And the Yeah, Welcome back everyone to one thousand one classic short stories and tales. This is your host to

storyteller John Hagdorn. Today one of Jack London's most famous short

stories, Nagor the coward. The story of a man who has wrongly been given the reputation of a coward and said the by Jack London. He had followed the trail of his fleeing people for 11 days and his pursuit had been in itself a flight.

For behind him he knew full well with the dreaded Russians, toiling through the swampy lowlands and over the steep divides bent on no less than the

extermination of all his people.

He was traveling light, a rabbit skin sleeping robe, a muzzle-loading loading rifle and a few pounds of sun-dried salmon constituted his outfit

He would have marveled that a whole people women and children and aged could travel so swiftly had he not known the terror that drove them on.

It was in the old days of the Russian occupancy of Alaska when the 19th century had run but half its course that Nagor fled

after his fleeing tribe and came upon it this summer night by the headwaters of

the Pylat. Though near the midnight hour it was bright day as he passed through the weary camp.

Many saw him, all knew him, but few and cold were the greetings he received.

Nagor, the coward, he heard Ilia, a young woman laugh, and Sune, his sister's daughter, laughed with her.

Black anger aided his heart, but he gave no sign, threading his way among the campfires until he came to one where sat an old man.

A young woman was needy with skillful fingers the tired muscles of his legs.

He raised a sightless face and listened intently as

Nagor's foot crackled a dead twig.

Who comes? he queried in a thin tremulous voice

Negor said the young woman scarcely looking up from her task

Negor's face was expressionless for many minutes he stood and waited the old man's head had sunk back upon his chest. The young woman pressed and

prodded the wasted muscles, resting her body on her knees, her bowed head hidden as in a cloud by her black wealth of hair.

Nogor watched the supple body, bending at the hips as a lynx's body might bend,

pliant as a young willow-stalk, and, with all, strong as

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