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AMERICAN STORIES - KeeshBy Jack1 London

Broadcast: Saturday, January 14, 2006

Announcer2: Now, the Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES.

(MUSIC)

Our story this week is Keesh. It was written by Jack London. Here is Shep O'Neal to tell you the story.

(MUSIC)

Storyteller: 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 next year, a new sun returns, so it might be warm again.

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

One night, the village council3 met in the big igloo of Klosh-kwan, the chief. Keesh was there with the others. He listened, then waited for silence.

He said, It is true that you give us some meat. But it is often old and tough meat, and has many bones.

The hunters were surprised. This was a child speaking against them. A child talking like a grown man!

Keesh said, My father, Bok, was a great hunter. It is said that Bok brought home more meat than any of the two best hunters. And that he divided the meat so that all got an equal share.

Naah! Naah! the hunters cried. Put the child out! Send him to bed. 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 I speak. As I say, Bok hunted greatly, but is now dead. It is only fair then that my mother, who was his wife, and I, his son, should have meat when the tribe4 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 even talked of giving him no food.

Keesh jumped to his feet. Hear me! he cried. Never shall I speak in the council igloo again. I shall go hunt meat like my father, Bok.

There was much laughter when Keesh spoke5 of hunting. The laughter followed Keesh as he left the council meeting.

The next 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 his shoulder was his father's big hunting spear. Again there 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 on her face to show her sorrow. The women shouted at their men for letting the little boy go. The men made no answer, but got ready to search for the body of Keesh.

Early next morning, Keesh walked into the village. Across his shoulders was fresh meat. Go you men, with dogs and sleds. Follow my footsteps6. Travel for a day, he said. There is much meat on the ice. A she-bear and her two cubs7.

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 am tired.

There was much talk after Keesh went to his igloo. The killing8 of a bear was dangerous. But it was three times more dangerous to kill a mother bear with cubs. The men did not believe Keesh had done so. But the women pointed9 to the fresh meat. At last, the men agreed to go for the meat that was left. But they were not very happy.

One said that even if Keesh had killed the bear, he probably had not cut the meat into pieces. But when the men arrived, they found that Keesh 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鈥?nd on the following trip, a large male bear and its mate10.

Then there was talk of magic and witchcraft11 in the village. He hunts with evil12 spirits, said one. Maybe his father's spirit hunts with him, said another.

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

I would like to build an igloo. Keesh said one day, but I have no time. My job is hunting. So it would be just if the men and women of the village who eat my meat, build my igloo. And the igloo was built. 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 with evil spirits, and they help you kill the bear.

Is not the meat good? Keesh answered. Has anyone in the village yet become sick after eating it? How do you know evil spirits are with me? 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 decided13 to 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 legs and growled14. But Keesh walked up to it.

We saw it, Bawn, the other hunter, said. The bear began to run toward15 Keesh. Keesh ran away. But as he ran, he dropped a little round ball on the ice. The bear 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.

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. The bear grew weak. Then it sat down and pulled at its own fur with its sharp claws. Keesh watched the bear that whole day.

For three more days, Keesh continued to watch the bear. It was getting weaker and weaker. Keesh moved carefully up to the bear and pushed 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 in the village, the council sent a messenger16 to ask him to come to the meeting. But Keesh said he was tired and hungry. He said his igloo was big 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 seen him kill a bear. And then, in a serious voice to Keesh, he said, We want 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 know nothing of magic or witchcraft. But I have found an easy way to kill the ice-bear. It is head-craft, not witchcraft.

And will you tell us, O Keesh? Klosh-kwan asked in a shaking voice.

I will tell you. It is very simple. Watch.

Keesh picked up a thin piece of whalebone. The ends were pointed and sharp as a knife. Keesh bent17 the bone into a circle. Suddenly he let the bone go, and it became straight with a sharp snap18. He picked up a piece of seal meat.

So, he said, first make a circle with a sharp, thin piece of whale bone. Put the circle of bone inside some seal meat. Put it in the snow to freeze. The bear eats the ball of meat with the circle of bone 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 is easy to kill then. It is simple.

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

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

(MUSIC)

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

(MUSIC)


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
2 announcer FVqzB     
n.宣布者;电(视)台播音员,报幕员
参考例句:
  • The radio announcer said it was nine o'clock.电台播音员报时9点整。
  • The announcer tells the listeners what programme comes next.广播员告诉听众下一个是什么节目。
3 council ooZz9     
n.理事会,委员会,议事机构
参考例句:
  • The town council passed a law forbidding the distribution of handbills.市议会通过法律,禁止散发传单。
  • The city council has declared for improving the public bus system.市议会宣布同意改进公共汽车系统。
4 tribe XJ2zS     
n.部落,种族,一伙人
参考例句:
  • This is a subject tribe.这是个受他人统治的部落。
  • Many of the tribe's customs and rituals are as old as the hills.这部落的许多风俗、仪式都极其古老。
5 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
6 footsteps 6508b080b068283fa9f93b103a1b4406     
n.脚步(声),一步的距离,足迹;脚步(声)( footstep的名词复数 );一步的距离;足迹
参考例句:
  • the sound of footsteps on the stairs 楼梯上的脚步声
  • Their footsteps echoed in the silence. 他们的脚步声在一片寂静中回荡着。
7 cubs 01d925a0dc25c0b909e51536316e8697     
n.幼小的兽,不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a lioness guarding her cubs 守护幼崽的母狮
  • Lion cubs depend on their mother to feed them. 狮子的幼仔依靠母狮喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
9 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
10 mate 2B9xE     
n.伙伴,同事;配偶;大副;v.(使)交配
参考例句:
  • Where is the mate to this glove?这副手套的另一只在哪儿?
  • She has been a faithful mate to him.她一直是他忠实的配偶。
11 witchcraft pe7zD7     
n.魔法,巫术
参考例句:
  • The woman practising witchcraft claimed that she could conjure up the spirits of the dead.那个女巫说她能用魔法召唤亡灵。
  • All these things that you call witchcraft are capable of a natural explanation.被你们统统叫做巫术的那些东西都可以得到合情合理的解释。
12 evil KiHzS     
n.邪恶,不幸,罪恶;adj.邪恶的,不幸的,有害的,诽谤的
参考例句:
  • We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
  • Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。
13 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
14 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
16 messenger DCzxM     
n.报信者,先驱
参考例句:
  • By the time the messenger reached him,the damage had been done.送信人赶到他那儿时,损失已经造成了。
  • I'll order a special messenger to deliver the document.我会派专人把文件送去。
17 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
18 snap tFCzw     
n.啪地移动,突然断掉;v.猛咬,咬断,谩骂,砰然关上
参考例句:
  • He broke off the twig with a snap.他啪地一声把那根树枝折断了。
  • These earrings snap on with special fasteners.这副耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。

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