Indians of North America -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Religion; Modoc mythology
The elder sister brought water from the spring, and then began to pound
seeds to give to the stranger. Lĭsgaga took seeds from her own basket
and put them in a basket for her brother.
When Gáukos got home, he left his presents on the top of the house and
went in and sat down by Lĭsgaga. She was still small, but Gáukos was a
full-grown man. She gave him the tula grass mat to sit on, and gave him
seeds to eat.
The elder sister knew him now and was ashamed. After Gáukos had eaten
the seeds, he asked Lĭsgaga to comb his hair.
When night came and Gáukos was going to lie down near Lĭsgaga, the
elder sister said: “Why do you lie near that child? She will give you
lice. I am glad to see you; I will lie on your mat,” and she went to
his side of the house.
“Don’t come so near,” said Gáukos. “It is too hot,” and he pushed her
away. She came again, and again he pushed her away. In the night when
he woke up, she was lying by his side; and he rolled over toward his
little sister. The next morning he said to Lĭsgaga: “Wash your face and
comb your hair. I have brought you a new dress.”
He went to the creek and bathed, then he gave Lĭsgaga both dresses, and
said: “Give this one to our sister.” He gave Lĭsgaga a belt to wear
when she danced her maturity dance, and porcupine quills for her hair.
When the little girl put on her new dress, she looked very nice. She
gave the other dress to her sister, and said: “This is how our brother
pays you for throwing him out.”
“Why did you bring such a nice dress to this dirty child?” asked the
sister. Gáukos didn’t answer.
While Lĭsgaga was gone for wood, the elder sister put pounded ges [5]
in a basket and placed the basket in front of Gáukos. He asked: “Why do
you do this? I heard, when I was a child, that young women, when in
their father’s house, gave ges to their husbands. It should not be
given to a brother.” He pushed the basket away. His sister didn’t say
anything, but she was angry. When Gáukos went out, she said to Lĭsgaga:
“He likes you, but he doesn’t care for me.”
“You threw him out,” said Lĭsgaga. “I have always been kind to him; but
he likes you, for he brought you a nice dress.”
That night when Gáukos lay down on his mat, he told Lĭsgaga to lie near
him, then he whispered to her, and told her his elder sister’s
thoughts; he knew them all. Lĭsgaga listened, but she didn’t say
anything.
In the night the elder sister tied three strands of her hair to Gáukos’
hair. When he woke up and wanted to turn over he couldn’t, for his hair
was tied. In the morning he said to Lĭsgaga: “To-night I am going away;
I can’t stay here.”
“If you go toward the east,” said Lĭsgaga, “you will be safe, and will
find people to help you.”
When the elder sister came with water, and saw Gáukos talking to the
little girl, she asked: “What are you saying to that child?” He did not
reply. That night she again tied three strands of her hair to her
brother’s hair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account