Grasshopper in Love with Deer 355 Kai and His Father-in-law, Natanatas 359 The Spirit of the Tula Grass 366 A Medicine Story. Number I 370 A Medicine Story. Number II 374 A Skoks Story 376 A Doctor Story 379 Notes 381 MYTHS OF THE MODOCS LÁTKAKÁWAS CHARACTERS Dásläts California lion Djakkonus A duck Dohos A duck Dútûte A duck Isis Kai Jack rabbit Kládo Duck Kols Badger Kumush Látkakáwas Lok Bear Mówatwas South wind place people Mukus Owl Nada A bird Skakas Free toad Tcíkas Wren Tókwa Mole Wálwilegas Butterfly Látkakáwas and her five brothers lived on the south side of Klamath Lake. The brothers went every day to fish from an island in the middle of the lake. Látkakáwas stayed at home; she gathered wiwhi seeds and burned the down from them to prepare them as food for her brothers and for herself. When Látkakáwas was at work, she looked like a common old woman, but when she shook herself and went out of the house, she was young, blue and beautiful. The “Old Man” (Kumush) lived on the eastern side of Klamath Lake. On the western side of the lake lived many people. Those people often saw Látkakáwas standing on the top of her house, looking blue and nice, but as soon as they went toward her she changed to an old hunchback woman. The young men of the western village counseled together; then each day they sent one of their number to try to steal up to Látkakáwas and catch her before she could make herself old and ugly. They wanted to talk to her; they wanted to ask her to take one of them for a husband.—Every young man in the western village tried, but Látkakáwas was never young when they came toward her. One man started before daybreak; he wanted to get near the house and hide till Látkakáwas came out. That day she stayed inside, an old hunchback woman stringing beads. She knew when people were looking at her or thinking of her; she even knew where they were. Each morning Látkakáwas’ brothers went to the island to catch salmon, and dry them, but as soon as it was dark they came home. One night Látkakáwas said to her eldest brother: “Men come here to watch me, and try to catch me; when they find me hunchback and ugly to look at, they make fun of me. I don’t like that. It makes me feel badly.” “How soon will you have seeds enough gathered?” asked her brother. “To-morrow,” said Látkakáwas. “When the seeds are ready, you will go with us to the island where nobody can bother you,” said her brother.