Белый клык
The Famine
WhiteFang,seemingtosumupstrengthinallhisqualities,neverthelesssufferedfromonebesettingweakness. Hecouldnotstandbeinglaughedat. Thelaughterofmenwasahatefulthing. Theymightlaughamongthemselvesaboutanythingtheypleasedexcepthimself,andhedidnotmind. Butthemomentlaughterwasturneduponhimhewouldflyintoamostterriblerage. Grave,dignified,sombre,alaughmadehimfrantictoridiculousness. Itsooutragedhimandupsethimthatforhourshewouldbehavelikeademon. Andwoetothedogthatatsuchtimesranfoulofhim. HeknewthelawtoowelltotakeitoutofGreyBeaver; behindGreyBeaverwereaclubandgodhead. Butbehindthedogstherewasnothingbutspace,andintothisspacetheyflewwhenWhiteFangcameonthescene,mademadbylaughter.
InthethirdyearofhislifetherecameagreatfaminetotheMackenzieIndians. Inthesummerthefishfailed. Inthewinterthecaribooforsooktheiraccustomedtrack. Moosewerescarce,therabbitsalmostdisappeared,huntingandpreyinganimalsperished. Deniedtheirusualfood-supply,weakenedbyhunger,theyfelluponanddevouredoneanother. Onlythestrongsurvived. WhiteFang’sgodswerealwayshuntinganimals. Theoldandtheweakofthemdiedofhunger. Therewaswailinginthevillage,wherethewomenandchildrenwentwithoutinorderthatwhatlittletheyhadmightgointothebelliesoftheleanandhollow-eyedhunterswhotrodtheforestinthevainpursuitofmeat.
Tosuchextremitywerethegodsdriventhattheyatethesoft-tannedleatheroftheirmocassinsandmittens,whilethedogsatetheharnessesofftheirbacksandtheverywhip-lashes. Also,thedogsateoneanother,andalsothegodsatethedogs. Theweakestandthemoreworthlesswereeatenfirst. Thedogsthatstilllived,lookedonandunderstood.
