KEESH - Jack London Keesh lived at the edge of the polar sea.

He had seen thirteen suns in the Eskimo way of keeping time. Among the Eskimos the sun each winter leaves the land in darkness. And the ne!t year a new sun returns so it might "e warm again. #he father of Keesh had "een a "rave man. $ut he had died hunting for food. Keesh was his only son. Keesh lived along with his mother %keega. at the edge& al "orde de' thirteen suns& trece soles (met)fora& ten*a +, a-os.' Eskimo way& el estilo es/uimal' of keeping time& de contar el tiempo' it might "e& podr*a estar' "rave& valiente' hunting for food& ca0ando en "usca de comida' 1ne night the village council met in the "ig igloo of Klosh-kwan the chief. Keesh was there with the others. He listened then waited for silence. He said 2%t is true that you give us some meat. $ut it is often old and tough meat and has many "ones.3 #he hunters were surprised. #his was a child speaking against them. A child talking like a grown man4 Keesh said 25y father $ok was a great hunter. %t is said that $ok "rought home more meat than any of the two "est hunters. And that he divided the meat so that all got an e/ual share.3 council& conce6o parlamento' chief& 6efe' tough& dura' "ones& huesos' like a grown man& como un hom"re maduro' hunters& ca0adores' e/ual share& porci7n similar' 28aah4 8aah43 the hunters cried. 29ut the child out4 Send him to "ed. He should not talk to gray-"eards this way43 Keesh waited until the noise stopped. 2:ou have a wife ;gh-gluk 3 he said. 2And you speak for her. 5y mother has no one "ut me. So % speak. As % say $ok hunted greatly "ut is now dead. %t is only fair then that my mother who was his wife and % his son should have meat when the tri"e has meat. % Keesh son of $ok have spoken.3 put the child out& sa/uen a este ni-o' gray-"eards& 6efes de tri"u ("ar"as grises.' "ut me& sino a m* solo' dead& muerto' only fair& totalmente 6usto' Again there was a great noise in the igloo. #he council ordered Keesh to "ed. %t even talked of giving him no food. Keesh 6umped to his feet. 2Hear me43 he cried. 28ever shall % speak in the council igloo again. % shall go hunt meat like my father $ok.3 #here was much laughter when Keesh spoke of hunting. #he laughter followed Keesh as he left the council meeting. 6umped& salt7 se puso de pie de un "rinco' much laughter& muchas risas' #he ne!t day Keesh started out for the shore where the land meets the ice. #hose who watched saw that he carried his "ow and many arrows. Across his shoulder was his father<s "ig hunting spear. Again there was laughter. 1ne day passed then a second. 1n the third day a great wind "lew. #here was no sign of Keesh. His mother %keega put "urned seal oil on her face to show her sorrow. #he women shouted at their men for letting the little "oy go. #he men made no answer "ut got ready to search for the "ody of Keesh. started out for& parti7 hacia' "ow& arco' arrows& flechas' hunting spear& lan0a arp7n para ca0ar' wind "lew& viento sopl7' "urned seal oil& aceite /uemado de foca' sorrow& pena' shouted at& les gritaron' +

Early ne!t morning Keesh walked into the village. Across his shoulders was fresh meat. 2=o you men with dogs and sleds. >ollow my footsteps. #ravel for a day 3 he said. 2#here is much meat on the ice. A she-"ear and her two cu"s.3 His mother was very happy. Keesh trying to "e a man said to her 2?ome %keega let us eat. And after that % shall sleep. >or % am tired.3 sleds& trineos' she-"ear& osa polar' cu"s& cachorros ositos' let us eat& vamos a comer' for % am& pues estoy' #here was much talk after Keesh went to his igloo. #he killing of a "ear was dangerous. $ut it was three times more dangerous to kill a mother "ear with cu"s. #he men did not "elieve Keesh had done so. $ut the women pointed to the fresh meat. At last the men agreed to go for the meat that was left. $ut they were not very happy. 1ne said that even if Keesh had killed the "ear he pro"a"ly had not cut the meat into pieces. $ut when the men arrived they found that Keesh had not only killed the "ear "ut had also cut it into pieces 6ust like a grown hunter. killing& matan0a' dangerous& peligroso' at last& por fin' that was left& /ue /ueda"a' "ut had also cut& sino /ue tam"i@n la ha"*a cortado' grown hunter& ca0ador adulto' So "egan the mystery of Keesh. 1n his ne!t trip he killed a young "ear and on the following trip a large male "ear and its mate. #hen there was talk of magic and witchcraft in the village. 2He hunts with evil spirits 3 said one. 25ay"e his father<s spirit hunts with him 3 said another. Keesh continued to "ring meat to the village. Some people thought he was a great hunter. #here was talk of making him chief after old Klosh-kwan. #hey waited hoping he would come to council meetings. $ut he never came. on his ne!t trip& en su siguiente via6e' male "ear& oso macho' mate& pare6a' witchcraft& "ru6er*a' evil spirits& malos esp*ritus' making him chief& elegirlo 6efe del pue"lo' to council meetings& a las reuniones del conce6o' 2% would like to "uild an igloo.3 Keesh said one day 2"ut % have no time. 5y 6o" is hunting. So it would "e 6ust if the men and women of the village who eat my meat "uild my igloo.3 And the igloo was "uilt. %t was even "igger than the igloo of the ?hief Klosh-kwan. 1ne day ;gh-gluk talked to Keesh. 2%t is said that you hunt with evil spirits and they help you kill the "ear.3 2%s not the meat goodA3 Keesh answered. 2Has anyone in the village yet "ecome sick after eating itA How do you know evil spirits are with meA 1r do you say it "ecause % am a good hunterA3 ;gh-gluk had no answer. to "uild& construir' even "igger& aBn m)s grande' "ecome sick& enfermado' #he council sat up late talking a"out Keesh and the meat. #hey decided to spy on him. 1n Keesh<s ne!t trip two young hunters $im and $awn followed him. After five days they returned. #he council met to hear their story. 2$rothers 3 $im said 2we followed Keesh and he did not see us. #he first day he came to a great "ear. Keesh shouted at the "ear loudly. #he "ear saw him and "ecame angry. %t rose high on its legs and growled. $ut Keesh walked up to it.3 sat up late talking& permanecieron toda la noche deli"erando' to spy on him& espiar /u@ hac*a' loudly& en vo0 muy alta' it rose high& se irgui7' growled& gru-7' walked up to it& lo enfrent7 caminando hacia @l' C

2De saw it 3 $awn the other hunter said. 2#he "ear "egan to run toward Keesh. Keesh ran away. $ut as he ran he dropped a little round "all on the ice. #he "ear stopped and smelled the "all then ate it. Keesh continued to run dropping more "alls on the ice. #he "ear followed and ate the "alls.3 #he council mem"ers listened to every word. $im continued the story. 2#he "ear suddenly stood up straight and "egan to shout in pain. 2Evil spirits 3 said ;ghgluk. % do not know 3 said $awn. 2% can tell only what my eyes saw. #he "ear grew weak. #hen it sat down and pulled at its own fur with its sharp claws. Keesh watched the "ear that whole day.3 to run toward& a correr hacia' ran away& huy7' he dropped& tira"a de6a"a caer' round "all& pelota redonda (al"7ndiga.' in pain& dolorido' grew weak& se de"ilit7' own fur& propia piel' sharp claws& afiladas garras' that whole day& todo el d*a' 2>or three more days Keesh continued to watch the "ear. %t was getting weaker and weaker. Keesh moved carefully up to the "ear and pushed his father<s spear into it.3 2And thenA3 asked Klosh-kwan. 2And then we left.3 continued to watch& continu7 o"servando' weaker and weaker& cada ve0 m)s d@"il' pushed his father<s spear& le clav7 el arp7n de su padre' #hat afternoon the council talked and talked. Dhen Keesh arrived in the village the council sent a messenger to ask him to come to the meeting. $ut Keesh said he was tired and hungry. He said his igloo was "ig and could hold many people if the council wanted a meeting. Klosh-kwan led the council to the igloo of Keesh. Keesh was eating "ut he welcomed them. Klosh-kwan told Keesh that two hunters had seen him kill a "ear. And then in a serious voice to Keesh he said 2De want to know how you did it.3 Eid you use magic and witchcraftA3 could hold& tenia capacidad para' led the council& llev7 a los integrantes del conce6o' welcomed them& los reci"i7' how you did it& c7mo lo hiciste' Keesh looked up and smiled. 28o Klosh-kwan. % am a "oy. % know nothing of magic or witchcraft. $ut % have found an easy way to kill the ice-"ear. %t is head-craft not witchcraft.3 2And will you tell us 1 KeeshA3 Klosh-kwan asked in a shaking voice. 2% will tell you. %t is very simple. Datch.3 Keesh picked up a thin piece of whale"one. #he ends were pointed and sharp as a knife. Keesh "ent the "one into a circle. Suddenly he let the "one go and it "ecame straight with a sharp snap. He picked up a piece of seal meat. ice-"ear& oso polar' whale"one& hueso de "allena' ends& e!tremos' pointed and sharp& puntiagudos y afilados' "ent the "one& ar/ue7 el hueso' seal& foca' 2So 3 he said 2first make a circle with a sharp thin piece of whale "one. 9ut the circle of "one inside some seal meat. 9ut it in the snow to free0e. #he "ear eats the "all of meat with the circle of "one inside. Dhen the meat gets inside the "ear the meat gets warm and the "one goes snap4 #he sharp points make the "ear sick. %t is easy to kill then. %t is simple.3 ;gh-gluk said 21hhh43 Kloshkwan said 2Ahh43 Each said something in his own way. And all understood.

to free0e& para /ue se congelara' gets warm& se calienta' goes snap& cru6e estalla' the sharp points& los e!tremos afilados' make the "ear sick& enferma al oso' in his own way& a su manera' #hat is the story of Keesh who lived long ago on the edge of the polar sea. $ecause he used head-craft instead of witchcraft he rose from the poorest igloo to "e the chief in the village. And for all the years that followed his people were happy. 8o one cried at night with pains of hunger. long ago& hace ya mucho tiempo' head-craft& creatividad' the poorest igloo& el m)s humilde iglB' with pains of hunger& con dolores por falta de alimentaci7n.