(MUSIC)Our story this week is "Keesh." It was written by Jack London. Here isShep O’Neal to tell you the story.
(MUSIC)Storyteller: Keesh lived at the edge of the polar sea. He had seenthirteen suns in the Eskimo way of keeping time. Among the Eskimos,the sun each winter leaves the land in darkness. And the next year, anew sun returns, so it might be warm again.
The father of Keesh had been a brave man. But he had died hunting forfood. Keesh was his only son. Keesh lived along with his mother,Ikeega.
One night, the village council met in the big igloo of Klosh-kwan, thechief. Keesh was there with the others. He listened, then waited forsilence.
He said, “It is true that you give us some meat. But it is often oldand tough meat, and has many bones.”
The hunters were surprised. This was a child speaking against them. Achild talking like a grown man!
Keesh said, “My father, Bok, was a great hunter. It is said that Bokbrought home more meat than any of the two best hunters. And that hedivided the meat so that all got an equal share.”
“Naah! Naah!” the hunters cried. “Put the child out! Send him tobed. He should not talk to gray-beards this way!”
Keesh waited 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 Ispeak. As I say, Bok hunted greatly, but is now dead. It is only fairthen that my mother, who was his wife, and I, his son, should havemeat when the tribe has meat. I, Keesh, son of Bok, have spoken.”
Again, there was a great noise in the igloo. The council ordered Keeshto bed. It even talked of giving him no food.
Keesh jumped to his feet. “Hear me!” he cried. “Never shall I speakin the council igloo again. I shall go hunt meat like my father, Bok.
”
There was much laughter when Keesh spoke of hunting. The laughterfollowed Keesh as he left the council meeting.
The next day, Keesh started out for the shore, where the land meetsthe ice. Those who watched saw that he carried his bow and manyarrows. Across his shoulder was his father’s big hunting spear. Againthere was laughter.
One day passed, then a second. On the third day, a great wind blew.
There was no sign of Keesh. His mother, Ikeega, put burned seal oil onher face to show her sorrow. The women shouted at their men forletting the little boy go. The men made no answer, but got ready tosearch for the body of Keesh.
Early next morning, Keesh walked into the village. Across hisshoulders was fresh meat. “Go you men, with dogs and sleds. Follow myfootsteps. Travel for a day,” he said. “There is much meat on theice. A she-bear and her two cubs.”
His mother 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 amtired.”
There was much talk after Keesh went to his igloo. The killing of abear was dangerous. But it was three times more dangerous to kill amother bear with cubs. The men did not believe Keesh had done so. Butthe women pointed to the fresh meat. At last, the men agreed to go forthe meat that was left. But they were not very happy.
One said that even if Keesh had killed the bear, he probably had notcut the meat into pieces. But when the men arrived, they found thatKeesh had not only killed the bear, but had also cut it into pieces,just like a grown hunter.
So began the mystery of Keesh.
On his next trip, he killed a young bear…and on the following trip, alarge male bear and its mate.
Then there was talk of magic and witchcraft in the village. “He huntswith evil spirits,” said one. “Maybe his father’s spirit hunts withhim,” said another.
Keesh continued to bring meat to the village. Some people thought hewas a great hunter. There was talk of making him chief, after oldKlosh-kwan. They waited, hoping he would come to council meetings. Buthe never came.
“I would like to build an igloo.” Keesh said one day, “but I haveno time. My job is hunting. So it would be just if the men and womenof the village who eat my meat, build my igloo.” And the igloo wasbuilt. It was even bigger than the igloo of the Chief Klosh-kwan.
One day, Ugh-gluk talked to Keesh. “It is said that you hunt withevil spirits, and they help you kill the bear.”
“Is not the meat good?” Keesh answered. “Has anyone in the villageyet become sick after eating it? How do you know evil spirits are withme? Or do you say it because I am a good hunter?”
Ugh-gluk had no answer.
The council sat up late talking about Keesh and the meat. They decidedto spy on him.
On Keesh’s next trip, two young hunters, Bim and Bawn, followed him.
After five days, 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 a great bear. Keesh shouted at the bear,loudly. The bear saw him and became angry. It rose high on its legsand growled. But Keesh walked up to it.”
“We saw it,” Bawn, the other hunter, said. “The bear began to runtoward Keesh. Keesh ran away. But as he ran, he dropped a little roundball on the ice. The bear stopped and smelled the ball, then ate it.
Keesh continued to run, dropping more balls on the ice. The bearfollowed and ate the balls.”
The council members listened to every word. Bim continued the story.
“The bear suddenly stood up straight and began to shout in pain.
“Evil spirits,” said Ugh-gluk.
I do not know,” said Bawn. “I can tell only what my eyes saw. Thebear grew weak. Then it sat down and pulled at its own fur with itssharp claws. Keesh watched the bear that whole day.”
“For three more days, Keesh continued to watch the bear. It wasgetting weaker and weaker. Keesh moved carefully up to the bear andpushed his father’s spear into it.”
“And then?” asked Klosh-kwan.
“And then we left.”
That afternoon, the council talked and talked. When Keesh arrived inthe village, the council sent a messenger to ask him to come to themeeting. But Keesh said he was tired and hungry. He said his igloo wasbig and could hold many people, if the council wanted a meeting.
Klosh-kwan led the council to the igloo of Keesh. Keesh was eating,but he welcomed them. Klosh-kwan told Keesh that two hunters had seenhim kill a bear. And then, in a serious voice to Keesh, he said, “Wewant to know how you did it.” Did you use magic and witchcraft?”
Keesh looked up and smiled. “No, Klosh-kwan. I am a boy. I knownothing of magic or witchcraft. But I have found an easy way to killthe ice-bear. It is head-craft, not witchcraft.”
“And will you tell us, O Keesh?” Klosh-kwan asked in a shakingvoice.
“I will tell you. It is very simple. Watch.”
Keesh picked up a thin piece of whalebone. The ends were pointed andsharp as a knife. Keesh bent the bone into a circle. Suddenly he letthe bone go, and it became straight with a sharp snap. He picked up apiece of seal meat.
“So,” he said, “first make a circle with a sharp, thin piece ofwhale bone. Put the circle of bone inside some seal meat. Put it inthe snow to freeze. The bear eats the ball of meat with the circle ofbone inside. When the meat gets inside the bear, the meat gets warm,and the bone goes snap! The sharp points make the bear sick. It iseasy to kill then. It is simple.”
Ugh-gluk said, “Ohhh!” Klosh-kwan said “Ahh!” Each said somethingin his own way. And all understood.
That is the story of Keesh, who lived long ago on the edge of thepolar sea. Because he used head-craft, instead of witchcraft, he rosefrom the poorest igloo to be the chief in the village. And for all theyears that followed, his people were happy. No one cried at night withpains of hunger.
(MUSIC)Announcer: You have just heard the story, "Keesh." It was written byJack London. Your storyteller was Shep O’Neal. This is ShirleyGriffith.
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