Atuk and the Dog by Gail Tepperman

4.8

At the time when our story began there were no large towns in the North of the country, only small camps where people lived not in buildings but in winter tents. There were neither shops, post-offices, cinemas nor theaters there. Dogs and sledges were the only traffic. And there was a lot of snow everywhere, only snow and nothing more.

Only a few people lived in the North and they lived like a large family—they knew each other well and helped one another.

Atuk was only a boy, but when his father went away with other men to get something to eat, Atuk fished in the river and brought his mother and little sisters some fish.

The day was very cold. The sun was high in the sky, but a cold north wind blew. Atuk had his warm clothes on, thick gloves and socks on his hands and feet, but he was very cold, his face was pale and his lips were blue. Atuk stood there near the river for a long time, but there were only three fishes at his feet on the snow. Atuk wanted to go home, but remembered his hungry mother and sisters.

“No, I cannot go home,” he thought. “I shall get one fish more.” And the boy stayed at the river.

Atuk looked into the water, but out of the corner of his eye he saw something dark on the white snow not far from him. But at that time he began to take his fourth fish out of the river and had no time to look there. When the fish was in his hands Atuk, pleased with himself and happy, began to walk home. He walked on and on and did not think of that something on the snow when suddenly he heard that there was somebody behind him. Atuk stopped and slowly, very slowly turned his head. There on the snow stood a thin hungry-looking dog. The dog came up to the boy. It showed its teeth, barked and did not take its eyes off the fish.

Atuk held the fish high up in his hands and said:

“No! These fishes are for my family. You cannot have any.”

The dog stopped barking and sat down on the snow. Its yellow eyes looked at the boy and Atuk thought, “The dog understands my words.”

Atuk knew all the dogs from the camp, but he did not know this dog.

“This dog does not belong to anybody,” thought Atuk. “Poor thing! Nobody is looking after it. How can it live without a home in the cold north weather?”

“I am very sorry for you,” said Atuk to the dog, “but I cannot give you any of my fishes. If I do, I shall go to bed hungry.”

The dog listened to Atuk's words and looked at him with its yellow eyes. At him and at the fish.

“Oh, how hungry and cold he is!” thought Atuk. “I cannot leave the poor dog like this.”

He took a small fish and gave it to the dog. Pleased with himself, Atuk left the dog eating the fish and went home. Atuk’s mother was very angry with him when he told her about the poor dog.

“You must not do that again, my dear,” said the mother. “You cannot give your fish to the dog and go hungry yourself.”

“You are right, Mother,” answered Atuk, but he thought of the poor dog’s eyes that asked him to come to its help.

The next morning Atuk, hungry and angry with himself, went to fish. When he came to the river the dog was already there. It jumped and barked happily. But Atuk did not look at the dog. He began to fish. The dog sat down at his feet. Time went on, Atuk watched the water and the dog looked at the boy. Now Atuk was not angry with the dog any more. He touched its head, and the dog was very pleased.

“Today I must have four fishes for my family,” said Atuk, “and one more for you.”

The dog listened to his words and looked at him.

“If I give you fish to eat, then you are my dog. And I must give you a name. Let it be Mootu. You will be Mootu now. It’s a nice name.”

It was very late when Atuk got home. His mother met him outside the tent. Her eyes were red, but she was glad that her son was at home. But when she learned that Atuk was late because of Mootu's fish, she was angry again.

“We must all work if we want to eat,” she said to Atuk. “The men work and the women and the children and even the dogs work. And what work does your dog do?”

Atuk did not know what to say, because his mother was right.

The next morning the weather was wonderful. Atuk quickly walked to the river. On his way there he thought:

“Where did my poor dog sleep during the night? Tomorrow I shall bring Mootu home. He is my dog and he must sleep in my tent.”

When Mootu saw Atuk he saluted him by barking happily. And Atuk was glad to have the dog at his side. He began to sing a song about the north woods, about

the river and about his dog Mootu. There were already four fishes on the snow. He had no time to look around. But suddenly he saw that it was very dark. “How strange,” he thought. “So early and so dark.” A cold wind began to blow along the river. There was no sun in the sky now. “It is going to snow,” understood Atuk. “But I must fish a little more, I cannot let my family and Mootu go hungry,” thought the boy.

But soon Atuk was sorry that he was still at the river. The snow was now so thick and fell so quickly that he did not see his hand when he held it up. Atuk picked up his fish and began to walk home, but he walked very slowly: he was cold, hungry and wanted to sleep. And what is more, he soon understood that he did not know the way home. He sat down on the snow and began to cry. He thought of his mother and little sisters.

“Who is going to look after them if I stay here and die?” said the boy to himself. He wanted to get up but the wind did not let him and he fell back into the snow.

At that minute something touched Atuk’s arm. It was Mootu.

“Mootu!” cried Atuk. “Oh, Mootu, help me! Help me!”

For a long time Atuk and Mootu slowly walked on and on, Mootu in front and Atuk behind him. Atuk fell down many times but each time Mootu helped him to get to his feet. It was a hard fight, the boy and the dog fought to live.

Suddenly there was something large and dark before the boy. He put out his hand and touched it.

“Our tent!” cried Atuk. “We are at home, and it’s thanks to you, Mootu.”

Atuk’s mother cried and laughed and his little sisters danced around him. For some time they did not see Mootu, but «suddenly Atuk’s mother looked at the dog and said:

“Come to our home and to our fire! We shall always be happy to have you here.”

These are the usual words people say in the Far North to somebody they are glad to see.

Mootu’s yellow eyes laughed. He understood that now he had a home and many good friends.