The Legend of Zuyaggi

The Legend of Zuyaggi is a story from the Nati culture that is told to children all over Wistania about a young boy who makes himself into a giant to intimidate his bullies. This story will vary with multiple optional details and embellishments depending on the storyteller, but what is recorded here is the basic plotline that most will agree with. The tale usually begins as an explanation for why the word zuyaggi means “too big,” but it doubles as a lesson to young Wistanians about how to not handle hostility.

This short story was published by Page Allen on December 19, 2022 without any revisions since. As such, some Wistanian in the story may not be up-to-date.

Full story with glosses, footnotes, and script (Google Drive)

English
Long ago, there was a little boy named Zuyaggi. He was short and skinny, and his voice was high pitched. All the other boys were grown up, and they made fun of Zuyaggi. Even Zuyaggi's old friends laughed at his size.

One day, Zuyaggi went into the forest very sad, and he found a gauwi bush. He picked one berry and said this: "If I eat this berry, then I will become large. Then the bullies will not make fun of me again." Therefore, he ate it.

He went to his bullies, and he told them this: "Look at me! I am the same size as you!"

But the boys laughed again at Zuyaggi. "Your shirt is squeezing you," they said. "And your pants are torn."

Indeed, Zuyaggi was too big for his clothes. Zuyaggi went to his house, and then put on his father’s clothes. The clothes fit around him, but they were too big. Therefore, he returned to the forest. When he arrived at the bush, he took and ate two berries. And then he said, "I will be bigger than my bullies!"

When he returned to the boys, they did not recognize him. "I am Zuyaggi," he boasted.

But the boys laughed again at Zuyaggi, saying, "Did you eat gauwi berries in the forest?"

Zuyaggi responded, "I did eat."

Then they insulted him again saying, "If you were not helped, then you would not be grown."

Zuyaggi was annoyed, so he went again to the forest. He took and ate a handful of berries. He said, "If they will be afraid of me, then the bullies will not make fun of me again." And then, he became as tall as the trees.

When he returned to the boys, they insulted him again saying, "You are too large for clothes, you are naked and like a baby!"

Zuyaggi became extremely angry. He went stomping to the forest again. And he ate the entire bush. He said this: "If I crush and kill them all, then the bullies will not make fun of me again."

When he returned to the boys, they insulted him again saying, "You have ruined your life, and you will be a giant forever."

But then, when Zuyaggi stepped forward to kill, his foot fell into a gorge, and his face fell into the ocean. And there, little Zuyaggi died.

Wistanian
auv hayi judd, hayi aa id; jiliya dari laa aa zuyaggi. hayi auzi aa bbin aa yud; di audiyu yiga zi. bbauliyu aa darin ulda; ya vunivya aa zuyaggi. ha, gilida gayil maj zuyaggi diri vudd zi.

auv hayi zun li, navai zuyaggi gumgumgum aa gadil; ayai aujadai auzi aa zamil gauwi il angi. aranwai auzi aa zuzna li; ayai yigai il id: "a vigaij yau aa zuzna id, jala hyaij aa garauni; diri ig bauvunivai zaunan lumya aa da." ayai java vigai auzi aa naa.

nadai auzi aa zaunan lumya; ayai yigai aa nizan il id: "ilwai aa da, han. ai, lawiya vudd yi aa vudd hin."

aul ig gilidai darin aa zuyaggi. yigai il id "naarwai nibaz luhi aa liv," nizan. "di vungiya lurai luhi."

ha aniya vudd zuyaggi aa vudd iraub zi. nadai zuyaggi aa ujadi zi; ayai adai aa auzi il iraub vauhi. wai baliya iraub aa auzi; bbal aniya aa auzi il garauni. da diva ig nadai auzi aa gadil. auv vizanai auzi aa zamil gauwi, ayai aranwai ayai vigai auzi aa zuzna vai. ayai yigai auzi il id: "ai, anija yau aa zaunan lumya il garauni."

auv indyai auzi aa darin, bauhadiyu nizan aa arag zi. yigai il id: "hayi zuyaggi aa da," auzi il nidad.

aul ig gilidai darin aa zuyaggi il id: "i vigai i bauvigai lu aa zuzna gauwi ddal gadil."

badilai zuyaggi il id: "i vigai yau."

da ig vunivai nizan il id: "a bauyinaij aa liv, diri baubbauliju aa liv."

bbaziyu zuyaggi; jala ig nadai aa gadil. ayai aranwai ayai vigai auzi aa zuznan il man vi. yigai auzi il id: "a iggiju nazin diri da, jala ig bauvunivai zaunan lumya aa da." ayai hayi zuyaggi aa alaudd divu.

auv indyai auzi aa darin, ig vunivai nizan il id: "aniya vudd luhi aa vudd iraub. ai, ya daadiya lu ya lawiya aa gau."

hyai zuyaggi aa hagg daararaara. ig nadai auzi aa gadil il zanju ddudiya; ayai vigai aa zamil vi. yigai auzi il id: "a ya wigaij ya murwaij yau aa nizan ulda, diri ig bauvunivai zaunan lumya aa da."

auv indyai auzi aa darin, ig vunivai nizan il id: "yuyubai lu aa zunan ulda yi; ya hayi aa ulaunag auv vi."

aul da auv budai zuyaggi ggaun muru, bimai zanju zi aa muzab; da bimai arag zi aa alaman. da murwai ddal id aa zuyaggi laa.