Белый клык
The Law of Meat
Hisdesiretokillstrengthenedwiththedays,andhecherishedhungryambitionsforthesquirrel thatchatteredsovolublyandalwaysinformedallwildcreaturesthatthewolf-cubwasapproaching. Butasbirdsflewintheair,squirrelscouldclimbtrees, andthecubcouldonlytrytocrawlunobserveduponthesquirrelwhenitwasontheground.
Thecubentertainedagreatrespectforhismother. Shecouldgetmeat,andsheneverfailedtobringhimhisshare. Further,shewasunafraidofthings. Itdidnotoccurtohimthatthisfearlessnesswasfoundeduponexperienceandknowledge. Itseffectonhimwasthatofanimpressionofpower. Hismotherrepresentedpower; andashegrewolderhefeltthispowerinthesharperadmonishmentofherpaw; whilethereprovingnudgeofhernosegaveplacetotheslashofherfangs. Forthis,likewise,herespectedhismother. Shecompelledobediencefromhim,andtheolderhegrewtheshortergrewhertemper.
Faminecameagain,andthecubwithclearerconsciousnessknewoncemorethebiteofhunger. Theshe-wolfranherselfthininthequestformeat. Sherarelysleptanymoreinthecave,spendingmostofhertimeonthemeat-trail,andspendingitvainly. Thisfaminewasnotalongone,butitwasseverewhileitlasted. Thecubfoundnomoremilkinhismother’sbreast,nordidhegetonemouthfulofmeatforhimself.
Before,hehadhuntedinplay,forthesheerjoyousnessofit;nowhehuntedindeadlyearnestness,andfoundnothing. Yetthefailureofitacceleratedhisdevelopment. Hestudiedthehabitsofthesquirrelwithgreatercarefulness,andstrovewithgreatercrafttostealuponitandsurpriseit. Hestudiedthewood-miceandtriedtodigthemoutoftheirburrows; andhelearnedmuchaboutthewaysofmoose-birdsandwoodpeckers.
