Белый клык
The Grey Cub
LikemostcreaturesoftheWild,heearlyexperiencedfamine. Therecameatimewhennotonlydidthemeat-supplycease,butthemilknolongercamefromhismother’sbreast. Atfirst,thecubswhimperedandcried,butforthemostparttheyslept. Itwasnotlongbeforetheywerereducedtoacomaofhunger. Therewerenomorespatsandsquabbles,nomoretinyragesnorattemptsatgrowling; whiletheadventurestowardthefarwhitewallceasedaltogether. Thecubsslept,whilethelifethatwasinthemflickeredanddieddown.
OneEyewasdesperate. Herangedfarandwide,andsleptbutlittleinthelairthathadnowbecomecheerlessandmiserable. Theshe-wolf,too,leftherlitterandwentoutinsearchofmeat. Inthefirstdaysafterthebirthofthecubs,OneEyehadjourneyedseveraltimesbacktotheIndiancampandrobbedtherabbitsnares; but,withthemeltingofthesnowandtheopeningofthestreams,theIndiancamphadmovedaway,andthatsourceofsupplywasclosedtohim.
Whenthegreycubcamebacktolifeandagaintookinterestinthefarwhitewall,hefoundthatthepopulationofhisworldhadbeenreduced. Onlyonesisterremainedtohim. Therestweregone. Ashegrewstronger,hefoundhimselfcompelledtoplayalone,forthesisternolongerliftedherheadnormovedabout. Hislittlebodyroundedoutwiththemeathenowate;butthefoodhadcometoolateforher. Shesleptcontinuously,atinyskeletonflungroundwithskininwhichtheflameflickeredlowerandlowerandatlastwentout.
Thentherecameatimewhenthegreycubnolongersawhisfatherappearinganddisappearinginthewallnorlyingdownasleepintheentrance. Thishadhappenedattheendofasecondandlessseverefamine.
