The Savage Innocents Page #5

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Perhaps the missionary

had never met an Eskimo.

We thought we would

never want to see...

...another white man.

Papik, not too close.

Dogs are ready.

So am I.

Inuk, you must not forget your charms.

So.

Papik.

Papik, put that on sled.

Inuk, I want to get this clear.

I want to be sure we

understand each other.

If you come back with

me, you'll be under arrest.

You're my prisoner.

Surely that is forgotten.

I have not forgotten.

The men who sent

me have not forgotten.

They will look for

you until they find you.

But the men who

remember this hunter...

...maybe they are dead.

They'll have written

your name in a book.

Book?

The men will die.

The book will remain.

What is a book?

A book is...

...words.

The words say Inuk is a murderer.

No, Inuk is not a murderer.

Let this man explain.

Explain. How can you explain?

What can you say?

The man was rude.

He insulted my home.

He refused our oldest meat.

But most white men...

...are not fond of old meat.

But the worms were fresh.

And when someone proposed

to him the highest courtesy...

...to laugh with Asiak...

...he refused.

Let a woman explain.

A woman combed her hair...

...greased her face with blubber...

...and cleaned herself to be polite.

A husband was ready to leave.

What does the man do?

He starts to run.

So someone grabbed

him by the shoulders to...

...to bang his head against the wall.

Not to kill.

Just to crack his head a little.

Unfortunately it cracked a lot.

When someone bumps

Inuk's head against the wall...

...the wall falls apart.

Not his head.

- It is true.

Inuk, listen.

No judge in the

world will understand...

...you offering another man your wife.

But it is our custom.

We must be polite.

White men don't

borrow other men's wives?

But...

Never mind.

You don't lend your wife...

...as if she were a sled.

Someone would rather

lend his wife than his sled.

You lend your sled...

...it comes back cracked.

You lend your knife,

it comes back dull.

You, lend your dogs.

They come back tired and crawling.

But if you love your wife...

...no matter how

often you lend her...

...she always comes back like new.

Man.

Man.

You don't understand?

I understand.

Good.

But the other men live by the book.

There you are a murderer.

We must make them understand.

Otherwise Papik, Asiak and me...

...we cannot go

into other men's igloos.

That is our law.

We change the book.

Asiak, you bring the food.

Asiak...

...they'll never understand.

When you come to a strange land...

...you should bring

your wives and not your laws.

Goodbye.

We don't go to trading post?

I go.

You don't.

Why?

Inuk, we couldn't change a thing.

You'll have to go back.

You mustn't be seen here by anyone.

But, Man...

Until we go in there,

I have full authority.

I can let you go.

All I do is fill in a form...

...sign a report and

Inuk doesn't exist any more.

Inuk is dead.

But there is only one Inuk.

Inuk is here.

He has no wish to be dead.

They will have to punish you...

...because the rules

are stronger than they are.

The rules have grown stronger

than those who made them.

Go back.

Man.

You and me...

...we make them understand.

Alright...

...I'll explain it in a different way.

I don't want you with me.

I'm sick of you.

But...

I wouldn't have Asiak's

laughter...

...if it was offered.

When we get to the trading post...

...I'll put a bullet in

your big stomach.

I'll feed Asiak and that

misfit, Papik, to the bear.

Because I hate bear.

I don't want you with me.

Inuk.

Asiak, what did we do to him?

White men.

They are truly

difficult to understand.

They are as bad as the bear.

Worse.

Much worse.

We go back?

We go back.

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