Also, thy people do call thee Negore, the Coward.
It is thy name now, Negore, the Coward."
"It is not a good name," Old Kinoos chuckled.
"Thou dost not understand, Kinoos," Negore said gently. "But I
shall make thee understand. Know that I was away on the hunt of
the bear, with Kamo-tah, my mother's son. And Kamo-tah fought with
a great bear. We had no meat for three days, and Kamo-tah was not
strong of arm nor swift of foot. And the great bear crushed him,
so, till his bones cracked like dry sticks. Thus I found him, very
sick and groaning upon the ground. And there was no meat, nor
could I kill aught that the sick man might eat.
"So I said, 'I will go to Nulato and bring thee food, also strong
men to carry thee to camp.' And Kamo-tah said, 'Go thou to Nulato
and get food, but say no word of what has befallen me. And when I
have eaten, and am grown well and strong, I will kill this bear.
Then will I return in honor to Nulato, and no man may laugh and say
Kamo-tah was undone by a bear.'
"So I gave heed to my brother's words; and when I was come to
Nulato, and the Russian, Ivan, laid the lash of his dog-whip upon
me, I knew I must not fight.
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