Indians of North America -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Religion; Modoc mythology
Kols tried to dig the tree up, but couldn’t; then Wálwilegas began to
make a basket. When the basket was ready, Kols strapped it on her back
and flew up part way to try it. She came back, got something for Isis
to eat and bear’s fat to rub him with, then she started again. She flew
in circles around the tree, camped one night and reached Isis the next
night. He was almost dead. She gave him seeds and rubbed him with
bear’s fat. The next morning she put him in the basket and started
down; she got home at midday.
Kols and Wálwilegas fed Isis well. Every night they rubbed him with
bear’s fat and soon he was well again. Then they fixed a sweat-house
and he sweated till his skin was nice and soft. It became rough while
he was on the tree. After he had sweated, they put nice clothes on him.
Isis asked: “How did Tókwa and Nada and the others act while I was
lost?”
“They didn’t care much,” said Kols; “they were not sorry.”
When the people at Pitcowa had gambled long enough, they began to play
ball. Some thought that the man they were playing with was Isis; others
thought he was Kumush.
Kumush had the disk on his back. It looked like a great scar. One day,
while the people were disputing, some saying that he was Isis, others
that he was Kumush, a man hired a doctor to make the south wind blow.
When Kumush ran north after the ball and stooped down to pick it up,
the wind raised his blanket and everybody saw the scar. Then they knew
Kumush. They shouted, whooped and laughed. They stopped the game and
gathered around him.
After Isis had sweated, he said: “We will go and see what Kumush is
doing.” He went ahead of Kols and Wálwilegas, and as he traveled he set
fire to the grass. The smoke went straight up to the sky. People saw
the smoke, and said: “That is Isis! Isis is coming now!” Kumush saw the
smoke and was scared; he trembled and almost lost his mind.
Tcíkas had been camping and digging roots. She was mourning for Isis.
The child saw Isis coming and called out “Tsutowas” (father).
“Don’t call your father,” said Tcíkas, “your father is dead.”
The boy called again, and again. Tcíkas shook him and scolded him.
“Why do you do that?” asked Isis.
Tcíkas turned and saw Isis. She was glad, for she thought he was lost
or dead. “Where were you?” asked she. “How did you get back?”
“Wálwilegas and Kols, the wives I didn’t care for, saved me.” Then he
told her how Wálwilegas found him in the eagle’s nest, and how she and
Kols carried him home and cured him.
When Isis got to the gambling place, Kumush wanted to talk to him,
wanted to be friendly. But Isis was angry; he wouldn’t let Kumush come
near him. He had Kols and Wálwilegas gather wood and build a big fire;
then he called to his wives who were with Kumush and told them to come
to him. They wouldn’t come, for they were afraid. Then he willed that
they should come, and they had to; his word drew them, and they
couldn’t help going.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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