Белый клык
The Makers of Fire
Unlikeanyanimalshehadeverencountered,theydidnotbitenorclaw.Theyenforcedtheirlivestrengthwiththepowerofdeadthings. Deadthingsdidtheirbidding. Thus,sticksandstones,directedbythesestrangecreatures,leapedthroughtheairlikelivingthings,inflictinggrievoushurtsuponthedogs.
Tohismindthiswaspowerunusual,powerinconceivableandbeyondthenatural,powerthatwasgodlike. WhiteFang,intheverynatureofhim,couldneverknowanythingaboutgods; atthebesthecouldknowonlythingsthatwerebeyondknowing —butthewonderandawethathehadoftheseman-animalsinwaysresembledwhatwouldbethewonderandaweofmanatsightofsomecelestialcreature,onamountaintop,hurlingthunderboltsfromeitherhandatanastonishedworld.
Thelastdoghadbeendrivenback.Thehubbubdieddown. AndWhiteFanglickedhishurtsandmeditateduponthis,hisfirsttasteofpack-crueltyandhisintroductiontothepack. HehadneverdreamedthathisownkindconsistedofmorethanOneEye,hismother,andhimself. Theyhadconstitutedakindapart, andhere,abruptly,hehaddiscoveredmanymorecreaturesapparentlyofhisownkind. Andtherewasasubconsciousresentmentthatthese,hiskind, atfirstsighthadpitcheduponhimandtriedtodestroyhim. Inthesamewayheresentedhismotherbeingtiedwithastick,eventhoughitwasdonebythesuperiorman-animals. Itsavouredofthetrap,ofbondage. Yetofthetrapandofbondageheknewnothing. Freedomtoroamandrunandliedownatwill,hadbeenhisheritage;andhereitwasbeinginfringedupon. Hismother’smovementswererestrictedtothelengthofastick,andbythelengthofthatsamestickwasherestricted,forhehadnotyetgotbeyondtheneedofhismother’sside.
