Indians of North America -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Folklore; Modoc Indians -- Religion; Modoc mythology
On the west side of the lake there was a young man as blue and
beautiful as Látkakáwas herself. His father kept him in an underground
place; no one ever saw him except when he went out to bathe or swim.
When all the other young men had tried to get near Látkakáwas, and had
failed, the people said to this young man’s father: “Why don’t you send
your son? Maybe he could catch that beautiful blue woman.”
When the old man told his son about Látkakáwas, the young man said:
“There is no use of my going there. If all the others have failed I
should fail, too.”
“You are as blue and nice to look at as Látkakáwas is,” said his
father; “maybe she will like you and take you for a husband.”
The old man took his son out of the underground place, washed him and
got him ready, made him clothes from a wonderful cap, a cap that could
never be destroyed. When the young man put on those clothes, he was
beautiful beyond anything in the world; he was blue and gold and green,
like the clouds in the sky. He could run in the air and under the
ground. He had great power.
When he was ready to start, his father said to him: “When the sun comes
to the edge of the sky, Látkakáwas shakes herself and goes to the top
of the house to watch it. If you travel under the ground you will get
near her before she sees you.”
When Látkakáwas shook herself and stood on top of the house to watch
the sun, the young man was near by, under the ground, with one eye
looking out. She knew that he was there, but she didn’t change to an
old woman. She said to herself: “This man pleases me; he is not like
the others. He is the first man who hasn’t laughed and made fun of me.”
The young man watched Látkakáwas for a time and then went home.
When Látkakáwas’ brothers came, she said: “A young man, all blue and
gold and green, nice to look at, has been here to watch me, but he
didn’t make fun of me as the others did.”
The eldest brother said: “We will move to the island to-morrow. Just at
sundown we caught two big salmon; we will go early and dress them, then
we’ll come for you. While we are gone, you must pack up the beads and
skins.”
In the morning, before it was light, the brothers started for the
island. Just as the sun looked up over the edge of the sky, the young
man from the west came again. As Látkakáwas shook herself and came out
at the smoke hole on top of the house, a light shone in her face. It
was so strong that it dazzled her and she turned back. The young man
was brighter than before, for he was out of the ground.
When Látkakáwas went into the house, he peeped through a crack and
watched her. She knew he was there, but she didn’t turn old; she sat
down and assorted her beads according to color. Then she picked up her
mats and got ready to go to the island.
Early in the forenoon the five brothers came and began to pull down the
house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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