The Savage Innocents Page #2

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Asiak.

Please get off, help make igloo.

Come.

Women stay here.

You stay and freeze.

Why don't you sleep?

Someone's feet are too cold.

Inuk, parka.

Look.

Inuk...

...we saw you follow us.

I've come to take Imina.

If you put up resistance...

...someone will kill you like a seal.

Why not stay with Asiak?

Someone doesn't want Asiak.

She can scrape hides

and sew boots...

...and do all the

other things women can do.

This one wants Imina...

...because...

Because...

Nobody can force a woman.

Imina is free to go

with you if she wishes.

So.

In that case...

...will Asiak join

a worthless hunter...

...that doesn't want to travel alone?

Yes.

You hurry.

My mother goes with us.

We will take her.

Someone has changed his mind...

...and will take Asiak after all.

But you said one

woman is as good as another.

Take whichever

woman you want...

...as long as you reload my sled.

You come on.

You come. Go.

Kidok.

Asiak.

Asiak.

It is possible that this

silly woman is not so easy...

...to put down like a bear.

Asiak.

Asiak, you are my wife.

We must not fight. We must laugh.

Yes.

This one is your wife.

But you have chased Imina

for four turns of the sun.

So you will have to chase this one...

...at least ten times as long.

This hunter will

attempt to kill a bear.

Set the dogs on him.

We might lose some.

We have none to spare.

But dogs are faster.

This stupid man will use...

...a slower but better way.

Soften this.

Here.

When this whalebone springs open...

...the bear will get stomach ache.

Nanuk.

Nanuk.

The dogs would have been faster.

You are a great hunter.

The blade has just sprung open.

Soon you will rest

for a long time, Nanuk.

You are as easy to find as Kidok.

The hunter can rest

as well as the hunted.

You'd rest better, so.

A stupid man is

happy he made up his mind.

A girl is grateful a great

hunter accepted her mother.

For a man another

mouth to hunt for...

...is not too much.

Now he has two useless women.

Now he has a wife.

He is proud to have...

...a woman of his own.

Next time we see Anarvik

and we have a cup of tea...

...he says, 'Anarvik...

...my friend, this man

asks no more favours...

...no more permission.

From now on you ask

permission to laugh...

...with my most

desirable wife, Asiak'.

He could not even giggle.

Good manners require

you ask permission...

...before you touch someone's bear.

But you did not kill it.

We have been chasing

this bear for three days.

But you didn't kill it.

Of course, not.

It was already dying

from our spring bait.

No.

- No?

Perhaps it died of fright from big...

...thunder you may have heard.

But this man killed it.

How?

How about this?

It has no sharp

point, no cutting edge.

You did not club bear.

How could you kill?

This one will show you.

Asiak...

...look.

You may touch it.

To use it well...

...it is placed here.

Press it here.

My igloo is not far off.

A worthless wife

will make you some tea.

But first a hunter must skin his bear.

Hiko.

Asiak.

Inuk.

Very good bear hunters.

You killed this bear?

We did.

So many useless skins.

Are they good for mops?

You know of the white man?

It is not impossible.

The white man has no liking

for frozen fish and old meat.

He likes fox skins too much.

But he has many guns.

And you like the ermine tail...

...and the red grease

as much as the white woman.

Very pretty?

He lives in great house of wood.

- Wood.

It is sticky with the heat and...

...he suffers from cold all the time.

He is truly stupid.

But for enough of the fox skins...

...he will give you

a gun such as this...

...with which you

would kill your own bear.

So?

This is what the

white man calls trade.

How many skins are necessary...

...to have such a gun?

Five times a man counted to the end.

Someone could bring

musk ox and caribou hides.

Much better.

White man wants fox skins only.

His brain isn't very sharp...

...and his liking are queer.

But that is what he wants.

Somebody only wants

to show how it works.

The bullet jumped back.

That shows the power of the gun.

It slays any animal from a distance.

That is, if you do

not hit the wall first.

This hunter must have such a gun.

When you have piled up

a hundred fox skins...

...present yourself

at the trading post...

...which is four rivers South...

...and say 'Ittimangnerk sends me'.

Ittimangnerk.

And the white man

will give you such a gun.

Then you'll be

able to buy your wife...

...such beautiful things as mine.

Such a gun.

Asiak...

...from now on we follow the fox.

That year, the animals

of the North around Inuk...

...had the happiest

and most carefree summer...

...of their lives.

The dogs still pursued

bears and held them at bay...

...hoping Inuk would

join them for the kill.

But he never came.

The great hunter had almost

forgotten to feed his family...

...and make provision

for the coming winter.

Only one thought occupied his mind.

The fox.

With the hundred skins

he needed for his gun...

...Inuk, Asiak and Powtee

set off for the trading post.

A journey that

took one full summer...

...and one full winter.

Asiak, look.

We are here.

- So?

So, get off.

You too, help.

Look at that.

My father should see this.

He is always saying that the bear...

...has disappeared from the bay.

The Reverend who

was here before you...

...had it pretty hard.

Young fellows like

that were hardly civilized.

Bear?

Bear, no. Wolf.

Whole family?

Nice game.

Now someone must go and make trade.

We play later.

Up to ten years ago

nearly all the Eskimos...

...were like those three, magnificent.

Asiak...

...look at white man.

Undik, find out what they want.

This stupid woman

expected him to be...

...as white as snow,

but he is a red man.

Can one help you?

One wished to talk to white man.

What about?

It came to pass one met Ittimangnerk.

So one has brought

these skins of no value.

So?

One hears white man likes fox skin.

Maybe.

And what do you

want to trade them for?

Is too much to hope for...

...to have gun?

You want to try it?

There is a bullet in the barrel.

Look out. Watch out for that guy.

Go outside if you want to shoot it.

This makes more noise than other.

If you want bullets to go with it...

...you will have to

bring back more skins.

Of course.

One would kill all

the foxes in the North.

You tell white man...

...he has made someone very happy.

If he wishes, he has my permission...

...to laugh with my beautiful wife.

But the white man does not laugh

with the women of other men.

He does not permit

anyone to laugh in his house.

So?

- It is old fashioned.

Asiak.

The white man does not permit...

...laughing in this house.

He must be a sad man...

...this white, red man.

Try some of this. It is very good.

Music, only music.

Sit down.

Dance?

Dance.

Try some of this.

It doesn't taste good...

...but it will make

you warm and lively.

My wife doesn't complain.

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