White Fang

g, investigating, learning. He quickly came to know much of theways of the man-animals, but familiarity did not breed contempt. Themore he came

gods are of the unseen and the overguessed, vapours and mists of fancyeluding the garmenture of reality, wandering wraiths of desired goodnessand power, intangible out-croppings of self into the realm of spirit - unl

no getting away fromit. There it stands, on its two hind-legs, club in hand, immensely potential,passionate and wrathful and lovi

his allegiance. He gave them the trail as a privilege indubitablytheirs. When they walked, he got out of their way. When they called, hecame. When they threatened, he cowered down. When they commandedhi

hem. His actions weretheirs to command. His bod

re; and, while he disliked it in the learning of it, unknown to himselfhe was learning to like it. It was a placing of his destiny in another's han

e and his memories of the Wild. There were days when he crept tothe edge of the forest and stood and listened to something calling him farand away.

re more just, children morecruel, and women more kindly and more likely to toss him a bit of meat orbone. And after two or three painful adventures with the mothers of part-grow

liphad selected White Fang for his special object of persecution. While F

s, snarling at him,picking upon him, and watchful of an opportunity, when no man-animalwas near, to spring upon him and force a f

ose. His temper had been savage by birth, but it became more savageunder this unending persecution. The genial, playful, puppyish side of himfound little expression. He never played and gambolled about

d idle time in which to devotehimself to thoughts of trickery. Prevented from obtaining his share of meatand fish when a general feed was given to the camp-dogs, he became aclever thief. He had to forage for himself, and he foraged well, though hewas oft-time

from the camps ofmen, so White Fang, in manner somewhat similar, lured Lip-lip intoKiche's avenging jaws. Retreating before Lip-lip, White Fang made anindirect flight that led in and out and around the v

p speed around a tepee, he ran full tilt into Kichelying at the end of her stick. He gave one yelp of consternation, and thenher punishing jaws closed upon him. She

ened his mouth, and broke out the long, heart-broken puppywail. But even this he was not allowed to complete. In the middle of it,White Fang, rushing in, sank his teeth into Lip-lip's hind leg. There was nofight left in Lip-lip, and h

ased Kiche. White Fang was delighted with hismother's freedom. He accompanied her joyfully abo

lipignored the challenge. He was no fool himself, and whatever vengean

e quiet woods were calling to him, and he wanted her to come. Heran on a few steps, stopped, and looked back. She had not moved. Hewhined pleadingly, and scurried playfully in and out of the underbrush. Heran back to her, l

ard also that other and louder call, the call of thefire and of man - the call which has been

tick was the clutch of the camp upon her. Unseenand occultly, the gods still gripped with their

d fragrances filled the air,reminding him of his o

erof man or of the Wild was the call of his mother. All the hours of his sh

g once, and twice, tosit down and whimper and to listen

ackenzie to the Great Slave Lake. A strip ofscarlet cloth, a bearskin, twenty cartridges, and Kiche, went to pay thedebt. White Fang saw his mother taken aboard Three Eagles' canoe, andtried to follow her. A blow from Three Eagles knocke

hite Fang, he reacheddown and by the nape of the neck lifted him clear of the water. He did notdeposit him at once i

heavy. Every blow was shrewd tohurt;

an erratic and jerkypendulum. Varying were the emotions that surged through him. At first, hehad known surprise. Then

fearlessly in the face of the wrathful god. This but served to make th

For the first time he wasbeing really man-handled. The occasional blows of sticks and stones hehad previously experienced were as caresses compared with this. He brokedown and began to cry

ly in the bottom of the canoe. In the meantime the canoe had drifteddown the stream. Grey Beaver picked up the paddle. White Fang was inhis way.

te Fang's fright. Not only the hand, but the hard wooden paddle wasused upon him; and he was bruised and sore in all his small body when hewa

e god who was lord and master overhim; the body of the lord and master was sacred, not to be defiled by thetee

e proceeding fromthe bank, now rushed upon him, knocking him over and sinking his teethinto him. White Fang was too helpless to defend himself, and it wouldhave gone hard with him had not Grey Beaver's foot shot out, lifting Lip-lip into the air with its violence so that he smashed down to earth a dozenfeet away. This was the man-ani

woke up Grey Beaver, whobeat him. After that he mourned gently when the gods were around. Butsometimes, straying of

run back to the Wild. But the memory of hismother held him. As the hunting man-animals went out and ca

thestrange things these gods did, and he was always curious to see. Besides,he was learning how to get along with Grey Beaver. Ob

h more, in some strange way, then a dozenpieces of meat from the hand of a squaw. Grey Beaver never petted norcaressed. Perhaps it was the weight of his hand, perhaps his jus

the beginning made itpossible for them to come in to the fires of men, were qualities capable ofdevelopment. They were developing in him, and the camp-life, repletewith misery as it was, was secr