Indians of North America -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Religion; Modoc mythology
Kaiutois’ meat was done first, and Gäk and Tskel ate deer meat. Little
Tcûskai said: “Let me down, brother; I want to eat. I am hungry.”
Tcûskai pinched him and told him to keep still, but Tcûskai said: “I
can’t, you don’t give me enough to eat.”
When Leméis’ meat was done, the eldest son gave some of it to Gäk. Gäk
put it in his mouth, but it came out of the hole in his throat and
dropped on the ground.
Tskel put some strong sticks in Gäk’s arms, for he knew that the Leméis
brothers would try to kill him. They sat down by the fire and asked Gäk
to come and sit near them. Then they said to one another: “Let’s twist
arms,” and the eldest brother said: “Come and play with us, Gäk.”
Gäk said: “I never play that way.” After they had teased him a long
time, Tskel said: “Play with them; I won’t let them hurt you.”
The eldest brother took hold of Gäk, twisted his arm hard, but couldn’t
break it; it was soft. “Stiffen your arm,” said Leméis. Gäk stiffened
his arm, but Leméis couldn’t break it. Then Gäk took hold of Leméis’
arm, twisted it hard, and broke it. Leméis ran out of the house and
died.
The second brother was ashamed. He said: “That is the way my brother
always does. If he gets beaten, he runs away. Try me.” He twisted Gäk’s
arm, but no matter how he twisted he couldn’t break it. Then Gäk
twisted his arm and broke it, and he ran outside and died.
Gäk killed four of the brothers; then the youngest and strongest wanted
to try. Gäk didn’t want to twist arms with him, but Tskel said: “Don’t
be afraid, he can’t kill you.” Gäk held out his arm and Leméis twisted
it terribly. Gäk screamed; he couldn’t help it, it hurt so.
Then Tskel said to Leméis: “Let me twist your arm.” He took hold of
Leméis’ hand with a tight grip and broke every bone in it; then he
twisted his arm and broke it.
When all five of the old man’s sons were dead, Tskel said: “Hereafter
you will be of no use in this world. You will be persons no longer. You
will go up to the sky and all you will do there will be to frighten
people by making a big noise.”
He told the five Kaiutois brothers not to live in the house with old
Leméis and his wife. “Their house is dirty,” said he. “It smells of
dead people. The juice of dead people runs on to your meat; you have
the taste of it now, and in after times you will try to kill people.”
The Kaiutois brothers moved away. Old Leméis and his wife felt badly;
they were lonesome for their children. Tskel said: “You can go to your
sons; you are of no use in this world,” and he sent them to the sky.
Now Tskel and Tcûskai went home. Skóŭks was mourning; she thought they
were dead.
The next day Tskel went to hunt. He killed five deer and was home at
midday. He was dry and he sent his brother to bring him some water.
Tcûskai ran to the spring, and there, sitting in the spring, was an
old, white-haired man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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