The Story of Lao and Skell (Ewksiknii Legend)

Lao the chief of many not so strong spirits lived in the waters of Crater Lake. Among his people was a large crawfish. We were told that this creature was so big he could reach from the waters to the rim which rose high above the lake and grab anyone who invaded the territory of the spirit Lao. Lao’s people could change into the form of anything they desired, many times in the forms of animals they played on the mountainside.

Skell, also the chief of many not so strong spirits, lived with his people on Yamsi Mountain and was the bossman of all the Klamath Marsh Country. Skell’s people, when traveling, often took the forms of animals too. Skell usually took the shape of marten. Gmukumps lived in the sky, and was the chief of all spirits.

One day the people of Lao and Skell were playing and started to quarrel. The quarrel led to a fight. Skell and Lao began to fight, each taking part of his own people. The fight went on for a long time until the people of Lao killed Skell. They tore the heart of Skell and carried it back to the mountain of Lao. Five days later the people of Lao held a feast inviting all the spirits of the waters and mountains, among them Skell’s people. Skell’s people were very sad and their hearts were crying for their lost chief. But they knew if they could get back the heart of their chief and put it into his body, their beloved Skell would live again. Because of this they did go to the feast, where they pretended to be happy, all while waiting for the chance to regain the heart of their chief.

After all had eaten Lao said “Now we have eaten, everyone is happy, let us play the games. First we will play ball and we will use the heart of Skell for the ball.” All of the people of Skell were sitting together, planning how they would steal the heart of their chief.

Fox spoke “We all have had too much to eat. It is hard to move. We will sit for awhile. You go ahead and play. Soon we will join you.” They leaned back pretending to rest as they schemed how to get the heart.

A plan was made. Some of their people would play the game but before that they would station their other people in different sites leading down the mountainside. As soon as one of their people had the heart in their hands it was planned, he would run to the nearest of his people in hiding who would pass it on to the next and so on. Getting to his feet Fox said “We are ready to play.” They went into the circle where Lao’s people were throwing the heart of Skell around in a circle one to another, being careful not to let the heart get into the hands of Skell’s people.

Fox began to tease them saying “Is that as high as you can throw? Even our women can throw higher than you. Throw it higher.” He kept up the teasing until Lao got so mad he threw the heart high into the air, so high that when it came down it landed outside the circle. Fox quickly grabbed the heart and ran with it where deer was waiting. Deer took it and ran faster than the wind until he thought his lungs would break. He came to antelopes hiding place who in turn took the heart and ran swiftly to wolf’s hiding place, where he in turn ran as fast as he could go with the people of Lao fast behind him. Just as Lao was about to catch wolf, bald eagle swooped down and took the heart in his beak and flew high into the air towards the east, where he was met with a golden eagle who took the heart and in turn flew until he met dove. Dove took the heart to the land of the dead and put it back into the body of Skell, who came back to life. Lao and his people had given up chase when the bald eagle took the heart.

Skell and his people went back to the mountain of Lao and resumed the fighting. This time Lao was killed and his people were chased back into the water. Skell and his people took the body of Lao and cut it into little piece. Then taking the pieces back to the rim they called to the people of Lao “Come eat the body of Skell.” The people of Lao were fooled and came to the surface of the waters.

As they threw out the pieces of Lao’s body into the waters they called out “Here, eat the legs of Skell,” and the pieces eaten by the water spirits. This went on until all the pieces of Lao’s body had been eaten by his people except the head. Then Skell took the head and threw it into the water saying “But this is the head of your chief Lao. Eat this too as you have eaten the rest of his body.”

Crawfish was very angry and started to cry, “I will get you for this. I will kill you. You will pay.” He reached up to the rim to grab Skell, but Gmunkumps the greatest of all spirits helped Skell to escape. Lao’s people would not touch the head of their chief and left it to float on the waters. There it still is today floating on the waters of Crater Lake. What the Indians know to be the head of Lao, is known by the Whiteman as Wizard Island.

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