ ᎠᏂᏐᎢ ᏥᏍᏆ"
"We can't stay here very long."
"ᎨᏍᏗ ᎪᎯᏓ ᎩᏁᏓᏍᏗ ᏱᎩ ᎭᏂ.”
"Buddy, you must stay close to us For a very hard trip it will be."
"ᏧᏓᏏ, ᎾᎥᏂ ᎯᏃᎯᎵᏎᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏰᎯᏍᏗ ᏫᏓᏗᎶᏏ.”
But in all the excitement A limb, Buddy did not see.
ᎠᏎᏃ ᎠᎵᎮᎵᎬ ᎨᏍᏗ ᏳᎪᎭ ᎤᏩᏂᎦᏢ.
Buddy flew right into the limb
ᎤᏩᏂᎦᏢ ᏭᏭᏓᎸᏤᎢ
Then went falling to the ground
ᏃᏗ ᎦᏙ ᏭᏅᏥᎴᎢ
And he hit it so very hard that his head went round and round.
ᏍᏓᏯ ᏭᏅᏥᎴ ᎤᎸᏔᎵᏕᎾ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁᎢ.
When he looked up, they were all gone
ᎤᏔᎷᎾ, ᎤᎾᏂᎩᏐᏅ ᎨᏎ.
"Oh come back!" he cried and cried
“ᏗᏤᎾ!” ᎤᏦᏱᎴᎢ
But no one was there to hear him
ᎠᏎᏃ ᎨᏍᏗ ᎩᎶ ᏳᏛᎦᎾ
He looked with teary eyes so wide.
ᏧᏌᏬᎸ ᏚᎧᎵᏤ ᏗᎦᏙᎵ.
I'm afraid to be alone, he thought
"ᏥᏍᎦᎢ ᎠᏋᏌ ᎨᏒ" ᎤᏪᎵᏎ.
"For winter will be here soon"
"ᎪᎳ ᏓᎦᎷᏥ ᏂᎪᎯᎸᎾ."
"Everyone will be warm down south"
"ᏂᎦᏓ ᎤᎦᏃᏮ ᏩᏁᏙᎮᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᏐᎢ."
Then, a dark cloud passed over the moon.
ᏃᏗ ᎤᎵᏏᎩ ᎤᎧᎲᏛ ᎤᎶᏎ ᏅᏙ ᎠᎬᏱᏣ.
"I will have to try to walk there"
"ᏗᎨᏃ ᎡᎳᏗ ᏓᎦᏂᎩᏏ."
"I cannot stay here and freeze"
"ᎨᏍᏗ ᎭᏂᏉ ᎬᏯᏓᏍᏗ ᏱᎩ ᏃᎴ ᏱᏥᎾᏬᎩ."
As he walked he tried to be brave
ᎠᎢᏒ ᎠᏁᎸᏗᏍᎨᎢ ᎤᏍᎦᏍᏗ ᏱᎨᏒᎾ.
But felt lost in all the trees.
ᎠᏎᏃ, ᎠᏙᎯ ᎤᎴᎿᎴᎢ.
As the night closed in the dark he began to feel the cold.
ᎤᎵᏏᎩ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁ ᎤᏒᎯ ᎧᎾᏬᎨ ᏃᏉ
"I'll wait until it is morning, then I'll go," he thought, feeling bold.
“ᏑᎾᎴ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏔᏅ ᏓᏥᎦᏘᏗ" ᎾᎯᏳ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏪᎵᏎ, ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏯᏍᎦᎢᎲᎾ.
But when the morning came again He knew he could not fly
ᎠᏎᏃ ᏑᎾᎴ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ ᎠᎧᏔᎮᎢ ᎫᏩᏟᏫᏛᏗ ᏱᎨᏒᎾ.
His wing felt like it was broken.
ᎤᎵᏍᏆᎵᏓ ᏥᎨᏐ ᎪᏯᏛᎢ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁᎮ.
He shook as the wind blew by.
ᎤᏩᏃᏪᎢ ᎤᏃᎴ ᎤᎶᏎ.
The wind began to blow so hard
ᏍᏔᏯ ᎤᏃᎸᏁ
And he felt like he should find some nice tree that he could stay with.
ᏃᏗ ᎠᎩᏩᏛᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎤᏓᏅᏗ ᏧᎬ ᏥᏯᎵᏍᎦᏍᏙᏗ.
"I know trees are good and kind."
“ᏥᎦᏔᎭ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘ ᏕᏧᎬ.”
"No! No! You cannot stay with me."
ᎭᏕᏬ! ᎭᏕᏬ! ᎨᏍᏗ ᎠᏯ ᎬᏍᏆᎵᏍᎦᏍᏙᏗ ᏱᎩ .”
As the Maple snubbed her nose.
ᎱᎵᏍᎦᏴᏍᏔᏁᎢ ᏧᏩᎩ.
"Not a broken bird in my limbs."
“ᏣᏲᎪ ᎤᏲᏨ ᏥᏍᏆ ᎠᏯ ᏗᏆᏤᎵ ᏚᏩᏂᎦᏢ."
"I'm too pretty as you know."
"ᏙᏳ ᎠᏉᏚᎯ ᎯᎧᏔᎭ.”
"Yes, you are right," he said
“Ꭵ, ᎤᏙᏳᎯ,” ᎤᏛᏁ
"I guess I would mess up your looks,"
"ᎠᏎᎩ ᎤᏲ ᏱᏂᎬᎦ ᏤᏣᎧᏃᏗ "
"I will ask someone else for help."
"ᎩᎶ ᏄᏓᎴ ᏱᏥᏔᏲᏏ ᎠᎩᏍᏕᎸᏗ”
"I feel cold…." he shook and shook and shook.
"ᏥᎾᏬᎦ ... " ᎤᏩᏃᏪ.
"I'll ask that big strong oak tree, I'm sure he'll have some room," he said.
“ᎤᏟᏂᎩᏓ ᎠᏓᏯ ᏧᎬ ᏓᏥᏯᏛᏛᏂ ᎨᎵᎠ ᏳᏣᏅᏓ,” ᎤᏛᏁ
"Oh no! You cannot stay with me." Big oak began to turn his head.
“ᎭᏕᏬ, ᎭᏕᏬ! ᎨᏍᏗ ᎬᏍᏆᎵᏍᎦᏍᏙᏗᏱᎩ.” ᎤᎦᏔᎲᏎ ᎡᏆ ᎠᏓᏯ.
"You see, I must stay looking strong"
“ᎠᏆᏟᏂᎩᏓ ᏨᏆᎧᏃᏗ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ"
"Can't be bothered with a bird"
"ᎨᏍᏗ ᏥᏍᏆ ᎬᏆᏕᏯᏙᏗ ᏱᎩ"
Of course, not a broken one.
"ᎾᏍᎩᏃ, ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎤᎵᏍᏔᏅ."
"All would laugh if they heard."
"ᏂᎦᏗ ᏱᎬᏆᏓᎰᏓ.”
Now whatever will I do?
“ᏃᏉ ᎦᏙ ᏓᎦᏛᏁᎵ?”
"For no one will let me stay"
"ᎨᏍᏗ ᎩᎶ ᏳᏚᎵ ᎠᎩᏍᏕᎸᏗ"
The snow is coming down so fast
"ᏍᏈᏍᏓ ᏃᎴ ᎦᏣᏄᎳ ᎫᏘᎭ"
He began to fall and sway.
ᎦᏅᏥᏙᎮ ᏃᎴ ᏚᏙᎨᏍᎨ.
"I am much too tired and too cold to keep trying to go on."
"ᎤᏙᏳ ᏓᎩᏯᏪᎦ ᏃᎴ ᏥᎾᏬᎦ ᎨᏍᏗ ᎬᏆᏁᎸᏙᏗ ᏱᎩ ᎠᏇᏅᏍᏗ."
"I cannot find a place to stay and wait, until winter is gone."
"ᎠᏆᏦᎩ ᎠᏆᏣᏪᏐᎸᏍᏗ ᏃᎴ ᎠᎩᎦᏘᏗᏍᏗ, ᎪᎳ ᎠᏂᎩᏍᎬ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ."
Oh yes you can! said a voice
“ᏰᎵᏉᏗ ᏱᎾᏛᎦ!” ᎤᏛᏁ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ
It came from a cedar tree
ᎠᏥᎾ ᏧᎬ ᏗᏧᏓᎴᏁ
"You can stay as long as you like If you care to stay with me."
“ᎮᎵᏍᎬᏉ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᏱᎬᏍᏆᏂᎪᏓ ᏱᏣᏚᎵ ᎠᏯ ᎬᏍᏆᏂᎪᏙᏗ.”
I'm not very pretty at all, and my limbs are not so strong.
ᎨᏍᏗ ᎠᏉᏚ ᏱᎩ ᏓᏆᏂᎦᏢ ᎨᏍᏗ ᏧᏟᏂᎩᏓ ᏱᎩ.
But we will do the best we can, and stay until winter is gone.
"ᎠᏎᏃ ᏰᎵᏉ ᏱᏂᎾᏛᎦ ᎭᏂᏉ ᎮᎮᏍᏗ ᎪᎳ ᎦᎶᏐᏅ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ."
Buddy could not believe his ears
ᎨᏍᏗ ᎭᏩ ᏱᎩ ᎮᎵᏍᎨ ᏧᏓᏏ
"Oh, you look just fine to me."
“Ꭳ, ᎣᏍᏓᏗ ᏤᏣᎧᏃᏗ.”
And there he stayed until spring with the nicest, kindest tree.
ᎭᎾᎾ ᎡᎮᎢ ᎪᎨᏱ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᎤᏙᏳ ᎤᏓᏅᏘ ᏧᎬ.
When mom and dad came back again he told them what he had done and seen
ᎤᏥ ᏃᎴ ᎤᏙᏓ ᎱᏂᎷᏣ ᏚᏃᎯᏎᎴ ᏄᏛᏁᎸ ᏃᎴ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎤᎪᎲ
Look! Other trees had lost their leaves, but this one was forever green.
Ꮒ! ᏗᏐᎢ ᏕᏧᎬ ᏚᏂᏲᎰᏎᎴ ᏧᏆᎶᎦ. ᎯᎠᏃ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᎢᏤᎯ.
The end
ᎠᏍᏆᏓ
But did you know, from this day on - a legend it may well be - But once a year at a certain time we honor the evergreen tree.
ᎯᎧᏔᎮᎢᏧ, ᎯᎪ ᎢᎦ ᎠᎴᏂᏍᎩ - ᎧᏃᎮᏓᏉ ᏱᎩ - ᏐᏉ ᎢᎦ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᎢᏓᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗᏍᎪ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᎢᏤᎯ ᏕᏧᎬ.
Look at the tall trees, says my father.
ᏗᏣᎧᏅᎦ ᎢᎾ ᎢᏗᎦᏔ ᏕᏈᎬᎢ, ᎠᏗᎭ ᎡᏙᏓ.
They are redwood trees.
ᎩᎦᎨᏃ ᎠᏓ ᏥᏕᏈᎦ.
They have been alive for thousands of years.
ᎠᎴ ᏌᏊ ᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᎾᏕᏘᏯ ᏂᏗᏈᎪᎢ.
They are called Giant Sequoia.
ᏧᏔᎾ ᏍᏏᏉᏯ ᏓᏃᏎᎰᎢ.
Where did the name come from?
ᎭᏢᏃ ᏧᏓᎴᏁ ᎯᎠ ᏥᏚᏙᎠ?
It came from the name of a Cherokee Indian man who was alive when the United States was new.
ᎠᏣᎳᎩᏃ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎠᎴ ᏁᏙᎮ ᎠᎹ ᏰᏟ ᎢᏤ ᏂᎨᏎ ᎾᎾᏃ ᏧᏓᎴᏁ.
This Sequoyah must have been famous, we say.
ᎯᎢᏃ ᏍᏏᏉᏯ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏓ ᎨᏎ, ᎢᏓᏗᎰ.
He must have fought bravely and led his people well.
ᏧᎵᏨᏯᏍᏗ ᎤᏟᎳ ᏓᏘᏁᎬ ᏧᏤᎵ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ.
He must have been as tall and as strong as these trees.
ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎯᎢᎾ ᎢᏗᎦᏘ ᏕᏈᎬ ᏧᏔᏂᎩᏓ.
Yes, my father says, but not as you might think.
ᎥᎥ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎦᏪᏍᎬ ᎡᏙᏓ, Ꮭ ᏍᎩᏂ ᏣᏓᏅᏖᎢ.
This man called Sequoyah was crippled.
ᎯᎢᎾ ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏍᏏᏉᏯ ᎠᏲᎤᏟ ᎨᏎᎢ.
He was born in eastern Tennessee in the 1760s, the son of a Cherokee woman and a white man he never knew.
ᎤᏕᏅᏃ ᎧᎸᎬᎢᏗᏟ ᏖᎾᏏ ᎦᎵᏆᏚᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᏑᏓᎵᏍᎪᎯ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ, ᎤᏥᏃ ᎠᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏙᏓ ᎠᏲᏩᏁᎦ ᏱᎨᏎ.
For much of his life, Sequoyah was nobody famous.
ᏍᏏᏉᏯ ᎪᎯᏗ ᎤᎴᏂᏙᎴ Ꮭ ᏧᏓᏃᏣᎵ ᏱᎨᏎ.
He was a metalworker who could turn iron into chisels and drills and Georgia silver into forks and spoons.
ᏔᎷᎩᏍᎩ ᎦᏅᎦᏩᎶᏍᎩ ᎨᏎ ᏗᎦᏁᎦᎳᏫᏍᏙᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏗᏔᎴᏍᏙᏗ ᎦᎪᏢᏍᎬ. Georgia ᎠᏕᎳ ᎤᏁᎦ ᏗᏗᏙᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏴᎩ ᏕᎪᏢᏗᏍᎬ.
Sequoyah was not a chief, but he loved his people like one.
ᏍᏏᏉᏯ Ꮭ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᏰᎨᏎ ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᏚᎨᏳᏒ ᏧᏤᎵ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᎨᏒᎢ.
He wanted them to stand as tall as any people on earth.
ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᎢᎾ ᎢᏗᎾᏘ ᏧᎾᎳᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎾᏂᎥ ᏴᏫ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎠᏁᎮ.
He did not want them to disappear in the white man's world.
Ꮭ ᏳᏚᎵᏍᎨ ᎤᎾᎵᏛᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎠᏂᏲᏁᎦ ᎢᏳᎾᎵᏍᏙᏗ.
He did not want their Cherokee voices to fade away.
Ꮭ ᏳᏚᎵᏍᎨ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᏗᏁᎬ ᎤᏍᎪᎸᏍᏗ.
When he was fifty, they say, he decided to capture the people's voices in writing.
ᎯᎩᏍᎪᎯ ᏳᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᏥᎨᏎ, ᎠᎾᏗᏍᎬ, ᏚᏭᎪᏔᏅ ᏧᏂᏰᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏧᏬᏪᎶᏗ ᎢᏗᏬᏂᏍᎬ.
But Sequoyah, they tell us, knew no English and couldn't read -- not even the letter A.
ᎠᏎᏃ ᏍᏏᏉᏯ, ᎠᎾᏗᏍᎪ, Ꮭ ᎠᏲᏩᏁᎦ ᎪᎵᎦ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎪᎵᏰᏍᎩ ᏱᎨᏎ ᏝᏍᏊ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬ ᎠᏲᏩᏁᎦ ᎤᎪᎵᏰᏗ.
But that didn't matter to Sequoyah.
ᎠᏎᏃ Ꮭ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᏳᏗᏅᏖᏔᏁ ᏍᏏᏉᏯ.
"I will invent writing for our people," he said.
"ᏓᏥᏩᏛᎯ ᎢᏗᎬᎾᏗ ᏗᎪᏪᎶᏗ ᎠᏯ ᎢᎩᏠᏯ ᎢᏗᏴᏫ," ᎤᏛᏁᎢ.
Everyone laughed.
ᏂᎦᏗᏃ ᎬᏩᏰᏍᏔᏁ.
"Writing will make us strong."
"ᏱᏗᏙᏪᎵ ᎤᏝᏂᎩᏓ ᏱᏂᎬᎦ."
No one believed him.
Ꮭ ᎩᎶ ᎰᏩ ᏰᎵᏍᎨ.
Sequoyah began drawing hundreds of symbols, one for each word.
ᏍᏏᏉᏯᏃ ᎤᎴᏅᎮ ᏓᏟᎶᏍᏗᏍᎬ ᏗᎬᏟᎶᏍᏙᏗ ᏗᎧᏁᎢᏍᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᏍᏗ, ᏌᏊ ᏗᏟᏍᏙᏗ ᏌᏊ ᎢᎧᏁᎢᏍᏗ.
He scratched them on slats of wood and filled his cabin with shingles of writing.
ᏧᏒᏓᎷᎩᏃ ᏓᏟᎶᏍᏗᏍᎨ ᏗᎧᏁᎢᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎦᎵᏦᏕ ᎤᎧᎵᎡ ᏧᏬᏪᎳᏅ.
"He is crazy," the people jeered.
"ᏄᏓᏅᏛᎾᏛ," ᎠᎾᏗᏍᎨ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ.
They feared his signs were evil.
ᏓᏂᏍᎦᎢᎯ ᏧᏟᎶᏍᏔᏅ ᎠᎴ ᏧᏬᏪᎳᏅ ᎤᏐᏅᎢᏃ ᎠᏁᎵᏍᎨ ᏄᏍᏛ ᏚᏟᎶᏍᏛ ᎠᎴ ᏚᏬᏪᎸ.
"We should teach him a lesson," the neighbors hooted.
"ᎡᏕᏲᎲᎦ ᎯᎠ ᎤᏓᏅᏕᏙᏗ," ᎠᎾᏗᏍᎨ ᎾᎥ ᎢᏳᎾᏓᎵ.
They saw no use for writing.
ᏝᏃ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏗᎬᏙᏗ ᏱᎦᎩ ᎯᎠ ᏥᏚᏟᎶᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏥᏚᏬᏪᎳ.
"Let's burn down his cabin," they cried.
"ᎢᏓᎪᎲᏍᏗ ᎤᏓᏁᎸᎢ," ᎠᏎᎯᏅ.
"We have to make him stop."
"ᎡᏓᎴᏫᏍᏙᏙᏗ ᎠᎾᏗᏍᎨᎢ."
So they burned his cabin down and turned his writing into smoke.
ᎰᏩᏃ ᎤᎾᎪᎲᏍᏔᏁ ᎤᏓᏁᎸ ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᏓ ᏧᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎸ ᏧᏬᏪᎳᏅ ᏚᎪᏁ.
But Sequoyah learned a different lesson.
ᎠᏎᏃ ᏍᏏᏉᏯ ᎤᏕᎶᏆᎡ ᏄᏓᎴ ᎢᏳᏛᏁᏗᎢ.
Sometimes disaster happens for a reason. Sometimes it says: "Follow a different path."
ᎢᎴᎯᏳᏃ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏃᏒᎾ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗᏍᎪ, ᏄᏓᎴ ᎢᎦᏛᏁᏗ ᎠᏰᎸᏐᎢ.
Sequoyah, they say, gave up drawing a different symbol for each word. There were just too many marks and squiggles for anyone to remember.
ᏏᏍᏉᏯᏃ ᏚᏓᏲᏎ ᏕᎪᏪᎵᏍᎨ ᏗᎧᏁᎢᏍᏗ ᎤᏍᏈᏯᏃ ᎨᏎ ᏗᎧᏁᎢᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏍᏈᏯ ᏗᏅᏓᏗᏍᏗ ᎨᏎᎢ.
Instead, they tell us, he invented letters to spell out the sounds of the language.
ᏃᏊᏃ ᎤᎴᏅᎮ ᏚᏃᏴᎬ ᏗᎧᏁᎢᏍᏗ ᏕᎪᏪᎵᏍᎬ ᎠᏴ ᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ.