Why doesn't the kernel make like my libncurses?

["Peter Hutnick" <peter-lists@hutnick.com>]

What's up with this?

/usr/src/linux# make menuconfig
rm -f include/asm
( cd include ; ln -sf asm-i386 asm)
make -C scripts/lxdialog all
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux/scripts/lxdialog'
/usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lncurses
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
-e
>> Unable to find the Ncurses libraries.
>>
>> You must have Ncurses installed in order
>> to use 'make menuconfig'

make[1]: *** [ncurses] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux/scripts/lxdialog'
make: *** [menuconfig] Error 2

So I

/usr/src/linux# locate libncurses
/lib/libncurses.so.4
/lib/libncurses.so.4.2
/lib/libncurses.so.5
/lib/libncurses.so.5.2

Hrm.

Thanks for any help/advice!  (I'm getting /real/ tired of make config :-(

-Peter