NOTES

[Contents]NOTES[Contents]LÁTKAKÁWASLátkakáwas is evidently a sun myth. The young man who wooed Látkakáwas could run in the air and under the ground (Indians thought that the sun traveled from west to east underground). He was beautiful and bright, brighter than anything else in the world. He was immortal while he had the disk. When Kumush stole the disk Látkakáwas’ husband died. The disk became a part of Kumush and he was immortal. His body was reduced to ashes, but he rose up anew, for the disk remained.There is a condition, however, incident to the resurrection of the sun; he must be called. Some one must rouse him. The morning star has that duty, and will never be freed from it. While the sun exists, the morning star must call him. At the summons of the star the disk springs from the pile of ashes; the sun (represented as Kumush) is renewed completely and goes forth to run his course till consumed again.Kumush is killed and his body is eaten by crows; only the disk remains. The morning star sees the disk, and calls out: “What are you doing, old man? Get up!” Kumush springs up, through virtue of the immortal disk and the compelling word of the star.Many Indian tribes have myths in which the morning star figures as the Light-bearer.The morning star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the Latins.[Contents]THE FIVE BROTHERS OF LÁTKAKÁWASThe five brothers marry and nothing more is known about them. Gáukos, the orphan boy, becomes the principal character.At sunset Gáukos—the moon—is thrown out of his sister’s house. He is a little boy, but as soon as he is outside he increases in size. He enters a ravine, and when he comes out at the opposite end he is a full-grown man. Later every one sees him; his body is bright and beautiful. When pursued by his sister, he crosses a valley at a step, springs from one mountain to another, and early in the morning reaches the first house, the home of two women, who have the power of making themselves young.The Modocs have lost the name of Gáukos’ elder sister, and they do not know the meaning of the name of the younger sister, Lĭsgaga. The elder sister is, probably, Daylight; she travels as Gáukos does, a valley at a step. In a Wintu creation myth, Sanihas (Daylight) is one of the principal characters.[382]In a Gaelic myth, the son of the King of Light is Day or Daylight, the Lady of Green Insh is Night, and her yellow-haired son is Dawn.In this Modoc myth the power of the word was with Gäk. He said to Lóluk: “Hereafter, you will be kin to no man, you will burn all alike,” and as he spoke Lóluk became common fire.[Contents]ISIS AND YAULILIK’S DAUGHTERSIsis, the son of Látkakáwas, is the son of Kumush because Kumush has the disk, and the disk is Isis’ father. The Indians do not know the meaning of the word Isis—or Áisis, as pronounced by some of the Modocs—or of Látkakáwas.—These names occur only in the myths connected with the disk.—Isis is the greatest hunter and the greatest runner in the world. He has long, bright red hair. When he builds a fire the smoke from it goes straight up; it does not scatter, or waver. Isis has some of the attributes of his father, the sun.Kumush personates Isis and deceives Yaulilik’s elder daughter. In mythology one character frequently personates another.—There is an example of this in Wintu: Klakherrit (Lightning) personates Pitis (Quail), deceives Pitis’ family, and kills every member of it.In Indian myths, whenever two sisters are sent to some place and warned by father or mother against a deceiver, who is likely to meet them on the way, the elder sister is generally ready to become a victim, the younger is the wise one.Cogátkis is an interesting character; like Samson, his strength was in his hair. Through the power of his hair, he could see at a great distance, and he could talk to his mother though she was far away.I have never found a myth in which the method of taking life is similar to that described in this myth. Isis had two children; the elder died; he took the younger in his arms, put the top of its head to his mouth and drew a long breath, drew the child’s breath, its life, into himself. He said to his wives, “The children are half mine, and half yours. I have taken their breath into myself; you may have their bodies.”In an Algonkin myth a character similar to Látkakáwas is the “Earth maiden.” The Sun looks at her and she brings forth a daughter, who becomes the mother of a great hero.[Contents]KUMUSH AND HIS DAUGHTERMany of the Modocs firmly believe that their tribe originated as described in this myth. They call Kumush father, and live by the rules he laid down for them. They believe that he gave the race all gifts that support existence, that it is through him that the Indians live and prosper. He has many of the attributes of Zeus.This myth and many of the myths in this volume are as sacred for Indians as Bible stories are for Christians. When old men are asked what their ideas are regarding life hereafter they tell of Kumush’s visit to the great house in[383]the underground world; of what he saw there, and of the terrible effort he made to bring spirits to the upper world, and create Indians.The underground house of the Modoc dead is in the West.When Kumush had done all that he could for mankind he went to the place where the sun rises. He traveled on Sun’s road till he came to the middle of the sky, and there he built his house.[Contents]STEALING FIREThis tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.[Contents]HOW SICKNESS CAME INTO THE WORLDThis version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who theGletcówasbrothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówasis just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing.Kéisgot angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.[Contents]HOW OLD AGE CAME INTO THE WORLDIt would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened[384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.[Contents]LEMÉIS AND NUL-WEIn this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.[Contents]WIND AND THUNDERFor ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”[Contents]GÁUKOS AND KÛLTAGáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. InGuatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.”[385]In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”[Contents]DJÁKALIPS—RED CLOUDSIn this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.[Contents]MOASÄM BEPS, THE DAUGHTER OF SOUTH WINDMoasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.[Contents]WEST WIND’S WIVESIs a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.[Contents]THE STAR BROTHERSKo-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics[386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.[Contents]THE RAINMAKERThe people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.[Contents]WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUKTsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.[Contents]FROST AND THUNDER (YAHYÁHAÄS).This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄSYahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will[387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄS AND THE KÚJA SISTERSAs usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the myth-tale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.[Contents]TSMUK AND GÓSHGOISEWhen asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.[Contents]WAR BETWEEN BEASTS AND BIRDSThis myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk.[388][Contents]LOK SNEWÉDJASLok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.[Contents]HOW KALASLÁKKAS WON HIS WIFEIn this myth-tale Tusasás, who, wherever he appears, is always the same worthless, shiftless mischief-maker and boaster, is well described. The importance of dreams is also well brought out.[Contents]THE BAD BROTHERThe hero is Rain. He drowns his mother, then sends his sister to Kówe, who in other myths is described as having control of all the springs in the world: “She lives under the water, she is in every spring. She is our grandmother. If she gets mad she can dry up the deepest water.” The sister marries Djáudjau. Djáudjau visits his brother-in-law, and on leaving he gets green twigs, rubs himself with them, then rubs the twigs on the ground, and says: “I have brought away some of my brother-in-law’s bad thoughts; now, Earth, take them all.” He talks to the mountains and forgets his brother-in-law. A description of a similar act appears in several Modoc myths.[Contents]MINK AND WEASELTskel and Tcûskai are great characters. In every myth in which they appear they are brothers andSkóŭksis Tskel’s wife; Tcûskai is always small, mischievous and inquisitive. Tskel, to punish Tcûskai for giving his blanket to Gopher (Pshagéknik), who is North Wind, hid water. Tcûskai found it and was drinking it up when Tskel came. Had he drunk it all there would be no water in the world. Tskel made a cap of the skin of Gopher’s head, and putting it on, went to Thunder’s house and killed the five brothers.Tcûskai, though he was so small that he could camp in a woodpecker’s hole,[389]pursued Wŏn, a creature that had to bend down to bite off the tops of trees. He wrestled with Sukas, a man-eater, who drew people in with his breath and swallowed them.—A wave.[Contents]PITOÍOISPitoíois is now a bird (English name unknown). The old father-in-law is lightning. His life is in the stone mortar which he throws at persons whom he wishes to kill. If the mortar is broken he presses the pieces to his breast and it is whole again, but if it is buried in the ground under water he dies.[Contents]ILYÚYUIlyúyu became a head. The head crossed a mountain at a bound and rolled along in the air; it flew at men and killed them.—Among the Iroquois a cyclone is represented as a great head, the name of which, in Seneca, is Dagua Noenyent.[Contents]LOK AND KÉKINAIs an attractive myth. Kékina is early Spring. Every time the little fellow calls: “Spring is coming. Spring is coming!” he hurries Spring along. The Loks are clouds; they prefer winter.[Contents]GRASSHOPPER IN LOVE WITH DEERIs an illustration of unfaithfulness and deceit.[Contents]KAI AND HIS FATHER-IN-LAWOld Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told this myth, did not know who Natanatas was, but she thought that he represented Wind. He could cause a storm, and when a storm was raging, by wishing hard he could quell it. Natanatas gave his son-in-law what he thought to be impossible tasks.—The giving of tasks to a new son-in-law is a feature in many Indian myths, and also in Aryan myths.ColophonAvailabilityThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.org.This eBook is produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team atwww.pgdp.net.MetadataTitle:Myths of the ModocsEditor:Jeremiah Curtin (1835–1906)Infohttps://viaf.org/viaf/37277243/File generation date:2024-04-17 19:09:38 UTCLanguage:EnglishOriginal publication date:1912Revision History2024-03-29 Started.CorrectionsThe following 53 corrections have been applied to the text:PageSourceCorrectionEdit distanceviiiAlcatazAlcatraz19,189,189,384[Not in source]”118:;192MoäsamMoasäm2 / 0146WáhŭtusWâhŭtus1 / 0146YahyáhaâsYahyáhaäs1 / 0147,166kiukskiúks1 / 0191,198,.1195Tcoók’sTcoóks’2197stepsteps1204thevthey1215,262“‘1215[Not in source]’1225littlestoneslittle stones1225SnewéjdasSnewédjas2238,238,354KekinaKékina1 / 0240WONWŎN1 / 0268SLOASLOÄ1 / 0270WitkatkisWitkátkis1 / 0278,293,294,348[Not in source].1282DjaudjausûpDjáudjausûp1 / 0284KOWAMKÓWAM1 / 0284GAHGAGÁHGA1 / 0286GáhgaKówam5306,307MaidikdakMáidikdak1 / 0307,307,307,308Maidikdak’sMáidikdak’s1 / 0310KiuksKiúks1 / 0333KULTA’SKÛLTA’S1 / 0339NANIHLASNÄNÍHLÄS3 / 0342MûkusMúkus1 / 0360the thethe4376duckskinbuckskin1383,383GlatcówasGletcówas1383KeisKéis1 / 0384GuatamalaGuatemala1388SkóûksSkóŭks1 / 0388PshageknikPshagéknik1 / 0

[Contents]NOTES[Contents]LÁTKAKÁWASLátkakáwas is evidently a sun myth. The young man who wooed Látkakáwas could run in the air and under the ground (Indians thought that the sun traveled from west to east underground). He was beautiful and bright, brighter than anything else in the world. He was immortal while he had the disk. When Kumush stole the disk Látkakáwas’ husband died. The disk became a part of Kumush and he was immortal. His body was reduced to ashes, but he rose up anew, for the disk remained.There is a condition, however, incident to the resurrection of the sun; he must be called. Some one must rouse him. The morning star has that duty, and will never be freed from it. While the sun exists, the morning star must call him. At the summons of the star the disk springs from the pile of ashes; the sun (represented as Kumush) is renewed completely and goes forth to run his course till consumed again.Kumush is killed and his body is eaten by crows; only the disk remains. The morning star sees the disk, and calls out: “What are you doing, old man? Get up!” Kumush springs up, through virtue of the immortal disk and the compelling word of the star.Many Indian tribes have myths in which the morning star figures as the Light-bearer.The morning star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the Latins.[Contents]THE FIVE BROTHERS OF LÁTKAKÁWASThe five brothers marry and nothing more is known about them. Gáukos, the orphan boy, becomes the principal character.At sunset Gáukos—the moon—is thrown out of his sister’s house. He is a little boy, but as soon as he is outside he increases in size. He enters a ravine, and when he comes out at the opposite end he is a full-grown man. Later every one sees him; his body is bright and beautiful. When pursued by his sister, he crosses a valley at a step, springs from one mountain to another, and early in the morning reaches the first house, the home of two women, who have the power of making themselves young.The Modocs have lost the name of Gáukos’ elder sister, and they do not know the meaning of the name of the younger sister, Lĭsgaga. The elder sister is, probably, Daylight; she travels as Gáukos does, a valley at a step. In a Wintu creation myth, Sanihas (Daylight) is one of the principal characters.[382]In a Gaelic myth, the son of the King of Light is Day or Daylight, the Lady of Green Insh is Night, and her yellow-haired son is Dawn.In this Modoc myth the power of the word was with Gäk. He said to Lóluk: “Hereafter, you will be kin to no man, you will burn all alike,” and as he spoke Lóluk became common fire.[Contents]ISIS AND YAULILIK’S DAUGHTERSIsis, the son of Látkakáwas, is the son of Kumush because Kumush has the disk, and the disk is Isis’ father. The Indians do not know the meaning of the word Isis—or Áisis, as pronounced by some of the Modocs—or of Látkakáwas.—These names occur only in the myths connected with the disk.—Isis is the greatest hunter and the greatest runner in the world. He has long, bright red hair. When he builds a fire the smoke from it goes straight up; it does not scatter, or waver. Isis has some of the attributes of his father, the sun.Kumush personates Isis and deceives Yaulilik’s elder daughter. In mythology one character frequently personates another.—There is an example of this in Wintu: Klakherrit (Lightning) personates Pitis (Quail), deceives Pitis’ family, and kills every member of it.In Indian myths, whenever two sisters are sent to some place and warned by father or mother against a deceiver, who is likely to meet them on the way, the elder sister is generally ready to become a victim, the younger is the wise one.Cogátkis is an interesting character; like Samson, his strength was in his hair. Through the power of his hair, he could see at a great distance, and he could talk to his mother though she was far away.I have never found a myth in which the method of taking life is similar to that described in this myth. Isis had two children; the elder died; he took the younger in his arms, put the top of its head to his mouth and drew a long breath, drew the child’s breath, its life, into himself. He said to his wives, “The children are half mine, and half yours. I have taken their breath into myself; you may have their bodies.”In an Algonkin myth a character similar to Látkakáwas is the “Earth maiden.” The Sun looks at her and she brings forth a daughter, who becomes the mother of a great hero.[Contents]KUMUSH AND HIS DAUGHTERMany of the Modocs firmly believe that their tribe originated as described in this myth. They call Kumush father, and live by the rules he laid down for them. They believe that he gave the race all gifts that support existence, that it is through him that the Indians live and prosper. He has many of the attributes of Zeus.This myth and many of the myths in this volume are as sacred for Indians as Bible stories are for Christians. When old men are asked what their ideas are regarding life hereafter they tell of Kumush’s visit to the great house in[383]the underground world; of what he saw there, and of the terrible effort he made to bring spirits to the upper world, and create Indians.The underground house of the Modoc dead is in the West.When Kumush had done all that he could for mankind he went to the place where the sun rises. He traveled on Sun’s road till he came to the middle of the sky, and there he built his house.[Contents]STEALING FIREThis tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.[Contents]HOW SICKNESS CAME INTO THE WORLDThis version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who theGletcówasbrothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówasis just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing.Kéisgot angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.[Contents]HOW OLD AGE CAME INTO THE WORLDIt would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened[384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.[Contents]LEMÉIS AND NUL-WEIn this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.[Contents]WIND AND THUNDERFor ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”[Contents]GÁUKOS AND KÛLTAGáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. InGuatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.”[385]In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”[Contents]DJÁKALIPS—RED CLOUDSIn this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.[Contents]MOASÄM BEPS, THE DAUGHTER OF SOUTH WINDMoasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.[Contents]WEST WIND’S WIVESIs a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.[Contents]THE STAR BROTHERSKo-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics[386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.[Contents]THE RAINMAKERThe people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.[Contents]WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUKTsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.[Contents]FROST AND THUNDER (YAHYÁHAÄS).This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄSYahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will[387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄS AND THE KÚJA SISTERSAs usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the myth-tale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.[Contents]TSMUK AND GÓSHGOISEWhen asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.[Contents]WAR BETWEEN BEASTS AND BIRDSThis myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk.[388][Contents]LOK SNEWÉDJASLok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.[Contents]HOW KALASLÁKKAS WON HIS WIFEIn this myth-tale Tusasás, who, wherever he appears, is always the same worthless, shiftless mischief-maker and boaster, is well described. The importance of dreams is also well brought out.[Contents]THE BAD BROTHERThe hero is Rain. He drowns his mother, then sends his sister to Kówe, who in other myths is described as having control of all the springs in the world: “She lives under the water, she is in every spring. She is our grandmother. If she gets mad she can dry up the deepest water.” The sister marries Djáudjau. Djáudjau visits his brother-in-law, and on leaving he gets green twigs, rubs himself with them, then rubs the twigs on the ground, and says: “I have brought away some of my brother-in-law’s bad thoughts; now, Earth, take them all.” He talks to the mountains and forgets his brother-in-law. A description of a similar act appears in several Modoc myths.[Contents]MINK AND WEASELTskel and Tcûskai are great characters. In every myth in which they appear they are brothers andSkóŭksis Tskel’s wife; Tcûskai is always small, mischievous and inquisitive. Tskel, to punish Tcûskai for giving his blanket to Gopher (Pshagéknik), who is North Wind, hid water. Tcûskai found it and was drinking it up when Tskel came. Had he drunk it all there would be no water in the world. Tskel made a cap of the skin of Gopher’s head, and putting it on, went to Thunder’s house and killed the five brothers.Tcûskai, though he was so small that he could camp in a woodpecker’s hole,[389]pursued Wŏn, a creature that had to bend down to bite off the tops of trees. He wrestled with Sukas, a man-eater, who drew people in with his breath and swallowed them.—A wave.[Contents]PITOÍOISPitoíois is now a bird (English name unknown). The old father-in-law is lightning. His life is in the stone mortar which he throws at persons whom he wishes to kill. If the mortar is broken he presses the pieces to his breast and it is whole again, but if it is buried in the ground under water he dies.[Contents]ILYÚYUIlyúyu became a head. The head crossed a mountain at a bound and rolled along in the air; it flew at men and killed them.—Among the Iroquois a cyclone is represented as a great head, the name of which, in Seneca, is Dagua Noenyent.[Contents]LOK AND KÉKINAIs an attractive myth. Kékina is early Spring. Every time the little fellow calls: “Spring is coming. Spring is coming!” he hurries Spring along. The Loks are clouds; they prefer winter.[Contents]GRASSHOPPER IN LOVE WITH DEERIs an illustration of unfaithfulness and deceit.[Contents]KAI AND HIS FATHER-IN-LAWOld Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told this myth, did not know who Natanatas was, but she thought that he represented Wind. He could cause a storm, and when a storm was raging, by wishing hard he could quell it. Natanatas gave his son-in-law what he thought to be impossible tasks.—The giving of tasks to a new son-in-law is a feature in many Indian myths, and also in Aryan myths.

NOTES

[Contents]LÁTKAKÁWASLátkakáwas is evidently a sun myth. The young man who wooed Látkakáwas could run in the air and under the ground (Indians thought that the sun traveled from west to east underground). He was beautiful and bright, brighter than anything else in the world. He was immortal while he had the disk. When Kumush stole the disk Látkakáwas’ husband died. The disk became a part of Kumush and he was immortal. His body was reduced to ashes, but he rose up anew, for the disk remained.There is a condition, however, incident to the resurrection of the sun; he must be called. Some one must rouse him. The morning star has that duty, and will never be freed from it. While the sun exists, the morning star must call him. At the summons of the star the disk springs from the pile of ashes; the sun (represented as Kumush) is renewed completely and goes forth to run his course till consumed again.Kumush is killed and his body is eaten by crows; only the disk remains. The morning star sees the disk, and calls out: “What are you doing, old man? Get up!” Kumush springs up, through virtue of the immortal disk and the compelling word of the star.Many Indian tribes have myths in which the morning star figures as the Light-bearer.The morning star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the Latins.[Contents]THE FIVE BROTHERS OF LÁTKAKÁWASThe five brothers marry and nothing more is known about them. Gáukos, the orphan boy, becomes the principal character.At sunset Gáukos—the moon—is thrown out of his sister’s house. He is a little boy, but as soon as he is outside he increases in size. He enters a ravine, and when he comes out at the opposite end he is a full-grown man. Later every one sees him; his body is bright and beautiful. When pursued by his sister, he crosses a valley at a step, springs from one mountain to another, and early in the morning reaches the first house, the home of two women, who have the power of making themselves young.The Modocs have lost the name of Gáukos’ elder sister, and they do not know the meaning of the name of the younger sister, Lĭsgaga. The elder sister is, probably, Daylight; she travels as Gáukos does, a valley at a step. In a Wintu creation myth, Sanihas (Daylight) is one of the principal characters.[382]In a Gaelic myth, the son of the King of Light is Day or Daylight, the Lady of Green Insh is Night, and her yellow-haired son is Dawn.In this Modoc myth the power of the word was with Gäk. He said to Lóluk: “Hereafter, you will be kin to no man, you will burn all alike,” and as he spoke Lóluk became common fire.[Contents]ISIS AND YAULILIK’S DAUGHTERSIsis, the son of Látkakáwas, is the son of Kumush because Kumush has the disk, and the disk is Isis’ father. The Indians do not know the meaning of the word Isis—or Áisis, as pronounced by some of the Modocs—or of Látkakáwas.—These names occur only in the myths connected with the disk.—Isis is the greatest hunter and the greatest runner in the world. He has long, bright red hair. When he builds a fire the smoke from it goes straight up; it does not scatter, or waver. Isis has some of the attributes of his father, the sun.Kumush personates Isis and deceives Yaulilik’s elder daughter. In mythology one character frequently personates another.—There is an example of this in Wintu: Klakherrit (Lightning) personates Pitis (Quail), deceives Pitis’ family, and kills every member of it.In Indian myths, whenever two sisters are sent to some place and warned by father or mother against a deceiver, who is likely to meet them on the way, the elder sister is generally ready to become a victim, the younger is the wise one.Cogátkis is an interesting character; like Samson, his strength was in his hair. Through the power of his hair, he could see at a great distance, and he could talk to his mother though she was far away.I have never found a myth in which the method of taking life is similar to that described in this myth. Isis had two children; the elder died; he took the younger in his arms, put the top of its head to his mouth and drew a long breath, drew the child’s breath, its life, into himself. He said to his wives, “The children are half mine, and half yours. I have taken their breath into myself; you may have their bodies.”In an Algonkin myth a character similar to Látkakáwas is the “Earth maiden.” The Sun looks at her and she brings forth a daughter, who becomes the mother of a great hero.[Contents]KUMUSH AND HIS DAUGHTERMany of the Modocs firmly believe that their tribe originated as described in this myth. They call Kumush father, and live by the rules he laid down for them. They believe that he gave the race all gifts that support existence, that it is through him that the Indians live and prosper. He has many of the attributes of Zeus.This myth and many of the myths in this volume are as sacred for Indians as Bible stories are for Christians. When old men are asked what their ideas are regarding life hereafter they tell of Kumush’s visit to the great house in[383]the underground world; of what he saw there, and of the terrible effort he made to bring spirits to the upper world, and create Indians.The underground house of the Modoc dead is in the West.When Kumush had done all that he could for mankind he went to the place where the sun rises. He traveled on Sun’s road till he came to the middle of the sky, and there he built his house.[Contents]STEALING FIREThis tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.[Contents]HOW SICKNESS CAME INTO THE WORLDThis version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who theGletcówasbrothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówasis just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing.Kéisgot angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.[Contents]HOW OLD AGE CAME INTO THE WORLDIt would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened[384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.[Contents]LEMÉIS AND NUL-WEIn this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.[Contents]WIND AND THUNDERFor ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”[Contents]GÁUKOS AND KÛLTAGáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. InGuatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.”[385]In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”[Contents]DJÁKALIPS—RED CLOUDSIn this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.[Contents]MOASÄM BEPS, THE DAUGHTER OF SOUTH WINDMoasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.[Contents]WEST WIND’S WIVESIs a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.[Contents]THE STAR BROTHERSKo-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics[386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.[Contents]THE RAINMAKERThe people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.[Contents]WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUKTsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.[Contents]FROST AND THUNDER (YAHYÁHAÄS).This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄSYahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will[387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄS AND THE KÚJA SISTERSAs usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the myth-tale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.[Contents]TSMUK AND GÓSHGOISEWhen asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.[Contents]WAR BETWEEN BEASTS AND BIRDSThis myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk.[388][Contents]LOK SNEWÉDJASLok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.[Contents]HOW KALASLÁKKAS WON HIS WIFEIn this myth-tale Tusasás, who, wherever he appears, is always the same worthless, shiftless mischief-maker and boaster, is well described. The importance of dreams is also well brought out.[Contents]THE BAD BROTHERThe hero is Rain. He drowns his mother, then sends his sister to Kówe, who in other myths is described as having control of all the springs in the world: “She lives under the water, she is in every spring. She is our grandmother. If she gets mad she can dry up the deepest water.” The sister marries Djáudjau. Djáudjau visits his brother-in-law, and on leaving he gets green twigs, rubs himself with them, then rubs the twigs on the ground, and says: “I have brought away some of my brother-in-law’s bad thoughts; now, Earth, take them all.” He talks to the mountains and forgets his brother-in-law. A description of a similar act appears in several Modoc myths.[Contents]MINK AND WEASELTskel and Tcûskai are great characters. In every myth in which they appear they are brothers andSkóŭksis Tskel’s wife; Tcûskai is always small, mischievous and inquisitive. Tskel, to punish Tcûskai for giving his blanket to Gopher (Pshagéknik), who is North Wind, hid water. Tcûskai found it and was drinking it up when Tskel came. Had he drunk it all there would be no water in the world. Tskel made a cap of the skin of Gopher’s head, and putting it on, went to Thunder’s house and killed the five brothers.Tcûskai, though he was so small that he could camp in a woodpecker’s hole,[389]pursued Wŏn, a creature that had to bend down to bite off the tops of trees. He wrestled with Sukas, a man-eater, who drew people in with his breath and swallowed them.—A wave.[Contents]PITOÍOISPitoíois is now a bird (English name unknown). The old father-in-law is lightning. His life is in the stone mortar which he throws at persons whom he wishes to kill. If the mortar is broken he presses the pieces to his breast and it is whole again, but if it is buried in the ground under water he dies.[Contents]ILYÚYUIlyúyu became a head. The head crossed a mountain at a bound and rolled along in the air; it flew at men and killed them.—Among the Iroquois a cyclone is represented as a great head, the name of which, in Seneca, is Dagua Noenyent.[Contents]LOK AND KÉKINAIs an attractive myth. Kékina is early Spring. Every time the little fellow calls: “Spring is coming. Spring is coming!” he hurries Spring along. The Loks are clouds; they prefer winter.[Contents]GRASSHOPPER IN LOVE WITH DEERIs an illustration of unfaithfulness and deceit.[Contents]KAI AND HIS FATHER-IN-LAWOld Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told this myth, did not know who Natanatas was, but she thought that he represented Wind. He could cause a storm, and when a storm was raging, by wishing hard he could quell it. Natanatas gave his son-in-law what he thought to be impossible tasks.—The giving of tasks to a new son-in-law is a feature in many Indian myths, and also in Aryan myths.

[Contents]LÁTKAKÁWASLátkakáwas is evidently a sun myth. The young man who wooed Látkakáwas could run in the air and under the ground (Indians thought that the sun traveled from west to east underground). He was beautiful and bright, brighter than anything else in the world. He was immortal while he had the disk. When Kumush stole the disk Látkakáwas’ husband died. The disk became a part of Kumush and he was immortal. His body was reduced to ashes, but he rose up anew, for the disk remained.There is a condition, however, incident to the resurrection of the sun; he must be called. Some one must rouse him. The morning star has that duty, and will never be freed from it. While the sun exists, the morning star must call him. At the summons of the star the disk springs from the pile of ashes; the sun (represented as Kumush) is renewed completely and goes forth to run his course till consumed again.Kumush is killed and his body is eaten by crows; only the disk remains. The morning star sees the disk, and calls out: “What are you doing, old man? Get up!” Kumush springs up, through virtue of the immortal disk and the compelling word of the star.Many Indian tribes have myths in which the morning star figures as the Light-bearer.The morning star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the Latins.

LÁTKAKÁWAS

Látkakáwas is evidently a sun myth. The young man who wooed Látkakáwas could run in the air and under the ground (Indians thought that the sun traveled from west to east underground). He was beautiful and bright, brighter than anything else in the world. He was immortal while he had the disk. When Kumush stole the disk Látkakáwas’ husband died. The disk became a part of Kumush and he was immortal. His body was reduced to ashes, but he rose up anew, for the disk remained.There is a condition, however, incident to the resurrection of the sun; he must be called. Some one must rouse him. The morning star has that duty, and will never be freed from it. While the sun exists, the morning star must call him. At the summons of the star the disk springs from the pile of ashes; the sun (represented as Kumush) is renewed completely and goes forth to run his course till consumed again.Kumush is killed and his body is eaten by crows; only the disk remains. The morning star sees the disk, and calls out: “What are you doing, old man? Get up!” Kumush springs up, through virtue of the immortal disk and the compelling word of the star.Many Indian tribes have myths in which the morning star figures as the Light-bearer.The morning star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the Latins.

Látkakáwas is evidently a sun myth. The young man who wooed Látkakáwas could run in the air and under the ground (Indians thought that the sun traveled from west to east underground). He was beautiful and bright, brighter than anything else in the world. He was immortal while he had the disk. When Kumush stole the disk Látkakáwas’ husband died. The disk became a part of Kumush and he was immortal. His body was reduced to ashes, but he rose up anew, for the disk remained.

There is a condition, however, incident to the resurrection of the sun; he must be called. Some one must rouse him. The morning star has that duty, and will never be freed from it. While the sun exists, the morning star must call him. At the summons of the star the disk springs from the pile of ashes; the sun (represented as Kumush) is renewed completely and goes forth to run his course till consumed again.

Kumush is killed and his body is eaten by crows; only the disk remains. The morning star sees the disk, and calls out: “What are you doing, old man? Get up!” Kumush springs up, through virtue of the immortal disk and the compelling word of the star.

Many Indian tribes have myths in which the morning star figures as the Light-bearer.

The morning star of the Modocs is the same character as the Lucifer of the Latins.

[Contents]THE FIVE BROTHERS OF LÁTKAKÁWASThe five brothers marry and nothing more is known about them. Gáukos, the orphan boy, becomes the principal character.At sunset Gáukos—the moon—is thrown out of his sister’s house. He is a little boy, but as soon as he is outside he increases in size. He enters a ravine, and when he comes out at the opposite end he is a full-grown man. Later every one sees him; his body is bright and beautiful. When pursued by his sister, he crosses a valley at a step, springs from one mountain to another, and early in the morning reaches the first house, the home of two women, who have the power of making themselves young.The Modocs have lost the name of Gáukos’ elder sister, and they do not know the meaning of the name of the younger sister, Lĭsgaga. The elder sister is, probably, Daylight; she travels as Gáukos does, a valley at a step. In a Wintu creation myth, Sanihas (Daylight) is one of the principal characters.[382]In a Gaelic myth, the son of the King of Light is Day or Daylight, the Lady of Green Insh is Night, and her yellow-haired son is Dawn.In this Modoc myth the power of the word was with Gäk. He said to Lóluk: “Hereafter, you will be kin to no man, you will burn all alike,” and as he spoke Lóluk became common fire.

THE FIVE BROTHERS OF LÁTKAKÁWAS

The five brothers marry and nothing more is known about them. Gáukos, the orphan boy, becomes the principal character.At sunset Gáukos—the moon—is thrown out of his sister’s house. He is a little boy, but as soon as he is outside he increases in size. He enters a ravine, and when he comes out at the opposite end he is a full-grown man. Later every one sees him; his body is bright and beautiful. When pursued by his sister, he crosses a valley at a step, springs from one mountain to another, and early in the morning reaches the first house, the home of two women, who have the power of making themselves young.The Modocs have lost the name of Gáukos’ elder sister, and they do not know the meaning of the name of the younger sister, Lĭsgaga. The elder sister is, probably, Daylight; she travels as Gáukos does, a valley at a step. In a Wintu creation myth, Sanihas (Daylight) is one of the principal characters.[382]In a Gaelic myth, the son of the King of Light is Day or Daylight, the Lady of Green Insh is Night, and her yellow-haired son is Dawn.In this Modoc myth the power of the word was with Gäk. He said to Lóluk: “Hereafter, you will be kin to no man, you will burn all alike,” and as he spoke Lóluk became common fire.

The five brothers marry and nothing more is known about them. Gáukos, the orphan boy, becomes the principal character.

At sunset Gáukos—the moon—is thrown out of his sister’s house. He is a little boy, but as soon as he is outside he increases in size. He enters a ravine, and when he comes out at the opposite end he is a full-grown man. Later every one sees him; his body is bright and beautiful. When pursued by his sister, he crosses a valley at a step, springs from one mountain to another, and early in the morning reaches the first house, the home of two women, who have the power of making themselves young.

The Modocs have lost the name of Gáukos’ elder sister, and they do not know the meaning of the name of the younger sister, Lĭsgaga. The elder sister is, probably, Daylight; she travels as Gáukos does, a valley at a step. In a Wintu creation myth, Sanihas (Daylight) is one of the principal characters.[382]In a Gaelic myth, the son of the King of Light is Day or Daylight, the Lady of Green Insh is Night, and her yellow-haired son is Dawn.

In this Modoc myth the power of the word was with Gäk. He said to Lóluk: “Hereafter, you will be kin to no man, you will burn all alike,” and as he spoke Lóluk became common fire.

[Contents]ISIS AND YAULILIK’S DAUGHTERSIsis, the son of Látkakáwas, is the son of Kumush because Kumush has the disk, and the disk is Isis’ father. The Indians do not know the meaning of the word Isis—or Áisis, as pronounced by some of the Modocs—or of Látkakáwas.—These names occur only in the myths connected with the disk.—Isis is the greatest hunter and the greatest runner in the world. He has long, bright red hair. When he builds a fire the smoke from it goes straight up; it does not scatter, or waver. Isis has some of the attributes of his father, the sun.Kumush personates Isis and deceives Yaulilik’s elder daughter. In mythology one character frequently personates another.—There is an example of this in Wintu: Klakherrit (Lightning) personates Pitis (Quail), deceives Pitis’ family, and kills every member of it.In Indian myths, whenever two sisters are sent to some place and warned by father or mother against a deceiver, who is likely to meet them on the way, the elder sister is generally ready to become a victim, the younger is the wise one.Cogátkis is an interesting character; like Samson, his strength was in his hair. Through the power of his hair, he could see at a great distance, and he could talk to his mother though she was far away.I have never found a myth in which the method of taking life is similar to that described in this myth. Isis had two children; the elder died; he took the younger in his arms, put the top of its head to his mouth and drew a long breath, drew the child’s breath, its life, into himself. He said to his wives, “The children are half mine, and half yours. I have taken their breath into myself; you may have their bodies.”In an Algonkin myth a character similar to Látkakáwas is the “Earth maiden.” The Sun looks at her and she brings forth a daughter, who becomes the mother of a great hero.

ISIS AND YAULILIK’S DAUGHTERS

Isis, the son of Látkakáwas, is the son of Kumush because Kumush has the disk, and the disk is Isis’ father. The Indians do not know the meaning of the word Isis—or Áisis, as pronounced by some of the Modocs—or of Látkakáwas.—These names occur only in the myths connected with the disk.—Isis is the greatest hunter and the greatest runner in the world. He has long, bright red hair. When he builds a fire the smoke from it goes straight up; it does not scatter, or waver. Isis has some of the attributes of his father, the sun.Kumush personates Isis and deceives Yaulilik’s elder daughter. In mythology one character frequently personates another.—There is an example of this in Wintu: Klakherrit (Lightning) personates Pitis (Quail), deceives Pitis’ family, and kills every member of it.In Indian myths, whenever two sisters are sent to some place and warned by father or mother against a deceiver, who is likely to meet them on the way, the elder sister is generally ready to become a victim, the younger is the wise one.Cogátkis is an interesting character; like Samson, his strength was in his hair. Through the power of his hair, he could see at a great distance, and he could talk to his mother though she was far away.I have never found a myth in which the method of taking life is similar to that described in this myth. Isis had two children; the elder died; he took the younger in his arms, put the top of its head to his mouth and drew a long breath, drew the child’s breath, its life, into himself. He said to his wives, “The children are half mine, and half yours. I have taken their breath into myself; you may have their bodies.”In an Algonkin myth a character similar to Látkakáwas is the “Earth maiden.” The Sun looks at her and she brings forth a daughter, who becomes the mother of a great hero.

Isis, the son of Látkakáwas, is the son of Kumush because Kumush has the disk, and the disk is Isis’ father. The Indians do not know the meaning of the word Isis—or Áisis, as pronounced by some of the Modocs—or of Látkakáwas.—These names occur only in the myths connected with the disk.—Isis is the greatest hunter and the greatest runner in the world. He has long, bright red hair. When he builds a fire the smoke from it goes straight up; it does not scatter, or waver. Isis has some of the attributes of his father, the sun.

Kumush personates Isis and deceives Yaulilik’s elder daughter. In mythology one character frequently personates another.—There is an example of this in Wintu: Klakherrit (Lightning) personates Pitis (Quail), deceives Pitis’ family, and kills every member of it.

In Indian myths, whenever two sisters are sent to some place and warned by father or mother against a deceiver, who is likely to meet them on the way, the elder sister is generally ready to become a victim, the younger is the wise one.

Cogátkis is an interesting character; like Samson, his strength was in his hair. Through the power of his hair, he could see at a great distance, and he could talk to his mother though she was far away.

I have never found a myth in which the method of taking life is similar to that described in this myth. Isis had two children; the elder died; he took the younger in his arms, put the top of its head to his mouth and drew a long breath, drew the child’s breath, its life, into himself. He said to his wives, “The children are half mine, and half yours. I have taken their breath into myself; you may have their bodies.”

In an Algonkin myth a character similar to Látkakáwas is the “Earth maiden.” The Sun looks at her and she brings forth a daughter, who becomes the mother of a great hero.

[Contents]KUMUSH AND HIS DAUGHTERMany of the Modocs firmly believe that their tribe originated as described in this myth. They call Kumush father, and live by the rules he laid down for them. They believe that he gave the race all gifts that support existence, that it is through him that the Indians live and prosper. He has many of the attributes of Zeus.This myth and many of the myths in this volume are as sacred for Indians as Bible stories are for Christians. When old men are asked what their ideas are regarding life hereafter they tell of Kumush’s visit to the great house in[383]the underground world; of what he saw there, and of the terrible effort he made to bring spirits to the upper world, and create Indians.The underground house of the Modoc dead is in the West.When Kumush had done all that he could for mankind he went to the place where the sun rises. He traveled on Sun’s road till he came to the middle of the sky, and there he built his house.

KUMUSH AND HIS DAUGHTER

Many of the Modocs firmly believe that their tribe originated as described in this myth. They call Kumush father, and live by the rules he laid down for them. They believe that he gave the race all gifts that support existence, that it is through him that the Indians live and prosper. He has many of the attributes of Zeus.This myth and many of the myths in this volume are as sacred for Indians as Bible stories are for Christians. When old men are asked what their ideas are regarding life hereafter they tell of Kumush’s visit to the great house in[383]the underground world; of what he saw there, and of the terrible effort he made to bring spirits to the upper world, and create Indians.The underground house of the Modoc dead is in the West.When Kumush had done all that he could for mankind he went to the place where the sun rises. He traveled on Sun’s road till he came to the middle of the sky, and there he built his house.

Many of the Modocs firmly believe that their tribe originated as described in this myth. They call Kumush father, and live by the rules he laid down for them. They believe that he gave the race all gifts that support existence, that it is through him that the Indians live and prosper. He has many of the attributes of Zeus.

This myth and many of the myths in this volume are as sacred for Indians as Bible stories are for Christians. When old men are asked what their ideas are regarding life hereafter they tell of Kumush’s visit to the great house in[383]the underground world; of what he saw there, and of the terrible effort he made to bring spirits to the upper world, and create Indians.

The underground house of the Modoc dead is in the West.

When Kumush had done all that he could for mankind he went to the place where the sun rises. He traveled on Sun’s road till he came to the middle of the sky, and there he built his house.

[Contents]STEALING FIREThis tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.

STEALING FIRE

This tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.

This tale belongs to the first cycle of Indian myth-tales, tales which relate the adventures of living creatures, plants, elements, objects and phenomena in this world before they became what they are as we see them. Among living creatures man is not reckoned, for man does not appear in any of these myths.

In most cases the tales are simple and transparent; it is easy to recognize the heroes either by their names or their actions or both. The value of Indian myths lies in the fact that they represent the mental labor of men who lived ages before those who recorded their thoughts on papyrus, baked brick or burnt cylinders.

Sickness was a person and owned fire. Sun, whose home was in the West, also owned fire. A council was called and the first people sent Wus to secure fire for “the people who are to come.” The first people knew that another race was coming and that they themselves were to be changed.

Many mythologies give an account of the stealing of fire.—In Nosa, Au Mujaupa, the master of fire, lived in the South. Ahalamila went there and stole a few coals. The struggle to escape with the coals was as strenuous as that described in the Modoc tale, but the Nosas do not know who Au Mujaupa was.

[Contents]HOW SICKNESS CAME INTO THE WORLDThis version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who theGletcówasbrothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówasis just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing.Kéisgot angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.

HOW SICKNESS CAME INTO THE WORLD

This version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who theGletcówasbrothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówasis just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing.Kéisgot angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.

This version of how sickness scattered over the world is noteworthy. It is not known who theGletcówasbrothers were. When asked, the Modocs said: “Gletcówasis just a name.” The little men possessed great power; they could turn into any conceivable thing.Kéisgot angry and made poisonous diseases. Wéwenkee reproached him, told him that sickness belonged to Nébăks, that it was only loaned to him, that he had no right to let it out. Kéis did not listen, and, as a result of his rage, sickness spread over the world.

[Contents]HOW OLD AGE CAME INTO THE WORLDIt would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened[384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.

HOW OLD AGE CAME INTO THE WORLD

It would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened[384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.

It would be interesting to know who the five brothers were, but the knowledge is lost. Their first notable encounter was with Storm, a person who could kill any one whom he could catch and draw under water.

The brothers traveled till they came to a country where they found only one man and one woman. The man said: “You cannot destroy us. We shall live always.” When the brothers tried to kill him, and could not, they were frightened[384]and ran away. Komúchass followed them to their own country, and killed them. The Indian woman who related this myth believed that if the brothers had let Komúchass alone, there would have been no such thing as old age.

[Contents]LEMÉIS AND NUL-WEIn this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.

LEMÉIS AND NUL-WE

In this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.

In this myth Leméis is described as a man-eater. In Indian myths lightning, thunder, earthquake, and cyclone are man-eaters. Every effort was made to find out who Nul-we and his grandmother were. Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told the story, said that when she was young she knew, but she had forgotten. In a Nosa myth, somewhat similar in construction, but where Lightning is the chief personage, the old grandmother is Pom, the earth.

[Contents]WIND AND THUNDERFor ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”

WIND AND THUNDER

For ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”

For ages the reverence and enthusiasm of primitive men have been given to elemental heroes, and they are given them yet by every tribe which preserves its ancient beliefs and ideas.

Fortunately we know all of the characters in this story of the elements.

Tcûskai, who represents spring, thought that he could cut off North Wind’s head. When Wind put his head out Tcûskai died.

Tskel killed South Wind, made a cap of his skin, put it on and went to North Wind’s house and killed him.

Since the death of North Wind and South Wind the wind that comes from the south is South Wind’s spirit, and the wind that comes from the north is North Wind’s spirit.

The Warm Spring Indians of Oregon have a beautiful myth about the Southwest Wind brothers and the Northeast Wind brothers and their sister, Tekstye. When Southwest Wind had killed Tekstye’s brothers she ran away. Southwest Wind overtook her just as she reached a river; he struck her and she fell into the water. Then he said: “You’ll no longer be a person and freeze people. You can blow once in a while, then I will come and overpower you. Rain will be your enemy, too. You will blow and freeze up everything, then he and I will come, we will thaw out the ground, warm it up, and make it green and beautiful.”

[Contents]GÁUKOS AND KÛLTAGáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. InGuatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.”[385]In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”

GÁUKOS AND KÛLTA

Gáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. InGuatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.”[385]In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”

Gáukos, the moon, is afraid of the big-mouthed people, the grizzly bears (clouds). He takes Weketas to protect him. He says: “If only a bit of me is left in Lok’s mouth Weketas can bring me to life.” In the old time nearly every tribe of Indians on the western continent believed that an eclipse was caused by an animal’s attempt to swallow the sun, or the moon. Some tribes believe it yet and think that the animal is a grizzly bear. InGuatemala, when there is an eclipse, the Indians assemble in their villages, beat on drums, scream and make as much noise as possible, “to scare the bear away.”[385]

In “Tulchuherris,” a Wintu myth, Olelbis, the creator, warns Sas, the Sun, against the grizzlies; he says: “While coming from the east you will see thick brush along the road. In that brush are grizzly bears. Be on your guard against them; they will kill you if they can.”

[Contents]DJÁKALIPS—RED CLOUDSIn this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.

DJÁKALIPS—RED CLOUDS

In this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.

In this myth it is not told who the two sisters are, but in most myths that describe rope-makers it is stated that when the great change came they turned to spiders. The Kaltsik (spider) people play a prominent part in “The Star Brothers.” In a Wintu Myth Norwanchakus hires the spider people to go to Sun’s house and ask where Keriha is. In Látkakáwas they made a basket and would have fastened it to the sky, but misfortune came from looking back.

[Contents]MOASÄM BEPS, THE DAUGHTER OF SOUTH WINDMoasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.

MOASÄM BEPS, THE DAUGHTER OF SOUTH WIND

Moasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.

Moasäm Beps is a myth in which Winter and Spring are the characters. The fate of Tsákiak is pathetic, but we may be sure that if we knew what he represented, and had all the details of the myth, we should find it consistent, and true to nature.

[Contents]WEST WIND’S WIVESIs a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.

WEST WIND’S WIVES

Is a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.

Is a beautiful myth. The mind that conceived it was full of poetic thought.

[Contents]THE STAR BROTHERSKo-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics[386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.

THE STAR BROTHERS

Ko-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics[386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.

Ko-a-lák-ak-a, the woman who told this myth-tale, thought that Tekewas was a cloud—the red cloud that in morning heralds a storm, for she was often seen, a red cloud, lying on the top of a mountain watching the valley below. Her family were afraid of her. Even the sun feared her.

There are valuable elements in the myth: hastening the course of the sun; the destruction caused by looking back; two newly born children pressed into one (we do not know what phenomena or force the children represent); the one, by the blow of an arrow, made two.

The heroes had many adventures. The elder wrestled with Yahyáhaäs, killed him, and condemned his spirit to wander forever on mountains, and along rivers and brooks. The moment the victor pronounced the curse the conquered said: “You will no longer be a person. You and your brother will be stars.” Thereupon they became what their opponent had made them. When the word had been uttered nothing in the universe could turn it aside or resist it.

Ko-a-lák-ak-a thought that Yahyáhaäs personified fog. Captain John said that Yahyáhaäs was lightning, and the people who wrestled with him were clouds.

Yahyáhaäs appears in a number of myths. He always has the same characteristics[386]and the same power. His only way of killing an enemy is by wrestling with him. His spirit goes to the sky and becomes Leméis, thunder.

[Contents]THE RAINMAKERThe people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.

THE RAINMAKER

The people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.

The people who lived in the world before this had all the weaknesses of the people of the twentieth century; they were jealous, unfaithful, and revengeful. But not in the beginning. For untold ages those “first people” lived in peace and harmony. “No man knows, no man can tell, how long they lived in that way.” Then, by degrees, a change came.

Gáhga, old, and blind, and jealous, “could have destroyed” (drowned) “all the people in the world had he so willed.” He was Rain. A similar character in Gaelic mythology is called “Wet Mantle.” His power was in his mantle, which was rain itself.

[Contents]WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUKTsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.

WUS KUMUSH AND TSMUK

Tsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.

Tsmuk is darkness, and his daughter, whose name is given in another version of the story, is Iúnika, Twilight.

In this myth there is a fine description of Wus. He could make people old; he could change them to animals or to anything he chose. He was the greatest trickster in the world; he delighted in deceiving people. He made Tsmuk look toward the east; immediately Tsmuk’s body became a black cloud. A west wind came and carried the cloud away; it was daylight. Wus said to Tsmuk, “You’ll no longer be a person. You’ll be darkness, and people will sleep when you are here. But I shall not sleep. I will sleep in the daytime and travel at night.” The last part of Wus’ declaration must be an interpolation, for Wus is connected with light. In the mythology of one of the Pacific coast tribes a personage with many of the characteristics of Wus is known to be that warm light which in fine weather we see waving and dancing above the earth. He leads persons astray, and is full of mischief and deceit.

[Contents]FROST AND THUNDER (YAHYÁHAÄS).This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.

FROST AND THUNDER (YAHYÁHAÄS).

This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.

This is the only myth in the collection in which Frost is a known character. Wus steals Gowwá’s wife, Gowwá gets her back, then the Lok people (clouds) steal her, Gowwá kills the Loks and rescues his wife only to have her stolen by Yahyáhaäs, who carries her to his home under the rocks. All the strong people in the world assemble to aid Gowwá, but they cannot break the rocks. Then Tckumhûs, or Tsasgips, as he is familiarly called,—a little man who looks puny and powerless,—says that he can break the rocks. He blows on them and they fall apart.

[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄSYahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will[387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.

YAHYÁHAÄS

Yahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will[387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.

Yahyáhaäs makes the sun hasten its course. In this myth the misfortune which results from looking back is clearly stated: “If you look back you will[387]die.”—Usually the person who looks back is turned to stone, as in the Bible Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.

[Contents]YAHYÁHAÄS AND THE KÚJA SISTERSAs usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the myth-tale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.

YAHYÁHAÄS AND THE KÚJA SISTERS

As usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the myth-tale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.

As usual in Indian myth-tales, the younger sister has the most power.

Yahyáhaäs boasted that he could conquer the Kúja sisters. The eldest, to show her power, stuck a woodpecker’s feather in the ground and it came up a streak of fire in Yahyáhaäs’ cane.

Kûlta had been dead a long time. Kúja washed his body and stretched it, then, by stepping over it, brought it to life.

Bringing to life is one of the most familiar performances in American and in Oriental mythology. The Mongolian hero sprinkles a pile of bones with the Water of Life taken from a spring near a silver-leafed aspen tree. Immediately the bones resume their old connections and take on flesh; the man rises and proceeds on his journey as though nothing had happened.

It should be remembered that, whatever be the names of the myth-tale heroes at present, the original heroes were not human; they perform deeds which no man could perform, which only one of the forces of nature could perform, if it had the volition and desires of a person. In a beautiful myth of the Warm Spring Indians of California, Summer, a long time dead, is brought to life by the South Wind.

[Contents]TSMUK AND GÓSHGOISEWhen asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.

TSMUK AND GÓSHGOISE

When asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.

When asked who the Yaukûl people were the story-teller said: “They were stone people.” The Modoc word for stone is bondak, that for rock is gowan. In a fragment of a variant of this myth Frost is one of the characters. The Modocs had a name for the different manifestations of frost; it is possible that Yaukûl is one of those names.

Góshgoise personifies spring. His grandmother made him a bright blue quiver out of her own hair. Then she made a spear that would last always and never get old,—lightning. He killed the Yaukûl people, then battled with the Kaudokis and the Juljulcus. He gave his spear, long lightning, to Juljulcus, and took Juljulcus’ spear, heat lightning, “that lightning which flashes around the sky in warm weather.” He went to Tsmuk’s house, and Iúnika (Twilight), Tsmuk’s daughter, who owned the moon, became his wife.

In this myth the idea that “bad thoughts” bring misfortune is brought out very strongly. A bad thought causes much trouble.

[Contents]WAR BETWEEN BEASTS AND BIRDSThis myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk.[388]

WAR BETWEEN BEASTS AND BIRDS

This myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk.[388]

This myth recalls the fables of the great Russian writer, Kriloff. Whoever determines to be always, right or wrong, with the winning side, is likely to be left alone, as was Bat, who has no friend either among those that fly or those that walk.[388]

[Contents]LOK SNEWÉDJASLok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.

LOK SNEWÉDJAS

Lok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.

Lok Snewédjas was a cloud, a snow storm and a whirlwind. The mountain was her father and the earth was her mother. In Wintu Wimaloimis, the grizzly-bear cloud woman, was not as good a mother as Lok Snewédjas, for she tried to eat her sons, Thunder and Lightning. Lok Snewédjas, when her child was in danger, rushed down the mountain in a whirlwind that tore big rocks from under the ground and threw them around as though they were tiny stones.

Lok Snewédjas owned all the yĕlalwek there was in the world. “No one had ever eaten any seed like it, or will ever eat any like it again.” No matter how much was eaten the same amount remained. From a handful all the people in a village were fed and the handful remained.

This myth shows what power the Indians thought their “medicine men” possessed: if they called to the spirit of a dead man before the spirit reached the place where the sun goes down, it would came back to the body.

[Contents]HOW KALASLÁKKAS WON HIS WIFEIn this myth-tale Tusasás, who, wherever he appears, is always the same worthless, shiftless mischief-maker and boaster, is well described. The importance of dreams is also well brought out.

HOW KALASLÁKKAS WON HIS WIFE

In this myth-tale Tusasás, who, wherever he appears, is always the same worthless, shiftless mischief-maker and boaster, is well described. The importance of dreams is also well brought out.

In this myth-tale Tusasás, who, wherever he appears, is always the same worthless, shiftless mischief-maker and boaster, is well described. The importance of dreams is also well brought out.

[Contents]THE BAD BROTHERThe hero is Rain. He drowns his mother, then sends his sister to Kówe, who in other myths is described as having control of all the springs in the world: “She lives under the water, she is in every spring. She is our grandmother. If she gets mad she can dry up the deepest water.” The sister marries Djáudjau. Djáudjau visits his brother-in-law, and on leaving he gets green twigs, rubs himself with them, then rubs the twigs on the ground, and says: “I have brought away some of my brother-in-law’s bad thoughts; now, Earth, take them all.” He talks to the mountains and forgets his brother-in-law. A description of a similar act appears in several Modoc myths.

THE BAD BROTHER

The hero is Rain. He drowns his mother, then sends his sister to Kówe, who in other myths is described as having control of all the springs in the world: “She lives under the water, she is in every spring. She is our grandmother. If she gets mad she can dry up the deepest water.” The sister marries Djáudjau. Djáudjau visits his brother-in-law, and on leaving he gets green twigs, rubs himself with them, then rubs the twigs on the ground, and says: “I have brought away some of my brother-in-law’s bad thoughts; now, Earth, take them all.” He talks to the mountains and forgets his brother-in-law. A description of a similar act appears in several Modoc myths.

The hero is Rain. He drowns his mother, then sends his sister to Kówe, who in other myths is described as having control of all the springs in the world: “She lives under the water, she is in every spring. She is our grandmother. If she gets mad she can dry up the deepest water.” The sister marries Djáudjau. Djáudjau visits his brother-in-law, and on leaving he gets green twigs, rubs himself with them, then rubs the twigs on the ground, and says: “I have brought away some of my brother-in-law’s bad thoughts; now, Earth, take them all.” He talks to the mountains and forgets his brother-in-law. A description of a similar act appears in several Modoc myths.

[Contents]MINK AND WEASELTskel and Tcûskai are great characters. In every myth in which they appear they are brothers andSkóŭksis Tskel’s wife; Tcûskai is always small, mischievous and inquisitive. Tskel, to punish Tcûskai for giving his blanket to Gopher (Pshagéknik), who is North Wind, hid water. Tcûskai found it and was drinking it up when Tskel came. Had he drunk it all there would be no water in the world. Tskel made a cap of the skin of Gopher’s head, and putting it on, went to Thunder’s house and killed the five brothers.Tcûskai, though he was so small that he could camp in a woodpecker’s hole,[389]pursued Wŏn, a creature that had to bend down to bite off the tops of trees. He wrestled with Sukas, a man-eater, who drew people in with his breath and swallowed them.—A wave.

MINK AND WEASEL

Tskel and Tcûskai are great characters. In every myth in which they appear they are brothers andSkóŭksis Tskel’s wife; Tcûskai is always small, mischievous and inquisitive. Tskel, to punish Tcûskai for giving his blanket to Gopher (Pshagéknik), who is North Wind, hid water. Tcûskai found it and was drinking it up when Tskel came. Had he drunk it all there would be no water in the world. Tskel made a cap of the skin of Gopher’s head, and putting it on, went to Thunder’s house and killed the five brothers.Tcûskai, though he was so small that he could camp in a woodpecker’s hole,[389]pursued Wŏn, a creature that had to bend down to bite off the tops of trees. He wrestled with Sukas, a man-eater, who drew people in with his breath and swallowed them.—A wave.

Tskel and Tcûskai are great characters. In every myth in which they appear they are brothers andSkóŭksis Tskel’s wife; Tcûskai is always small, mischievous and inquisitive. Tskel, to punish Tcûskai for giving his blanket to Gopher (Pshagéknik), who is North Wind, hid water. Tcûskai found it and was drinking it up when Tskel came. Had he drunk it all there would be no water in the world. Tskel made a cap of the skin of Gopher’s head, and putting it on, went to Thunder’s house and killed the five brothers.

Tcûskai, though he was so small that he could camp in a woodpecker’s hole,[389]pursued Wŏn, a creature that had to bend down to bite off the tops of trees. He wrestled with Sukas, a man-eater, who drew people in with his breath and swallowed them.—A wave.

[Contents]PITOÍOISPitoíois is now a bird (English name unknown). The old father-in-law is lightning. His life is in the stone mortar which he throws at persons whom he wishes to kill. If the mortar is broken he presses the pieces to his breast and it is whole again, but if it is buried in the ground under water he dies.

PITOÍOIS

Pitoíois is now a bird (English name unknown). The old father-in-law is lightning. His life is in the stone mortar which he throws at persons whom he wishes to kill. If the mortar is broken he presses the pieces to his breast and it is whole again, but if it is buried in the ground under water he dies.

Pitoíois is now a bird (English name unknown). The old father-in-law is lightning. His life is in the stone mortar which he throws at persons whom he wishes to kill. If the mortar is broken he presses the pieces to his breast and it is whole again, but if it is buried in the ground under water he dies.

[Contents]ILYÚYUIlyúyu became a head. The head crossed a mountain at a bound and rolled along in the air; it flew at men and killed them.—Among the Iroquois a cyclone is represented as a great head, the name of which, in Seneca, is Dagua Noenyent.

ILYÚYU

Ilyúyu became a head. The head crossed a mountain at a bound and rolled along in the air; it flew at men and killed them.—Among the Iroquois a cyclone is represented as a great head, the name of which, in Seneca, is Dagua Noenyent.

Ilyúyu became a head. The head crossed a mountain at a bound and rolled along in the air; it flew at men and killed them.—Among the Iroquois a cyclone is represented as a great head, the name of which, in Seneca, is Dagua Noenyent.

[Contents]LOK AND KÉKINAIs an attractive myth. Kékina is early Spring. Every time the little fellow calls: “Spring is coming. Spring is coming!” he hurries Spring along. The Loks are clouds; they prefer winter.

LOK AND KÉKINA

Is an attractive myth. Kékina is early Spring. Every time the little fellow calls: “Spring is coming. Spring is coming!” he hurries Spring along. The Loks are clouds; they prefer winter.

Is an attractive myth. Kékina is early Spring. Every time the little fellow calls: “Spring is coming. Spring is coming!” he hurries Spring along. The Loks are clouds; they prefer winter.

[Contents]GRASSHOPPER IN LOVE WITH DEERIs an illustration of unfaithfulness and deceit.

GRASSHOPPER IN LOVE WITH DEER

Is an illustration of unfaithfulness and deceit.

Is an illustration of unfaithfulness and deceit.

[Contents]KAI AND HIS FATHER-IN-LAWOld Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told this myth, did not know who Natanatas was, but she thought that he represented Wind. He could cause a storm, and when a storm was raging, by wishing hard he could quell it. Natanatas gave his son-in-law what he thought to be impossible tasks.—The giving of tasks to a new son-in-law is a feature in many Indian myths, and also in Aryan myths.

KAI AND HIS FATHER-IN-LAW

Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told this myth, did not know who Natanatas was, but she thought that he represented Wind. He could cause a storm, and when a storm was raging, by wishing hard he could quell it. Natanatas gave his son-in-law what he thought to be impossible tasks.—The giving of tasks to a new son-in-law is a feature in many Indian myths, and also in Aryan myths.

Old Ko-a-lák-ak-a, who told this myth, did not know who Natanatas was, but she thought that he represented Wind. He could cause a storm, and when a storm was raging, by wishing hard he could quell it. Natanatas gave his son-in-law what he thought to be impossible tasks.—The giving of tasks to a new son-in-law is a feature in many Indian myths, and also in Aryan myths.

ColophonAvailabilityThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.org.This eBook is produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team atwww.pgdp.net.MetadataTitle:Myths of the ModocsEditor:Jeremiah Curtin (1835–1906)Infohttps://viaf.org/viaf/37277243/File generation date:2024-04-17 19:09:38 UTCLanguage:EnglishOriginal publication date:1912Revision History2024-03-29 Started.CorrectionsThe following 53 corrections have been applied to the text:PageSourceCorrectionEdit distanceviiiAlcatazAlcatraz19,189,189,384[Not in source]”118:;192MoäsamMoasäm2 / 0146WáhŭtusWâhŭtus1 / 0146YahyáhaâsYahyáhaäs1 / 0147,166kiukskiúks1 / 0191,198,.1195Tcoók’sTcoóks’2197stepsteps1204thevthey1215,262“‘1215[Not in source]’1225littlestoneslittle stones1225SnewéjdasSnewédjas2238,238,354KekinaKékina1 / 0240WONWŎN1 / 0268SLOASLOÄ1 / 0270WitkatkisWitkátkis1 / 0278,293,294,348[Not in source].1282DjaudjausûpDjáudjausûp1 / 0284KOWAMKÓWAM1 / 0284GAHGAGÁHGA1 / 0286GáhgaKówam5306,307MaidikdakMáidikdak1 / 0307,307,307,308Maidikdak’sMáidikdak’s1 / 0310KiuksKiúks1 / 0333KULTA’SKÛLTA’S1 / 0339NANIHLASNÄNÍHLÄS3 / 0342MûkusMúkus1 / 0360the thethe4376duckskinbuckskin1383,383GlatcówasGletcówas1383KeisKéis1 / 0384GuatamalaGuatemala1388SkóûksSkóŭks1 / 0388PshageknikPshagéknik1 / 0

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.org.

This eBook is produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team atwww.pgdp.net.

The following 53 corrections have been applied to the text:

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