Белый клык

           TherewasnoescapeforWhiteFang. Theonlywayoutwasbetweenthetwotepees,andthistheboyguarded. Holdinghisclubpreparedtostrike,hedrewinonhiscorneredquarry. WhiteFangwasfurious. Hefacedtheboy,bristlingandsnarling,hissenseofjusticeoutraged. Heknewthelawofforage. Allthewastageofmeat,suchasthefrozenchips,belongedtothedogthatfoundit. Hehaddonenowrong,brokennolaw,yetherewasthisboypreparingtogivehimabeating. WhiteFangscarcelyknewwhathappened. Hediditinasurgeofrage. Andhediditsoquicklythattheboydidnotknoweither. Alltheboyknewwasthathehadinsomeunaccountablewaybeenoverturnedintothesnow,andthathisclub-handhadbeenrippedwideopenbyWhiteFang’steeth. 

           ButWhiteFangknewthathehadbrokenthelawofthegods. Hehaddrivenhisteethintothesacredfleshofoneofthem,andcouldexpectnothingbutamostterriblepunishment. HefledawaytoGreyBeaver,behindwhoseprotectinglegshecrouchedwhenthebittenboyandtheboy’sfamilycame,demandingvengeance. Buttheywentawaywithvengeanceunsatisfied. GreyBeaverdefendedWhiteFang. SodidMit-sahandKloo-kooch. WhiteFang,listeningtothewordywarandwatchingtheangrygestures,knewthathisactwasjustified. Andsoitcamethathelearnedthereweregodsandgods. Therewerehisgods,andtherewereothergods,andbetweenthemtherewasadifference. Justiceorinjustice,itwasallthesame,hemusttakeallthingsfromthehandsofhisowngods. Buthewasnotcompelledtotakeinjusticefromtheothergods. Itwashisprivilegetoresentitwithhisteeth. Andthisalsowasalawofthegods. 

           Beforethedaywasout,WhiteFangwastolearnmoreaboutthislaw. Mit-sah,alone,gatheringfirewoodintheforest,encounteredtheboythathadbeenbitten.Withhimwereotherboys. Hotwordspassed. ThenalltheboysattackedMit-sah. Itwasgoinghardwithhim.