Jack London
(1876 - 1916)

The Call of the Wild

1

Buck did not read the newspapers, and so he didn't know that there was trouble ahead, not alone for himself, but for every strong dog, with warm, long hair. In the Arctic darkness a yellow metal had been found, and thousands of men were rushing into the Northland. These men wanted dogs, and the dogs they wanted were heavy dogs, with strong muscles to pull sleds and thick coats to protect them from the snow and ice. 

Buck lived in a big house in the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley. Judge Miller's place, it was called. It stood back from the road, half-hidden among the trees, with a wide cool veranda that ran around its four sides. Here Buck was born, and here he had lived the four years of his life. It was true, there were other dogs, but they did not count. Buck plunged into the swimming tank or went hunting with the Judge's sons; he went with the Judge's daughters on long walks; he lay at the Judge's feet before the library fire; he carried the Judge's grandsons on his back, or rolled them in the grass, and guarded their footsteps through wild adventures. He was king--king over all of Judge Miller's place. 

His father was a huge St. Bernard, and his mother a Scotch shepherd dog. During the four years since his birth he had lived a happy life. Hunting and other outdoor activities had made him strong. It was in the fall of 1897, when men from all the world rushed to Klondike. But Buck did not read the newspapers, and he did not know that Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers, loved to play lottery. He needed money to play, and he didn't have much. But he had a wife and lot of children.

The Judge and the boys were away one night when Manuel took Buck for what Buck imagined was just a walk. They met a man and money passed between them. Manuel put a strong rope around Buck's neck. To be sure, this was new for him, but he had learned to trust in men he knew. But when the ends of the rope were placed in the stranger's hands, he growled. To his surprise the rope tightened around his neck, shutting off his breath. In a quick rage he sprang at the man, but the rope tightened even more, while Buck struggled, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Never in all his life had he been treated like that, and never in all his life had he been so angry. But his strength left him, and he knew nothing when the two men threw him into the baggage car of the train. 

(adapted)