Kówam and his little brother lived on the south side of Klamath Lake. The little boy’s name was Gáhga.
Kówam had a nice-looking wife, and when he went to fish in the lake, he always told her that if any one came to bother her she must send Gáhga to tell him.
One morning, when Kówam had gone to the lake, and his old mother-in-law was out gathering wood, Kówam’s wife sat down by the fire and began to make a reed basket for Kówam to put fish in. After a while the old woman ran in and cried: “The big-footed people are coming!”
Soon the five Lok brothers came in and sat down by the fire. The eldest brother put his head on the young woman’s lap.
Gágha began to cry, and Lok said: “Why do you cry, little boy? Are you sorry for me because I haven’t a wife? This woman is my wife.”
Gágha kept crying. At midday his eyes were so swollen that he could hardly open them. “Stop crying,” said his sister-in-law. “Go and find your brother and tell him that the big-footed men are here. Maybe nothing has happened, and he doesn’t know there is trouble at home.”
Gágha cried all the time he was going to the lake. When he found his brother Kówam asked: “What’s the matter? What makes you cry? Did you hurt yourself?”
“No,” said Gágha, “five of the big-footed people from the north side of the lake are in our house, and one of them has his head on my sister-in-law’s knees.” [[285]]
“Is she crying?” asked Kówam.
“No, but I’ve cried all the time, I’m so sorry they have taken my sister-in-law away from me.”