This is a Chamorro retelling of a Japanese story, about an elderly couple who are kind to a lost young girl. We found this story in the Pacific Languages Collection at UH Manoa, when we visited the university during FestPac back in June. This is the longest story I’ve posted on the blog so far, and I hope you enjoy it! This post includes the Chamorro text, an English translation, and a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le. Happy reading!

I Kalålang Na Palao’an

Tinige’ as Kaiji Kawasaki
Pinila’ as Bill Macaranas

Gi halom un sen dångkulo’ na siudå ni gaige gi fi’on tåsi, eståba na sumåsaga un åmko’ bihu yan i asaguå-ña. Gof popble este i dos åmko’ sa’ ti siña esta i dos macho’cho’ put i inamko’-ñiha. Lumåla’la’ ha’ i dos saina gi didide’ na salåppe’ ni magågånna ginen i bisinon-ñiha. Ayu ha’ lokkue’ i manñáhlalang siha na klåsen cho’cho’ siña macho’gue.

Hagas ha’ peskadot kacho’ i bihu, ya todu i kacho’ siha ni ha kókonne’ ha bébende guatu gi faktorian låta ni gaige gi halom ayu na siudå. På’go, ayu ha’ i manareklan kosas siha ni manmayúyulang gi bisinon-ñiha na apåtmen siña ha cho’gue i bihu, ni para u fanggånna salåppe’. Hagas ha’ ha bende i boti-ña lokkue’ put manisisita salåppe’ ni para u lå’la’ i dos.

I biha kumókonne’ i ga’lågun i bisinu siha para u fanmamokkat yan u fanehtsisio ya ma’apåpåsi didide’ put i tiempo-ña. Didide’ ha’ salåppe’-ñiha, lao sumésen magof ha’ i dos saina. I apåtmen-ñiha gaige gi halom i budegan un dångkulo’ na guma’ apåtmen.

Un ogga’an, umånimu i bihu macho’cho’ ya ha na’taftaf muna’fonhåyan i che’cho’-ña siha. Despues di i che’cho’-ña guihi na ogga’an, ha disidi na para u falak i påk ya u libittå guihi. Humånao para i apåtmen-ñiha ya ha fa’tinas i bento’-ña. Esta lokkue’ ha planuyi na para u såga gi påk todu i diha.

Put mamokkat ha’ i bihu, gumof yayas annai måtto guatu gi påk. Ha ayek un bånko ni eståba gi halom i semnak ya matå’chong. I sinilension i lugåt yan i frinesko-ña muna’maolek ta’lo i siñiente-ña i bihu. Despues di ha chule’ tåtte hinagong-ña, ha laknos i bento’-ña ya ha kånno’.

Ginen i bånko ni matåtå’chong i bihu, siña ha’ ha li’e’ i saddok i påk. Siña ha’ lokkue’ ha li’e’ i famagu’on siha gi kanton i saddok na manhugågåndo yan i boten-ñiha. Ha líli’e’ ha’ lokkue’ ayu siha i guihan ni mannána’yok hulo’ ya nina’fanháhasso tåtte annai pumépeska gue’.

“Ai, ya sísiña ha’ yu’ pumeska,” ilek-ña i bihu, “Ti bai in taiguini na pinepble yan i asaguå-hu.”

“Koh! Koh!” kumåti un paluma gi fi’on i saddok, ya esta ha’ pinangon i bihu ginen i guinifífi-ña.

“Ei, på’go ha’ hu húhungok adai enao na klåsen kåti,” ilek-ña i bihu entre guiya ha’ na maisa. “Fana’an nuebu enao na klåsen gå’ga’.”

“Koh! Koh!” kumåti ta’lo i paluma.

“Ei,” ilek-ña ta’lo i bihu, “Nangga fan sa’ kulang tonun gai prublema enao na paluma.”

Kahulo’ i bihu ya humånao guatu gi gaddon gi fi’on i saddok. “Koh! Koh!” Sigi i bihu di ha tattiyi i katen i paluma.

Annai måtto guatu gi fi’on i saddok, ha sodda’ un kalålang å’paka’ na chenglong un patås-ña gi entalo’ dos åcho’. Duru di ha na’palappa i pappå-ña yan ha háhalla i patås-ña. Duru lokkue’ di kumóhkohkoh kulang ha’ ilélek-ña, “Pot fabot, pot fabot, ayuda yu’.”

“Ai na nina’ma’ase’ gå’ga’ hao,” ilek-ña i bihu. “Ketu ha’ sa’ bai hu ayuda hao.”

Ume’kåhat i bihu guatu put u na’mås ma’å’ñao i paluma ya ha laknos i patas kalålang gi entalo’ i dos åcho’. Gigon ha siente i kalålang na lumibre gue’ ta’lo, kumóhkoh a’gang ya gumupu. Chumålek i bihu pues ha bira gue’ tåtte gi sagå-ña ya ha egga’ i famagu’on yan i boten-ñiha. Ni ti apmam i bihu gi fatå’chong-ña, sumikat pues maigo’.

Annai makmåta’ i bihu, ha tutuhon i karerå-ña tåtte gi gima’-ñiha sa’ esta tumútunok i atdao. Ti apmam esta lokkue’ i ora ni para u ayuda i asaguå-ña mama’sena.

Gi annai machocho’cho’ i dos gi halom i kusina, ha sangåni i bihu i biha put i kalålang.

“Ai na minaolek bidå-mu,” ilek-ña i biha. “Ta aposta na sumén maolek siñiente-mu despues di un ayuda ayu na paluma.”

Gigon ha’ monhåyan enao ha sångan i biha, guaha mandåkkot gi petta. Humånao i bihu guatu gi petta ya ha baba. Annai ha baba i petta, ha sodda’ i bihu un påtgon palao’an na tumótohge. Sen bunita na påtgon palao’an. I kandet ginen i sålan i dos åmko’ mås muna’annok i pakke’ i bábali i patgon yan i freskan matå-ña.

“Pot fabot siñot, dispensa yu’ put i hu dåkkot i pettan-miyu. Eståba yu’ gi påk yan i mañainå-hu, ya hu dídingu un råtu put para bai hu hugåndo yan i pumalu siha na famagu’on. Lao, annai humånao yu’ tåtte para bai hu espiha siha, hu sodda’ na manaigue esta. Ti siña hu sodda’ siha.” Tuhu’ påpa’ i lago’ i patgon ya kumåti. “Ti hu tungo’ para månu yu’ guatu på’go,” ilek-ña ta’lo i patgon gi kati-ña. “Hu li’e’ i kandet-miyu na mañiñila’ muna’måtto yu’ mågi.”

“Ai, na nina’mase’ påtgon hao,” ilek-ña i biha. “Maila’ hålom ya ta fanñena fine’ne’na pues na ta såtba i prublemå-mu.”

Maplantåyi i patgon ya mañiha mañocho. Håfa guaha na na’-ñiha i dos åmko’ malaknos ya ma’ufresi i patgon. Mientras mañésena lokkue’, mafáfaisen i patgon enfotmasíon siha ni para u faninayuda sumodda’ si nanå-ña yan si tatå-ña. Lao, tåya’ mås na enfotmasíon siña mannina’i na i na’ån-ña ha’ as Rita.

Despues di manmonhåyan mañena, i biha ha arekla sagan maigo’-ña i patgon gi hilo’ i sofan-ñiha. Ni ti lá’åpmam umasson-ña si Rita, måchom matå-ña ya maigo’. Ai na minagof i biha, pues humånao ya ha na’gåsgås i kusina.

Gi sigiente diha, hinengang i dos åmko’ annai masodda’ na esta måsa i chå, ya si Rita mama’amómotsa. I halom apåtmen-ñiha lokkue’ esta lálamlam ni ginasgas-ña.

“Buenas dihas,” ilek-ña si Rita, “Hu diséseha na maolek maigo’-miyu. Maila’ sa’ esta måsa i amotsa.”

Chumålek i bihu ya ilek-ña, “Atan ha’, un påtgon gi este na idåt.”

“Bunitan rigålu nai enao put un ayuda ayu i paluma nigap,” ineppe i bihu ni biha.

Kada diha, si Rita ha dádalak i biha para u mana’fanehtsisio i ga’lågu siha gi påk. Madiséseha lokkue’ na u fanásodda’ yan i mañainan Rita, lao kada diha, mabíbira siha tåtte sin suette.

Mientras mås tiempo, mås mémeggai amigon yan amigan Rita ni famagu’on i bisinu. Ma gof guaiya si Rita ni famagu’on siha, ya esta puru ha’ burukan chålek famagu’on gi gima’ i dos åmko’. Maloffan esta dos, tres simåna, lao tåya’ mahúhungok put i mañainan Rita.

I masilebran pasgua lokkue’ esta híhihot. Ilek-ña i bihu nu i asaguå-ña, “Mampos hit ha na’mámagof si Rita. Malago’ yu’ na bai hu nå’i paketi guini na pasgua.”

“Guahu lokkue’,” ilek-ña i biha.

Ha hungok si Rita i dos annai kumékuentos ya nina’triste sa’ ha tungo ha’ na gof popble i dos. Humånao guatu ya ilek-ña, “Hu tungo’ ha’ na gof makkat i lina’la’-miyu na dos. Put i minaolek-miyu nu guahu, malago’ yu’ na bai hu fama’tinas yåtdas magågu ya en bende para salåppe’-miyu. Unu ha’ bai hu faisen hamyo, i taya’ siña lumi’e’ yu’ macho’cho’.

Humålom si Rita gi halom un kuatto ya ha kandålon maisa gue’. Sin dumeskånsa, duru macho’cho’ ya mama’tinas yåtdas. Gi mina’tres dihas, humuyong si Rita yan un sen bunitu na yåtdas magågu. Ni i biha pat i bihu, tåya’ ni mali’e’ taiguihi na buníniton yåtdas magågu.

“Ai, na buníniton magågu adai enao,” ilek-ñiha i biha yan bihu.

“Tang,” ilek-ña si Rita, “Chule’ este guatu gi tendan magågu ya un fanu’i i tenderu siha. Cha’-mu såsångan kuanto malago’-mu. Sotta ha’ ya i tenderu siha un inifresi kuånto ni para u mafåhan i yåtdas. Po’lo este put un didide’ na åpas put i gima’ ni en nå’i yu’.”

Ha chule’ i bihu i yåtdas magågu ya ha na’chaddédek gue’ guatu gi tendan magågu siha.

“Månu ni un chule’ este na magågu?” mámaisen i primet na tenderu.

“O’, i parientes-hu giya Hapón muna’fåttuyi yu’,” ilek-ña i bihu.

“Maila’ ya bai hu fåhan este put sikuenta pesos.”

Ha sangåni i bihu i tenderu na u nangga nåya ya u áli’e’ yan i otro siha na dueñon tendan magågu. Ha chule’ i magågu ya humånao para i otro na tenda.

“Maolek yan buniton magågu este,” ilek-ña i dueñon i sigundo na tenda. Pues, ha gagao i bihu para u fåhan i magågu put tres sientos pesos ya binende.

Gi biradå-ña i bihu guatu gi gima’-ñiha, mamåhan potu yan paketi para si Rita. Ginen i salåppe’ i yåtdas lokkue’ muna’siña siha manmama’gupot gi ha’ånen pasgua. Makombida lokkue’ i amigon-ñiha.

Maseha taimanu ma adahi-ña i salåppe’ parehu ha’ yan i otro, ti apmam hokkok ta’lo salåppe’-ñiha i dos åmko’. Un diha ilek-ña ta’lo si Rita, “Nisisita bai hu fama’tinas ta’lo yåtdas ya en bende. Lao hasso ha’ lokkue’ i en prumeti yu’. Tåya’ siña lumi’e’ yu’ macho’cho.”

Esta dos dihas maloffan desde ki ha tutuhon si Rita mama’yåtdas magågu. Puru ha’ burukan karetiya gi hålom apåtmen. I bisinu gi sampapa’ manmamámaisen, “Håfa adai enao na buruka?”

“O’, si Rita ayu ni mama’títinas yåtdas magågu,” ilek-ña i biha.

“Mama’títinas magågu?” ilek-ñiha i bisinu siha. “Kao siña bai in li’e’?”

“Dispensa adai,” ilek-ñiha i biha, “In prumeti gue’ na tåya’ siña u lini’e’ gue’ macho’cho’.”

Gi durånten todu este na tiempo, manháhasso i biha håfa taimanu si Rita fa’tinås-ña ni ayu na buniton yåtdas magågu. Esta ti siña ha sostieni i minalago’-ña ni para u ke’tungo’. Umekahat guatu gi pettan i kuatto ni machocho’cho’ si Rita ya umengulo’.

Ayu ha’ mimso na minutu, måtto i bihu ya ha li’e’ i asaguå-ña na ume’engulo’.

“Munga!” umessalao i bihu, “Pot fabot, munga macho’gue enao!”

Lao, esta atrasao. Esta i biha ha li’e’ hålom gi kuatto. Nina’manman i biha nu i lini’e’-ña. Guihi gi halom kuatto eståba un dångkulon kalålang å’paka’. Duru macho’cho i kalålang gi måkinan manlåksen yåtdas magågu. Ha bóbokbok i pilu-ña i kalålang ya ha fífilak para u fama’yåtdas magågu.

Sumeha tåtte i biha ya humuyong si Rita. Gi kannai-ña ha gógotte un pesan yåtdas magågu ni ti monhåhåyan.

“Kirida yan kiridu,” ilek-ña si Rita, “Guahu ayu i kalålang ni un ayuda. Hu fa’tinånåsi hamyo yåtdas magågu put para bai hu ayuda hamyo lokkue’.” Pues kumåti si Rita ya ilek-ña ta’lo, “På’go ni en tingo’, nisisita na bai hu dingu hamyo.”

Humuyong si Rita ya mamokkat guatu gi påk. I biha yan i bihu matattiyi si Rita. Annai manmåtto guatu gi saddok, ha bira gue’ si Rita ya ha chiku i dos åmko’ pues mama’kalålang ta’lo ya gumupu. Annai takkhilo’ hulo’ esta, manatan påpa’ i kalålang pues kumåti, “Koh, koh, koh,” kulang ha’ mohon ilélek-ña, “Adios, adios, adios.”

The Sandpiper Girl

Written by Kaiji Kawasaki
Translated by Bill Macaranas

In a very big city which was next to the ocean, there lived an old man and his wife. These two elders were very poor because they already could not work because of their old age. The two elders lived on just a little bit of money which was earned from their neighbors. And it was only the light type of work they could do.

A long time ago, the elderly man used to be a tuna fisherman and all of the tuna he would catch, he sold there at the can factory that was within that city. Now, it was just the fixing of things that break at his neighbors’ apartments that the elderly man could do to earn money. Long ago, he had also sold his boat because money was needed for the two to live.

The elderly woman was taking the neighbors’ dogs to walk and exercise, and she was paid a little for her time. Their money was very little, but the two elders were still very happy. Their apartment was in the basement of a very big apartment building.

One morning, the elderly man was spirited in his work, and he finished his work early. After his work that morning, he decided to go to the park and to be away from work there. He went to their apartment and made his lunch. He had already also planned to stay in the park the whole day.

Because the elderly man had only walked, he became very tired when he arrived there at the park. He chose a bench that used to be in the sun, and he sat down. The silence of the place and its freshness made the elderly man feel good again. After he took back his breath, he took out his lunch and he ate it.

From the bench that the elderly man was sitting on, he could just see the river of the park. He could also see the children on the riverbank that were playing with their boat. He was also seeing those birds that were jumping up and that made him think back to when he was fishing. 

“Oh, if I could still fish,” the elderly man said, “Me and my wife would not be in poverty like this.”

“Koh! Koh!” cried a bird next to the river, and the elderly man was woken from his dreaming.

“Ei, just now I am hearing that kind of cry,” the elderly man said to just himself. “Probably that’s a new kind of animal.”

“Koh! Koh!” the bird cried again.

“Ei,” the elderly man said again, “Wait please it sounds as though that bird has a problem.” 

The elderly man got up and went there to the trap next to the river. 

“Koh! Koh!”

The elderly man continued to follow the cry of the bird. When he got there next to the river he found a white sandpiper that had its foot caught in-between two rocks. It kept flapping its wings and pulling its foot. It also kept calling, as though it was saying, “Please, please, help me.”

“Oh, you are such a pitiful animal,” the elderly man said. “Just keep still because I will help you.” The elderly man tip-toed there lest he make the bird more afraid, and he released the sanpiper’s foot from between the two rocks. As soon as the sandpiper felt that it was free again, it called out loudly and flew.

The elderly man laughed then he turned back to his place and he watched the children and their boat. Before long the elderly man, in his sitting, nodded off then slept.

When the elderly man woke up, he started his journey back to their house because the sun was already going down. Soon it was also already the hour for him to help his wife make dinner.

When the two were working in the kitchen, the elderly man told the elderly woman about the sandpiper. “Oh, what you did was so good,” the eldelry woman said. “I bet that you felt really good after you helped that bird.”

As soon as the elderly woman was done saying that, somebody knocked on the door. The elderly man went to the door and he opened it. When he opened the door, the elderly man found a girl that was standing (there). The girl was very pretty. The light from the living room of the two elders made more apparent the curve of her eyelashes and her pretty face.

“Please sir, I am sorry I knocked on your door. I was at the park with my parents, and I was leaving them for a moment to play with the other children. But when I went back to look for them, I found that they were already gone. I could not find them.” The child’s tears dripped down and she cried. “I don’t know where I am going to go now,” the child said in her crying, “I saw your light that was on, and that’s what made me come here.”

“Oh, what a pitiful child you are,” the elderly woman said. “Come in and we will have dinner first, then we will solve your problem.”

They set the child’s place for her, and they all ate together. Whatever food the two elders had were brought out and offered to the child. While they were eating dinner, the child was also being asked for information that could help them find her mother and father. But there was no more information they could be given, just that her name was Rita.

After they finished dinner, the elderly woman fixed the child’s sleeping place on their sofa. Her lying down had not been very long, her eyes closed and she slept. Oh, the elderly woman was so happy, then she went and she cleaned the kitchen.

On the following day, the two elders were surpised when they found that the tea was already ready, and Rita was making breakfast. The inside of their apartment was also shining with its cleanliness.

“Good morning,” Rita said. “I hope that you slept well. Come because the breakfast is already ready.”

The eldery man laughed and said, “Just look, a child at this age.”

“It’s a beautiful gift because you helped that bird yesterday,” the elderly man was answered by the elderly woman.

Every day, Rita followed the elderly woman to exercise the dogs in the park. They also wished that they would find Rita’s parents, but every day they turned back without any luck.

As time went on, Rita had more friends who were the children of the neighbors. Rita was really loved by the children, and it was already all the noise of children’s laughter in the house of the two elders. Already two, three weeks had passed, but nothing was heard of Rita’s parents. The Christmas celebration was already getting close. The elderly man said to his wife,” We are made so happy by Rita. I want to give her a gift this Easter.”

“Me too,” the elderly woman said.

Rita heard the two when they were talking, and it made her sad because she knew that the two were very poor. She went over to them and she said, “I do know that your lives are very difficult. Because of your goodness to me, I want to make clothing fabric, and you will sell it for your money. There is just one thing I will ask you, that nobody will see me work.”

Rita went inside a room, and she locked herself in. Without rest, she continued to work and she made fabric. On the third day, Rita emerged with a very beautiful clothing fabric. Not the elderly man nor the elderly woman, nobody saw how she made the beautiful fabric. 

“Oh that is such beautiful clothing,” the elderly man and elderly woman said.

“Dad,” Rita said, “Take this over to the clothing store, and show the storekeeper. Don’t say how much you want. Just let the storekeepers offer you an amount to buy the fabric. Let this be a small payment for the home you gave me.”

The elderly man took the clothing fabric and he hurried to the clothing stores. “Where did you get this fabric?” the first shopkeeper asked.

“Oh, my relatives in Japan sent this to me,” the elderly man said.

“Come and I will buy this for fifty dollars.”

The elderly man told the shopkeeper to wait a moment and he will meet with the other clothing story owners. He took the fabric and went to the other store.

“This is good and beautiful fabric,” the owner of the second store said. Then he asked the elderly man to buy the fabric for three hundred dollars, and it was sold to him.

On the elderly man’s return to their house, he bought a rice cake and a present for Rita. From the money of the fabric, they were also able to make a party on Christmas. Their friends were also invited.

Regardless of how careful they were with the money, it was the same as the rest, soon the money of the two elders was used up. One day, Rita said again, “I must make fabric again and you will sell it. But, just remember too what you promised me. Nobody can see me work.”

Already two days passed since Rita started making clothing fabric. It was all wheeled noises inside the apartment. The neighbors below asked, “What is that noise?”

“Oh, that’s Rita who is making clothing fabric,” the elderly woman said.

“She is making cloth?” the neighbors said. “Can we see?”

“Sorry,” the elderly woman said, “We promised her that nobody will be able to see her work.” 

During all of this time, the elderly woman was thinking about how Rita made that beautiful clothing fabric. Already she could not hold back her desire to try to know. She crept to the door of the room where Rita was working and she looked for hole to peep through.

At that very minute, the elderly man arrived and he saw his wife looking for a hole to look through. “Don’t!” the elderly man shouted, “Please, don’t do that!”

But it was already too late. The elderly woman had already seen into the room. The elderly woman was very surprised by what she saw. There in the room there was a big white sandpiper. The sandpiper kept working at the fabric loom. The sandpiper was plucking its feathers and was braiding it to make clothing fabric.

The elderly woman went back and Rita came out. In her hand she was holding a bolt of fabric that was not finished. 

“Dear ones,” Rita said, “I am that sandpiper you helped. I am making you clothing fabric put I will help you too.” Then Rita cried and she said again, “Now that you know, it’s necessary for me to leave you.”

Rita went out and walked to the park. The elderly man and elderly woman followed Rita. When they arrived there at the river, Rita turned and she kissed the two elders, then she turned into a sandpiper again and flew. When she was already high up, the sandpiper looked down then cried, “Koh, koh, koh,” as though she was saying, “Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.”

References

Macaranas, Bill, “I Kalalang na Palao’an.” Pacific Area Language Materials. Honolulu, HI: Pacific Area Languages Materials Development Center.