Keesh

Announcer:Now, the Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES.

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Ourstory this week is "Keesh."  It was written by Jack London. Hereis Shep O’Neal to tell you the story.

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Storyteller:Keesh lived at the edge of the polar sea. He had seen thirteen suns in theEskimo way of keeping time. Among the Eskimos, the sun each winter leaves theland in darkness. And the next year, a new sun returns, so it might be warmagain.

Thefather of Keesh had been a brave man. But he had died hunting for food. Keeshwas his only son. Keesh lived along with his mother, Ikeega.

Onenight, the village council met in the big igloo of Klosh-kwan, the chief. Keeshwas there with the others. He listened, then waited for silence.

Hesaid, “It is true that you give us some meat. But it is often old and toughmeat, and has many bones.”

Thehunters were surprised. This was a child speaking against them. A child talkinglike a grown man!

Keeshsaid, “My father, Bok, was a great hunter. It is said that Bok brought homemore meat than any of the two best hunters. And that he divided the meat sothat all got an equal share.”

“Naah!Naah!” the hunters cried. “Put the child out! Send him to bed. He should nottalk to gray-beards this way!”

Keeshwaited until the noise stopped. “You have a wife, Ugh-gluk,” he said. “And you speak for her. My mother has no one but me. So I speak. As I say, Bokhunted greatly, but is now dead. It is only fair then that my mother, who washis wife, and I, his son, should have meat when the tribe has meat. I, Keesh,son of Bok, have spoken.”

Again,there was a great noise in the igloo. The council ordered Keesh to bed. It eventalked of giving him no food.

Keeshjumped to his feet. “Hear me!” he cried. “Never shall I speak in the counciligloo again. I shall go hunt meat like my father, Bok.”

Therewas much laughter when Keesh spoke of hunting. The laughter followed Keesh ashe left the council meeting.

Thenext day, Keesh started out for the shore, where the land meets the ice. Those who watched saw that he carried his bow and many arrows. Across hisshoulder was his father’s big hunting spear. Again there was laughter.

Oneday passed, then a second. On the third day, a great wind blew. There was nosign of Keesh. His mother, Ikeega, put burned seal oil on her face to show hersorrow. The women shouted at their men for letting the little boy go. The menmade no answer, but got ready to search for the body of Keesh.

Earlynext morning, Keesh walked into the village. Across his shoulders was freshmeat. “Go you men, with dogs and sleds. Follow my footsteps. Travel for a day,”he said.  “There is much meat on the ice. A she-bear and her two cubs.”

Hismother was very happy. Keesh, trying to be a man, said to her, “Come, Ikeega,let us eat. And after that, I shall sleep. For I am tired.”

Therewas much talk after Keesh went to his igloo. The killing of a bear wasdangerous.  But it was three times more dangerous to kill a mother bearwith cubs. The men did not believe Keesh had done so. But the women pointed tothe fresh meat. At last, the men agreed to go for the meat that was left. Butthey were not very happy.

Onesaid that even if Keesh had killed the bear, he probably had not cut the meatinto pieces. But when the men arrived, they found that Keesh had not onlykilled the bear, but had also cut it into pieces, just like a grown hunter.

Sobegan the mystery of Keesh.

Onhis next trip, he killed a young bear…and on the following trip, a large malebear and its mate.

Thenthere was talk of magic and witchcraft in the village. “He hunts with evilspirits,” said one. “Maybe his father’s spirit hunts with him,” said another.

Keeshcontinued to bring meat to the village. Some people thought he was a greathunter. There was talk of making him chief, after old Klosh-kwan. They waited,hoping he would come to council meetings. But he never came.

“Iwould like to build an igloo.” Keesh said one day, “but I have no time. My jobis hunting. So it would be just if the men and women of the village who eat mymeat, build my igloo.” And the igloo was built. It was even bigger than theigloo of the Chief Klosh-kwan.

Oneday, Ugh-gluk talked to Keesh. “It is said that you hunt with evil spirits, andthey help you kill the bear.”

“Isnot the meat good?” Keesh answered. “Has anyone in the village yet become sickafter eating it? How do you know evil spirits are with me? Or do you say itbecause I am a good hunter?”

Ugh-glukhad no answer.

Thecouncil sat up late talking about Keesh and the meat. They decided to spy onhim.

OnKeesh’s next trip, two young hunters, Bim and Bawn, followed him. After fivedays, they returned. The council met to hear their story.

“Brothers,”Bim said, “we followed Keesh, and he did not see us. The first day he came to agreat bear. Keesh shouted at the bear, loudly. The bear saw him and becameangry. It rose high on its legs and growled. But Keesh walked up to it.”

“Wesaw it,” Bawn, the other hunter, said. “The bear began to run toward Keesh.Keesh ran away. But as he ran, he dropped a little round ball on the ice. Thebear stopped and smelled the ball, then ate it. Keesh continued to run,dropping more balls on the ice. The bear followed and ate the balls.”

Thecouncil members listened to every word. Bim continued the story. “The bear suddenlystood up straight and began to shout in pain.

“Evilspirits,” said Ugh-gluk.

Ido not know,” said Bawn. “I can tell only what my eyes saw. The bear grew weak.Then it sat down and pulled at its own fur with its sharp claws.  Keeshwatched the bear that whole day.”

“Forthree more days, Keesh continued to watch the bear. It was getting weaker andweaker. Keesh moved carefully up to the bear and pushed his father’s spear intoit.”

“Andthen?” asked Klosh-kwan.

“Andthen we left.”

Thatafternoon, the council talked and talked.  When Keesh arrived in thevillage, the council sent a messenger to ask him to come to the meeting. ButKeesh said he was tired and hungry. He said his igloo was big and could holdmany people, if the council wanted a meeting.

Klosh-kwanled the council to the igloo of Keesh. Keesh was eating, but he welcomed them.Klosh-kwan told Keesh that two hunters had seen him kill a bear. And then, in aserious voice to Keesh, he said, “We want to know how you did it.” Did you usemagic and witchcraft?”

Keeshlooked up and smiled. “No, Klosh-kwan. I am a boy. I know nothing of magic orwitchcraft. But I have found an easy way to kill the ice-bear.  It ishead-craft, not witchcraft.”

“Andwill you tell us, O Keesh?” Klosh-kwan asked in a shaking voice.

“Iwill tell you. It is very simple. Watch.”

Keeshpicked up a thin piece of whalebone.  The ends were pointed and sharp as aknife. Keesh bent the bone into a circle. Suddenly he let the bone go, and itbecame straight with a sharp snap. He picked up a piece of seal meat.

“So,”he said, “first make a circle with a sharp, thin piece of whale bone. Put thecircle of bone inside some seal meat. Put it in the snow to freeze. The beareats the ball of meat with the circle of bone inside. When the meat gets insidethe bear, the meat gets warm, and the bone goes snap! The sharp points make thebear sick. It is easy to kill then. It is simple.”

Ugh-gluksaid, “Ohhh!” Klosh-kwan said “Ahh!”  Each said something in his own way.And all understood.

Thatis the story of Keesh, who lived long ago on the edge of the polar sea. Becausehe used head-craft, instead of witchcraft, he rose from the poorest igloo to bethe chief in the village. And for all the years that followed, his people werehappy. No one cried at night with pains of hunger.

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Announcer:You have just heard the story, "Keesh."  It was written by JackLondon. Your storyteller was Shep O’Neal.  This is Shirley Griffith.