The Snow Walker (a book) by Farley Mowat (1975)

The author is a popular storyteller on nature and Canadian Eskimo. In The Snow Walker, he tells the readers how Eskimo lived their primitive life in frigid northern country.

According to the book, Eskimo subsisted on caribous and lived in igloos on the icy tundra. At the mercy of Mother Nature, they survived from generation to generation. Then when the dark winter in the coldest place on earth never ended, and the depleted food stock could not be replenished, the residents of this barren land could do nothing but remain in their cold and dark igloos to face their Snow Walker. Starvation was Eskimo’s worst enemy. In a short time, it wiped out the residents of an entire camp that consisted of many families.

One of the grim tales in the book that moved me the most is about an unbreakable bond between a young hunter and a white fox ("Two Who Were One.")

It is the story of young Angutna brought home a fox pup whom he found while bagging his first caribou. Angutna named the baby fox Kipmik, Little Dog. They grew up together and became inseparable. Kipmik’s animal instinct helped Angutna become a successful hunter. But good times did not last. When the wildlife in the neighborhood was depleted, Angutna was compelled to sell Kipmik’s beautiful fur for foods for his wife and children. With the noose of release, Angutna killed both Kipmik and himself. According to the legend, Angutna was buried by the bank of the River of Seals with Kipmik lied beside him. - Ayee

A Little Green Snake

In our younger days, my sister and I often accompanied an elderly relative, Kon Kon, on his many long walks in the countryside. In this particular sunny morning, we were on a trail along a small creek. It must be a summer day as there was not much water in the narrow stream. On the other side of the path, there was this rocky cliff towered over us and protected us from the morning sun. The soft splashing sound from the running water in the creek was soothing and peaceful. It was another perfect day for a leisure stroll in the woods.

But on our way back, we noticed a little green snake about two to three feet long coiled perfectly on the steep cliff. Its stunning color of bamboo green stood out amid the brownish vegetation on the rock. Because its entire body is in such translucent green I have ever seen, I remember this little creature well. To prevent the snake from hurting us, the kids, Kon Kon killed this pretty snake.

At that time none of us seemed to have a second thought over the killing of a defenseless being, as snakes were always being perceived as pests and were considered dangerous to their human neighbors. We must rid of the snake to prevent it from harming us.

Now resulting from uncontrolled urban sprawl, our cities are getting bigger and bigger. Countless of wildlife got killed and relocated because they were in our "neighborhood." In retrospect, I think it is so wrong to kill that little harmless snake. Moreover, it is cruel to kill any wild animals when they happened to be in the patch that uses to be their homes. - Ayee