Another legend not only explains the creation of Wizard Island but also suggests the manner in which the Crater Lake caldera became filled with water. Some new romantic elements have been added:
Llao, the master of everything living under the earth and water, dwelt in the fiery pit where Crater Lake now lies, and this was the only place he could come to the surface of the earth. Skell was master of all the animals that lived on the earth. Both were in love with the daughter of the chief of the Klamath Indians and both asked for her hand in marriage and were refused because her father was rearing her to be chief of the tribe when he died. Llao felt wronged when he was refused her hand and returned to his home on Llao Rock and brooded. Skell understood and pledged his help to the Indians if they needed it.
Then Llao commanded the chief to deliver his daughter to him in three days, or seven days of death and destruction would be launched against the Indians. The girl wanted to sacrifice herself for her people, but they wouldn’t let her. They tied her in her tent and lay face downward awaiting destruction. Skell started to help the Indians, but Llao, seeing him go, hurled a flaming boulder across the skies and struck him dead. Then Llao’s children took Skell’s heart from his body and brought it to their father.
All of Skell’s children gathered at a fountain where he drank and bewailed his fate. Llao sent a messenger to them proclaiming himself lord of everything above earth as well as underneath it.
After he left, the coyote said, “Since it is proclaimed that Skell’s heart will live and his body live if his heart be returned, let us proceed to the home of Llao and declare ourselves his loyal subjects, awaiting the chance to restore the heart to our master.”
Taunts greeted them as they arrived, and the weasel, brother of Llao, ran to the ballground with Skell’s heart and began to toss it into the air. The coyote followed him to the ballground and began to chide him for not being able to throw it far. Other animals tried to toss it too but the coyote chided them all for not being able to throw it high into the air. Finally, Llao became angry at his taunts and stalked out and hurled it far into the air. It soared and soared and finally came to the ground on the far end of the baseball ground. The fox, who was hidden near, snatched it and rushed into the forest. As Llao’s children were about to catch the fox, the antelope burst through the throng and took the heart and rushed on with it. The eagle swooped down and, taking the heart from the antelope, flew out of sight with it. A voice of a dove, sounding from a great distance, told them Skell lived again.
Brooding over this, Llao went to Skell’s land and challenged him to a wrestling match. Skell knew that Llao was stronger, but decided to wrestle rather than appear cowardly before his children and the other gods. Llao threw him across his shoulder and started toward his home. When they were only a short distance from Llao’s home, Skell said that a louse was biting him and he wanted to scratch. Llao taunted him saying, “What matter a little bite when I am soon going to cut you into pieces and feed you to my children?”
“But you will grant me this one last wish,” pleaded Skell. Llao freed one of his hands and Skell pulled out his knife and cut off Llao’s head. Then he sent word to Llao’s children that Skell had been killed. They gathered around the pit beneath Lao’s throne and ate the pieces of their master as they were thrown down to them. But when their master’s head was tossed over, they were grieved and would not touch it. It remains today where it was thrown and is known as Wizard Island. Then the pit grew dark and the children wept, their tears falling into the dark pit which is today known as Crater Lake. [19]
