Keesh, the Son of Keesh by Jack London. Short summary

5 seconds

After the death of his father, 13-year-old Kish lives with his mother. The boy wants to hunt on his own, as they often get old and tough meat. Soon he brings in a bear carcass.

1 minute

Kish, 13, lives near the Arctic Sea with his mother Aikiga. The boy’s father died in a fight with a polar bear, protecting people from starvation. In time, the tribesmen have forgotten about his exploit.

The chief convenes a council. Kish informs them that the meat that he and his mother get is often tough and old. All the hunters are surprised by the boy’s audacity.

Kish wants to hunt and share the meat himself. The boy goes out for a few days and brings back a bear carcass. He sends hunters on his trail. The men find a dead bear and cubs.

Kish goes hunting, returning with good prey, and shares it fairly. He asks his fellow tribesmen to build him a new igloo, and they comply with his request.

The successful hunter is suspected of witchcraft. Kish told them that he had invented an easy way to hunt. He threw frozen balls of seal fat to the bear. Inside them the boy would put a twisted, pointed whale mustache. After the animal ate the fat, the ball melted in his stomach and the whisker straightened, causing him great pain.