words per minute
19
Himanshu_Chopra
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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, lkeega. One
night, the village council 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 graybeards this way!" Keesh waited until the noise stopped. "You have a wife, Ughgluk," 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 tribe 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 spoke 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